I stumbled upon this video a while ago.

Being a tattoo fan – my right arm is a work in progress and my torso is home to some of Rudyard Kipling’s verses –  I found it interesting that some of the stigmas associated with people who have been inked haven’t really gone away.

Owning ink is a lifelong commitment and it can be considered art. South Africa is blessed with a number of talented artists and their work is visible on skin across the country.

Some of it is good, some bad but the one thing that every tattoo has in common is that they possess a story.

Some people spend ages trying to find something that appeals, others walk into tattoo shops and pick out of a catalogue. Each to their own.

Personally speaking I find the whole process cathartic and the buzz of the tattoo gun soothes me. And, as I was warned beforehand, one is never enough. But each of my pieces has some sort of meaning behind it. I just don’t care to explain right now.

The myriad characters interviewed for this mini-documentary, directed by Angie Bird, explain it perfectly.

You Won’t Regret That Tattoo from angie bird on Vimeo.