It’s true that tattoo machines and supplies cost about the same as getting a small tattoo professionally done at a parlor, making a shop tattoo a much better option if you don’t have any work done yet. But if you do, and you’re interested in learning on yourself, it’s important to invest in a good-quality tattooing machine. If you want to make your own tattoo gun, you can also save a bit of money. If you want to give yourself a stick ’n poke tattoo, without the use of a tattoo gun, check out Give Yourself a Tattoo Without a Gun to learn to minimize the risks associated with this technique. [2] X Research source
Some people have allergies to specific ink ingredients and pigments, but this is usually only true of colored inks. It’s generally not a good idea to start messing around with colors anyway, unless you’re an experienced tattoo artist. Never use pen ink or other varieties of ink to make a tattoo, unless you want an infection and terrible-looking art on your body. Do it right. [3] X Research source
New tattooing needles A disposable container for the ink Isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) Cotton balls or soft batting Rubber gloves Tattoo goo, A&D, or Bacitracin for aftercare
Hand-print style lettering Small line-drawings of animals Stars Crosses Anchors Hearts
Shower, dry yourself, and change into clean clothes, so that you’re as clean as possible before you begin.
Ventilate the room by opening a window or turning on a fan. The pain can make it kind of a sweaty process, so it’s good to keep the room cool.
Draw the design on a sheet of paper or print it out from your computer, then place the design on the stencil paper. Use a stencil liquid, like StencilStuff or StencilPro, and spread the liquid over the area. Place the stencil on the skin with the purple side down, smoothing the stencil out flat. Let it sit before carefully removing the stencil from the skin. Allow the skin to dry completely.
Sterilize your needle. Just before you plan to give yourself a tattoo, drop your needle in a pot of water and boil it for five minutes. Spoon it out and let it cool on a clean paper towel for a moment, then soak it in rubbing alcohol and carefully wipe it down with a new towel. [8] X Research source Pour your ink cleanly. Wipe down the ink container with a rubbing alcohol-soaked paper towel, then pour in a small amount of ink in gently. Lay another towel across it to prevent dust from falling into it. Use less ink than you think you’ll need. A little tattoo ink goes a long way, and you can always pour more if you need it. Also keep a clean glass of water handy for cleaning your needle during the process. Put on clean rubber gloves. Have the box on hand and be ready to change them regularly, as your hands get sweaty.
You need to start the machine to get the needle moving before you attempt to start the tattoo. Never stick the needle into the skin before turning it on. Using your other hand, keep the skin to be tattooed as tight and flat as possible. It’s very important to give yourself a good canvas on which to tattoo. The flatter the better. Some tattoo guns can be auto-loaded with ink by screwing a canister of tattoo ink directly into the gun. If you have access to one of these guns, you don’t need to dip the needle, obviously.
Your skin should tug just a bit on the needle when you pull it out, but bleeding should be minimal. If your skin doesn’t resist when you pull the needle out, it’s probably too shallow. If there is a lot of blood, the needle is too deep. Because the needle is difficult to see, it’s usually better to tilt the needle at a diagonal to the skin, resting the tube rests on the skin.
The needle will be moving, so it’s sometimes difficult to see exactly where it’s going into the skin. Keep it moving along the line, then remove it and wipe away the excess ink to stay on track. It’s a slow process.
Filling in the tattoo is generally done with a slightly larger needle, and instead of moving in straight lines, you move in gentle, tiny circles to fill in the area. For your first tattoo, this may be unnecessary, but feel free to experiment.
Wipe away the excess ink regularly. Every few repetitions, use a soft paper towel to wipe away excess ink and seeping blood from your tattoo. Use a fresh towel each time.
Never put lotion or petroleum jelly on a fresh tattoo. These clog the pores, draw the ink out, and keep the tattoo from healing effectively. It’s a common misconception that Vaseline or petroleum jelly is used on new tattoos. The ointment used does resemble the consistency of Vaseline, but it’s not the same thing. Don’t slather ointment onto the tattoo. You only need a small, pea-sized amount for most tattoos. It’s important to let the tattoo heal as quickly and naturally as possible, which it can’t do if its constantly covered in goop. Don’t immediately wash your tattoo. If you used sterile products, you should let the tattoo alone and let the inflammation calm down a bit before you try to clean it. Cover the tattoo and leave it alone.
Leave the bandage on the tattoo for at least the first two hours, if not the rest of the day. This is a very important part of the process. Don’t start messing with it, just because you want to see your work. Wait.
Avoid soaking the tattoo for the first 48 hours of the job. After the first rinse, use soap and warm water to clean the tattoo gently that night before you go to bed. After two days, you can start cleaning it normally, when you shower. Keep a thin layer of ointment on the tattoo 2-3 times a day for about two weeks. Keep a close eye on things to make sure there are no signs of infection, and visit a medical professional immediately if you think your tattoo may be infected.
