ART has always been in Johann Florendo's blood and in 2003 it is in his ink as he made the transition from commercial illustration to tattoo art.

What sets Johann apart from other local tattoo artists he is a living canvas that describes tattoos as a rite of passage. His speciality is oriental and pin-up tattoos and his travels have taken him from Canada to Richmond, Virginia. His latest port of call is Bermuda's own Millennium Tattoo & Body Piercing. To date Johann sports two "sleeves" and "full chest tats" and one "leg piece".

"More people are getting more planned out of sleeve work and big pieces. Most of my work is hand drawn and I work with the client who brings in his/her own work," he explained. When asked if folk consider this as the ultimate Christmas gift, the bespectacled artist laughed and said: "Tattoos last longer than some relationships, but they do make original gifts."

One potential client inquired about a "cover-up" as the initials from a past love served as a reminder of a relationship that withered on the vine. After the consultation the client realised the cover-up will be roughly twice the size of the original and will be darker than the original artwork.

Portrait tats are slowly becoming popular and it isn't uncommon to see a Bob Marley tattoo or the portrait of a child adorning a person's body. Animal lovers, especially put bull owners, have been bitten by the tattoo bug and have the likeness of their pet emblazoned on his forearm or biceps.

In Johann's case his ultimate goal is to have a "full body suit" which means to be completely tattooed!

"I got my first tattoo when I was 23 and six years later I'm still getting tattooed! I plan to be covered, it is a natural progression and I have learned about body piercing as well."

When I first met Johann the first thing I noticed was the stretched ear piercing. While the traditional ear piercing leaves him cold, Johann prefers the large gauge piercing, which is prevalent in many cultures.

"There is a certain stigma attached to body piercing. Although New York is my birthplace, I'm 100 per cent Filipino, so my tattoos and piercing have a deep cultural and symbolic significance.

AS he pointed out some of his ink work, I experienced a cultural immersion without having to set foot off the island. "The Cherry Blossom represents spring and this one here, the lotus flower, means tranquillity and most people know the symbolism of the dragon," he explained in a tour guide-like manner.

"When a person who is committed to having multiple tattoos it should flow and tell a story. As for my family they love it. My parents were artists so art pretty much runs in the family. They are happy that I am doing something with my work," he said.

"I've worked as an illustrator; graphic artist and I even worked designing game software for a company. But I have enjoyed tattooing the most, this isn't work but fun to me;" he said while preparing his equipment for the next customer.

He and fellow tattooist Ali Sharifi agreed tattoos can be addictive. The Mid-Ocean News caught up with Daron (Smiley) Harvey, who was treating himself to a sporty tattoo, by having his wife's name inked on his arm.

"I have six tattoos now and I am hoping to have six more. The first one I got was when I was 16. I did it the old-fashioned way with ink and a needle," he said showing off a somewhat faded tattoo of an animated character with his nickname written underneath.

With the advent of the electric tattoo gun, stringent health regulations pertaining to hygiene and a battery of questions are the norm before anyone of legal age can be "inked".

In a titbit of history, Johann said inks were limited to roughly three colours some four decades ago, mainly red green blue. But with the new water-based inks there is a greater variety of colours and artistic choices, one isn't relegated to a military insignia or the words "Mother" etched across a heart on some beefy biceps.

Having a tattoo is indeed a unique gift and depending which school of thought one subscribes to can be addictive. But watching Johann in action, his name suits him. He is truly the maestro of tattooing.