FOR AS LONG AS SHE CAN REMEMBER, Shanghai Kate Hellenbrand has been inquisitive about the world around her. Any time she saw a machine, she wanted to know how it worked. Any time she heard about a new place, she wanted to go there. Most importantly, the second she learned about tattooing, she wanted to know how she could become a part of that world.

The tattooer, hell-raiser, and organizer of the most anticipated annual tattoo convention talks about what goes on behind the booths.

For the head of The Vatican, religious iconography and black-and-gray tattooing as a whole is a spiritual experience.

As the old-school tattooer opens up a new shop, we take a look at the life and work of one of America’s greatest traditional inkers.

Guy Aitchison and Michele Wortman receive collectors from around the world who want to be tattooed by two of the industry’s pioneers of contemporary tattoo styles. The husband and wife team are also renowned for promoting fine art and education in the tattoo community.