tattoo collector 

An enthusiastic aficionado, a tattoo collector is a person who sees their ink not just as individual pieces but rather as a curated collection. They seek ink from specific, carefully chosen artists, using their skin and the artists' work to build a library of body art that is meaningful and significant, potentially even beyond the collector's own appreciation.

Some collectors gain reputations and followings in social media and the convention circuit, and can wield tremendous influence within the community. Anecdotal evidence suggests comments or reviews from certain collectors can make or break an artist's career.

Further anecdotal evidence suggests that there is a far lower douchebag quotient among the collector segment than one might expect, but there's definitely some out there.

Dude1: I met this chick at the party last night, she's totally a tattoo collector.

Dude2: Tattoo collector?

Dude1: Yeah, she collects tattoos.

Dude2: That sounds creepy as shit! With what, a knife?!

Dude1: No, dumbshit, she collects tattoos from famous tattoo artists...she goes to conventions and shit to meet all the famous ones, and gets them to do tattoos on her. She only goes to the like A-list shops and stuff, and like books appointments way in advance with the serious pros. She had like a JK5, a Bert Krak, a Doug Hardy, you know. Famous dudes.

Dude2: Famous? I never heard of that shit.

Dude1: Me neither. I looked 'em up on the internet. But they're like tattoo famous, whatever.

Dude2: Cool. You hit that shit?

Dude1: Not yet, bro. But soon.

tattoo collector by ObserveAndReport November 12, 2013