Texas tattoo artist sets record with number of tattoos

DALLAS -- Oliver Peck may be seeing the number 13 in his dreams.

From midnight Thursday to midnight Friday, Peck completed 415 tattoos, applying the unlucky number 13 to scores of arms, legs, ankles, backs, thighs and even some rear ends.

Peck claimed a mention in the Guinness Book of Records for drawing the most tattoos in a 24-hour period. He was awarded the honor by Guinness adjudicator Danny Girton Jr., according to a report on The Dallas Morning News Web site Saturday.

The former record holder is Katherine Von Drachenberg, also known as Kat Von D, star of the reality TV show "LA Ink" on TLC.

For several years on Friday the 13th, Elm Street Tattoo in the Deep Ellum entertainment district in Dallas has launched a 24-hour tattoo marathon.

"It's an adrenaline rush," said Peck, the 36-year-old co-owner of the shop.

Some of Peck's customers included firefighters, police officers, bartenders, a vehicle inspector, a nurse and a surgeon. By the time the marathon began, a line of customers snaked out the door and onto Elm Street.

Sarah Hooper, 24, so obsessed with the number 13 that she tries to stop the gas pump at $13.13, got her seventh number 13 tattoo, this time on her upper left thigh.

"It's something to do on the 13th," she said.

Todd Smith got his first tattoo, even though his wife and children were unaware of his plans.

"Since I'm 34, and I have three kids, it's my mid-life crisis," he said.