Brittni Thompson has always wanted a tattoo, and after she got one, she just kept getting more and more.
Her collection of ink started in high school, but she had dreamed of art on her body before then first tattoo gun went to work.
鈥淚 was in Grade 10, so 15, or 16, but I always knew that I wanted to have tattoos from a young age,鈥� she explained. 鈥淚 was always a little rebellious and I just thought they were beautiful and unique.鈥�
Interestingly, her first tattoo was a simple hibiscus flower, but it remains one she points to rather quickly among the many as her mother got the same tattoo at the time.
Now some 15 years have passed, and Thompson鈥檚 collection of tattoos has continued to grow to the point she is among those vying in an online contest to potentially become the cover model for Inked Magazine.
The contest is operating under what has become a familiar format. The would-be cover girls are put together in small groups. People vote for their choice, with the one garnering the most votes advancing to another round.
So far Thompson has made it through three rounds of voting, with the fourth ending Thursday. People can vote by following a link on her Facebook page.
Thompson said she finds a sense of freedom and self-expression in adding tattoos to her collection.
鈥淲hen I dated a tattoo artist is when I really got to express myself through my tattoos. It helped me become the person I always wanted to be.鈥�
So what does Thompson see when she looks in the mirror and the ink looks back?
鈥淲hen I鈥檓 looking in a mirror I don鈥檛 see the tattoos,鈥� she said, noting they are so much a part of her that she does not see them as anything out of the ordinary. In photos though, the art becomes something she said she looks at more closely.
However, it鈥檚 not a case of dwelling on the ink she has. In fact, she hasn鈥檛 regretted a tattoo, or considered tattooing over something she has.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 cover them. The goal is always to get something new,鈥� she said, adding the ink she has can bring out moments from her past and those are to be cherished. 鈥淚 can remember how I was feeling at the time, so they鈥檙e all kind of significant to me.鈥�
Of course there is one that stands out for Thompson, a flower in the right side of her neck dedicated to her daughter. The left side is reserved for a tattoo dedicated to her her two-and-a-half year old son.
One thing that is obvious as one looks over Thompson鈥檚 art, she likes variety. She says the work comes from 鈥渁bout nine different artists.鈥� That is important as each one brings their own artistic skills to the works.
Thompson said when in the mood for more ink, additional work is planned soon, with a goal of one day having a near body suit, she tends to choose what she wants almost on the spur of the moment.
鈥淚 kind of pre-think the space I鈥檇 like to fill ... It really doesn鈥檛 take me very long to come up with a tattoo I want. If I like something I just get it,鈥� she said, adding she does appreciate different. 鈥淚 try not to follow trends.鈥�
So once an art piece catches Thompson鈥檚 eye, she lets the artist take over.
鈥淚 let the artist do what they want to do with it, to let their creative side come out,鈥� she said.
If Thompson climbs through the various rounds the cover spot would bring with it $25,000.
鈥淏ut really I did it for fun not thinking I鈥檇 receive the amount of support from family, friends and community that I have,鈥� she said, adding Paws & Claws has been very supportive so $5000 would go the local animal rescue.
