Israel Walker

tattoo artist at Lasting Impressions

>> Age: 26

>> Experience: 5 years

>> Description of style: “New-school color bomb.”

>> Favorite piece done: “I can’t pick just one.”

>> Memorable quote: “You end up having to deal with some crazy people, just like everyone else.”

Bob Parr

tattoo artist at Jaded Angel

>> Age: 32

>> Experience: 7 years

>> Description of style: “Neo-traditional.”

>> Favorite piece done: A rendition of the famous Sistine Chapel ceiling on someone’s leg.

>> Memorable quote: “It’s a very high honor to put artwork on people and see [it] walking around. And I love to hurt people, too.”

Hugo Kenemer

tattoo artist at The Asylum

>> Age: 35

>> Experience: 14 years

>> Description of style: “New-school stuff.”

>> Favorite piece done: A “Star Wars” scene covering someone’s entire back. It took a total of 75 hours to complete.

>> Advice for first-timers: “People should know they really need to look through portfolios, get to know artists and do research.”

Clint Sletten

tattoo artist and piercer at The Asylum

>> Age: 33

>> Experience: 13 years tattooing, 10 years piercing

>> Description of style: “I’ve never limited myself to a certain style.”

>> Favorite piece done: A piece inspired by the film “Hellraiser” on a girl’s leg.

>> On cross-training: “A lot of piercers don’t tattoo, and a lot of tattooists don’t pierce. We’ve trained each other so we always have people available.”

Katie McGruder

piercer at Lasting Impressions

>> Age: 20

>> Experience: 2 months

>> Favorite pieces: A lip stud and an industrial in her right ear.

>> How she got hired: “I came in to get my lip done, and asked how to get a job here. While I was in the chair, getting pierced, I passed out. I had been dreaming about racing, and told them about it. That gave me the nickname ‘Speed Racer’ – I had it tattooed and got a job here.”

Andy Lamont

piercer at Jaded Angel

>> Age: 20

>> Experience: 9 months

>> Favorite piece: An implanted stud in his forearm.

>> Horror story: “I saw a dumb guy blow out his earlobe. He was drunk and put a piece of jewelry that was three or four times too large. All I could do for him was clean it up and put in a piece that fit.”