29-YEAR-OLD tattoo artist Tay Ashby from Melbourne, Australia is 80% covered in tattoos.
Tay, also known as Mr Dead Mind, got his first tattoo at 16 years old, he told Truly: “I actually got it done cause my dad thought it would terrify me, and I would never want another one again, that backfired.” With a love for horror and all things terrifying most of Tay’s tattoos are underworld inspired.
He also has over 19 piercings and has plans to split his tongue and tattoo his eyeballs.
“I get all kinds of reactions when I’m out in public, people cross the road and I have also had people come up to me with rosary beads, throwing them in my face and yelling at me, calling me the devil,” he adds.
Owner of a tattoo shop called “Dead Mind Tattoos”, Tay has spilled over his love for fright into his work life, specialising in horror themed tattoos.
Both his home and shop are immersed in frightening life size horror figures.
“There’s been a couple of times where I have completely forgot I have this crap, I have come out of the bedroom at night to get a drink and all of a sudden see Pennywise staring at me!
So yeah, they do get you every now and again.” With his friends and family on the fence about Tay’s plans to get more body modifications, he has no plans of stopping.
Tay explains: "I have always been different, if I want to do something I’ll do it, I’m not normal, I’m not going to follow what everyone else is doing.”