Artist Scott Campbell of Brooklyn's Saved Tattoo [1] parlor has inked up the bodies of such celebrities as Marc Jacobs, Heath Ledger [2], and Penélope Cruz, so it's no surprise that his incredible work has racked up a few fans. And while getting body art usually isn't on the cheap side, Campbell decided to give back to those who adore his work with a complimentary tattoo. Twenty-three fans won their own sessions with the artist after entering into a lottery. The only catch? The winners didn't get to pick their ink — they were signing up for a mystery tattoo.
These prize tattoos were actually part of an exhibition called Whole Glory at New York City's Milk Gallery. A picket fence was constructed between the artist and his clients, who placed their arms through a small hole in the fence when it was time for their appointment. There was no consultation, discussion, or even eye contact during the whole process . . . anyone who got a bespoke tattoo had no say regarding the final result.
While this was probably not the ideal contest for tattoo virgins [3], it seems everyone who got inked was more than satisfied with their piece. "Twenty people that I spoke to tonight, everyone thought that they got the perfect one," one of the winners told The New York Times [4]. Not even Campbell is sure why that happened. "Not to take away from my being a psychic genius, but I think it has a similar flavor to when you read a horoscope and it's spot on," he said. Read on to see all of the tattoos from his Whole Glory project.