WHAT WAS HE INKING?

Tattoo addict inks his entire body black – even his EYEBALLS and the inside of his mouth

Eli Ink says his tattoos have not stopped him finding love and will continue inking his body for the rest of his life

Charlie Parker

Published: 16:51, 25 Feb 2018
Updated: 19:17, 26 Feb 2018

A MAN has gone to ink-redible lengths to cover his entire body in black tattoos, including his eyeballs and the inside of his lips.

Eli Ink, a 27-year-old tattoo artist from Brighton, has undergone a 10-year transformation to turn himself into a walking exhibition of his tats.

A tattoo artist from Brighton is trying to permanently turn his entire body black

Mr Ink uses several coats of black colouring to permanently blacken his skin.

He also implanted huge stretchers in his nose and under his bottom lip as part of his body-modification process.

The artist even went as far as dying his eyes to complete the striking look.

"In my opinion, the only person who will only ever understand my transition properly is me. I don’t attempt to describe it to anyone," he told the Mail Online.

Eli Ink, 27, spent ten years transforming his body, which he sees as a canvas that can display his finest artwork

Mr Ink also installed stretchers in his lips, nose and ears for the project

He went through a risky eyeball-blackening procedure

He said: "I’ve always been blown away by art itself. Picasso is a huge childhood inspiration to me, especially abstract art, but I do like all forms of art. Body art was just the next local step for me growing up.

"I wanted to look like an abstract character in one of Picasso’s paintings. I love the abstract look, no thought , just pure expression."

Tattooing the whites of eyeballs involves delicately injecting ink in-betweek two layers of the Scleral of the eye and letting it spread out.

Mr Ink admitted there can be horrifying consequences if the procedure goes wrong.

Dating is no problem for Mr Ink, who says he has found love with girlfriend Holly

As part of his body modification, he tattoos his skin with multiple coats of ink

He added: "That’s the risk you take letting anyone near your eyes, even trained surgeons can make mistake. Body modification is a risk taker's lifestyle."

Despite his extreme appearance, he claims his love life has not been affected by the tats.

He says his girlfriend Holly, another body-mod enthusiast, is madly in love with him.

Mr Ink is also not bothered by negative reactions to his work.

Mr Ink was a gardener before becoming a full time tattoo artistCredit: Instagram

He said: "The best is always nice compliments, that’s always nice to hear, either from tattoo collectors or just passers-by, the worst is always older generation looking down on you and making you feel worthless."