Skin is the outer covering of the body, it consists of an outer layer called epidermis and an inner layer called the dermis. Beneath that is fatty tissue. The epidermis protects the body from injury and invasion of parasites. Skin is waterproof and helps contain water in the body. Skin also excretes poisons (sweat) and also acts as a sense organ. The point here is that skin is not some board to be etched on but an actual working, organism to be dealt with carefully, so extra sensitivity is needed.

Up to a point, all skin shares a common bond and certain characteristics. Beyond that, the variation is infinite. You should be aware of this because eventually you will come in contact with it all. Some people’s skin is quite flaky while others are naturally oily. Some skin seems to reject ink through an entire tattoo, and some accepts it quite readily. Certain people have extremely sensitive skin and others just the opposite, totally impervious to abrasion, as it seems. You should be aware of the type of skin that you are dealing with. For example, you shouldn’t grab everyone the same way, some bruise more easily. Be open to individual needs. No matter what skin type a person has, it can all be somewhat equalized in texture by keeping it moist. Always keep the skin lubricated with vaseline or bacitracin ointment while working on it.
A good tattoo does not have to go extremely deep to stay permanent, but can survive quite satisfactorily in just the epidermis layers of the skin.

Posted on August 13th, 2008 by admin
Tags: lower back tattoos, star tattoos, tattoo, tattoo art

Take hold of the handle with the shelf on the bottom and the hollow tube open at the top. Insert three good needles carefully in the hollow tube. The points are down touching the shelf and the blunt ends are facing up. Make sure the points are all touching the shelf and are all even. “Tack” the blunt ends with a little piece of solder just to hold them together. Let off on soldering gun trigger when soldering needles as it will magnetize and pull needle from jig, making an uneven set of needles. The key here is to use just a little bit of solder, this will keep the needles in alignment, then remove them from the jig. After this step, the needles have to be “tightened” as a group. You will need a Spaulding needle bar jig for this, and the next steps. This is a great device, taking all the guess work out and it is also just about indestructible. The one used here will be the jig for three and five needle liners. There are ten holes on the side of this jig. Three needle for the top and fives on the bottom. You will be using the holes made for three needle groups. Insert the “tacked” three needle group carefully into one of the holes. This will tighten them up. This will go in about 1/4 inch, leaving the rest of the needles hanging out.

Solder these needles together with just enough solder to do the job and no more. No blobs or inconsistent messes here, just a good clean solder up and down the needle shafts. Carefully pull them out. You should have a nice tight three needle group soldered all the way from one end to about 1/4 inch from the sharp needle end. They will lay in a triangle, two needles on the bottom and one between them and on top of them. No matter which way they are turned, you can’t help but get this.

Posted on August 12th, 2008 by admin
Tags: cross tattoos, girl tattoos, lower back tattoos, star tattoos

Tubes
The liner and shader tubes are the machined tubes which encase the needle bars. They commonly have knurled grips on them for easier handling control. Each tube is designed specifícally for the type of needle bar it is to be used with. For example, a four needle shader is used exclusively with a four needle shader tube. The exception is with the three needle square tip liner tube. It is also used with the single needle liner. It is important to remember that suppliers make their needle bars to fít their own tubes. So be sure to order your machines, tubes and needle bars all from the same supplier to keep things consistent and fítting together right.
A Word About Liner Tubes
There are two types of liner tubes. One with a round tip and the other with a square tip. Which one you choose to work with is a personal preference, but each one has an advantage over the other. Let’s take the round tip tube fírst… You will not have many problems with ink splatter, and if you do, usually a rubber band adjustment will take care of it. If you make a sharp córner while tattooing, the needle could move over, causing a wider or crooked line. Also, if you have too much needle hanging out the end of the tip, it will tend to hang up in the skin. To correct this, move the tube down.
Now let’s go to the square tip tube which is the true professional’s tube. With a square tip tube, the needles will never move no matter how sharp or fast you go around a córner the line will always stay the same width. Everything has to be in perfect alignment on a square tip tube with the tip slightly slanted up so the needles hug down in the groove. There cannot be any excess solder on the needles or you will have a splatter problem, this also holds true if the tip is worn badly. If you continue to use a worn out tip, you will get short use from a needle bar, the tip will not feed ink correctly to the skin and the bottom needle will wear fíat and sharp, causing it to cut. If the tip feeds out too much ink, a rubber band adjustment is in order and also, you might try using a bit less power. You should always have a small amount of needle protruding from a square tip when not running, and a short or long stroke is a personal preference. It’s up to you if you want to ride the tip of the tube on the skin or work off the points of the needles. Whichever is most comfortable for you.

Posted on August 4th, 2008 by admin
Tags: girl tattoos, lower back tattoos, star tattoos, tattoo art

Take a hold of a new tattoo machine. With the tube to the left and the coils going to the right, let’s study a couple of things. Study the Parts Diagram to learn just what an armature bar, springs, coils and contact points are. Notice the spring and contact points on the armature bar. Observe the loop on the end of the needle bar and where the tube enters the frame and the rubber bands. Finally, check out the tube tip with the needle tips retracted inside the tube end. Now, fully depress the armature bar against the coils. The needles move downward. Observe the gap being created by the contact point on the spring being separated from the contact screw and the length of the needle tips that are coming out and being exposed out of the tube tip. This is the electrical motion of the tattoo machine when it is being operated. Get familiar with this motion and understand it because it will come in handy when disassembly and assembly procedures are explained.

Posted on July 25th, 2008 by admin
Tags: star tattoos, tattoo, tattoo art, Tattoo designs, tribal tattoos

Some tattooists prefer light machines and some prefer heavy ones. This is why some manufacturers offer such models as “lightweights,” but it should be kept in mind that any machine, no matter how hefty it might feel at first, will take some getting used to. But in the long run, it will feel quite good and stable to use. The heft of a machine also acts as a “shock absorber.” The tattoo machine when being used gives off vibrations and these can get you tired awfully fast. Just like certain stabilizers or heavy barreled guns, the more metal there is, the more energy it will absorb, passing less vibration on to you. This is the idea behind tattoo machines and it should be kept in mind that the heft of a machine can actually move in your favor.
Practice holding machines and drawing with the clip cords engaged. The slight pull to the rear caused by the clip cord has a different feel than a machine that is not hooked up. Get used to this since this is the set-up that will be constantly used.

When tattooing, the hand rests on the skin, just like writing with a pen. The tube is held in the hand like a pen and the rest of the machine is naturally behind and above the knuckles. The palm of the hand is rested on the skin or the base of the work. This is a steady position and creates what is commonly called the “bridge.” The palm always goes down fírst and then the machine is brought down.
The machine is moved around on the skin by using the palm as a pivot. By swirling the hand on this palm pivot, the machine swings easily into position. Sometimes rubbing a little carbolated vaseline on the palm and little fínger makes it a bit easier. Just make sure too much is not put on to cause slipping and sliding.
The Bridge gives a solid foundation for tattooing and must be practiced for perfection. It will keep the hand steady and give you confídent lines. In tattooing, every line counts and the professional builds on a solid foundation.

Posted on July 25th, 2008 by admin
Tags: cross tattoos, girl tattoos, lower back tattoos, star tattoos, tattoo

After continued use, the front spring that holds the contact point and the back spring that holds the armature bar to the frame will weaken and should be replaced. If your coloring is getting sketchy, it could be weak springs; one or both of them. If they are weak, they won’t have enough bounce to penetrate the skin anymore and are springing back before any depth is attained. Before removing spring and armature bar, put a mark on the side of the armature bar and continue the mark across the center of the washer on top of the front coil. (See Diagram.) After you have made your repairs, be sure both marks line up when replacing the armature bar. This is important because the armature bar has been seated in on the top of the front coil and should go back in the exact same place for top performance of your machine.
To replace the springs, take needle and bands off, loosen the set screw on the front binding post and back the contact screw out four or five turns. Then loosen the rear screw on top of the machine and remove the entire assembly consisting of the rear spring, the armature bar and the front (contact) spring.
Remove the screw that is holding both springs to the armature bar. First, put the screw back in the hole in the rear spring and start it into the armature bar. Make sure you still have both washers on the screw, on top, above the springs. Next, put on the front spring, placing it on top of the rear spring and under both washers. This front spring will just slide on the screw. Tighten finger tight. Before replacing assembly, take this opportunity to buff your contact screw, removing any pits.
To replace the assembly, slide the rear spring under the loosened rear screw, making sure the rear spring is back all the way against the screw and under both washers. Tighten finger tight.

Posted on July 24th, 2008 by admin
Tags: design your own tattoos, fairy tattoos, girl tattoos, star tattoos

A. Machine Frame — Although many frames look different, they all have these basic features; the jaws in which the needle tube is clamped in (via wing nut . The base of the frame is where the coils are mounted. The spring brace is in the rear and supports the rear binding post and armature bar. The side arm holds the front binding post.

B. Machine Coils — Steel Core, come in eight or ten wrap (wraps of wire around core) cotton or enamel wrapped wire. These coils act as electromagnets. They attach to base with screws . Spacing washers ride underneath cores.
C. Machine Springs — Front spring holds contact point . Rear one attaches to armature bar and spring brace on frame with screw and washers . Provides resilience for up and down needle motion.
D. Armature Bar — Provides steel mass for magnetic pull. Also is link to tattoo needle .
E. Front Binding Post — Holds contact screw and adjusts for align ment by use of nylon washers. Contact screw can be locked in position by lock screw .
F. Rear Binding Post — Provides contact point for clip cord. Adjusts for alignment with washers .
G. Capacitor — Usually 10, MFD, 25 volts standard. Can be fitted to any machine to minimize sparking and arcing.
H. Bands — Provide even pressure on needle bar. Should be replaced often. Tubes — Use only Stainless Steel open Sanitary Tubes. Encases needle and bar . Provides good gripping surface.

Posted on July 22nd, 2008 by admin
Tags: cross tattoos, girl tattoos, star tattoos, tattoo

Medical Stainless Trays — For needles. Three Glass or Stainless Trays (With Sealing Tops) — One tray containing liner and needle bars. (l’s point one way - 3’s point the other way). One tray containing shader needle bars — (4’s point one way, 6’s point the other way).
One tray containing shader and liner needle tubes (shaders point one way, liners the other way). Glass Quart Jar — One filled with sterile ink caps. Spray Bottles — To hold isopropyl alcohol, green soap mixture (three parts water/one part soap), etc. Carbolated Vaseline — For stencils and skin. Antibiotic Ointments — Such as Bacitracin, for healing. Green Soap — Cleanup and preps. Does not sterilize. Tongue Depressors — To apply ointments. Disposable Razors — For skin prep. Bandage — For tattoos. Handi Wrap — For tattoos. Hospital Tape — To adhere dressings.
Rubbing Alcohol — Disinfectant for cleanups. Does not sterilize. Scissors — Stainless hospital quality. Hemostats — Stainless hospital quality. Gloves — Surgical látex gloves for tattooing.

Stencil
Acétate — Plástic sheeting for stencils.
Cutter — To put groove in acétate.
Powder — Stencil médium for use with acétate.
Ink — Hecktograph Ink.
Tracing Paper — For ink tracings.
Deodorant Stick — For applying stencil to skin.
Art
Inks — A color assortment and black.
Ink Bottles — Four ounce twist top.
Caps — To hold ink.
Holder — To keep caps in place.
Flash — Lots of designs are needed.
Pencils/Watercolors — To color flash sheets.

Posted on July 22nd, 2008 by admin
Tags: cross tattoos, design your own tattoo, fairy tattoos, girl tattoos, star tattoos

This chapter is a materials list and their descriptions for the tools of the trade the beginning tattooist is going to need to start out. By no means a complete checklist, it will still itemize the basic tools of tattooing and the tattooist will no doubt add and subtract from this list as their experience warrants. Please don’t get confused by reading this, because each item will eventually be discussed in more detail in some other section of this blog.
After you’ve read this book several times, all of these Ítems will tie themselves in and start to make sense. A materials list for the tattooist to consider would read something like this, not necessarily in the order of importance:
Shop Furniture Work Table — A médium size table (linoleum or glass top for easier cleaning) to
hold items needed while tattooing. Chair — For the tattooist. Should be comfortable. Some prefer rollers to get around. You can spend a lot of time in this. Customer Chair — A comfortable chair for clients to sit in while their tattoo is being done. Lifter Bench — Common weight lifting bench for clients to stretch out on
while doing back or legs. Foot Stool — For the tattooist’s foot to give him elevation for those who do fore
arm type work or balance the tattoo arm on the knee.
Bench Equipment Adjustable Table Light — To get a good look at what you are doing from all
angles. (Do not use fluorescent light.) Paper Towels and Dispenser — For a variety of purposes from wiping ink up to cleaning tattoos.

Sterilizers
“Stericlave” Autoclave — For sterile dressings and equipment. This is a must. Wayne Dri-Clave — Table top. Sterilizer pouches to check sterilizing. Ultrasonic Cleaner — Cleans all residue from tubes, needles, etc. Ultrasonic Solution — For use with Ultrasonic Cleaner. Ultrasonic Tray and Machine Holder — Submersible tray to hold tools in
while in the Ultrasonic Cleaner. Machine Rack — To hold machines while not in use. Contains test tubes
for machines. Benz-All — A germicidal solution that is non-rusting. This does not sterilize,
but keeps sterile equipment clean. For use in machine test tubes.

Posted on July 22nd, 2008 by admin
Tags: free tattoo designs, lower back tattoos, star tattoos, tattoo