A TATTOO artist is to hold a flash tattoo event to raise money for a mental health charity after he was forced to deal with his own issues during the lockdowns.

As well as making a name for himself as a tattoo artist, Glasgow-based Mark Worst is one of Scotland’s leading street artists, noted for his striking large-scale mural work.

Inspired by the decorative floral compositions of Art Nouveau and the intense imagery of Japanese tattoo and manga culture, his bold, illustrative style has had a direct impact on his tattoos, rendering them as instantly recognisable as his larger-scale pieces.

His early years as an artist were spent refining his draughtsmanship which can be seen in his complex but precise compositions and delicate use of whip shading, which leaves an intricate texture in the detail of his tattoos.

Since beginning his tattoo career over five years ago, Worst’s hugely popular work has seen him hold guest spots in studios across London, Derry and Rotterdam, with more international work on the horizon.

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Now there is a chance to be tattooed by him and raise funds for the Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH) when he holds his flash tattoo event in Glasgow on Saturday, August 13.

He said he hoped the event will not only raise money for a good cause but also encourage people to talk about mental health.

“I’ve been looking for a way to raise money for a good cause for some time now, as it’s something I’ve never done before, and I’d like to start putting my talents to work towards influencing positive change,” he said.

“I figured a tattoo event could not only raise some money for charity but also get some conversation started between myself and my clients/audience online about mental health as I’ve had a positive experience with therapy and know the benefits of talking to someone about your problems.”

Worst added: “During lockdown in 2020, I wasn’t able to work for a long time which forced me to reflect on my own mental health.

"This led to me beginning the journey of therapy which helped me overcome a lot of issues that I wasn’t fully aware I had before I talked to someone.

"Not everyone has the means to access professional help, so I chose to raise funds for SAMH, who offer support and resources for people with mental health issues and work in a lot of communities across Scotland.”

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He has drawn up a set of designs for the event inspired by nature.

“I’ve found that taking a day trip to walk through a forest or taking a dip in a loch has had a profound effect on my own mental health,” Worst said.

“The designs include floral compositions, frogs and dragonflies, and I’ll be releasing more in the week leading up to the event, where I’ll be tattooing as many designs as I can in one day.”

He will be at Dusk and Rebirth city centre studios from 12pm on Saturday.