Tattoos my way "Body Art"

I love this topic. I can talk about it endlessly. I will be the guy throwing out advice and helping friends get and create a pattern that is deemed suitable for them. Yes, we are now in the domain of tattoos. 

I get these questions many many times:

i) Why do you want to do this ahhh????
ii) Not pain mehhh???
iii) Do you know what your tattoos mean or not ah (trying to take a jab at me)???

Sometimes I don't bother answering people as a minority are narrow-minded. However, the people usually will end up into 2 groups:

i) Wei, I want to do ahhh.....what to tattoo ahhhh???

ii) I think its stupid, only stupid people do it (you get my drift).



The practice of getting inked dates back a very long time. If  you'll probably want to do some research on this practice before getting inked yourself. What I do know is that most-tribal groups around the world has their own respective motifs and themes. To most of these tribes, getting a tattoo is usually reserved for the coming of age ceremony of a person. Of course, the more travelled or experienced you are, the more tattoos you have. Here is a fantastic resources on tattoos around the world on Wikipedia . 



 

Tattoo Portfolios HOW they Should Be .

Portfolios are the tangible version of you. As a new tattoo artist / apprentice you should focus a lot of time and effort in the way you present yourself artistically. It is always hard to get a solid portfolio going if you are new to the tattoo industry because you don’t have a lot of higher end pieces in skin to show off. This is why as a new tattoo artist or apprentice you should have solid graphic design pieces that show your artistic ability. I have said it before, but I will say it again: Almost anyone can trace stencils and fill gradients or solid color, but not everyone can create very attractive unique and original works of art. If you don’t have a lot of tattoo pieces in your portfolio – you should try to get as many pieces of custom artwork as you can in there. This will show the tattoo studio that you are auditioning for, that you have the ability to excel in the field. Tattoo techniques come with time, but you should already have a solid artistic background before attempting the medium of tattoo. If you don’t already have a solid portfolio of custom paintings and drawing, then you should focus more on that – than trying to create a tattoo that looks like it was on the cover of a tattoo magazine (which more than likely you don’t possesses the skills to achieve the quality of the tattoo you want yet). Keep with the artistic background and you will get there. Just stay focused and try to draw and paint every day, a pastime that most of the seasoned tattoo artists seem to forget these days.

Invasive Body Art and Hepatitis C Understanding the Risks and Knowing How to Protect Yourself

What is Hepatitis C and How is it Transmitted?
Hepatitis C (HCV) is a viral infection that causes inflammation of the liver. It was first recognized in the 1970s, but there was no test for it until 1989. HCV is one of the viruses (A, B, C, D, & E) which together form the vast majority of cases of viral hepatitis. It's classified into eleven major genotypes, many subtypes, and about a hundred different strains based on the genomic sequence.
The means of HCV transmission are primarily through contact with human blood, and as anyone who has a tattoo or body piercing knows, these practices involve a definite risk of transmission if not properly done in a sterile and careful environment.
A Viral Time Bomb
It's of vital importance that proper sterile procedure be followed when receiving or performing any type of tattoo or other body alteration. The artist doing the procedure and the client both have a responsibility to themselves, each other, and all of the people that they come into regular contact with.
Hepatitis C has been compared to a viral time bomb. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that about 180 million people are infected with HCV and that 130 million of those are chronic HCV carriers at risk of developing liver cirrhosis and/or liver cancer. It's also estimated that there are three to four million people newly infected with HCV each year. Hepatitis C has no known cure nor any known vaccine. Few people recover from HCV--most (80-85%) cases become chronic; monitoring the disease can be difficult, and suppressive medication is very costly and many times ineffective. HCV is responsible for 50%-76% of all liver cancer cases and two thirds of all liver transplants in the developed world.
The incubation period for HCV ranges from 2 - 26 weeks with many infected people living life symptom free. Often, symptoms don't show until ten or even twenty years later. A majority of infected people have no idea that they're carrying HCV, largely because HCV is typically asymptomatic and the tests used to find it are not sensitive enough to truly measure zero virus in the blood.
Hep C and Body Art
Here is where hepatitis C and the body art industry meet. Prevention through sterile procedure and thoughtful actions on the part of the artist and customer are of primary importance. There is conflicting information out there about how long the hepatitis C virus can survive outside of the human body. Some sources cite two weeks and some say as long as a month. What is known is that the virus outside of the body forms a celluloid shell around the rna strand that enables HCV to live outside a host for an extended amount of time compared to most any other blood borne infectious disease. Other diseases like HIV and AIDS are very delicate and only survive outside a body for a few seconds and the CDC reports of no known cases of transmission through tattooing or piercing. HCV, on the other hand, has the potential to be an epidemic within this industry. Careful practice and overkill (as if there is such a thing) on sterile technique seem to be the only means of securing the health and well-being of all involved.
So, when you go to a studio to receive new body art, be informed and educated about what to ask and the right answers to those questions. Do they know how HCV spreads? Are they as educated and informed about the risks of HCV as they should be? Do they follow sterile rocedure? Do they use a viricide that is capable of killing HCV? Do they even know what kills it? Unfortunately, from my personal experience, that is rarely the case.
There are only a limited number of products that kill the hepatitis C virus--make sure one is being used. Unfortunately, tattoo artists often only have access to a very limited number of the products that do kill HCV. Most are for sale only to licensed health facilities. (Tattoo and piercing shops are not considered within this category.) Incidentally, just because a hospital or ambulance service uses a product, that doesn’t guarantee it will kill HCV. Read the labels. I had a discussion with a local EMT about this very subject and she argued with me about it. The next time she came in, she told me her and her partner pulled every cleaner they had on the shelves and checked them to see if they were effective against HCV--none of them were. Governmental agencies don’t always keep you safe, but a well-informed, educated and caring tattoo artist will. 

Tip: One simple option is chlorine bleach. According to the EPA, a solution of at least 2.4% is sufficient. (Remember that when mixed with water, bleach is only effective for a limited amount of time.) Bleach is hard on the surfaces in the stations and leaves a residue that needs cleaning constantly, but it’s also affordable, easy to find, and it works.
 I have personally asked Health Department inspectors about what actually kills HCV and they are no more informed than any person off the street. Another thing is that here in India, anyone can open a tattoo shop as long they pay the required fees to open the shop. There is no requirement that anyone working within this field have any blood borne pathogen training for cross contamination procedures. There is not even the guarantee that they learned how to tattoo through any legitimate means. Your tattoo artist could have been your cable installer last week.
I’m not trying to point fingers at anyone or say that a self-taught artist can’t follow proper cross-contamination procedures; any person within this industry has an obligation to become well educated about all aspects, good and bad, of their job. Your health and life are in your hands. Do some research, ask questions, and if your artist doesn’t know the answers, go somewhere else.

THE Tattoo Apprentice

If you've been doing a lot of tattoo designing, a good way to get your foot in the door in the industry is to take sheets of 11x17 cardstock and create sheets of tattoo designs (flash) in sets of 5 or 6. Then take your flash around to tattoo studios and conventions and get people interested in your designs. Submit some of them to magazines, like International Tattoo, Skin and Ink, Savage Ink and Tattoo Flash.

Once you get yourself out there as an artist, ask around about apprenticeships. The average apprenticeship costs about Rs.50,000 to Rs.100,000 depending on the artist that trains you. Some shops let you work it off, usually you will work for free for about 2-3 years. Another good way to find an apprenticeship is to ask around at conventions, however, more often than not, this requires flexibility as far as relocation is concerned.

When looking for an apprentice, a professional artist looks for a person who is eager to learn, an exceptional artist, and willing to be humble during the apprenticeship period. I will say that being an apprentice requires a great deal of humility, simply because working with skin is nothing like any other artistic media. It's not like paper or canvas. Skin moves, people move..it's not easy..the skin varies from person to person in texture, flexibility and moisture, not to mention sensitivity. So you have to be open to everything you are told and taught by your mentor. In addition to open-mindedness, patience is a requirement. Being an apprentice means you get to answer the phone, watch the artists work, take out the trash, do the shop cleaning, clean the equipment and all the other dirty work around the shop that no one else wants to do. But if tattooing is your life's goal, well, it's all worth it in the end.

What you absolutely SHOULDN'T do is order substandard equipment off of the web and start tattooing in your basement or living room. There are many important things to be learned through a legitimate apprenticeship, and they can't be learned on your own. Self-teaching, unqualified tattoo artists (scratchers) don't receive much respect from the professional community, not to mention, it's against the law in every state. It is also a dangerous breeding ground for bloodborne pathogens, no matter how clean you are, since the average at-home artist does not have proper sterilization resources. The industry is already swamped with a large number of underqualified, self-taught artists who don't know what they are doing. They put out horrible work and they still carry alot of "rock star" attitude. It's not the kind of artist anyone dedicated to tattooing wants to be.

I hope this information is helpful to you. Take care and good luck!!

HOW DOES A MODERN TATTOO MACHINE WORK?

The tattoo machine ('gun' is a misnomer) is really a basic doorbell
circuit (you know--you push a button and somewhere in the kitchen this
little arm bangs the hell out of a bell thingie). For you techies out
there it's a DC coil and spring point(s) machine. Both doorbell and tat
machine were invented before household current was available.

 

It is essentially in 3 sections: The base, the mechanism, and the
sanitary tube. The base really is the bulk of the metal; a rabbit ear
with a screw in it, bent at 90 degrees to hold coils. In the front
there's a round hole to hold the sanitary tube.

Some people think the base looks like the handle of a gun. The base
houses the mechanism, which consists of two coils of wire wrapped around
an iron core.

At the top of the mechanism is a set of silver contact "points" (like
the end of a wire); one usually on a spring mechanism, the other either
the end, or on the end of a screw.

The spring connects to the base and a bar, which is connected to the
needle arm (90 degrees offset). The needle arm is connected to the
needles (which are soldered onto the bar), and moves up and down inside
the sanitary tube.

The coils connect to a DC power supply (between 6 - 12VDC), via a spring
coiled U-cable. The U-cable is called a "clip cord," designed to move
easily between machines but also stay in place and not fall out and
spark all over the place. The springs hold the cable in/onto the
machine.

One side of the coils is connected to the power supply, the other end to
the point on the screw on the bunny ear, which is insulated from the
base. Through the points, the current flows via the coils and the base
of the machine. This causes the coils to become electromagnetic. The
electro-magnet pulls down the bar, which does two things: pulls down the
needles, and opens the points. The points being open turn off the
magnet. The spring assembly brings back the bar, which causes the
needles to move up *AND* make contact with the points. This causes the
whole cycle to happen again making the needles go up and down.

Most machines have a large capacitor across the coils/points, which
keeps the points from arcing and pitting, and wearing out so quickly. A
capacitor is a device that holds energy kind of like a battery, but
charges and discharges much faster (parts of a second rather than 3 or 4
hours). The capacitor charges while the points are open, so when they
close, the difference in voltage across them is nill. The points are
really an automatic switch controlled by the spring to turn the thing
off and on quickly. In old cars where there were points there was a
condenser (aka capacitor) for the same reason.

The sanitary tube sucks up the ink in capillary fashion, and the needles
load up as long as there's ink in the small portion of the tube.It's
called "sanitary" because of the cutout at the bottom of the tube, which
can be rinsed out.

My understanding is that there are three layers of skin: Scaly layer,
epidermis, and dermis. Tattoo machines are adjusted to penetrate into
the dermis layer but NOT *through* it (below it is the fat layer of the
body).

When the needles go into the sanitary tube they have a layer of ink on
and between them. The needles make little holes in the skin, and the ink
is deposited into the holes. This is why the skin has to be stretched so
blobs of ink don't stay. Otherwise, the skin will latch onto the
needles, grab the ink from them and generally make a mess.

Ink just put into the scaly layer would be replaced quickly and fade
away. While ink into the epidermis will stay, my conjecture is that the
dermis makes for more ink and perhaps a more vivid image.

Machines are really of two types: Liners, and shaders. They are-exactly
the same, but are set up differently. The gap for a liner is-around

the thickness of a dime, and a shader is the thickness of a nickel.

Liner needles are usually arranged on the bar in a circular pattern.
Shader needles are usually straight (like a comb), although Spaulding &
Rogers sells a 15-needle round shader. The needles are small sewing
machine needles, usually made of stainless steel. Liners are in 1, 3, 4,
5, & 7-needle combinations, set in a round configuration. Note: There
can really be any number of them but these seem to be most common.

Shader needles are in a straight row and usually are in groups of 4, 6,
7, 9 needles. The sanitary tubes are designed especially for the
combination of needles, so there's a special tube for each different
number of needles in a needle bar assembly.

the artist manipulates the skin while tattooing. This is learned by 
experience and by hands-on apprenticeship or tutoring, and is one of the
 reasons that learning from another artist is the approved and safest 
way to get involved in tattooing.

While the machine's force and physics do make a difference to 

the end product, there is no way to make a machine that will

mechanically adjust
precisely enough to account for variations in skin surface, texture, 
and tone on a microscopic level, which is what an experienced tattoo 
artist does while working, manually, by adjusting their stretch 

and hand positions.

"Vick"

WHERE ON MY BODY SHOULD I GET A TATTOO?

This may seem VERY trivial, since the answer can be "anywhere you
please!" The ONLY places you cannot technically get permanent tattoos
are your hair, teeth and nails (even the cornea used to be tattooed
years ago for medical purposes). Interestingly, women and men tend to
get tattoos in different locations. This, according to sociologist
Clinton Sanders, is because men and women get tattoos for different
reasons. Men, he says, get them to show others, while women get them for
the sake of decorating their body--and often place them where they can't
normally be seen, so that it doesn't prompt comments about her
"reputation." However for the sake of this FAQ, the following is a short
list of areas to get inked. I am included the statistics from Clinton
Sanders' study on the body location of the first tattoo for men and
women as well (there were 111 men in his survey group and 52 women).

Head: The "head" here refers mostly to the area where your hair grows.
 You'll need to shave the area for the tat to be most visible. If you
 need to hide your tat, you can grow your hair out. Areas more commonly
 inked are the sides of the head (above the ears), and above the nape of
 the neck in the back. There are people who have their entire heads 
 inked. I am told that the tattooing process vibrates your skull!

Sides of neck (nape).

Back of neck: I've seen some tribal pieces, and bats done on the back of
 the neck. You'll need to keep your hair short or tied up to keep it 
 visible.

Face: Various areas possible. Facial tattoos could fall into the 
 cosmetic or standard categories. Cosmetic would include darkening of
 eyebrows, eyelining, liplining, etc. Getting a tat on the face is
 serious business and crosses a portal because people will never look
 at you the same way.

Upper chest: One of the standard areas for tattoos for both men and 
 women. Allows lots of flat area in which to get a fairly large piece. 
 One of the areas where you can choose to get symmetrically inked on 
 both sides. (Men: 5%, women: 35%--chest & breast combined)

Breasts (women): Used to be trendy to get a tiny tat on the breast. 
 Women (particularly larger breasted ones) need to be careful about 
 eventual sagging of the skin in the area. Don't get a tat that will 
 look silly when it starts to stretch (like a round smiley face that'll 
 turn into an oblong frown).

Nipples: Usually the artist leaves the nipples alone--the omission of 
 ink tends not to be so noticeable. There HAS been work done with 
 tattooing a facsimile of a nipple onto a breast in reconstructive 
 surgery for those who have lost their nipples, tho--for aesthetic and 
 self-esteem purposes.

Rib cage: Can be rather painful because of all the ribs you work over. 
 However it offers a fairly large area, and can be incorporated into a 
 major back piece, wrapping around toward the front.

Stomach/Abdomen: Some people choose not to get work done on their 
 stomachs for a couple of reasons. Area is difficult to work on because 
 there's no solid backing to hold the skin down. It is a sensitive area 
 that may feel uncomfortable. The tat may look horrible after your 
 metabolism slows down and you develop a - er-- "beer gut." (Men: Less 
 than 5%, women: 14% Women concerned about the effect of pregnancy on a 
 stomach tattoo can read the section specifically devoted to this in the
 Tattoo FAQ section 7.

Genitals: Yes, some people do  get inked in their genital area. The 
 idea may sound very painful, but it's really not all that bad.
 However,  do consider that, due the to the stretchiness of the 
 skin and the amount of movement the area experiences, it's not
 really possible to do anything with a lot of fine detail.  And 
 no, the penis does not have to be erect during tattooing, although
 a tattoo artist I know who has done several penis tattoos said that
 he did have one customer who had a full erection the whole time. The
 only female genital tattoo I've seen (inner labia, I think) was in 
 _Modern Primitives_, and it looked rather blurry. Note: Some artists 
 refuse to do genitals. (Men: 0%; women: 5 %)

Thighs/hips: A popular area for women to get larger pieces (often 
 extending from the hip area). Shows well with a bathing suit but easily
 concealable in modest shorts. The entire area of skin around your 
 thighs is bigger than your back, so you can get quite a bit of work 
 done. (Men: 3%; women: 10%)

Calves: Nice area to get a standard size (2" x 2"). However if you have 
 very hairy legs, it may cut down on the visibility somewhat. (Men: 7%; 
 women: 8%. Category simply listed as leg/foot)

Ankles: Currently trendy. I think you have to have an ankle tat before 
 you can go to the Eileen Ford Agency with your modeling portfolio. :) 
 You can either get a spot piece on the inner or outer ankle, or get 
 something that goes around in a band. Vines and other vegetation seem 
 popular (pumpkins, anyone?)

Feet: I've seen some incredible footwork (pun intended) in some of the 
 tat magazines. Concealable with shoes. Probably don't have as much wear
 and tear as hands so you might get less blurring and color loss. This 
 however, is the TOPS of your feet. You will have trouble retaining a 
 tattoo on the bottom of your feet.

Armpits: Usually reserved for those who want to get full coverage around
 the arm and chest area, & need the armpits filled. Probably not 
 strongly recommended for the highly ticklish.

Upper arms: One of the most common areas for men, although I have seen 
 some nice work on women as well. If you decide to get a piece done on 
 your upper arm, consider how much sun it's going to get. Will you be 
 able to put sunblock on it regularly? Otherwise, expect some color loss
 and blurring. If you want some serious work done and you wanna show it 
 off, you may want to consider getting a "half sleeve"--full tat 
 coverage throughout your upper arm. (Men: 70%; women: 18%. Category 
 simply states arm/hand)

Inner arms: A more unusual location than the outer upper arm area, this 
 area is often not easily visible. Be careful if your genes are prone to
 "bat wing" flab, however.

Forearms: Popeye sported his anchor on his forearm. Probably not as 
 popular as the upper arm but common just the same. You can have your 
 upper arm "sleeve" extend down for a full sleeve. For an example, check
 out the heavy metal veejay on MTV (who has a nose pierce, BTW).

Wrists: Janis Joplin had a dainty tat on her wrist...easily concealable 
 with a watch.

Hands (fingers and palms):  Some artists don't do hands because the ink
 will have a tendency to blur or fade easily. Consider that you probably
 move your hands the most out of your entire body. A friend of mine had 
 a multi-colored tat on his finger by Ed Hardy (who cringed upon hearing
 about where my friend wanted it), that is only several years old and is
 now barely noticeable. Some people want to substitute their wedding 
 bands with tat bands. Your palm doesn't retain ink well--if you can 
 find an artist who will do it, you can expect it to be a rather basic 
 line, and that it will not last too long. Perhaps just matching tats 
 someplace else would be okay? There *IS* a photo of a tattoo on a palm 
 in Sandi Feldman's book on Japanese tattooing. This seems to be an 
 exception.

Shoulder blades: The back shoulder blade area is another popular spot 
 for women, who can show off the work with a bathing suit or tank top, 
 but cover it up with regular clothes. If this is the case, be 
 particularly careful with sun because you're not gonna be wearing that 
 unless it's warm & sunny. It's a "safe" place--but may get in the way 
 if you decide to commit yourself to a large back piece. (Men: 15%, 
 women: 15%. Category listed as backs/shoulder)

Back: You can get any part of your back done, or find yourself an artist
 you really like, and save your money for a "back piece" that 
 encompasses your entire back. Expect to pay several thousand dollars 
 for a full back piece (not to mention many tat sessions).

--Buttocks: Again, beware of potential sagging in the area.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A tattooist's PORTFOLIO.

When you do look in their portfolio, there are a few things to keep in
mind. Do you see any photos of pieces that you recognize in the flash
(on the wall, or in a flash book)? If so, how is it rendered in tattoo
format? Before anything else, check to see that the lines are clean. Are
they well-defined? Straight where they should be; not shaky or blurry?
Are the borders all uniform in width? Do the colors seem true? Are they
bright? Proportionately correct?

Look at the people in the book. This can be an indicator of the
clientele in the shop (besides looking at the ambiance of the shop). Is
there a fair mix of women and men in the book? Are they all sporting
"biker" tats, or any one particular genre/style?

Again, keep in mind that anyone can stencil an outline of an
illustration onto your skin. The skill in the artistry comes in the
shading, use of colors and other subtle things that set an artist apart
from a simple tattooist.

Do you see anything in the portfolio that is not in the flash? These are
the custom pieces that the artists have done, and they should be their
crowning glory. How do they look? Do you like what you see? If there is
more than one artist working in the shop, and you see some photos you
like, make sure to find out which artist did the work.


WHAT KINDS OF QUESTIONS TO ASK

Whenever you ask to see their collection of photos, the person in the
shop will hopefully immediately recognize you as someone who knows a
little more about tattoos--at least enough not to be satisfied by
looking at just the flash. If the shop is not too busy or if the artist
is not in the middle of working, they might stand on the other side of
the counter to have a conversation with you. This is a wonderful
opportunity to ask questions of the artist.

Some reasonable questions to ask in your conversation that shouldn't
take too much time for the artist to answer:

What is their favorite style?
 If what *you* are looking to get done happens to be their specialty you
 are in luck; be it tribal, wildlife or whatever.

Is there any one particular subject they like to do?
 One artist, without hesitation, told me his favorite was skulls. I 
 would've jumped for joy had that been what I wanted.

How long has the shop been here?
 This may be an indicator of the stability of their business. The tat 
 industry in itself fluctuates, but continuity implies business acumen, 
 responsible practices and that they are not a fly-by-night operation.

How long have they been at the shop?
 The shop may have been there for 20 years, but the artist may only have
 been there for a couple of months. If they have been there for what you
 consider a short period, ask them where they were before.

How long have they been tattooing?
 It might not matter so much that the artist has only been there for a 
 short while, if they've been tattooing for several years. They might 
 come from various backgrounds--anywhere from working on friends to 
 having a fine arts degree. This type of information will give you more 
 insight into the artist's attitude as well as aptitude.

Do they get to do much custom work?
 This may depend on where the shop is located, but it also depends on 
 how good of an artist they are, and whether they have their own style 
 for which they are known for.

Do they use apprentices at the shop?
 It is often difficult for new artists to break into the business, and 
 an apprenticeship is often a very good way to learn not only about 
 tattooing itself, but also about the day-to-day operation of a small 
 business. For artists to take apprenticeships means they're interested 
 in expanding the artform, in giving a new person a break (so to speak) 
 and feeling confident enough about their own skills that they feel they
 can offer some insight and experience for the new person. This again 
 goes back to the attitude of the artist and the shop.

Don't let the looks of the artist intimidate you. Tattoo artists usually
have a lot of tattoos themselves. In fact, I would be somewhat leery of
an artist who has *NO* tattoos at all. The main thing is that you need
to talk with them and get a feel for what they are like. As you talk
with the artist and build a rapport, if you feel comfortable you may
want to broach the subject of what you're interested in getting done.
Bounce your idea off with the artist and see what they are willing to
help you with.

Remember however, that the artist is running a professional business! Be
polite--don't linger and overspend your welcome if you don't plan on
getting any work done at all.
[Note: Don't base your decision according to 

what tattoos you see on the
artist--they were not done by that person!]

"Vick" 

THE DECISION PROCESS--MAKING THE BIG PLUNGE: WHERE CAN I FIND A GOOD ARTIST, AND WHAT SHOULD I LOOK FOR IN A TATTOO ARTIST?

The bane of the tattoo world is the shadowy, unprofessional person
called the "scratcher." A scratcher is somebody who:
--Does not have the proper training in either tattoo art or of running
  a professional operation;
--Does not know and/or care to use responsible sterilization methods;
--Promises to provide tattooing services for an incredibly low fee, for
  free, or in exchange for drugs (ack!);
--Chooses not to apprentice through a legitimate tattoo shop because of 
  one excuse or another (but lacks the knowledge one needs to work in or
  run a professional shop);
--Will hurt you because they don't know what they're doing;
--Will give you a permanent tattoo you will regret for the rest of your 
  life;
--You should stay away with a ten-foot pole.

Never, never, never get work from a scratcher unless you are willing to
accept all the hazards listed above.More than two-thirds 

of them regretted their tattoo because of poor quality!

Looking for an artist can be as easy as checking the Yellow Pages, or as
complex as checking references, magazine photos, and reading RAB. There
are a number of ways to find good artists, including (but certainly not
limited to):

--Perusing tattoo magazines. While not all tattoo magazines are of the
National Geographic quality, the photos will speak for themselves. Some
issues highlight specific artists' works; a good way see the type of
work someone does. Use the photos in the magazines to compare with those
of the artist you are interested in. These magazines have done a lot to
show what is *possible*.

Some things to look for in magazines:
  -Style (realistic, black & gray work, tribal, etc.)
  -Placement on your body
  -Ideas for images
  -Size in proportion to your body
  -Artists whose work you like.

You can approach this one of two ways. You can either go to a shop
because someone recommended the artist to you, or you can go in cold.
For obvious reasons, you will have a little more information with you if
you already know something about the artist. This may make you feel more
at ease when going into a shop for the first time.

The most important aspects
of a good result are to:
 o Choose an experienced, knowledgeable performer who knows about 
   sterilization and avoidance of infection.
 o Avoid infection during the healing process.

With both of those bases covered, healing of either should be
non-eventful and the desired appearance should be guaranteed.

*WHY* DO I WANT ONE? A "TATTOO"

People get tattoos for different reasons. Is it to please your partner?
Is it because you want to belong to a group that has tattoos? Do you
identify with a certain subculture known for tattoos? Do you want to
show your independence, individuality or uniqueness?

These are all valid reasons, and why many people get tattooed. However,
because of the permanency of your tattoo, try to look at yourself in
five, 10, or even 20 years. What will you be doing at that time? You
might be a free-spirited college student now, and a web of vines on your
wrist would look really lovely. However, are you planning to work in a
very conservative field after you graduate? Will others look at your
tattoo in a bad way? Will you have to hide it with long sleeve shirts?
Are you *willing* to wear long sleeve shirts if the environment is
negative?

Do you want a tattoo of a tiger because your partner's nickname is
"Tiger," and you love the way s/he scratches your skin? Do you think
you'll be with this person in five years? If not, how will you look at
that tattoo? With fond memories, symbolizing a special period in your
life? Or a shameful or painful reminder of somebody who hurt you and
didn't care for you?

You're a headbanger (or a nose-smasher, ear-bopper or whatever) and you
*REALLY* want a tattoo all over your arms just like Axl Rose, but you
can't afford a professional artist so you get your friend with the
mail-order tattooing machine to do those designs for you? Or perhaps you
get spider webs tattooed all over your hands (or your face, which has
happened) because you want to be "different" in school. What if you
decide to "straighten out" and get a real job; train as a chef or
something, and then no restaurant hires you?

*GETTING IT REMOVED* is *NOT* easy, and is *NOT* cheap. Expect to pay
$1,000 (Rs.300,000) to remove even a fairly small-sized tattoo 

if you're looking at
laser surgery. Expect to have a noticeable ugly scar if you go with a
non-laser technique. Expect to pay for every penny out of your own
pocket because health insurance companies will not pay for tattoo
removal. There may not be a laser surgery specialist in your area. Then
think of all those laser-surgery doctors who are going to get rich off
of a person's foolishness or lack of careful thinking.

...Maybe tattooing isn't for you.

...Maybe you shouldn't get that $10 (RS.1000) tattoo your friend's been telling
you he'll give you, in his garage.

...Maybe you shouldn't let your buddies tattoo your hand with India Ink
and a needle at this weekend's party.

...Maybe you should get a tattoo on your back instead of on your hand.

...Maybe you should get a tattoo on your left wrist so it can be covered
by your watch if you have to...

...And maybe after reading this you'll think
carefully about it, and make some informed, wise decisions about what to
do with your body.

  *Tattooing can be beautiful.*

    *Tattooing can be exhilarating.*

      *Tattooing can open a whole new world for you.*

             ...but make sure to do it *RIGHT*.

"VICK"

GETTING A TATTOO ... DOES IT HURT?

This is the first question that people ask. The answer is yes. 

Having needles pierce your skin *does* hurt. 

But what you *really* want to know is, "How MUCH does
it hurt, and can I handle it?"

It's not nearly as bad as what you might imagine. The pain comes from
the cluster of needles on the tattooing machine piercing your skin very
rapidly. This sensation, however, doesn't feel like the poking pain of
an injection--it's more of a constant vibration. You will be amazed at
how quickly your body releases endorphins, (pain killers), which dullens
the pain significantly.

The pain will also vary according to where on your body you get worked
on. Skin right above bones (collarbone, anklebone, etc.) tend to be more
painful than other areas. In addition, certain types of needles seem to
hurt more than others. I personally think the needles used for outlining
produce a sharper, more noticeable pain, while the needles used for
shading seem to be much more like an electrical buzz (nearly painless).

Remember, you are volunteering for the experience. The amount of pain
will depend on your psychological attitude.

NOTE: Do not drink alcohol or take illegal drugs for pain relief
purposes prior to your tattoo sessions. Both aspirin and alcohol thin
your blood and promote excessive bleeding. Aspirin also decreases the
clotting of blood, which will slow down your healing as well. In
addition, artists do not appreciate dealing with drunks and is illegal
in many states.

WHAT ABOUT ANAESTHETICS?

Some people say that taking a couple of over-the-counter analgesics
before tattooing can take the edge off the pain.  Acetaminophen,
commonly sold under the brand name 'Tylenol' is generally recommended,
but not aspirin, ibuprofen, or other NSAIDs, as they tend to inhibit
clotting.  In short, you may find yourself bleeding like the
proverbial stuck pig.

For instance, Bactine contains some
lidocaine, and it is possible to buy benzocaine preparations
over the counter.  The drawback of these is that they do not
work on unbroken skin, but if they are applied after the first
pass with the needle, they *can* make a tremendous difference.

HOW DO I CARE FOR MY NEW TATTOO?

The artist that did your tattoo will have something very definite to say
about the care of your new tattoo, and it is probably a good idea to
listen to him/her. Many shops will have an information sheet listing
care instructions.
The information provided in this section may or may not be the same
method your artist offers. Regardless, there are three things to
remember about caring for your new tattoo:
 

o Moisturize it
o Don't over-moisturize it
o And whatever you do, Don't pick your onion peel scabs! 

Basically, as long as you follow these three points, you will be okay.
However as people get more tattoos, they begin trying out slightly
different methods. I have included several examples, and not all of them
will work on everybody. Some people will find that they are allergic to
some products. For example, I have always had a problem with Noxzema
skin cream, which makes me break out with water-filled pimple-like
things on my skin.
How do you know which method is best for you? It depends on the type of
skin you have, and how sensitive it is. I suggest you try a patch test
on your skin for a week or so to see if you react to the ingredients.
Having said that, I have personally discovered a very nice "new tattoo
kit" that I now use whenever I go to get a tattoo. And the added benefit
was that I discovered this "kit" in a sample size travel set, which I
can easily pack in my travel bag.
The set that I now use is the Johnson's baby product line. The kit
includes baby powder, baby shampoo, diaper rash ointment, baby lotion,
baby bath, and a bonus (in this case, a baby bib). I don't need the baby
bib, and the shampoo is just an added bonus for me. However, this is how
I use the kit, especially when I'm getting the tattoo in another city:
Baby powder: I sprinkle a liberal amount on the hotel bed sheets to
prevent my skin from sticking to the sheet.
Baby bath: A fruity-smelling liquid soap, it's very mild and has minimal
lathering. I pour a bit on my hand, rub into a light lather and wash the
tattoo this way. It rinses off very easily with non-pressurized water,
minimizing the risk of losing scabs.
Baby lotion: The Johnson's brand feels non-greasy. MY skin does not
like a layer of oily lotion, and until this, I used to pay lots of money
for oil-free Oil of Olay (is that a contradiction in terms?). Goes on
very lightly but keeps the skin moist.
Diaper rash ointment: Zinc oxide-based, I use this thick, non- greasy
ointment on certain "contact spots" of my tattoo that may rub against
clothes (i.e. bra strap, waist band). 

DO TATTOO NEEDLES BECOME DULL WITH USE?

Tattoo needles do not dull with age, but instead become sharper by the
repetitive honing motion they experience in the tattoo machine.
This happens because the metal of the sanitary tube rubs against the
needles, and the softer metal (the needles) will wear. The problem with
these sharpened needles is that they sharpen into flat razor-like edges,
and begin cutting the skin instead of piercing small holes.

Since a tattoo is created by the conical shape of the needle
transferring pigment into the skin with the aid of a wetting agent, the
needle's shape is as important as its sharpness. Pigment does not
transfer into the skin as efficiently when the shape is altered, and can
also lead to scarring.

Another problem with needles is the occurrence of burs or barbs when the
needles hit the side or bottom of the pigment caps.
While it is possible to use the same set of needles for more than eight
hours (on the same client, of course), correct needle configuration,
setup, and alignment of the needle and machine are very critical.

the capacitor

The capacitor's main function is to supply the electromagnetic coils with a charge after the front spring breaks contact opening the circut. with out the cap. the machine requires more voltage to run at an equal frequency. the capacitance will determine how long the coils will remain "magnetic". the machine operates as such: in a relaxed position without dc voltage applied, the contact screw touches the front spring. the front spring "gives" as the back spring is pushing the armature bar/front spring assembly upward. when a given voltage is applied, the capacitor charges as the coils magnetise and START to pull the arm. bar downward. the front spring stays in contact with the contact screw for a fraction of the full movement, keeping the circut closed and the coils on. when the spring and screw break contact is when basic electronics theory says that the capacitor will discharge.

----------so the capacitor "helps" to pull the arm bar down with less voltage.
and the amount of capacitance will determine the duration of the "helping voltage".

i have not attended any major electronics classes other than the basic ones in high school and i have been tattooing for a while. i would guess that about 80 percent of tattooists have no idea how thier machines operate. i just happen to be a very inquisitive person by nature and like playing around with electronic components.
- i hope this will be read by someone and help 

vick 

Needle Adjustments

This tech tip will be for those of you who just buy your needles and strap them on your machine without any adjustmens or fine tuning. If you make your own needles then you probably know what will be discussed in this tech tip. Whether or not you make your own flat shaders or your own rounds for shading and coloring, there is one more thing that you need to do before you strap them on your machine and use them.

If you take the time to spread the needles of the flat shaders with an exacto knife then the ink will flow down the needles at a better rate and the needles will puncture the skin a lot easier. If the needles are not spread, it is harder to penetrate the skin,
resulting in having to turn your power supply up, in turn making the machine working harder, which will cause the machine to run a lot hotter,

Also, if you spread the needles on your fat shaders, you will cover a larger area of skin and get the job done a lot quicker. The chances of scaring the skin is greatly reduced. One way that I find to spread the needles is to lay the needle bar flat
on a piece of glass and with an exacto knife or Blade, real carefully put the blade between the last needle on one side and from the needle tip slowly push down toward the solder...then spread the last needle on the other side...working your way to the middle needles. Always spread them a little at a time as not to cause the needles to split apart and separate from the group. This usually happens on the end needles. With a little practice it becomes easier and easier. You might want to practice with some used flat shaders that have been sterilized, till you pick up the knack.

Now as for the round needles that are used for shading and coloring...if you are making them yourself then make or buy a jig that makes them loose, you don't want to use tight round shaders to put in color, it will not get the color in evenly and will opt to scarring more easily. And I find that if you solder the needles together further
back from the tips then they wont be as tight.

There is another thing that I do to help the ink puddle up on the skin (this is something that you want your ink to do) and that is to take the solder out of the groove of the underside of the flat shaders. Remember the ink travels and gets under the skin from between the grooves of the needles, the ink around the needles is usually pushed away by the elasticity of the skin. I also file all the excess solder that may be there, this keeps the splattering down. One way to eliminate splatter is to put a slight bend in the middle of your needle bar forward to compensate for the tension of the rubber bands.

Good luck and I hope this helps you get the ink under the skin a little bit better and a little bit faster.......


"Vick"

Tattoos Without Outlines

Its a NO NO and every once and a while I run across someone who has this tattoo on them that looks like a big blob of smeared ink. Unable to make out what the tattoo is, I then notice why. Something is missing ....an outline and shading...then after talking with the person I find out how this monstrosity got under there skin...it was the brainchild of some up and coming tattoo artist. The tattooist thought that he would break all rules of tattooing and create a tattoo without an outline and without shading....great idea...but it just don't work...YOU NEED AN OUTLINE AND SHADING !!!!....unless you are one of the great tattooist who have total command of the tattoo medium...or you are doing background or negative space tattooing, or special effects....a outline and shading is needed........
OR IT WILL LOOK LIKE THIS and in five years it will look like a big blob of ink.

Shimming Your Coils

Does your tattoo machine seem like its getting old and tired? A little run down? Even after adjusting the armature bar and maybe replacing the rear spring. Well the problem might just be that you need to shim your coils. For those of you who don't know why or how to shim their coils then this tech tip may be just what your tired old tattoo machine needs.

First, in order to check to see if your coils need to be shimmed you should hold your tattoo machine in front of you at eye level...then press the armature bar down and check to see if the top of the front coils center core hits the bottom of the armature bar before the rear coil does... it they both hit at the same time, or if the rear coil hits first, then its time to shim the coils. What you want is for the front coil to hit the armature bar and the back coil to be just a hair short from hitting the armature bar.
Now in order to shim the coil you first must determine what coil you are going to shim... If the back coil is hitting the armature bar then unscrew the front coil from the bottom of the frame and lift the coil up enough to slide a shim under the coil and put the screw back in and tighten. Now press the armature bar down again and recheck the distance between the armature bar and the top of both of the coils center core.
Again the front coil should hit first and the rear coil should be just a hair short from hitting the armature bar. If the front coil hits first but you have a lot of space between the rear coil and the armature bar then you should shim the rear coil so that the rear coil is just a hair short of hitting the armature bar. Now you may ask yourself "what is a shim?".....well a shim is a flat washer that comes in many shim sizes from most tattoo supply companies....or do like I do and just go to your local hardware or
electronics store. After you adjust your shims make sure that you check the distance between the armature bar and the coil. Good luck ...any questions just drop me a line..... 

P.S. When I adjust my shims I usually take the whole machine apart and clean all the parts including the frame and then resolder all wires and connectors.

What they are and when to use them. (Bloodline & GrayLine)

What they are and when to use them.

For those of you who have never used or heard of a bloodline, a bloodline is exactly what it sounds like. It is the technique of outlining without any ink. You use just water to lubricate the needle. When you do a bloodline it leaves a red bloodline for the time that you are doing that tattoo, and then goes away when the tattoo heals. If you are doing a large piece then you may want to use what is called a greyline.

A greyline is when you mix 3-5% black ink with the water so that it will leave only a faint grey line for future reference to color or shade off of.

Bloodlines are used when you don't want a noticeable black outline. This gives you a chance to pull off certain special effects such as soft smoke, background effects that you don't want to overpower your foreground, negative space and geometric shapes.

When you shade or color off these bloodlines they will no longer be noticeable.

Again....use a bloodline if the tattoo is to be completed in one session and a greyline if you are going to do the tattoo over many sessions...but if there is any doubts about how long the tattoo is going to take ...put in a greyline...good luck "Vick"

What makes a good-looking tribal?

Nice and solid black. The right placement. Sharp and even curves. Tips that come to a clean point....Well I can't tell you how to put the black in solid (you should already know how to do that) and I cant tell you where to place the tribal (the placement works best with the curvature of the muscles) but what I may be able to help you out with is smooth curves and tight tips.....when I do any tribal work (and I do a lot of that in our shop) I use an "7RL" needle outliner...I guess by now you must be asking why an 7? 
I thought that you said the tips are going to be pointy...well I use an 7 needle outliner because it produces a wide enough outline that you don't have to slave over getting up to the outline without going outside the outline with the color, and this makes the job goes much faster.
Also with a wide outline it is much easier to produce a nice curve or straight line then it is using a five needle or a three needle....but now you ask yourself, but what about those pointy tips of the tribal that you talked about? 
Well, ... what I do when I am coloring my tribal in is to turn the shader needle sideways when I come to the tips and produce the sharp tips that way...(I use a five or a six flat to color tribal unless it is really big in which case I use a 9 or 21 mag and then finish the tips with a five or six flat. 


See when you turn the flats sideways you produce what is equivalent to using a single needle. because all the needle on a flat shader will produce a line that is as wide as a single when used sideways...like I said in my other tech tips. This may not be for you, but it sure works well for me and also for all the other Tattooist that I turned on to this tip.... 


Vick

The Coils "Backbone Of The Tattoo Machine"

Have you ever seen a tattoo artist zip through a tattoo with such ease and with lightning speed, and wonder how he does it? Well being familiar with the tattoo design sure helps but, the main reason is that he is using the right tattoo machine for the right job.You wouldn't drive a V.W in a Grand Prix and expect to win would you.
In this 1st tech tip I will be discussing the tattoo machine, and at the heart of the machine is the coils. The coils are the backbone of the tattoo machine. I will try not to get too technical so that it can easily be understood by everyone.

There are three different size coils being used in tattoo machines. 1. The 8 wrap coil. (wrap meaning how many layers of wire are wrapped around the center core of the coil) 2. A 10 wrap coil. 3. A 12 wrap coil.

The 8 wrap coil is used mostly when doing an outline with a 1,3,4, and a 5 needle outliner. I would not recommend using an 8 wrap coil outliner machine when doing larger outline work such as when a 8 or 14 needle outline is called for. You would have to increase the voltage (by turning the power supply up) which would in effect increase amperage. When you increase amperage more power is being used and a 8 wrap coil is to small to dissipate (give off) the heat. This condition would make the tattoo machine run hotter and even possibly cause the machine timing to break up and cause an uneven outline.When you are going to use a 8 or 14 needle outliner, I would recommend using a 10 wrap coil tattoo machine.

When you think about it...the more needles on the needle bar...the more skin you have to puncture...the more skin you have to puncture the greater resistance...and the greater resistance the stronger the tattoo machine you need.

When you increase the power on your power supply the needles don't go up and down any faster, the magnetic field is increased, which draws down the needle down harder and allows the skin to be punctured more easily. This is what appears to make the ink go in faster.

The same principal applies 's with a 10 wrap coil shader tattoo machine. If you are going to use a 4 , 5 , or six needle shader then a 10 wrap coil tattoo machine is just fine, but if you are going to use a 11 through 17 needle magnum tattoo needle then I would suggest using a 12 wrap coil tattoo machine.

I've always believed that whatever works for you is just fine, but if you want to get the job done quicker and easier, it helps to use the right machine for the right job. If you work in a high volume tattoo shop like ours, and you do a lot of tattoos, this tech tip could make life a lot easier.

Until the next tattoo tip..keep the ink flowing.........