Health

LONDON: Most three-year-old girls are just getting to grips with felt pens, but Ruby Dickinson is taking her artistic tendencies a step further.

The toddler is set to become the world's youngest tattoo artist after learning the trade from her father, Blane, who runs a tattoo parlour in Wales.

Dickinson, 36, is importing an ink gun from the U.S. that has been specially designed to be used by small hands.

Ruby will be getting the miniature tattoo kit for her fourth birthday in October.

Dickinson told North Wales Pioneer: 'Ruby is well aware she is getting the kit, she cannot wait. She wants to be a tattoo artist when she grows up.

'The aim is to get her to tattoo my leg with a birthday message for my 40th birthday.'

The toddler currently takes tattoo lessons after nursery as well as practising with a toy kit at her father's shop.

Dickinson hopes to beat Canadian Emilie Darrigade's record of tattooing part of a butterfly on to her father's arm when she was five.

According to her father, Ruby is nearly able to draw a complete version of her favourite design - a spider.

'I'm under no illusions that she'll do a Van Gogh, after all she's only three-and-a-half,' Dickinson told The Sun.

'But I've got 70 per cent of my body covered in tattoos already and it'll only be the size of a 2p piece, so I'm not too worried she'll make a mess of it.'

Dickinson, who runs Inkaholics Anonymous at his home in Penmaenmawr, Conwy, added: 'It'll be a proud and very special moment for me and for her.

'She really loves it and I'm pleased I can teach her the skills.'

However, despite hoping Ruby will take up tattooing as a career, the toddler's father is keen to let her make her own choices.