A MULTI-AWARD-WINNING Barry tattoo artist made his comeback when he took part in a prestigious competition in Colchester, Essex, recently.

37-year-old Lee Clements, who owns the Chameleon tattoo studio in Broad Street, Barry, brought home the second prize in the Best Small Colour Tattoo category at the East Coast Tattoo Expo – taking on 149 other tattooists from around the world.

Lee claimed his prize, after six hours tattooing Starlord – one of the characters from Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy – onto 30-year-old Lewis Giles’ right thigh.

The former Barry Comprehensive pupil has so far notched up more than 36 awards – but has taken a break from contests since 2009 to focus on acting as a judge and campaigning for best practice in the tattoo industry.

Lee, who is expecting the birth of his third child next month, said he will now concentrate on the bigger competitions where it is more difficult to win.

Lee has also been a tattooist to the stars, being personally hired by former All Blacks and Cardiff Blues player Jonah Lomu to ink his arm and inking Wales football ace David Cotterill.

He said: “This award is a synthetic rubber hand which you can tattoo so I may actually do it. I really enjoy comic book illustrations – particularly Marvel comics. I’ve been a fan since I was a kid.

“They’re really popular at the moment and I was trying to get it more like painting – using less lines – which I think I achieved.

“There was a very high standard of work so I was really pleased to come away with something.”

Lee said he was honoured to have become the Welsh representative of the British Tattoo Artists Federation (BTAF) and has taken time out to make representations to the Welsh Government calling for stricter controls for hygiene, the introduction of laws, and call for standards regulating inks.

“My last award was five years ago and I’m only doing high profile competitions. I have become the Welsh representative for BATF – that was quite a big honour, to be asked to do that.”