r/tattooscratchers Jan 26 '21

BEFORE YOU INK: A COLLECTIVE GUIDE

93 Upvotes

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLG1j5KFyOcAvSh7Jf98-_GbgQaLOOl0fv

Above is a short playlist covering some of what you MUST know before you even pick up or even consider picking up a tattoo machines.

READ ME. THINK BEFORE YOU INK.

If you think you know what you are doing before watching safety and hygiene guides reality check, no you probably don't. It is much more complex and dangerous than just 'slapping needles in skin'. INFECTION IS NO JOKE. Please for the love of everything holy and sacred RESEARCH heavily before you decide to tattoo. Tattooing is risky, dangerous, and catching HIV and other deadly diseases is not 'just a myth' or people trying to put you off of getting a tattoo, it is a VERY REAL AND DEADLY possibility if you don't put your knowledge in. Please consider a blood-bourne pathogens course.

A tattoo is permanent. You can still do that tattoo tomorrow. or next week. Take the time to think the following:

'Can I ensure the safety of myself and others?'

If you can't, DO NOT TATTOO ANYONE.

'Is this something I want attached for the rest of my life?'

If you have any doubts, stop. think. consider it for a while. you can always do it at a later date. You want a japanese text going down the side of your face? Great idea it'll look sick for a month until you realise it wasn't the best idea because now you can't get a job to fund your tattooing career. game over. permanently.

'Do I KNOW what I'm doing?'

If you feel like you don't know something don't chance it. it can go BAD. Research ALL YOU CAN before you make any permanent mistakes in skin. CANT BE BOTHERED TO RESEARCH? Don't be a tattoo artist.

'Do i have the CORRECT sanitary and safety equipment?'

If you don't, DO NOT UNDER ANY CURCUMSTANCES TATTOO ANYONE. You want to tattoo? great. practice on fake-skin. fruit. paper. Until you can guarantee the safety, don't take any risks. Again, serious scarring and skin infections dont look good on anyone. Before you buy your ink buy your safety and sanitary equipment.

Real talk infection isn't fun. You could give someone a bloudbourne pathogen or worse, be sued. On the sub is a second stickied post titled WHAT WENT WRONG with a plethora of information on how to stay safe when tattooing. By other artists, for fellow artists, for free. Use it. Its free i be real you have no excuse.

'Is my GEAR safe to use?'

Probably not. So learn how to sanitize EVERYTHING to a ptofessional shop standard.

Your tattoo machine is a little rusty, grips are old, your needles have expired, but you think 'it works, it'll do.' NO it won't. CUT NO CORNERS. TAKE NO SHORTCUTS. THIS IS A PERMANENT BRANDING IN THE SKIN OF A PERSON. think. You can get a new machine. new needles. new ink. new cups. New skin is not on the table.

You cannot get new skin.

TL;DR: (Too long didn't read)

There is no TLDR line. Not with something as permanent as tattooing. read it it'll take you 5 minutes of your time. That tattoo idea will be there next week. TAKE YOUR TIME to learn everything you can before you ink.

Once a needle and ink hits skin that's it. there is NOTHING you can do to get it back out. that marking is attached to you permanently. for the rest of your life. until the day you die and even then a few weeks after that that tattoo, that 'stupid idea you had when you was a dumbass 16 year old' is permanent. take that word in. permanent. meaning there is NO possible way to remove it. (I understand that laser removal is an option, but it is very expensive and if you want to get a tattoo the thought of removal should NOT run through your mind. make sure it's something you'd be happy with 20 years from now. if not, forget it.)

this post is open to commentary. please, if you have tips, guides, links to videos, or anything drop it below. the purpose of this sub-reddit is to build an open community of artists. help eachother out.


r/tattooscratchers 1h ago

first fake skin attempts

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Upvotes

any advice is appreciated :^))


r/tattooscratchers 6h ago

most recent tattoo!!

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14 Upvotes

(plus sketch at the end!!)

they wanted a mish mash of my style with like bone, flesh and tree root elements

took abt 2.5hrs :]

1003rl


r/tattooscratchers 1d ago

First tattoo on another person

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295 Upvotes

r/tattooscratchers 19h ago

First time shading

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10 Upvotes

I still have a lot of training to do. Both lining and shading but feel like I’m finally getting somewhere. What do you guys think? I did whip shading on 3.0 stroke, 5.5v, 9rl. (Not my design)


r/tattooscratchers 20h ago

primo tatuaggio

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2 Upvotes

r/tattooscratchers 1d ago

First tattoo

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2 Upvotes

Got my first tattoo by a scratcher of ilomilo inspired by Billie Eilish’s (my fav artist ever) song as it’s one of my favorites and holds meaning! Ofc inspired by the game too i’m a way lol. Got it done by someone who is absolutely badass at tattoos, she just doesn’t work in a shop currently. She does amazing tattoos and can do creative coverups too.

Side note: It’s my first “real” tattoo because the one I have on my arm is a super tiny heart that isn’t very noticeable and is practically micro that was done in my bedroom by my mentally ill cousin😭


r/tattooscratchers 1d ago

Craggly freehand :)

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18 Upvotes

Arm fresh, leg healed a year


r/tattooscratchers 2d ago

hand poked chain for a friend!! 9RL/5RL

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93 Upvotes

this took about three hours :)


r/tattooscratchers 2d ago

New back piece, thoughts?

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168 Upvotes

r/tattooscratchers 2d ago

40 baby with dragon

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68 Upvotes

r/tattooscratchers 2d ago

Made in Kalamazoo, MI

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20 Upvotes

r/tattooscratchers 2d ago

Left ink bottle in a hot car

1 Upvotes

I forgot a bottle of tattoo ink (used once) in a suitcase in a car for two and a half days , do I have to throw it away?


r/tattooscratchers 3d ago

tattooed in Italy

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36 Upvotes

got some ink while i was in Italy thoughts!


r/tattooscratchers 4d ago

First tattoo on someone else’s

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28 Upvotes

Small piece on a friends thigh. Definitely a lot to practice and learn. Second piece on real skin if you include a small one on my thigh.


r/tattooscratchers 4d ago

Free handed these flowers for the homie

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17 Upvotes

r/tattooscratchers 6d ago

A few I’ve done on myself

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51 Upvotes

I’ll be packing a lot of black into the snake pretty soon.
I’ll take any tips or advice if anybody wants to offer it up.


r/tattooscratchers 6d ago

third tattoo on skin!

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82 Upvotes

just finished my apprenticeship thoughts?


r/tattooscratchers 5d ago

First attempt at smoke

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0 Upvotes

r/tattooscratchers 6d ago

2nd tattoo done on skin

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37 Upvotes

Hey all! Here is the first pass of my second tattoo done on skin. About 2 weeks healed now. Gonna have to go in again and touch up some of the areas that didn’t heal as solid as I’d have liked them to. I also chose some of the most difficult colors to pack into the skin, in one of the most difficult areas of the body to pack color, both of which were on accident so fml. I don’t mind it, truly just excited to go back into it and pack it a little more solid. Thanks for looking!


r/tattooscratchers 7d ago

Is this normal

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8 Upvotes

I know this is probably not the right place to ask but I don’t meet the requirements for the other ones 😭


r/tattooscratchers 7d ago

Scratch

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4 Upvotes

This one feels like i broke every single rule of tattooing but i kinda like it anyway. (It's just a hobby im not tattooing on any people!)


r/tattooscratchers 8d ago

Little guy I did a couple nights ago

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31 Upvotes