Live tattooing makes a return to Newcastle this weekend accompanied by live music and a packed programme of entertainment acts ranging from the comic to the magical.
The Big North Tattoo Show will open at Utilita Arena on Saturday, April 27, bringing to the city more than 300 tattoo artists from around the world.
And a whopping 180 of those will be new to the event, says Martin McIver who, with co-organiser with Perry Rule, is ensuring that the event, now in its third year, is building upon past successes with an extended programme.
The pair paid a return visit to Newcastle in early April for the Big North Tattoo Show's official launch at The Alchemist bar-restaurant which was also attended by some of the local talents who will be showcasing work alongside the international visitors until Sunday.
Among them was Kayley Henderson, who works at Page Lazonby's Masamune Tattoos in Whickham and specialises in colour realism.
Her husband, fellow tattoo artist Gari whose own expertise is in black and grey, is taking part this year too.
Kayley is eager to be in on the action again after business received such a boost at previous shows, when she had people queuing up just to ask questions.
Many visitors to the family-friendly event tend to be new to tattoos and welcome the opportunity to learn about the process and see the range of what's available.
And while others might go to the show specifically to get a new tattoo - having perhaps pre-booked a slot on learning that a favourite artist is making a rare visit to the region - there are opportunities also for 'walk-ins' to have one done on the spot.
The free-flowing event will showcase a range of tattooing methods including the traditional art of hand-tapping, which makes painstaking use of the likes of bamboo sticks to impart the ink.
McIver says there also will be plenty to occupy children while the the whole entertainment programme - which includes trade stalls and food and drink outlets - has been boosted with more bands and the likes of Jyoti Supernatural whose magical act features feats of balance and levitation.
Another popular choice will be the inclusion again of the retro video game arcade following its hugely successful debut last year.
For more about the Big North Tattoo Show see here .
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