((PKG)) NYC -- TATTOO EXPO
((Banner: Skin))
((Reporter: Elena Wolf))
((Camera: Max Avloshenko))
((Adapted by: Zdenko Novacki))
((Map: New York, New York City))
((Courtesy: Tattoo Expo))
((NATS))
((CARLOS, TATTOO ARTIST))
Everybody needs their tattoo. It’s a new way of life. It’s a way of conversation and a way of being and a way of people in general. I’ve been getting tattooed since I was 12 years old.
((CECILIA, EXPO VISITOR))
I was 18 when I had my first tattoo. But I made sure it was symbolic to me, which was just a little symbol of my zodiac sign on my wrist. But all of my tattoos I made sure whatever I got, I was never going to have any regrets for.
((JEFF, TATTOO ARTIST))
The reason the tattoo is permanent is because the tattoo molecules are larger than your white blood cells in your immune system. So, if you see, if you see like a 20-year-old tattoo, it’ll look blurry around the edges, because your body’s trying to get rid of it, but it’s just too big. The laser doesn’t burn it out of your skin. That would create a big scar. It just shatters the ink into tiny particles that are now small enough for your immune system to flush out of your body.
((ALEXIS, TATTOO ARTIST))
You got to invest into your life, you know, no matter what that is, especially if, let’s for instance, you're taking this to the grave. For the rest of your life, you can have beautiful artwork on you. So, I think it's worth investing, you know. If you consider your lifetime built up of hours, seconds and days, I mean, you’re, it’s not that much to have something beautiful on your body for the rest of your life.
((CARLOS, TATTOO ARTIST))
I have one tattoo. They all touch, so, therefore it’s only one.
((CECILIA, EXPO VISITOR))
Tattoos are being more and more accepted in our generation, or in this generation, and I’m pretty sure it’s going to be more accepted in generations to come, because the art is being seen as art. But it’s still a misunderstanding and people don’t really understand. There’s not enough information out there to explain how a tattoo is applied.
((ALEXIS, TATTOO ARTIST))
I love that you get to make something specific for someone. And each person, I try to make something specific for them and specifically for their story. I think that’s nice for the collector. They get to have something unique.
((CARLOS, TATTOO ARTIST))
Do a good tattoo, and really take pride in timing what you’re doing. Don’t just do it because it’s on TV.
((NATS))
