Armed with a chisel and ink, he has made his mark on the world of pop and on the stars themselves.

Music sensations Robbie Williams and Sonique have made his work famous by volunteering their naked flesh as a canvas for his art.

Now the people of Brighton and Hove will have the chance to have themselves decorated with the traditional patterns of Te Rangitu Amohau Netana - tattooist to the stars.

The New Zealand Maori body artist will be a guest at Temple Tatu in Boyces Street, Brighton, where he aims to teach people about his culture and the meaning behind body art.

Using modern tattoo machines and an authentic chisel fixed to a long handle, he will etch intricate patterns in ink on to customers' skin.

He wants people to understand more about the significance of the tattoo to the Maori culture because he fears it has been lost in the publicity surrounding his design on the left arm and shoulder of Robbie Williams.

He said he had no idea who Robbie was when he came to him for a tattoo.

The pattern has been featured on pop videos, films, posters of the star and album covers seen by millions of people.

Te Rangitu, 28, said the design had been copied by tattooists, especially Europeans, on to the arms of fans.

He said this was an abhorrent notion to Maoris, whose tattoos are a reflection of their cultural and ancestral family heritage.

Each tattoo designed by a Maori has a personal significance to the people who wear them and their family history.

This is why Te Rangitu has decided to spend time in Brighton to explain to people why Maori tattoos should be treated with respect.

He said: "For me, my culture is everything. I didn't tattoo Robbie Williams to be famous.

"I had no idea who he was. He had heard I was at a parlour I was visiting in Amsterdam and he walked in with his agent, who asked me to do it.

"I don't feel like I really got a chance to talk to him about it so that he would understand the significance. I would like to talk to him again.

"I have taken a lot of flak for doing that tattoo from my people and I am questioned about it all the time but for me it is not about the fame or money.

"I don't want to be remembered as the guy who tattooed Robbie Williams. He is a nice guy but I'm not sure about the industry.

"In a way, Robbie has raised the profile of Maori culture but the tattoos are about the history of a person's family and the ancestry of each tribe.

"It has got a lot to do with the elements and the gods which people over here might not fully understand.

"A lot of tattooists, especially westerners, have photocopied pictures of Maori tattoos and then transferred them to people.

"I have even seen one guy walking about with two tattoos each from different enemy tribes. That really is very, very offensive."

Te Rangitu said tattoos were worn by chiefs and kings and queens in his culture and people without them were considered unclean.

He has now teamed up with four resident tattooists at Temple Tatu who he will teach during his visit.

Temple Tatu's owner, known as Lester, said he and artist Adam Dutton invited Te Rangitu to the shop after befriending him on visits to New Zealand where he learned about body art.

Lester's own designs have also achieved fame on the big screen after his striking work was used on a character in the hit British comedy This Year's Love.

He has recently acted as a consultant for a television scene in an Ali G comedy sketch, when a tattooist is seen etching a map of the comedian's home town, Staines, on to his back.