Colombian Tattoo Convention showcases the weird and the wonderful as freaks, vampires and beautiful women descend on Medellin

THERE'S nothing like a tattoo convention to bring the local freaks out of the shadows - and Colombia's Expo Tattoo Fair was no exception.

The event - which is in its eighth year - attracted plenty of colourful characters, including performance artist Jacob Angel, who made a rather unnerving appearance yesterday.

Jacob, who performs under the stage name The Angel of Death, made quite an impression at the event in Medellin.

Striding around the expo wearing little more than a pair of leather wings, a bondage harness and some height-boosting cloven hoof shoes, he really did look like he had come from another dimension.

With his body painted white, and with the addition of some black and white corpse-paint inspired veins running across his bald head and upper body, he could have passed as a Cenobite from Clive Barker's Hellraiser series, or a member of a little-known Norwegian black metal band.

Last year, he performed at the expo, and gave fans a freaky show involving him being suspended on chains attached to hooks that pierced through the skin on his back.

His reputation has even seen him appear on national TV as a "real Colombian vampire".

While his presence was sure to have excited convention-goers, he wasn't the only person there with an extreme look.

Also roaming around the Plaza Mayor exhibition centre was Carlos Dehaquiz, who describes himself as a "professional freak" and body piercer.

The mysterious Colombian looked as hellish and other-worldly as Jacob Angel thanks to his overstretch earlobes, facial tattoos and HORNS.

Carlos showed off some painful and strange looking bulbous lumps on his forehead, which matched small horns he had on each of his temples.

The 'horns' - made from pieces of medically safe plastic surgically inserted beneath the skin - were tattooed around for extra effect.

However, it was Carlos' tattooed EYEBALLS that really made him look demonic.

With the chocolate brown hue of his iris barely noticeable against the black of his eyes, he looked like he had been possessed, or had no eyeballs at all.

Another heavily modified visitor was Sebastian Barrero, who works as a tattoo artist by the moniker of Iverson.

Based in Medellin, he was on hand to check out what people were getting up to, as well as answer questions about his own inkings.

His face is almost entirely covered in tattoos, and even features some strange flesh coloured designs on the inside of his eye and over his right eyelid.

Sebastian is somewhat of a celebrity in Colombia, and recently posted a clip of him featuring in a music video alongside a local singer.

The event, which runs all weekend, also attracted lots of people who weren't already feeling their best selves/had space to spare for some new ink.

There were tattoo stations set up throughout the expo where local and international artists were able to etch their designs on to willing punters - with bum tattoos appearing to be a hot favourite amongst female visitors.

This week met an unemployed teen dad who was struggling to find work due to his 'DEVAST8' face tattoo.

And we explored the world of dodgy brand tattoos, from Nando's to Marmite.