Top tattoo artists are in the p-ink with awards

Ash Wilkinson, Anthony Jones, Dan Keny and Andres Vicario, from Revival Tattoos on Whitegate Drive, all walked away from the Westchester Tattoo Convention in New York with prizes in hand earlier this month.

Ash won two bronze awards for best colour and best neo-traditional tattoo, Anthony won a silver award for best traditional, Dan was awarded third place in the best portrait category, and Andres took home third prize for best colour.

Anthony Jones, a 23-year-old traditional tattoo artist from Saltcotes Road, Lytham, said: “It was incredible. It was a terrific experience. It was really close-knit and quite laid-back.

“The traditional tattoos I do are the oldest form, with a very simple colour palette. We get about eight colours to work with.”

Winning tattoos from the team included a skull with roses, a ship, a helmet with warplanes, and a portrait of Marvel superhero Deadpool.

Anthony said: “It was actually Ash I tattoed, and he tattooed me. He gave me a traditional skull design. It’s probably one of the best ones I have got.

“I have tried different jobs but this is the one I have always loved more than anything.”

In 2015, Revival Tattoos artist Nathan Heywood became the first English artist ever to earn a win at Westchester.

Studio owner Mark Stephenson said: “The first time to go there we won two awards, which is fantastic, but to go and win five awards is amazing.

“It shows the English guys can win at one of the best conventions in the world.”