Foreword: Please do not completely bash this thread because the premise seems immature. ok, Ive been considering the idea of possibly getting a tattoo in the last half-year or so, but am unable to find/settle on a unique meaningful design. In my searches however, I realised just how cool the tattoo gun/machine looks and the idea it may make a funky showpiece in my home or dorm. It was about that step, when i realised that if morons can do it with toothbrushed and safety pins, surely i could manage simple stuff like tribals with a small professional kit. On that idea, i can purchase very good looking sets online for roughly 150-200$ that ship for free. However, I am unsure just how difficult it would be to do designs on visible sections of my own body or on friends (following complete sanitary procedures of course) How hard is it to create just solid black/colour tatoos, as well as the difficulty of shading? Im assuming you use the larger magnum sets at lower voltage to do this, a i correct, and is that difficult? again, please dont completely bash this thread calling me a moronic child who hasnt matured (im 18-so its only half true). I plan to use the kit on display cus the machines look awsome, as well as to possibly pocket small amounts of change for tattooing simple designs on others (once i gain experience first obviously) PS: I am not afraid of the small amounts of blood from tattooing, thats not really a concern
I'm not going to bash you, but I will say that it is not likely to turn out well and you definetly shouldn't look at it as a method to save money or make some money on the side. If tattooing is something you want to get into, it is best to find an apprecticeship and learn from a master in a good shop. First, you say sanitary conditions will be upheld. This is what a "professional" sanitary set up looks like: 1. There will be a dedicated work space without carpet or porous surfaces and flooring. 2. There will be a dedicated sink with running hot and cold water. 3. There will be an autoclave to sterilize tubes/needles/etc. 4. All counters/chairs/tables will be sprayed and washed with a medical grade disinfectant and then covered in plastic. 5. All needles are single use. If you're going to tattoo people for money, you will also likely need county licensing. If you can't meet the above requirement, you aren't working under properly sterile conditions. As far as the actual tattooing goes, the sets you find online are really just pieces of crap. A good machine runs $300-???dollars. Then you'll need a power source, tubes, needles, a pedal, ink, etc etc. A cheap-o starter set is under powered and imprecise. Mags are the flat arrangements of needles and are used for fill/shading/broader outlines. Rounds are the round clusters of needles and used for outlining and hard lines. Each of these types comes in different numbers of needles for varying size and precision. Think of the mag as a paint brush and the round and an ink pen. So, the bottom line is that you can definetly learn to tattoo; however, it is much more involved than what you initially think. Tattoo is easy, GOOD tattooing is exceptionally difficult. Yes, morons with safety pins can do it, but have you ever looked a prison ink? It sucks. Cheers
thanks. Ive looked at some videos on it and cant say it looks overly difficult an actual procedure, but more the enviroment of it. as for your 5 sanitary requirements, i would only fail to meet the autoclave, but that could be remedied by standard boiling or even a period in the oven at 130-140 celcius, could it not? the tattooing of others would consist mainly of very good friends who are willing to trust me with simplistic designs. what makes a machine good? Im looking at 10 coils and seperate line and shading guns.
Boiling and baking aren't true sterilization methods. Boiling only gets to 100 degrees C and baking is dry heat which doesn't have the same penetrative qualities. There maybe a method to oven sterilize, but I've never heard of it. A pressure cooker is the simplest home method of sterilizing (15 lbs for 45 mins). You other option is presterilized needles and single use tubes. Better machines will have better ergonomics, more power to run a wider variety of needle setups, a more preicise power control, and, most importantly, less run out(the wobble or the needle from imprecise assembly).
Also, while the actual tattoo process looks simple there is a lot the the artist is taking into consideration. He is blending colors, considdering aspect, using feel to gauge the depth he should go etc, etc. its an art and there is a learnign curve. Even the most talented artist will make mistakes when learning...prepare for messed up thighs LOL
I understand the diffuicuties of blendings/shading, and would be using it for solid colours at least until i felt very confident. If i carry this through, i do in fact plan to use the correct procedures, gloves, sterilized needles, (likely even prepackaged grips), etc to achieve the highest quality i can with my equipment and experience. [put it this way, when i began growing my own weed, i cashed out for a proper HID bulb and made a room of my home specifically designated for my plants-I rarely half ass such measures] How would i go about determining the ideal needle length and voltage? I understand you want it to protrude roughly 1/16 an inch and extend to about an 8th, correct? and will voltage affect power or speed? PS: when using the machine, should the tip be held against the skin so that the needle is always putting pressure, or should only the needle point evr touch the body?
Now the questions are getting beyond my expertise and the teaching abilities of a message board. I've only tattooed about 3 square inches of skin on a traveling hippy who wanted a big black band on his arm and it had to be fixed by my tattooist even though he was looking over my shoulder. It came out patchy. I know alot of the technical aspects of tattooing for two reason. One, like you, I don't like to half ass things, so I educated myself to the craft before getting heavily tattooed. Second, I always pay attention to my tattoists while I'm getting work done. Getting worked on is actually a good way of learning the craft. Voltage, at least from what I've seen, isn't what controls the speed of the machine. The dial is just an indicator of power, like a dimmer switch, and varies from power source to source. My tattoist, "tunes" his machine by ear and listens to the sound it makes when running and when tattooing. You can learn the science part of tattooing by reading, but the art part comes from experience. Tuning your machine and what not is part of the art. If this is something you're really into, go get a tattoo, hang around a GOOD shop, and offer to do bitch work until they offer you an apprenticeship. It really is the best way. Cheers and good luck
much thanks on your well-worded advice. I have much to consider it seems, but as of this moment the biggest dilema is also the silliest: I cant decide what i would tattoo on myself given the skill and equipment necessary.... while tribal is relatively simplistic and cool, it is highly unoriginal and holds no real meanings. I am considering a taurus (born april), a nautical star, and simple black dragons/lizards
not once in this thread did you mention drawing ability or that you love to draw and paint and that's why you might make a good tattoo artist and that's the only genuine reason to become a tattooer . Can you even draw, do you have the basic understanding of balance and composition or are your "customers" going to have uneven misplaced tattoos?? and the pressure cooker can technically work but the autoclave in my shop gets tested once a month just to be safe. If you don't want to half ass it as you say then apprentice in a shop!!!! that's the right way, just because one aspect of tattoo looks like you understand it doesn't mean you can buy bullshit equipment and start butchering your "close friends"
sterilization is only achieved through heat & pressure & time 125 degrees at a minimum of 22 psi for 25 minutes I wouldn't trust a pressure cooker
thanks. as for my artistic talent, I feel creative, know what i want, but am completely inadequate at creating desins. However, I can alter prefabricated images to fit my desires quite effectively (go figure). IE: if i want a poker chip design for example, i will locate designs for chip/face on internet, merge, print, hand adjust to my style, scan and reprint
There are several ways to sterilize things: heat, flame, chemical, pressure, but, yes, an autoclave is the the most practical and feasable method for a tattooist. Pressure cookers can also be spore tested. Anyway, you're right, that successful tattooing comes from a commitment to the art. Its up to everyone to decided whether or not they're willing to go there.
On a vaugely off-topic note, i have designed an image that i find appealing and that may one day find its home on the inside of my left leg. Due to the funky tribal-style design around it, i can later choose to lose it within a larger image and make its context more difficult to detect. PS: besides the obvious drug-reference, it is also a tattoo to symbolize the powerful and mysterious ways of nature. I am contemplating the potential addition of morning glory vines if i can find a straightfoward, solidcolour image to mimic
i dont mean to bash, but as you said the premise is very immature. just like meddle said if you arent the type to half-ass, then you would go and try for an apprenticeship. that is the best way to work on becoming a great artist...you dont want to be known as "that guy that gives shitty tattoos", and you would in the end spend less money, and have more skills to be able to work in a lucrative business. and you would get mad more respect. besides you shouldnt want to become a bad tattoo artist because you think you can do better than other bad tattoo artists...there are already enough of them. i think that you should put a ridiculous amount of thought into this...and maybe a couple more years for maturity to set in.
