A man is hoping to leave his mark on Paisley as he prepares to open his new tattoo studio in the town later this month.

Thomas Ferns, 32, will soon be welcoming customers to Zinc Tattoo, which he is running with the help of his partner David O'Neill.

The tattoo studio is located at 12 Forbes Place, which was previously occupied by About You Health and Beauty Centre.

The Houston native said he was feeling "nervous and excited" about the upcoming launch of his new business.

He told The Glasgow Times: "I've been tattooing for a few years and it's always been a dream of mine to have my own studio.

Glasgow Times:

Glasgow Times:

"I was previously a retail store manager but when I hit 30, I thought, 'I need to do what I love,' which is tattooing.

"I've always aimed to be my own boss, so opening my own tattoo studio stemmed from there."

Thomas, who specialises in black-and-grey realism, has been honing his skills at Dark Crow Tattoo, in London Road, Glasgow.

He said: "What I enjoy about tattooing is that, day-to-day, you're able to get your creative juices flowing.

"I also like speaking to people and understanding why they are getting a tattoo, especially when it really means something to them.

"A lot of my clients tend to go for pet portraits. I really love animals, so I enjoy doing those kind of tattoos."

Glasgow Times:

Glasgow Times: Thomas Ferns outside Zinc Tattoo, in Forbes Place, Paisley

Zinc Tattoo will be hosting a launch event open to the public on Sunday, September 17, starting from 6pm.

There will be food and refreshments on offer for guests, who will also be able to have a look at Thomas' previous work.

He added: "We're having the launch event just as a way to allow people to come in and actually see the new studio.

"I think it's got a different feel to other tattoo studios in the area, so I want to show it off because it's quite a cool modern space.

"Anyone thinking about getting a tattoo is more than welcome to visit the studio at any time if they have any questions or want any advice, I'm more than happy to help."

For more information, visit zinktattoo.co.uk.