It's billed as an alternative lifestyle show but Australia's biggest tattoo expo is set to attract all walks of life when it hits Adelaide for the first time.
About 8000 people are expected to attend the three-day Australian Tattoo & Body Art Expo, which starts at the Adelaide Showground on Friday.
The event promises live music, burlesque performances and a pin-up pageant, but for most visitors, it's all about the ink.
Event organiser Matt Johnson says the growing acceptance of tattoos has driven new crowds to the expo, such as parents helping their teenagers choose a tattoo design.
"It's not just for sailors and bikies, it's more of a fashion accessory," he told AAP.
"There's much more professionalism now, and a higher standard of tattoo shops."
More than 150 tattoo artists will attend the Adelaide expo, including a mix of local and international artists.
Mr Johnson said tattoos were increasingly seen as a legitimate artform and, in some cases, a way of paying the bills for creative young artists.
"Some of the artistry is mind-blowing," he said.
"We get some younger guys coming through who are great on canvas but can't make money out of it.
"Doing tattoos helps them make a living."
The expo will move to Melbourne in December before heading to Sydney and Auckland in 2015.
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