How Do You Tattoo?

How Do You Tattoo
Not too long ago, most Americans associated tattoos with sailors, bikers and sideshow artists. But tattoos have become more popular in recent years, and the people who get them are as diverse as the styles and designs they choose. And some people who would never think of tattooing pictures or symbols onto their bodies use permanent makeup — a type of tattoo — to emphasize their eyes and lips.

In this article, we’ll look at how the tattoo process works and examine the safety and legal issues surrounding it. Artists create tattoos by injecting ink into a person’s skin. To do this, they use an electrically powered tattoo machine that resembles (and sounds like) a dental drill.

The machine moves a solid needle up and down to puncture the skin between 50 and 3,000 times per minute. The needle penetrates the skin by about a millimeter and deposits a drop of insoluble ink into the skin with each puncture. The tattoo machine has remained relatively unchanged since its invention by Samuel O’Reilly in the late 1800s. Modern tattoo machines have several basic components:

  • A sterilized needle
  • A tube system, which draws the ink through the machine
  • An electric motor
  • A foot pedal, like those used on sewing machines , which controls the vertical movement of the needle.

­When you look at a person’s tattoo, you’re seeing the ink through the epidermis , or the outer layer of skin. The ink is actually in the dermis , which is the second layer of the skin. The cells of the dermis are far more stable than the cells of the epidermis, so the tattoo’s ink will stay in place, with minor fading and dispersion, for a person’s entire life.

  1. O’Reilly based his design on the autographic printer , an engraving machine invented by Thomas Edison;
  2. Edison created the printer to engrave hard surfaces;
  3. O’Reilly modified Edison’s machine by changing the tube system and modifying its rotary-driven electromagnetic oscillating unit to enable the machine to drive the needle;
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Next, we’ll look at how artists actually create tattoos, from preparation to finishing touches.

How are tattoos done step by step?

How do you start tattooing?

How deep do you go when tattooing?

So, Where Should The Needle Go? – The tattoo needle should go into the dermis layer of the skin. This layer lies in the middle, and is the perfect spot for ensuring the ink will stay in the skin, and not ‘bleed out’ as the tattoo heals. The epidermis is not a good ink location since it is too exposed and too outward, while the hypodermis is too deep into the skin, which means the ink won’t be as visible and the pain during tattooing would be twice as intense.

  • Also, if the needle penetrates the hypodermis, the client will most certainly experience an infection;
  • So, how deep, to be exact, should a needle go into the skin? The answer is – approximately 1/16th inch deep into the skin;

This means that the ink will be placed exactly between the 2mm of the dermis layer. If you’re wondering how a tattoo artist knows where the dermis layer is in the skin, we’ve got you covered with that as well. Before the tattooing process begins, the tattoo artist adjusts the tattoo machine and the needle in regards to the parameter of the dermis layer location.

  1. So, the dermis layer is approximately 1/16th inch deep into the skin;
  2. With that knowledge, the tip of the tattoo needle is adjusted to only enter the skin at such depth, not a millimeter shallower or deeper;
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This means that the tattoo needle should not stick out the tattoo machine more than 2mm, or less than 1mm.

Is tattooing yourself easy?

Tattooing Yourself For Beginners

Is It A Good Idea To Tattoo Yourself? – No, it’s not a good idea to tattoo yourself, especially if you aren’t an experienced tattoo artist. Even if you are a good tattoo artist there are problems you will face when tattooing yourself that you don’t need to consider when tattooing someone else.

There is the physical problem of getting into the right position. Trying to tattoo yourself on your arm means you loose use of your second hand which means you can’t stretch the skin. Even tattooing your own leg can be hard unless you are very flexible.

Also, when your body experiences pain, it has an immediate reaction that tries to make you stop what you are doing. This can be overcome, but it makes it very difficult to go in far enough for the ink to penetrate the dermis properly. This can be ignored for a while, but not many people can overcome it for long enough to finish anything but a small, simple tattoo.

Where do tattoos go for beginners?

How long does a small tattoo take?

Expect about half an hour to an hour for a simple, small tattoo. Keep in mind, however, a small tattoo with lots of color, line work, details, or a tricky placement could take several hours. Small tattoos are great for people who don’t want to go through a lengthy tattoo process, but still want some cool ink.