Children’s ‘tattoos’ for a good cause

A Tauranga artist has offered to use his unusual skills and ‘tattoo' all the sick children at Auckland's Starship Hospital.

Benjamin Lloyd says he had painted fake tattoos on several children and he got the idea of going to Starship Hospital after he saw the smiles the designs produced.


Benjamin Lloyd working on his airbrush designs, which he wants to take to Starship Hospital. Photos: Benjamin Lloyd.

"It's just the confidence they get - especially the boys they walk round so proud, you put art on them and they're just so excited they can choose their own designs.

'They're so fascinated while they're getting it, they're so happy with it.”

It takes about eight minutes to do a sleeve design on a child's arm, which was also about the extent of children's attention spans, says Benjamin.

"You've got to be quick. And it's good with this design you can get a lot done really quickly."

The only downside is that parents tell him their kids never want to shower or wash it off.

Benjamin wrote about his plan on Facebook on Sunday afternoon and by Monday had more than 250,000 likes and 130,000 shares.

He says the post has reached more than 15 million people and sent his phone into meltdown.

"I checked it yesterday morning and was just like 'Wow'. I started crying I couldn't believe it."

The 25-year-old artist has airbrushed tattoo designs on a handful of children over the past two years, after years decorating cars and houses.

He uses stencils and sprays his designs using India ink that can be washed off in the shower.

Benjamin says part of his inspiration for helping children is his own experience drawing fake tattoos on himself when he was young.

"I've been drawing my whole life. When I was two-years-old I had quite a bad burn on my hand and had a skin graft with my bum skin on my hand. I had a big complex about it.

'I was teased every day at school and so I would draw over my hand and up my sleeve. I just got better and better, eventually I had a lineup of people wanting me to draw on them, I was doing deals with kids swapping cards and marbles.”

From there he has started his own airbrushing company, working on absolutely everything, with the motto "you say it I'll spray it".

He says he's been overwhelmed by the positive reaction to his plan to go to Starship Hospital and was hoping to visit later this week.

With the enormous spike in demand, he said he may need help from fellow airbrush artists and said anyone who would like to get involved could contact him through his Facebook page.

- Josh Fagan/Stuff.co.nz

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20 comments

why?

Posted on 24-05-2016 08:39 | By Captain Sensible

Why would a sick child want a tat of a skull???


Out of touch

Posted on 24-05-2016 09:51 | By Gigilo

You are not very sensible or sensitive, children are individuals too and have the right to be who they really are. Being a captain or not, you must of heard of pirates. Onya Benjamin giving children joy and self esteem.


get over

Posted on 24-05-2016 10:55 | By kurgan

your ignorance Captain insensible


Confidence??

Posted on 24-05-2016 11:28 | By putamadre

Wow! That's inculcating admirable values in a child. Decorating yourself with human skulls will boost your confidence and make you proud. What a great idea. Why stop with skulls? Why not some satanic images too? Can't wait to have my child tattooed to look like a pre-juvenile delinquent.


what do you have against skulls Putamadre?

Posted on 24-05-2016 12:04 | By kurgan

we all have one, it's where some of us house our ignorant judgmental brains. Good work Benjamin!


Avr

Posted on 24-05-2016 12:19 | By Anton

This is my thought about tattoos,little ones look good sometimes ,but big ones look horrible to me.And it is forever. On those kids is not to bad when you can wash them off.But don,t look good to me.


Role playing

Posted on 24-05-2016 12:38 | By Towball

Children are only experimenting with something that has been around for centuries with the only difference being this is REMOVEABLE . It is experimenting with life to gauge results on all fronts HARMLESS. Multicultural diversrse living we have had to accept in which tattooing children infants is traditional in many cultures , these kids are getting a bit of paint in different forms and an outrage. "REALLY"?. Should we ban the visual presence of all skin art as it maybe offensive to some or influential to others ?. Cover up Mums Dads siblings you could be a gang member or policeman or judge Capt. Truck driver soldier homeless............................are you an influenence?. I'm a supporter.


What next ?

Posted on 24-05-2016 12:52 | By Towball

Reading on should we cover up Tiki Tane with all of his tattoos and confessions of childhood misadventure etc now an aspiring musician. Is this how children should be educated?. Do similar things live comparibably and you may possibly rise to fame like this chap ?. Is this person a role model? If so to whom ? Surely Max Key for example wouldn't necessarily aspire to but kids from Merivale for eg or any other neighbourhood potentially may do.


@ Gigilo

Posted on 24-05-2016 14:20 | By Captain Sensible

""children are individuals too and have the right to be who they really are."" Is that what you say to the offenders who rob and beat you...'you have a right to be who you are'? Why pretend and aspire to be a leeching gang member? It always makes me smile when these poor homeless types bleat about poverty yet have thousands of dollars worth of tatts.


What the???

Posted on 24-05-2016 17:24 | By astex

JEEZ, Sometimes I lose my faith in humanity. How pathetic we are becoming with PC crap. This guy is cheering kids lives for free and all you lot can do is find fault. How much time do you all spend in kids wards helping out? We even have a hint from Captain S that everyone with tattoos will rob and beat you. It is a sad, sad world these days. Even when I was a kid, long ago, we had "tattoo stickers to put on ourselves.


Respeck

Posted on 24-05-2016 17:53 | By maildrop

He can now strut around like he da man, acting all tough. Brilliant. I doubt the young fella understands that for most of us, chunky cheap gold chains and tats represent one of life's losers. Poor kid.


@iknow

Posted on 24-05-2016 18:04 | By Captain Sensible

You really need to work on comprehension.


What's the difference..

Posted on 24-05-2016 18:18 | By Me again

from that type of art to face painting. Children get to choose or parents,Geez lighten up. This guy is also putting smiles their faces. And it comes off with soap and water.


@ th' Captain

Posted on 24-05-2016 18:41 | By GreertonCynic

I had no problem comprehending what was written. Your prejudices are on show mate.


Get over yourselves

Posted on 24-05-2016 19:01 | By The Sage

Give the kids some joy and uplifting experiences. If it brings a smile to their faces it is a good thing. They are sick and at Starship hospital, whatever joy they can get is a bonus.


@GreertonCynic

Posted on 25-05-2016 08:20 | By Captain Sensible

Where did I say this"" that everyone with tattoos will rob and beat you.""?


Role model

Posted on 25-05-2016 17:31 | By putamadre

From SunLive Posted at 3:11pm Wednesday 25 May, 2016 the news article titled "Parole recall for patched Head Hunter" mentions that:


Setting a Precedent

Posted on 26-05-2016 12:43 | By Mackka

Setting one hell of a precedent at such a young and vulnerable age! So 'Gigilo' tattoos bring 'joy and self esteem'? Do they really? I would have said the opposite, being generally seen on those less well educated and in the lower socio-economic class. You don't meet many people who rue the day they ever 'inked' themselves!


Correction

Posted on 26-05-2016 12:51 | By Mackka

I meant to say 'You don't meet many people who don't rue the day they 'inked' themselves.


I agree with

Posted on 22-06-2016 17:06 | By Wingnut

The Sage and I Know. Get over yourselves you PC whinging people. Benjamin is just trying to make some sick kids smile.He has succeeded. GOOD ON HIM. I have no tattoos myself and from the photos I can't see any on Benjamin either, but I too had those play ones when I was a kid. I personally think the current fashionable trend of getting tattoos is a waste of money, but that's MY OPINION. I know some younger people with high powered well paid jobs who have heaps of tattoos because it's THEIR CHOICE. No one else's business if you ask me. I doubt that the kids Benjamin paints will grow up, get heaps of tats and become criminals. Many of them probably won't get to grow up at all, so let them have their fun in peace.


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