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Metal Ink to showcase tattoo t-shirt line at Body Art Expo

24
Sep '08

Los Angeles-based clothing company Metal Ink announced its new participatory design project, whereby tattoo enthusiasts can offer up their original designs to be printed on t-shirts, giving new meaning to the term "wearable body art." The designers will be compensated for each accepted design, and will also receive residual payments based on the number of shirts sold to the public.

An annual contest, the "Metal Ink Tattoo Tee of the Year," provides an opportunity for designers to be rewarded with additional compensation as well as exposure in the graphic design, tattoo art, and fashion communities. Metal Ink will receive its trade debut at the upcoming Body Art Expo, the world's largest tattoo convention.

The visionaries behind Metal Ink are excited about this collaboration with tattoo artists and enthusiasts. The Metal Ink project places control back in the hands of the public, who they believe to be the true innovators in this subculture.

Tattoo and body art has been co-opted by corporate entities, and Metal Ink will be the first to use crowd sourcing in order to create a truly inclusive collaboration fueled by the enthusiasm of the grassroots tattoo community.

The process begins with artists and designers submitting their original art to metalinkshop.com. The designs are voted on by the public for thirty days, at which time the votes are tallied, and the highest-scoring designs are modified by the professional Metal Ink in-house design team to enhance wearability.

Winners have opportunity to earn up to $10,000! Winning designers will be paid $1,000, and the annual contest winner will be paid $4,000 cash with residual bonuses of up to $5,000. All participating tattoo artists will also receive free advertising on the Metal Ink website, allowing them to gain more exposure in the body art community.

In addition, the best designs will be selected for use in the Metal Ink premium line, to be printed on high-end garments accented with foil and other luxurious embellishments. The premium line will be sold in high-end boutiques and department stores nationwide, and artists will receive additional monetary compensation for their participation.

The Body Art Expo is scheduled for September 26-28, 2008, at the Los Angeles Convention Center, and will feature over 200 well-known tattoo and body piercing artists. Metal Ink will have a large booth, and will supplement its presence at the show with professional models showcasing the new line.

Metal Ink

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