Some of New Zealand's best tattooists - as well as the most spontaneous tattoo enthusiasts - enjoyed a collaborative weekend together under one roof.
The second annual tattoo convention held in Wellington. Photo: RNZ/Samuel Rillstone
The second annual tattoo convention held in Wellington featured artists from Invercargill to Auckland, all showcasing their work.
Located at Massey University's Old Dominion Museum, around 100 tattooists set up shop for the weekend.
But the event nearly didn't happen, said co-organiser Craigy Lee.
"We were going to go in July again, and then Covid happened and lockdowns, and then we were going to cancel it.
"[We] then decided to push it back, and took a little bit of a gamble, and then luckily Wellington City Council came on board and gave us a little bit of funding."
The one difference between this year and last, was that all tattooists are based in New Zealand, whereas the year before, it featured artists from all across Australasia.
What that meant, however was that artists who didn't make it last year, were able to make it this year.
One of those was Tyler Jade - a Tāmaki Makaurau-based tā moko artist - who particularly enjoyed the location in the Old Dominion Museum.
"I was definitely expecting a smaller intimate kind of setting," she said.
"And I wasn't actually expecting it to look this grand and beautiful. I feel like I'm in Hogwarts and it's kind of fitting because it's Halloween, so it's been really cool."
The lack of artists from overseas was a plus for Matthias Tahler, an artist who originally hails from Europe.
"I like it actually because for me, it means I meet a lot of New Zealand artists which is interesting for me, being from outside, getting to know and making new contacts, and all that, and knowing people who work around you, getting to know the industry in New Zealand."
Despite the throngs of people cramming the hall - the atmosphere is a lot different to what he's used to.
"Like I'm from Europe, and it felt like the studio I was apprenticing at, you feel like a machine: next after next after next. But here, everything feels a bit calmer in New Zealand."
The convention also was the best opportunity for spontaneous members of the public.
Philip McLean arrived at the convention on Saturday, having more of an idea of what he was after than some.
"I've got two daughters that have dragons from [Richard Warnock], so I wanted to get a dragon.
"I don't know - some family thing. Families that tattoo together stay together."
But then, he made a last-minute decision.
"I was only going to get the one, and then I saw this geisha girl at another place, and decided I really wanted that, so I came today for that as well.
"But the trouble is, now I've got that geisha there, I want to put a samurai on the other leg."