‘I’m going to get a tattoo’ is a phrase that strikes fear into the heart of almost every publicist and model agent going, such is the latent prejudice towards body art that exists in the entertainment industry.

But what would Hollywood’s most revered icons actually look like if they were heavily inked? And would it be such a bad thing?

Seattle-based artist Cheyenne Randall’s latest project aims to portray exactly that, by cleverly sketching and digitally enhancing traditional tattoo artwork onto a number of famous images.

Download the new Independent Premium app Sharing the full story, not just the headlines

From Audrey Hepburn’s intricately detailed chest and neck piece, Princess Diana’s full sleeves – and even a hipster Marlon Brando – no famous face has been left un-inked.

But, Cheyenne reiterated to The Independent, this isn’t a project about “tattooed celebrities”, a term he feels so strongly against, he asked for it not to be used in association with any of his work.

Shape Created with Sketch. 30 Tattoo Icons by Cheyenne Randall Show all 30 left Created with Sketch. right Created with Sketch. Shape Created with Sketch. 30 Tattoo Icons by Cheyenne Randall 1/30 Breaking Bad(der): Bryan Cranston 2/30 Yoko Ono & John Lennon 3/30 Audrey Hepburn 4/30 Hipster Marlon Brando 5/30 Marilyn Monroe 6/30 A young Barack Obama 7/30 Leonard Nimoy 8/30 Kate Moss for Playboy 9/30 Chloe Sevigny 10/30 Arnold Schwarzenegger 11/30 Diana, Princess of Wales 12/30 The Kennedys 13/30 Iggy Pop 14/30 Sharon Stone 15/30 Winona Ryder 16/30 The Graduate 17/30 David Bowie 18/30 First rule about Fight Club... Get tattoos. 19/30 Elizabeth Taylor 20/30 John Lennon 21/30 James Dean 22/30 Brigitte Bardot 23/30 Bruce Lee 24/30 Mick Jagger 25/30 Jack Nicholson 26/30 Elvis 27/30 Bette Davis 28/30 Debby Harry 29/30 Albert Einstein 30/30 Grace Kelly 1/30 Breaking Bad(der): Bryan Cranston 2/30 Yoko Ono & John Lennon 3/30 Audrey Hepburn 4/30 Hipster Marlon Brando 5/30 Marilyn Monroe 6/30 A young Barack Obama 7/30 Leonard Nimoy 8/30 Kate Moss for Playboy 9/30 Chloe Sevigny 10/30 Arnold Schwarzenegger 11/30 Diana, Princess of Wales 12/30 The Kennedys 13/30 Iggy Pop 14/30 Sharon Stone 15/30 Winona Ryder 16/30 The Graduate 17/30 David Bowie 18/30 First rule about Fight Club... Get tattoos. 19/30 Elizabeth Taylor 20/30 John Lennon 21/30 James Dean 22/30 Brigitte Bardot 23/30 Bruce Lee 24/30 Mick Jagger 25/30 Jack Nicholson 26/30 Elvis 27/30 Bette Davis 28/30 Debby Harry 29/30 Albert Einstein 30/30 Grace Kelly

“This isn’t really about celebrities being tattooed,” he said. “It’s an ongoing art project where I take the recognisable icons and transform them into regular people, perhaps if they had taken another path in life or were from a parallel universe. It has more meaning to me than just making famous people look tattooed up. I respect the subject more than that.”

Furthermore, a message on his Facebook page reads:

“Also, this is a good look at how we, ordinary people, develop such strong, personal, one-sided relationships with our icons. I have seen people say this is disrespectful and that they are offended. Really? Because last I checked I didn't know Brad Pitt and Edward Norton gave a s**t one way or another and maybe just maybe they might think it's fun and harmless and imaginative.”

Brad Pitt’s long-term girlfriend Angelina Jolie, herself the possessor of a large collection of permanent body art, would be hard-pressed to disagree with him.

And so, perhaps, would the icons of the future. Attitudes towards tattoos are changing at a rapid pace, thanks in part to the large numbers of famous body art endorsers.

Once a taboo frowned upon by the entertainment industry, tattoos can be seen up and down the runways on the world’s biggest fashion models – like Cara Delevingne and Kate Moss – adorning the arms and chests of One Direction and Rihanna, and covering the torsos of footballers the Premiership over.

Daily coronavirus briefing No hype, just the advice and analysis you need Enter your email address Continue Continue Please enter an email address Email address is invalid Fill out this field Email address is invalid Email already exists. Log in to update your newsletter preferences Register with your social account or click here to log in I would like to receive morning headlines Monday - Friday plus breaking news alerts by email Update newsletter preferences

Even those you least expect have expressed their desires to go under the needle. This writer, for example, vividly recalls a conversation with Daniel Radcliffe on his promotional trail of Hammer Horror The Women in Black in London a few years back, during which the geekish former Harry Potter star mused over ideas for a big back piece he had planned (though, as far as we know, these plans are yet to be actualised).

And let's not forget this Question Time incident, either.

If it means we get to see more stunning images like those in the gallery above on the red carpet, we’re all for it.