At the Longhorn State Tattoo Expo in Dallas I took first place in the Best Original category, which feels especially meaningful for biomechanical work. This was the very first convention organized by local tattoo artist Diana Art together with an experienced festival production team, and even as a debut event it was extremely well structured and professionally run.
For this convention I invited a familiar client from Texas. We had already taken an award together in Austin with a biomechanical thigh project, so continuing the collaboration felt natural. Logistically it was easy for him since he lives in the state and could get to Dallas without any issues. The goal at Longhorn was to extend the existing project from the thigh all the way down to the ankle and build a complete biomech leg. After our previous wins, the level of trust was absolute. He did not even ask to see a sketch in advance and simply said do it the way you see it, which gives a huge amount of creative freedom.
Once at the convention, I evaluated the scope of work and realized I could complete it in two days instead of three. In the end the lower leg was fully finished over two dense working days. When it came time to choose a category, Best of Day was not an option since the rules require the tattoo to be done in a single day. Best of Show was also not ideal because that category usually focuses on three day projects. The most logical choice was Best Original, a category open to any style, size, color, or black and grey work.
That makes Best Original a kind of wildcard category. Everything goes in there, and you end up competing against very different tattoos in terms of style, scale, and approach. Against that background, the win feels especially strong. Out of all the variety of work submitted, first place went to our biomechanical project. For me, it is another confirmation that biomech still resonates with both audiences and judges when it is done in a fresh, dimensional way and with respect for the body’s anatomy.
This victory reinforced the idea that biomechanical tattooing deserves more attention from both artists and clients. It is a style that can deliver powerful, unique projects and also realistically compete for awards at major conventions when executed thoughtfully and at a high level.
For this convention I invited a familiar client from Texas. We had already taken an award together in Austin with a biomechanical thigh project, so continuing the collaboration felt natural. Logistically it was easy for him since he lives in the state and could get to Dallas without any issues. The goal at Longhorn was to extend the existing project from the thigh all the way down to the ankle and build a complete biomech leg. After our previous wins, the level of trust was absolute. He did not even ask to see a sketch in advance and simply said do it the way you see it, which gives a huge amount of creative freedom.
Once at the convention, I evaluated the scope of work and realized I could complete it in two days instead of three. In the end the lower leg was fully finished over two dense working days. When it came time to choose a category, Best of Day was not an option since the rules require the tattoo to be done in a single day. Best of Show was also not ideal because that category usually focuses on three day projects. The most logical choice was Best Original, a category open to any style, size, color, or black and grey work.
That makes Best Original a kind of wildcard category. Everything goes in there, and you end up competing against very different tattoos in terms of style, scale, and approach. Against that background, the win feels especially strong. Out of all the variety of work submitted, first place went to our biomechanical project. For me, it is another confirmation that biomech still resonates with both audiences and judges when it is done in a fresh, dimensional way and with respect for the body’s anatomy.
This victory reinforced the idea that biomechanical tattooing deserves more attention from both artists and clients. It is a style that can deliver powerful, unique projects and also realistically compete for awards at major conventions when executed thoughtfully and at a high level.
