Who Said That?

"We're just trying to get our name out there, we're not trying to get rich."

Bobby Ellis took his time sliding the razor across his client's head. A clean canvas is a necessity, especially when ink will become permanent on someone's skin.

“Hair tears the paper towel and makes it harder to wipe off,” said Ellis, of Victory Tattoo in Ormond Beach. “A lot of people are starting to get their hands and neck done, but heads don't happen very often.”

Ellis is one of more than 100 artists, from across the nation and world, showcasing their abilities at the 14th annual Tampa Bay Tattoofest that ended Sunday at the Bradenton Area Convention Center.

“We showcase the best of the best,” said coordinator Bruce Ripley, who added an art show this year. “A lot of them are trained at fine arts schools. They picked up a tattoo machine, not just a paintbrush.”

Read more at the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.