Tattoos: vilified and celebrated the world over. From history’s ritualistic body carvings (ouch!), to the buzzing machines of today’s parlours, tattoos have gone hand in hand with the human desire of self expression. Some are planned in advance and involve the deft touch of an experienced artist to bring a vision to life. Others are a discovered bleary eyed and hungover the day after, where buyer’s remorse takes on a whole new meaning with a Chinese symbol on your bum. Whatever the case, the desired result is there to stay, the ultimate sign of commitment, if there ever was one.
But what about the pain? For anyone who’s dreamed of permanent body art, but traumatised by the idea of having their skin scoured, then experiencing an illuminated tattoo might prove to be the answer, as Rachel Riley so beautifully demonstrates…
Previewing your first, second, or even tenth tattoo is now made possible through the combination of cutting edge science, and the cinematic experience of image projection. Lenovo, a global technology giant, has blessed the world with the Yoga Tab 3 Pro. This multimedia tablet has a built-in 70” projector that lets you splash photos and videos onto your favourite blank wall. While the device is fundamentally cool for allowing you to create your own movie theatre experience, tattoo enthusiasts can also use it for a glimpse into the future.
Prepare for time travel between April 22nd and April 23rd. Your destination is Lenovo’s Illuminated Ink, the UK’s first tattoo parlour that uses projection technology. Get the experience of wearing a chosen image, text, or design painlessly and for free. By test driving body art you can appease not only your curiosity, but it may also motivate you to use your skin as a personal canvass. London-based tattooist James King is a key figure who’ll feature in the pop-up as he shares his creative talents, and eye for technical imagery.
Painless on both your body and wallet, Illuminated Ink is a two day adventure of light, tradition, and cutting edge technology.
Where: 15 Bateman Street, Soho, London W1D
When: April 22-23, 2016.