February 18, 2019
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoice
Tattoo Louie of Cryptic Tattoo in Los Angeles works on a tattoo, Friday, at the Philadelphia Tattoo Arts Convention, Feb. 15, 2019.
For the 21st consecutive year, the Philadelphia Tattoo Arts Convention came to town this past weekend - and with it hundreds of artists from around the world and thousands looking to get some fresh ink. This wildly-successful tattoo convention is the largest of its kind, with over 1,000 booths filling the sprawling Pennsylvania Convention Center in Center City.
The event is hosted by the Philadelphia-based Villain Arts, which organizes similar events throughout the country all year round but none that come close to the scale of the event thrown on their home field.
Here is a photo gallery from Friday night of the Convention.
Dan Keny, a traveling artist from the Czech Republic works on a thigh tattoo on Anthony Fultz of Front Royal, VA, at the Philadelphia Tattoo Arts Convention.
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The 21st annual Tattoo Arts Convention took place over the weekend at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, from Friday, Feb. 15 through Sunday, Feb. 17 with over 1000 artists and vendor booths.
“El Mexicano” of Chicago, IL, has has been tattooed for over 330 hours. His work has been done completely by one artist, Sick Life Tattoo, who shown in the background working on a tattoo, Friday, Feb. 15, 2019.
“To keep still, you really have to concentrate on breathing through your stomach and not your chest,” said Max Shelly of Mt. Laurel, NJ, while being tattooed by artist Chris Romolini of Omkara Tattoo in Philadelphia.
Artist “Husky” of the Sick Made Tattoo Parlor in Anaheim, CA, works on the back of Cordero Ramos of New York City for the second day, after completing a large chest-piece late the night before.
Aerialist Shannon Sexton performs at the silks at the 21st annual Philadelphia Tattoo Arts Convention, Friday, Feb. 15, 2019.
Sara Fabel, a tattoo artist living in Los Angeles, works on a custom design on the leg of Amanda Kendall of South Jersey. This is Kendall's 4th tattoo from Fabel, despite living on opposite coasts.
