The 10th London Tattoo Convention was held in Tobacco Dock last weekend. The event saw artists and enthusiasts from around the world descend on east London to provide what surely must be the greatest people watching event of the year.

London seems to be about more than tattoos themselves; it is about all that comes with them. That’s why you’ll be able to buy taxidermy, get a cool hair cut from Paul Hewitt himself, meet a tattooed model and watch burlesque show all in one location.

For those looking to skip the queue walk ups were available from artists with waiting lists longer than most marriages. If you couldn’t get a slot with one of the other 300+ artists you could pick up a sheet of flash, sketchbook, t-shirt or any other wares from them personally instead.

There aren’t many cooler places to spend the weekend, or places to make you feel really uncool either. You will gawp at fashions ranging from steam punk to dominatrix as scantily clad pin up girls breeze past a host of artists with full face tattoos.

The tattoo shop can be seen as an intimidating arena to enter for the non-tattooed community but the positive vibe of convention weekend is a definite way in for anyone who considers themselves an outsider. If you’ve always been interested in this field then this is the event to attend, you might even leave with a permanent reminder of your time.