Tatt's a lot of ink: Thousands of tattoo fans converge on East London to show off their body art or get new designs added

More than 1,000 tattoos are expected to be sketched and drawn at the convention in east London this weekend

Body piercing artist Aneta Von Cyborg shows off what she can do with her cleaved tongue at the event at the Old Truman Brewery

Up to 7,000 guests from across Europe are expected to attend this weekend to meet some of the world's most famous tattoo artists

One of the event's 150 ink artists, Jo Harrison, works her magic on the leg of a customer

Ms Harrison works beneath her artworks depicting famous faces clad in tattoos, including Queen Elizabeth II and Sir Winston Churchill

Von Cyborg adds another tattoo to her vast collection - this time on her bottom

The model describes herself as a 'freak, weirdo, pervert and exhibitionist'

London-based Von Cyborg has silicon implants under her skin which makes her look as if she has horns

A variety of tattoo styles are represented at the event. Here ink artist Adem Senturk draws galloping stallions on a customer's back

Some visitors were not phased by the pain with a few even reading books as artists set their needles to work

Vicky Ball shows off her arm tattoo of a female pirate, complete with a Jolly Roger head band

Numerous artists from across the country were at the event to show off what the UK and Ireland can do

Colin Snow, 70, shows off his torso covered in tattoos, some of which were done 45 years ago

It is estimated that about one in five of the UK population has a tattoo with that number rising to around one in three young people

According to a YouGov survey only 14 per cent of people with tattoos in the UK regret them in their later life

Early tattoo methods included using chisels, rakes, or picks. Soot-covered thread was also used. The thread would be sewn through the skin

The event is being hosted by Milan-based magazine Tattoo Life, which also hosts the larger International London Tattoo festival, held annually

Tom Storm works dilegently on the already heavily-tattooed arm of Kerrie Hibbert

James Naden showed off his arm tattoo, which pays tribute to one of his favourite rock bands

YouGov found that the median age of getting a first tattoo is 21

A variety of tattoo styles are represented at the event, including the 'very popular' black and grey designs

The convention is also selling 'alternative merchandise', ranging from bespoke jewellery and clothing, to stuffed foxes and other taxidermy

A woman casually talks on the phone while having a tattoo applied

The event is scheduled to run all weekend, starting yesterday and ending on Sunday February 9

Tattoos are becoming increasingly popular with an estimated one in three young adults in the UK choosing to go under the needle

Not all skin on the body is the same and, therefore, will not take tattoo pigment the same. For example, tattoos on elbows, knuckles, knees, and feet are infamous for fading

To get a tattoo, the skin is pierced between 50 and 3,000 times a minute by a tattoo machine

Laser surgery is the most effective way to remove a tattoo. The laser penetrates the skin and breaks up the tattoo pigments so that they can be carried away naturally by the body's immune system

Archeologists have discovered tools in France, Portugal, and Scandinavia that were probably used for tattooing. These are at least 12,000 years old

The tattoo machine was invented by American Samuel O'Reilly around the late 19th century. He based his design on the autographic printer, an engraving machine invented by Thomas Edison

Tattoo artists Red Wright, left, and Alan Alfred have a chat as they get to work on customers

Receiving a tattoo has been described as similar to getting stung by a bee or getting a sunburn

Typically the most painful areas to tattoo are over the bone such as the ankle, collarbone, chest, ribs, and spine

A man with ink all over his head stands behind a glass cabinet filled with skulls

Body artists Humandra tattoos a customer's leg. The artists have been hand-picked for the event

The customer is the picture of relaxation as the artist smiles at his work

For many people tattoos represent significant traits or moments in their lives. Film star Johnny Depp once said: 'My body is my journal and my tattoos are my story'

Green and yellow designs are the most difficult to have removed

Some people opt to get UV tattoos, which are created with ink that is completely invisible in normal daylight but glows brightly under ultraviolet light