Spots, skulls and a giant Buddha head: Beautiful and bizarre world of body art at the London Tattoo Convention

300 artists on 25 stalls will participate in the 9th annual event

Crowd more diverse than ever though some regret that body art is popular

News that ink may be cancerous will come as a concern

From cracked skulls topped with curling horns to brightly coloured flowers, the London Tattoo Convention is always guaranteed to show off the weird and wonderful.



And this year was no different, as everything from classic skulls and devils, to eye-popping 3D designs, body-art enthusiasts proudly showed off their ink.

The event, held at Tobacco Dock until Monday, gives people the chance to even top up their tats and learn about new patterns.

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Ouch! The International Tattoo Convention has some impressive and eye-watering displays of body-art - including this intricate horn and skull design which curves around the nippes

Colourful: This woman shows off a vibrant tattoo on her chest featuring a rose and horseshoe, with wings that flutter across the colourbone

Bringing sexy back? These two have chosen incredibly intricate designs inspired by the far East etched into their backs in vivid colours - a far cry from the usual skull and crossbones that many opt for



Bugz Bonnie shows off her elaborate ink, which includes an elaborate design of spiderwebs, roses, and a face that adorns her chest

Nathan Shrive's tattoo, which goes across his windpipe, must have hurt; but that didn't stop him getting motivational messages, roses, stars and spiderwebs decorated on himself

But mostly, it gave people a chance to flash their inked flesh - and prove just how tough they were to endure hours of painful needlework to get the designs.

Everything from Oriental designs of blue dragons curling around limbs, to more delicate cherry-blossom tree patterns, was on display.

'This is like the Premier League of tattoo artists from all over the world who come here to show their work,' organiser Marcus Beriman said.

Around 300 artists will use 26 stalls at the fair to show off their work while offering to add more designs to anyone brave enough to go under the hammering needle.



And many took advantage of the flood of artists to top up their tats and



And, as the attendees at this year's even show, the clientele has stretched far beyond sailors, soldiers and gangsters who were the mainstay of body-art for hundreds of years.

Stay still! Over 300 artists on 25 stalls are attending the 9th annual event in London - and many were called upon to top up the tattoos of visitors

From classic black and white patterns to more modern and colorful designs, there was something for everyone



The contrast between the harsh black and white and the softer colour show just how variable tattoos can be



Grin and bear it: From the look on his face this man may not be enjoying getting this elaborate new design put on

Thanks in part to celebrity endorsement, tattooing is now popular with everyone from housewives to pensioners.

Indeed the man responsible for putting a huge rose pattern on Cheryl Cole's bottom and back, Nikko Hurtado, will be at the event and is sure to be in high demand.

It has encouraged people to offer up the most sensitive parts of their body - from the throats, to their feet, to their private parts, so that they too can have their body permanently painted.

Many of those who attended the convention proudly showed how intricate art - which would take hours to complete - had been needled into the skin between their legs, on their ears and everywhere in between.

But Miki Vialetto, editor of Tattoo Life, thinks it's a shame that body art is becoming popular.

Wild at heart! These two girls show how they have had a second skin drawn on in these colourful patterns - both with skulls inked on between their breasts

Not an inch left! Just a few spaces remain on Iestyn Flye's face and scalp as every bit of his face has been tattooed

Speaking to The Times, he said: 'I thought it was something magical. A lot of people now get a tattoo like they would buy a new pair of shoes.'

The revelation this week that tattoo ink could cause cancer will also come as a shock to people at the convention.

Toxic ink used for tattoos could seep into the body and increase the risk of cancer, experts have warned.



Nanoparticles couldenter via the bloodstream and settle in major organs - such as kidneys - causing them to stop functioning normally.



As many as five percent of tattoo studios are believed to use ink that contains carcinogenic compounds - such as colbalt and mercury.

A blue leopard adorns the head of this doe-eyed woman, while another has dedicated her back to Oriental design, with a huge mythical dragon curling around her spine



Hands off to you: Jimmy Q's shows off his inked hands inside the London tattoo convention