An award winning pair of Lancashire-born tattoo artists have worked shoulder-to-shoulder with some of the worlds biggest tattooing talents in Los Angeles.

Benj Ashmead and James Surridge, from True Colours in Guildhall Street, have attracted customers from around the region from their talented team of five hand picked artists and an ever growing presence on social media.

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The pair, who have won over 40 awards between them, are planning to use their LA experience to grow the reputation of their already successful Preston studio.

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The tattoo due have recently returned from the invitation-only Golden State Tattoo Expo where they got the chance work alongside industry heroes.

The exposure in LA has lead to invites to further exclusive events in New York, Mexico, Rome and Berlin, as well as the internationally acclaimed London Tattoo Show for the second year running.

Benj Ashmead said: “You have to constantly evolve and develop your skills in this industry, every tattoo we put out there needs to be better than the last. Only the best get to showcase their skills at international events like the one we just got back from in L.A. and so we were pleased to be among them.

“We’ve worked hard to build a team that’s on top of its game at True Colours, and our invitation to the Golden State Tattoo Expo, and other international events, shows our effort is paying off.”

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Benj has said the pairs success has not just been from their talent in tattooing but the strong relationships True Colours has built in the industry itself, with sponsorship with Radiant Ink, renowned for the producing the best pigments available worldwide.

However, he is more proud of the local links the team have built with other sponsorships gained with companies like Butterluxe Tattoo Aftercare in Manchester, and TattooEverythingSupplies in Bolton, both have which have a strong reputation in the sector.

The pair now say they intend to use their participation at the prestigious events to grow the reputation of their studio across Lancashire and beyond.

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What do you think of Benj and James’ success? Have you had a tattoo done at True Colours? Let us know in the comments.