Great British Tattoo Show

I've not been to the Alexandra Palace on a sunny day before but the views are fantastic. When you visit the Great British Tattoo Show one must expect to see huge numbers of artists and their creations but also lots of tattooed people. A Bank holiday visit did not disappoint but unfortunately my camera battery gave out long before Zombie Boy took to the stage. I did get some good shots of artists at work and samples of the tattooist's art as well as the urban lingerie and streetwear fashion show. So what happens at a tattoo show? Well lots and lots of people get tattooed, lots of artists work and artists enter their work into competitions and the winner is judged. Here is part of a line up for judging. and the line up of judges Of course while they are getting tattooed the men usually put on a scowling face that they hope says 'I'm a big hard geezer and I'm feeling nothing'. However it's a fixed expression that really says 'I am desperately trying not to wince in pain in case it ruins the artwork'. Both tattooist and subject need a steady hand. There are also vintage car displays, entertainment in the form of fashion shows,fire eaters anything spectacular really as well as general tomfoolery. The compere, Paul Sweeney a slightly built man (in the red shirt in the above pic) asked if somebody in the crowd could bench press him! Nobody rose to the challenge this time alas but I would have liked to have seen that. I also met a friend there which was unexpected but good fun.