TWO GUYS AND A CUP
Tattoo Conventions, Shirtless Collectors, and the phenomenon of Showing Off Your Ink
There are two guys but no cup. Just had to get your attention.
As I make the rounds to all these tattoo conventions, I’ve started seeing guys walking around with their shirts off like they wandered in from some fucked-up Chippendales tryout next door. Except nobody’s dancing, nobody’s throwing dollar bills, and judging by a few of the physiques I’ve encountered, I doubt anybody’s getting hired.
I’m not criticizing these guys. I understand why they’re shirtless. When you’ve spent years and a considerable amount of money covering your upper body with tattoos, wearing a shirt to a tattoo convention is hiding the merchandise. And judging by these two gentlemen, there’s plenty of merchandise to display.
A guy walk shirtless into a grocery store and half the customers wonder whether he’d forgotten to get dressed. Put that same guy inside a tattoo convention, covered in artwork, and suddenly he’s dressed appropriately for the occasion. Same guy, same tattoos, entirely different reception.
Look at the two guys in this pic. They’re standing there as comfortable as can be, surrounded by people getting tattooed. I have no idea how long they’ve been collecting or what their individual tattoos mean. I didn’t ask. And I’m not going to manufacture some emotional backstory about their artwork.
But I’ll give them credit for putting it on display. Full chest tattoos, sleeves, and larger tattoo collections involve a huge commitment of time, money, and skin. Some collectors enjoy showing off the finished work, and tattoo conventions offer an audience that can appreciate the craftsmanship.
If you’re considering a chest piece, sleeve, or larger tattoo project, Inker gives you a place to discover tattoo artists and examine their portfolios. A project covering that much territory deserves more research than choosing the first artist who answers the phone.
As for these two gentlemen, I didn’t get your names, but if you’re reading this, please message us and we’ll send you an Inker mystery box.
J Gekko
Staff Writer, Inker