Tattoo lovers converge on Tauranga expo

Rosie Squish showcases her work at the NZ International Tattoo and art expo that was held in Tauranga at the weekend. Photo/Andrew Warner.

Human canvases in line to get inked, tattoo lovers flipping through binders of artwork and the buzz of tattoo guns filled the Queen Elizabeth Youth Centre this weekend.

The second annual New Zealand International Tattoo and Art Expo in Tauranga was a two-day event featuring tattoo artists and fans from around the country and abroad.

Karanga Ink tattooists at the NZ International Tattoo and Art Expo in Tauranga over the weekend. Photo/Andrew warner

The tattoo world has become diverse and has been stomping out old misconceptions - and the expo held in Tauranga was a reflection of that.

There were families with small children, old and young people getting tattoos and plenty of female tattooists.

Anything from a full leg or chest piece to a small arm tattoo was being done.

People filtered through the crowded aisles checking out the tattoos being inked, new tattoo technology and artwork on display.

In the midst of the modern tattooists at the expo was a Ta Moko stall.

While inking a woman, tattooist Pip Hartley of Karanga Studio talked to the Bay of Plenty Times.

"There's a great whanau vibe here, everything is super chill and friendly," she said.

It was the first time they had been able to come to the expo and Ms Hartley said they were bringing a "cultural feel".

She was inking Maria Hards with a tree of life that had the names of Ms Hards' children woven in.

"It doesn't hurt too bad. It feels like something is scratching you.

"I've had six children so relative to that ... it's not so bad," she laughed.

The tattoo she was getting told a bit of her story and of her family.

"There's a range of artists here, it gives you more scope to do something you wouldn't be able to do anywhere else," Ms Hards said.

Hamish Mabon-Ross getting a permanent reminder of his trip to Tauranga at the NZ International Tattoo and Art Expo last year. He and tattooist Paul Tran returned this year to add more to the leg.

Fellow exhibitor Paul Tran returned to the expo this year, saying it was much busier than before.

"It's been pretty cool. Last year when you were walking around the locals didn't really know about it, but this year there's heaps of locals, they're everywhere."

Client Hamish Mabon-Ross, who got a Japanese mask on his leg from Mr Tran last year, also returned to have a large Japanese water dragon added to the artwork.

"I started at 11.30am [Saturday] and went through until 9.50pm, so that's about 10 hours worth of work. It's an addition on last year's stuff with the intention of making it a full leg sleeve."

Mr Mabon-Ross, from Dunedin, said you could tell a longer story with a sleeve on a leg and he was drawn to Japanese art and symbolism.