How Does Tattoo Transfer Paper Work?

How Does Tattoo Transfer Paper Work
Stepwise Guide on How Does Tattoo Transfer Paper Work: – Tattoo transfer paper is used in the tattoo industry, allowing you to move your artwork onto T-shirts or other surfaces. The sheets are made with a plastic polymer that looks just like paper. You print your design on the white backing of the paper and remove it before applying it to whatever surface you’re transferring it over to.

What is Tattoo transfer paper and how to use it?

Download Article Download Article Tattoo transfer paper is what tattoo artists use to turn your pencil tattoo design into the guide for your actual tattoo. The most common way to use tattoo transfer paper is use a thermographic type of paper to transfer your tattoo design to your skin. But you can also use printable tattoo transfer paper in certain craft projects.

  1. 1 Create your tattoo design in pencil. Draw the tattoo design you’d like on a regular sheet of printer paper, in pencil. It should look exactly how you want your tattoo to look, because it will transfer exactly that way to the transfer paper. [1]
  2. 2 Slide your original design under the carbon paper. Thermographic transfer paper actually comes in a set of three sheets – an under sheet, a black piece of carbon paper, and a top transfer sheet where the carbon copy will appear. Place the piece of paper with your original design under the carbon paper and on top of the under sheet. [2] Advertisement
  3. 3 Put the whole set of papers through a thermographic transfer maker. This is specialty equipment that you can find in some tattoo shops. Some printing shops might also have the transfer maker you need. Exactly how you feed the papers in will depend on the exact model maker you have, but the design should always go in face down. [3]
  4. 4 Remove the top carbon copy from the rest of the transfer paper. Once you’ve run the transfer paper through the transfer maker, you’ll have an exact replica of your initial design on the top piece of carbon paper. Tear the carbon copy off of the set of transfer paper. [4]
  5. 5 Situate the carbon copy where your client wants the tattoo. It might take a couple of tries to get your design exactly where the customer wants it. Ask them repeatedly to make sure they’re happy with the eventual position. [5] EXPERT TIP Michelle Myles is the Co-owner of Daredevil Tattoo, a tattoo shop located based in New York City’s Lower East Side. Michelle Myles Tattoo Artist & Co-owner, Daredevil Tattoo Consider whether a stencil is needed for your tattoo design. Creating a stencil allows the client to see the design on paper beforehand, and it allows you to move the tattoo around if you need to. However, if you’re incorporating a new tattoo with existing tattoos, sometimes it’s easier to work freehand.
  6. 6 Wet down your customer’s skin with soapy water. Mix up a solution of soapy water – it should be soapy enough that you get bubbles. You can use a regular, mild dish soap. Dip a cloth in the soapy water and then rub it on the skin where the tattoo will go. [6]
  7. 7 Press the carbon copy down onto your client’s skin. Once your client’s skin is wet with soapy water, realign the carbon copy of the tattoo over the skin. Ask for your client’s approval of the placement, and then press the carbon copy down. Use your hands to completely smooth it out. As you do that, press down, to make sure that the design transfers. [7]
  8. 8 Lift off the carbon copy. As you lift the carbon copy away from your client’s skin, you should see the transferred design. If you notice there are places where the design didn’t come through, lay the carbon copy back down gently and press a bit harder. [8]
  9. 9 Repeat these steps if your client isn’t happy with the placement. Ask you client to approve the final placement once the design has transferred. If they aren’t happy, remove the design by wiping down your client’s skin with rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball. Repeat the process to create a new carbon copy of the design and apply it to your client’s skin.
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  1. 1 Prepare the surface of your craft. You can use transfer an image to pretty much any sturdy surface: wood, plastic, even canvas. Make sure the surface is clean and that any paint you want to use is dried. [9]
  2. 2 Print your chosen images on printable tattoo paper. You’ll need to download your image (or images) of choice to your computer, and then print them on printable tattoo paper. This paper is usually available at most craft stores, or from online retailers like Amazon. [10]
    • Make sure the image you want to print on the paper will fit onto your craft. You might have to size it down a bit to make it fit.
  3. 3 Apply the included adhesive to your image. The pack of printable tattoo paper will come with an adhesive sheet. Peel the protective layer off the adhesive – it’s usually a bright color like green – and smooth it over the image you’re using. Then trim around the edges of your image, cutting the adhesive sheet down as closely to the outline of the image as possible.
  4. 4 Peel the clear plastic film off the image. With the adhesive sheet on the image, it will now have the layer of adhesive and then a layer of clear plastic film over. Peel this clear film back to expose the sticky layer of adhesive on top of the image.
  5. 5 Place the image picture-side down on your craft. Before you stick it to your object, make sure you have it lined up the way you want it. You can’t unstick the image if it’s a little off-center, so be careful when you’re applying it. [11]
  6. 6 Moisten the back of the image with a wet towel. You can use a cotton towel or paper towel for this step, but a cotton towel works best. Press the damp towel down on the back of the image gently, until the whole thing is moistened. [12]
  7. 7 Peel the backing paper off gently. Start at a corner of the image, and gently pull the backing paper back. As the paper comes back, the image should stay on the surface of your craft. If you notice that the image is also pulling away, put the backing paper back down and remoisten that area. [13]
  8. 8 Seal the image with a glaze spray. This type of spray is available at most craft stores. It will seal the image and prevent any of the ink from flaking off in the future. Let the glaze fully dry before you move your craft – about 30 minutes. [14]
  9. 9 Finished.
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What is the difference between hand-transfer and thermographic tattoo paper?

WHAT IS TATTOO TRANSFER PAPER? – Do you remember the carbon copy sheets from your childhood? In fact, this is that copy paper. There are two kinds of such paper: for machine transfer and for manual.

  • Hand-transfer tattoo paper has two layers: the top layer is your tattoo design, and the bottom layer duplicates the outlines you trace on the back of the design.
  • Thermographic transfer paper for a thermal printer (aka thermocopier) allows you to transfer the tattoo design from the printed image.

The transfer paper consists of three sheets: a liner (the bottom yellow sheet), a carbon sheet and tracing paper. Not all transfer papers are the same, though. Some of them work better than others for transferring tattoos, so we will cover some of the essential steps to ensure your transfer paper is working to its fullest potential. Transfer paper needs to buy a good and high quality.

In this case, consider the manufacturer. Chinese-made transfer paper poorly transfers the image, quickly erased and does not allow to achieve the desired result. Look for the inscription “made in USA” to be sure of the quality of this product.

Tattoo transfer paper made in the USA is reusable, it lasts a long time and even after several uses the lines on it are visible.

How do tattoo stencils work?

One of the biggest concerns that people have when they decide they want to get a new tattoo is how is that artist going to take the artwork you have in mind and properly transfer it from your paper to your skin. Luckily for you there is a very simple technique that most skilled professional tattoo artists utilize so that the artwork looks exactly like it does on your skin when the job is complete. Top Rated Transfer Paper : Before discussing the technique for using the tattoo transfer paper, it is important to first understand the basic components of the paper itself and how each section works to bring your new tattoo to life. The highest quality thermal paper consists of four distinct pieces of thin paper in one.

  1. Looking at the top layer of the tattoo transfer paper first, usually this layer is white and is the layer of paper in which your artwork is going to ultimately be transferred to.
  2. The second layer is not typically connected to the rest, has a milky white appearance to it, and it tossed in the trash after used.
  3. The next layer of the tattoo transfer paper is a blue/purple hue carbon, and when pressure is applied to this paper, the artwork is easily transferred to the top sheet in the group.
  4. Lastly, the bottom sheet has a yellow hue and it holds the original artwork in place while the artist prepares to get to work on your tattoo.

High Quality Tattoo Transfer Paper: How Does Tattoo Transfer Paper Work Now we are going to discuss the steps used by most tattoo artists who make use of the tattoo transfer paper. While this process may appear simple to the untrained eye, it does takes a professional artist a great degree of skill to take your artwork and carefully position it so the end result is exactly what you had envisioned when you entered the tattoo shop.

  1. Before the process can begin, the tattoo artist is going to run your line artwork through their thermographic transfer maker, this will allow them to get an exact copy of your artwork that they can use in your new tattoo. Many times artists refer to these sheets as carbon copies.
  2. Before the work is to begin, the tattoo artist is going to give the customer that copy so they can analyze the line drawing and make absolutely certain it is exactly what they want. This is the last chance to make any changes or modifications, after you give your final approval there is no turning back.
  3. The skin where the tattoo will be placed is dampened with a stick deodorant or soap and water. This will allow the tattoo transfer paper to adhere to the skin and not move around once the work has begun.
  4. The tattoo transfer paper is then placed on to the damp skin and the tattoo artist will press down gently. The key to getting the perfect tattoo here is to not allow that paper to shift. The artwork will not transfer properly if the sheet is allowed to move, requiring the artist to have to remove the paper and start from the beginning again.
  5. If the paper has been applied correctly the first time, once the tattoo transfer paper is peeled away from the skin it will reveal a line drawing that is an exact replica of the original. The image on the skin surface will be a purple-bluish ink that can easily wash off in time. For now, that artwork is the perfect stencil on your skin for the artist to closely follow along.
  6. Before any ink work is done, the client has one last opportunity to look at the position of the tattoo and the artwork itself. If the location and the size is correct, the client will give the final approval and the artist can begin with the process of adding the tattoo following along the line drawing until complete.

Exceptional Value on Tattoo Paper : How Does Tattoo Transfer Paper Work Articles you may like:

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  • Tattoo Transfer Paper – Simple and Comprehensive Guide

How do you draw a tattoo on carbon paper?

Download Article Download Article Tattoo transfer paper is what tattoo artists use to turn your pencil tattoo design into the guide for your actual tattoo. The most common way to use tattoo transfer paper is use a thermographic type of paper to transfer your tattoo design to your skin. But you can also use printable tattoo transfer paper in certain craft projects.

  1. 1 Create your tattoo design in pencil. Draw the tattoo design you’d like on a regular sheet of printer paper, in pencil. It should look exactly how you want your tattoo to look, because it will transfer exactly that way to the transfer paper. [1]
  2. 2 Slide your original design under the carbon paper. Thermographic transfer paper actually comes in a set of three sheets – an under sheet, a black piece of carbon paper, and a top transfer sheet where the carbon copy will appear. Place the piece of paper with your original design under the carbon paper and on top of the under sheet. [2] Advertisement
  3. 3 Put the whole set of papers through a thermographic transfer maker. This is specialty equipment that you can find in some tattoo shops. Some printing shops might also have the transfer maker you need. Exactly how you feed the papers in will depend on the exact model maker you have, but the design should always go in face down. [3]
  4. 4 Remove the top carbon copy from the rest of the transfer paper. Once you’ve run the transfer paper through the transfer maker, you’ll have an exact replica of your initial design on the top piece of carbon paper. Tear the carbon copy off of the set of transfer paper. [4]
  5. 5 Situate the carbon copy where your client wants the tattoo. It might take a couple of tries to get your design exactly where the customer wants it. Ask them repeatedly to make sure they’re happy with the eventual position. [5] EXPERT TIP Michelle Myles is the Co-owner of Daredevil Tattoo, a tattoo shop located based in New York City’s Lower East Side. Michelle Myles Tattoo Artist & Co-owner, Daredevil Tattoo Consider whether a stencil is needed for your tattoo design. Creating a stencil allows the client to see the design on paper beforehand, and it allows you to move the tattoo around if you need to. However, if you’re incorporating a new tattoo with existing tattoos, sometimes it’s easier to work freehand.
  6. 6 Wet down your customer’s skin with soapy water. Mix up a solution of soapy water – it should be soapy enough that you get bubbles. You can use a regular, mild dish soap. Dip a cloth in the soapy water and then rub it on the skin where the tattoo will go. [6]
  7. 7 Press the carbon copy down onto your client’s skin. Once your client’s skin is wet with soapy water, realign the carbon copy of the tattoo over the skin. Ask for your client’s approval of the placement, and then press the carbon copy down. Use your hands to completely smooth it out. As you do that, press down, to make sure that the design transfers. [7]
  8. 8 Lift off the carbon copy. As you lift the carbon copy away from your client’s skin, you should see the transferred design. If you notice there are places where the design didn’t come through, lay the carbon copy back down gently and press a bit harder. [8]
  9. 9 Repeat these steps if your client isn’t happy with the placement. Ask you client to approve the final placement once the design has transferred. If they aren’t happy, remove the design by wiping down your client’s skin with rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball. Repeat the process to create a new carbon copy of the design and apply it to your client’s skin.
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  1. 1 Prepare the surface of your craft. You can use transfer an image to pretty much any sturdy surface: wood, plastic, even canvas. Make sure the surface is clean and that any paint you want to use is dried. [9]
  2. 2 Print your chosen images on printable tattoo paper. You’ll need to download your image (or images) of choice to your computer, and then print them on printable tattoo paper. This paper is usually available at most craft stores, or from online retailers like Amazon. [10]
    • Make sure the image you want to print on the paper will fit onto your craft. You might have to size it down a bit to make it fit.
  3. 3 Apply the included adhesive to your image. The pack of printable tattoo paper will come with an adhesive sheet. Peel the protective layer off the adhesive – it’s usually a bright color like green – and smooth it over the image you’re using. Then trim around the edges of your image, cutting the adhesive sheet down as closely to the outline of the image as possible.
  4. 4 Peel the clear plastic film off the image. With the adhesive sheet on the image, it will now have the layer of adhesive and then a layer of clear plastic film over. Peel this clear film back to expose the sticky layer of adhesive on top of the image.
  5. 5 Place the image picture-side down on your craft. Before you stick it to your object, make sure you have it lined up the way you want it. You can’t unstick the image if it’s a little off-center, so be careful when you’re applying it. [11]
  6. 6 Moisten the back of the image with a wet towel. You can use a cotton towel or paper towel for this step, but a cotton towel works best. Press the damp towel down on the back of the image gently, until the whole thing is moistened. [12]
  7. 7 Peel the backing paper off gently. Start at a corner of the image, and gently pull the backing paper back. As the paper comes back, the image should stay on the surface of your craft. If you notice that the image is also pulling away, put the backing paper back down and remoisten that area. [13]
  8. 8 Seal the image with a glaze spray. This type of spray is available at most craft stores. It will seal the image and prevent any of the ink from flaking off in the future. Let the glaze fully dry before you move your craft – about 30 minutes. [14]
  9. 9 Finished.
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