PHOTOS: Head tattoos, chest pieces and ink for days
A photo gallery from the 21st annual Philadelphia Tattoo Arts Convention by Villain Arts
Tattoo Louie of Cryptic Tattoo in Los Angeles works on a tattoo, Friday, at the Philadelphia Tattoo Arts Convention, Feb. 15, 2019.
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoice
by Thom Carroll PhillyVoice Contributor
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.
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoiceDan 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.
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoiceThe 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. Thom Carroll/PhillyVoice“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. Thom Carroll/PhillyVoice“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.
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoiceArtist “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. Thom Carroll/PhillyVoiceAerialist Shannon Sexton performs at the silks at the 21st annual Philadelphia Tattoo Arts Convention, Friday, Feb. 15, 2019. Thom Carroll/PhillyVoiceSara 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.