Takoma Park artist Bibi Abelle gained a following by creating fine-line tattoos inspired by famous artworks.

Organizers fear that the District is becoming increasingly inhospitable to the tattoo industry.

A regulation has been rejected by the Department of Health.

The Department of Health released new Body Art Establishment regulations, which includes a 24-hour wait for body art and modification, Friday.

Today the D.C. Council moved one step closer to joining the rest of the country in regulating tattoo artists and piercers with the introduction of legislation that would mandate basic health and safety standards for both.

As we reported in June, the District remains one of the last places in the country where tattoo and piercing parlors are a wholly unregulated business. That could soon change.

As we reported yesterday, the District remains one of the few places in the country where tattooing and piercing are unlicensed and largely unregulated, a libertarian reality that seems to buck the city’s reputation for being heavy on government regulations. That could change as early as this fall.