More than 80 of Australasia's top tattoo artists have converged on the Wellington this weekend, in the city's first tattoo convention.
It's attracted artists as far south as Invercargill, with some tattooists even crossing the Tasman.
One of the organisers, Craig Lee, told 1 NEWS half of all the artists booked for the weekend are female.
"I don't think any tattoo show has done that," he said.
The industry is booming too, with one in three New Zealanders under 30 having a tattoo.
"it just kind of shows you the type of people that get tattooed now - it's not a back-alley thing or gang related thing - everyone gets tattooed now," said Craig.
While not everyone here is looking to get one, those wanting a permanent souvenir this weekend are being urged to think before they ink.
"It's really about finding the right artist for the right job and that's where an event like this bringing all the styles together is useful for the public," said Craig.
Some of the visiting artists have made a mark on some big names too.
Rhys Gordon, visiting from Sydney has tattooed Justin Bieber, Sam Smith and Ruby Rose too.
While this year’s event is sold out organisers are already putting plans together for 2020.
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