Anyone Going to Ink-n-Iron 2014 next weekend?

[NateJ]

Hey Everyone. I'm heading up to Ink-n-Iron next weekend. This will be my first time at this one. Looks like fun. Anyone going, tattooing, or getting tattooed?

[ian]

I'd go but I refuse to pay $40 for one day plus a mysterious $6 fee. I understand there's a lot going on for your money, I guess it's just not my scene and I'd rather support tattooing than a bunch of bands I don't care about and a bunch of unfinished 'show cars'...

I'm not trying to shit on your parade, it'll be a fun time, just not my thing I guess. If you want to go to a real tattoo convention hit up the SFO convention put on by State of Grace in October...

[Lance]

Hey Everyone. I'm heading up to Ink-n-Iron next weekend. This will be my first time at this one. Looks like fun. Anyone going, tattooing, or getting tattooed?

I probably won't attend since I don't know the artists attending this year, but it usually has a decent list of people. As @ian pointed out, it's pretty expensive if all you're interested in is checking out the tattoo portion. By the time you factor in entry, parking, and food you've spent a lot of money doing nothing. If you're getting tattooed it's fantastic just for that reason alone though. Slightly better too, because they refund some of the fee back to you. If it's your first time, you'll have fun though because it's a very visual thing with all the characters, art, cars, etc. take it all in and enjoy it. It's kind of a been there done that kind of thing. Do it once have fun and you're good.

Again, like Ian said, the Bay Area convention is just a few months after and personally the money spent on flights and hotel rooms to go to that instead is worth every penny if you've never been or even if you've attended every one. It's a not flashy but for it's size has the absolute best artists attending it.

Talking out of my ass because it's not a thing one can simply decide to do out of the blue, but going to this years London Convention will probably be awesome! That's got some of the flash of INI in that it has performers but who really cares about that stuff. That show also has some of the best artists attending. This year will be insane since it's the 10th anniversary. That's a convention worth saving up for. Also it's in LONDON, so that doesn't hurt.

[Lance]

Dang! I may change my mind. I just might go despite the price. I found out Hiroshi Hirakawa from Three Tides is releasing a book at the convention. I love that guy's paintings!

[NateJ]

I'd go but I refuse to pay $40 for one day plus a mysterious $6 fee. I understand there's a lot going on for your money, I guess it's just not my scene and I'd rather support tattooing than a bunch of bands I don't care about and a bunch of unfinished 'show cars'...

I'm not trying to shit on your parade, it'll be a fun time, just not my thing I guess. If you want to go to a real tattoo convention hit up the SFO convention put on by State of Grace in October...

It was fun overall but I would agree with your assessment. There was some great tattooing going on though and i came home with a really nice eagle from Phil Hatchet-Yau (picture below). That definitely still made it worthwhile. I'd love to come check out the SFO convention. I may need to make it up there this year.