Guest artiste Kosta in Kuala Lumpur

I've been getting a lot of questions about where and who does my 'dreamer' tattoo and it's no surprise as his workmanship is detailed. You can tell a shoddy job when the line is coarse and the image is 'emboss', almost like it's floating above the surface.

Look for Kosta at Zoo Body Art this February 1st onwards. Or check in with Frankie Ng, the owner of Zoo Body Art to schedule an appointment.

Aaron Nonis, 25, mining, Australia

"On my back, well, I like drawings and I looked at old, different things and I drew this out. It's been interpreted to ink, into something different... As for my leg, I tattooed the design on myself. Yeah, I was an apprentice and the position was rather difficult to work on!"

Lina, 33, co-owner of Borneo Ink

"I've a tattoo on Hobbes, because I am allergic to cats and monkeys, because I like them! I guess the tattoos explain I'm a crafts kinda person and they are a reminder of a lot of things."

Photos by Chee Minh

Skye of Morcheeba

I met Skye, the lead singer of the group Morcheeba, at Sunburst 2009. Back at that time, I had a rough idea of what I wanted The Tattoo Diary to be; a collection of stories, written by people with tattoos. Of course it was rather difficult to compile this, and Skye was the first and the last person I had her written about her tattoo. With the years passed, I totally forgot about this until one of her songs came on the radio. The picture of her posing with her tattoo on her arm, I suspect, was left in my old computer back at hot magazine. Still, this was a rather gold moment I'd like to remember.

A distance of leap

"We are all at risk of something. Of ending up exactly where we began, of failing to imagine and find and know and actualize who we could be. The only difference is the distance of the leap" - Dear Sugar The Distance of Leap

I've written to two magazines to express my interest in contributing (for free) the stories and photographs about The Tattoo Diary but one said I was polarising people with tattoos whilst the other had no space for feature. I'm not deterred; I just need to get the right medium, at the right time and place.

Arianna Kelsey, CEO of Mensynergy Coaching

"I am from England. I moved to America in 2001 and currently reside in SW, Florida with my husband Mike.

I have been through severe manic depression (bi-polar disorder) and BPD (borderline personality disorder) for many years, alcohol and drug addiction, an abortion at age 17 years, a divorce, the loss of a son, various types of abuse, six suicide attempts, numerous humiliating betrayals, I've been in involved in high levels of witchcraft, lost numerous jobs, lost my father to cancer, bankruptcy, foreclosure and loss of a business. I've had feelings of complete rejection from family members and relationships, have been taken to court by my own parents, had feelings of despair, hopelessness and felt worthless and unloved, unworthy, had feelings of failure and a whole mixture of other emotions. I have been in rehab and mental hospital a number of times and hospital for various debilitating illnesses, including typhoid.

I tried for years to solve my problems the best way I knew how and got nowhere, I always ended up with the same results, no matter what I did. Desperate and near death, I used to cry myself to sleep, night after night praying to a God I wasn't even sure existed, or even cared about me; "If you're out there, help me because I can't seem to help myself anymore and I am tiered of trying and getting nowhere!!" Within two weeks of praying this prayer, I got invited to a home church group from a person who I used to work with. I experienced for the first time in my life what it felt like to receive Gods healing love and to be accepted for who I was, as I was!

Over a two year period I received much prayer, encouragement and councelling for all kinds of issues, from emotional healing, to physical healing. To this day I no longer suffer from manic depression, or take any drugs for it, I do not have alcohol or drug problems. I am physically the fittest and healthiest I have ever been. I am emotionally healed from my traumatic experiences of childhood, physical and mental abuse. I am married to a wonderful man who loves me and treats me like a queen. I am living a life I never in a million years thought I would ever be able to have, or thought I was even worthy of having. I have found joy, peace, happiness and "real love."

My tattoo is a daily reminder to me that nothing can separate me from the love of God. That no matter what, my heart is joined with Gods. We are inseparable. My tattoo reminds me that somebody in this great big world cares about me and loved me enough to save me from myself! Every time I look at my tattoo it inspires me to be a better me and help inspire others to do the same, to believe in themselves and have courage to believe they can do anything!

This is what I do now on a daily basis; I am paying it forward! I run an organization that helps coach people on how to achieve their dreams, no matter how big or small. With a litlle love and encouragement I believe we can all do great things, no matter where we came from, or what our past may have been! Nothing is impossible!

And that is the story behind my tattoo!"

Arianna did her tattoo at Key West Tattoo Company, Key West, FL in 200.

Submitted by Arianna.

MK, 28, businessman from Penang

"The one of my arm is 'ohm'; I have one which connotes peace, and the other, anger. A complete 'ohm' shows a holistic balance and you can see one of my other 'ohm' is housed in a dreamcatcher.

I also have on my hand, a tribal sun from Mohicans. The story behind this tattoo is of a Sun God, who hunts for food.

On my left arm lies a lion, with a phrse 'Born Wild' and of course, the last 'No pain, no gain', across my stomach."

Photos by Chee Minh