Now it is time to Put on a pair of latex surgical gloves. Pick-up the outliner machine (previously tuned) and check to make sure the grip on the tube is dry for a secure hold. Engage it to the clip connecting cord. Turn the power unit on and start and stop the machine by means of a footswitch. This leaves both of your hands free to work with. Adjust the Rheostat Knob on the power unit to determine the correct machine speed for the job. It takes experience to best decide this and after a while, you will tell just by the sound of the machine. Keep it moderate and start it out slow, you can always speed it up a little once you get started. Grasp the underside of the arm and draw the skin taut between the thumb and fingers. Dip the tip of the tube into the ink and start following the lines of the design from the bottom corner. Work upwards and to the left. Do not tip your machine back more than a 45 degree angle or the ink will run down the inside of the tube and also down the needle bar. (This is called back feeding). Remember, your machine is gravity fed and must be kept at the same angle as if you were using a pen. Be careful not to smudge the stencil print. Remove the excess ink from the skin by dabbing gently with a tissue, don’t rub it. Check tip for a refill and stop the machine while dipping ink. When the outline is finished, spray the area of the outline that you have just done, and touch up any weak lines. When this is done, apply a thin coat of Vaseline.
The outliner tube should be cleaned. Rinse the tip of the tube under the faucet, remove the tube and needle bar, and place in “Used” tray. Pick-up the shading machine, clip it in, ink it and commence the “shading.” When this is finished, wiped and checked, do any touching up, if necessary, at this point. Clean the tattoo with green soap spray, wipe clean and apply another coat of Vaseline.
When you are finished with the black, dip the shading tube in the ultrasonic and then rinse it under the faucet. This will remove most or all of the black dye from the tube and you will be ready for the first color to be put in. Consult the chapter on Coloring and know it well. Between each colors rinse the dye out of the tube as described in that Chapter and apply a light coat of Vaseline to the skin so it is well greased. When the tattoo is finished and the customer is well pleased, bandage it up according to the “Bandage and Healing” Chapter. Make sure the customer knows about the healing process and give them a “healing” instruction brochure that you should have made up to take home with them. Stress that they have to read it to take care of the tattoo correctly. (Consult “Practices” Chapter.) This Chapter just gives the right steps in consecutive order so you will know how it is done. It is not a guide in itself, and it is your responsibility to read and totally familiarize yourself with all the information in the book also.

Posted on September 2nd, 2008 by admin
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Let us review all the tattooing procedures you have learned up to this point. In an organized order, go over a mock tattoo schedule from start to finish. This will tie in. all of the tasAv-Tiqyxesm some sort oitogicaV order so you can understand where they all fit.
A customer has just walked in, and just for the sake of this explanation, let’s say they would like a tattoo on their upper arm. After briefly talking to them about designs and which one they will prefer, let’s assume one is chosen and agreed upon. The price is understood and paid for, and the release form is signed. (See Chapter on Shop Practices). If they wish it on their left side, they would be seated in front of you with their back to the work table. If it was in the same position on the right arm, they would be turned around and be facing the table.
The topic of body positioning should be stressed here. The relationship of the customer’s position in regard to your own should be considered beforehand. One inch either way can really slow you down and make your work awkward. Once the customer is sitting, move yourself around to find a comfortable and steady position to work from.
In conjunction with the Chapter on “Sterile Techniques,” clean your hands thoroughly as described. Take a paper towel and place it on the table. Place a clean ink cap holder on the towel. Remove a tongue depressor from a jar with a lid on it and lift out a liberal scoop of Carbolated Vaseline and place it on the towel (you may also use the individual packets of Vaseline if you choose, instead). Now is the time to “prep” the area on the arm that is to receive the tattoo. After the “prep” job and the skin is drying for a few minutes, so as to become tacky for the stencil, now you may remove an outliner tube and needle bar from a wrapper and put together the unit, following closely the assembly steps found in “Tube Setting.” Put this unit aside and set-up a shading machine. Decide beforehand what stencil method suits you best and prepare the design stencil. Have the customer sit up straight and let the arm hang loose in a relaxed position. Properly apply the stencil in the desired position (go back and read Stencil Chapter). After it is applied and you and the customer are satisfied with its location, clean the stencil (if acetate) and dry it for filing. Take the lamp and adjust it so the light shines on the arm and works to your best advantage. Fill the cap holder (should hold at least four) with clean caps, one cap for each color anticipated and black, and carefully fill one with black tattoo ink from a sterile bottle with a pouring spout on it.

Posted on September 2nd, 2008 by admin
Filed under: Tattoo Review | No Comments »