Parents, forget about encouraging your child to pursue a STEM career. Tattoo Expo, founded by Greg Piper, owner of Exposed Temptations Tattoo in Manassas and one of the areaвЂ™s leading tattoo artists. The recently tattooed walked among the exhibits like gunshot victims, their fresh ink protected under plastic wrap and bandages. Occasionally, the rooms resembled triage centers: Clients reclined on padded tables as artists perched over them like ER surgeons. Throughout the exhibit halls was a constant, low-grade buzz: the sound of machine-driven needles from 175 tattoo studios.ДЇrom left, judges Jackie Rubino, Scotty Whittaker and Larry Hardesty examine Batman-inspired tattoos on the leg of Daniel Mercurio, a competitor in the tattoo contest at the D.C. WeвЂ™re in the midst of a tattoo explosion in this country, and over the weekend, the Crystal City Marriott was the epicenter. It featured a red rose and a yellow tulip in honor of her grandparents, who died recently. Of course, she had the new one with her: Blooming on her ankle was a colorful floral design by Steven Jessee of Shellshock Tattoo Studio in Luray. She clutched a photo of her old tattoo to show the judges. Jennifer, a nurse who lives in Luray, Va., had entered the best-coverup category. On Saturday, at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in ArlingtonвЂ™s Crystal City neighborhood, Jennifer waited to compete in the D.C. Jennifer lived with it for six years, then she did what many disappointed tattoo recipients do: She got a coverup, a new design that obliterated the old. It looked like a squat X with a pair of bushy eyebrows. The tattoo artist who did it said the Japanese Kanji character meant вЂњfather.вЂќДЄnd maybe it did, but even so, the design was not elegant. SheвЂ™d gotten it on her left ankle in honor of her dad. Jennifer Woodward had her tattoo for about a month when she decided maybe it didnвЂ™t say what she wanted it to say.

Tattoo expo arlington