New and on a mission

[Slayer918]

Hi all here I’m Clayton(20yrs of age) and I’m at the start of doing what I always
truly wanted to do(tattoos ofcourse lol). I live in South Africa and
after School I wanted to do Tattoos but never got into it. I had a few
jobs and they never worked out. A year ago I got a bursary at a
university to get a degree in tech education but after a few months I
left it because I just cant do something I don’t like. I then had to get a
job and in my country its extremely hard to get one. I tried my hand at
making games for Pc’s and Phones and that soon also didn’t work as 90% of
the websites don’t pay out in my country. So now I just thought I’m going
to get myself into tattooing! I feel I can really do this with a smile on
my face as I love art and have been drawing and designing stuff as a hobby
for my whole life. Just a month ago I visited my local tattoo shop to ask
about apprenticeships and he kinda just replied ‘no’. I have no solid
experience with tattoos but me and my friends did build a few machines
when we were young and I gave a couple of people some really blurry
tattoos with it. I’m not too proud of that but the reaction of people was
quite fun to me(good reaction). Anyway I’m here to learn!

I’m going to try to get money this week to buy my first kit. Then to
start tattooing on fake stuff. I’m planning on starting to do only
tattoos in black ink as I think the color tattoos are extremely hard?
don’t know but I really want to do this right. Thanks for looooong read ,

nice to meet all!

[Ramenuzumaki]

welcome welcome welcome! :3
if you want a nice kit for a good price check out the two Hildbrant kits here
http://www.tattoomachineequipment.com
not the cheapest kits out there 140, and a 190$ USD, but they are good quality :3
hope to see you active on the forums

[Lennart82]

Welcome to the forum.
Hope you enjoy it. Have any question, just ask :D

[Slayer918]

@Ramenuzumaki wrote:

welcome welcome welcome! :3
if you want a nice kit for a good price check out the two Hildbrant kits here
http://www.tattoomachineequipment.com
not the cheapest kits out there 140, and a 190$ USD, but they are good quality :3
hope to see you active on the forums

Thanks I was wondering where to start for my first kit.

@Lennart82 wrote:

Welcome to the forum.
Hope you enjoy it. Have any question, just ask :D

Hi. Do I need a license at some point to give tattoos to strangers? And also how will I show people that my work can be trusted?(when I get to the stage of doing good tattoos)

[Ramenuzumaki]

here are a few posts I did that I will quote that will hopefully help you out a bit

@Ramenuzumaki wrote:

I dont have time to comment on everything right now so I will be editing this post. Use fold lock sandwich bags–not ziplock as they have small spaces for shit to get into–and cut off a corner. this is sufficient to wrap your machine with. you can also buy machine bags. also use saran wrap, or clip cord sleeves on your clipcord. ALWAYS WRAP BOTH. there is a lot of arterial spray when you do a tattoo that you cant see. this is contaminating your machine. if you put your machine down, it is now contaminated. If your machine touches the floor, or your client its now contaminated. be sure to wrap both at all times

i will edit this post and go more in depth on the entire set up process shortly.

EDIT:
First thing’s first. Wash hands, and don some gloves, and clean your workstation with CaviCide, MediCide, or BarbiCide. Some sort of strong sanitizing agent. Personally I use CaviCide. To me it’s the best. It sucks if you don’t have a permanent work space because you’re going to be using A LOT of gloves. As these products are corrosive you NEED to be wearing gloves. You SHOULD also practice the clean hand/dirty hand method of cleaning. By not having a permanent work space youll be cleaning, tossing gloves, set up, apply gloves, apply stencil, toss gloves, tattoo, toss gloves, apply gloves, clean, toss gloves. ANYWAY! Lets continue.

After you have cleaned you work space, and wrapped it with some form of barrier–plastic wrap, tin foil, dental bib, barrier film–you can start setting up your station. Place you wash bottles, ointments, paper towels, etc in your work area.

Be sure anything you are going to touch during the tattoo process is wrapped with some form of disposable barrier. This will need to be changed after each tattoo.

Recommendation: If you’re going to use Vaseline ONLY USE IT AS A “GLUE” FOR YOU INK CUPS AND RINSE CUP. Anything petroleum based will actually sit in the wound, and UNDER the ink. this pushes it up, and causes raised tattoos. Also when you apply too much it clogs the pores and causes pimples. I recommend using PurTect which is an antimicrobial ointment made by SOLabs specifically for tattooing, and aftercare. I also do not recommend using green soap. green soap is an irritant and this is what causes that burning feeling you get when you do a tattoo. it also causes undue redness, and such to the tattoo. I prefer using PurKlenz. Your wash bottle will be 1 part PurKlenz 10 parts distilled water. both of these can be purchased from http://www.purklenz.com . that’s their US site, and theres also a list of US distributors on there.

Now after you’re set up you can don another pair of gloves, and prep the skin for shaving. You can either use pure PurKlenz, or just do like I do and use your wash bottle. Clean it up nice, and then make sure its nice and wet before you shave. Shave in about 4″ length strokes going with the hairline. After this wipe the area dry, and wipe free of all hair. Toss your razor in the sharps container, never recap razors, never toss in the waste bin.

Then apply a small amount of 69-70% hand sanitizer, and rub it in. Then wipe the excess off. This sanitizes the area, and also makes the skin kind of dry up a bit. This helps the stencil bind. Now you can either spray, dab, drop, or however you want to apply your stencil solution. I used to use an ink bottle, and apply a few drops, rub it in, apply a few drops, rub it in, until its tacky. Now I use a spray bottle, and spray my glove then rub it in, and repeat as necessary. Make sure you rub it in really well, and make sure its just TACKY not WET. If it’s wet you’ll ruin your stencil. I use a solution of 1 part isopropyl alcohol, and 7 parts detol for my solution. The alcohol helps it dry better, and again will help the stencil bind better. Let your client see the stencil, and then remove gloves.

Apply a new pair of gloves, and get your sterile needles, and such ready. Paper towel, clip cord sleeve, machines, needles, grips, grommets, rubber bands, tongue depressor, etc. Take your sandwich bags–you can buy from dollar store–and cut the corner off so you can fit your machines in. Show the needle, and grip to your client so they know they are clean, sterile, and unopened, be sure they see you dispose of them as well at the end. Give the needle a slight bend. This is so when you put your rubber band on it will straighten the bend rather than create a convex bend in the needle ;). drop the needle into the grip. I find this is easier than trying to physically thread it. the odds of your barring the needle this way are slim to nil. Place your grip through the vice, apply grommet, place on A-bar, apply rubber band, apply machine back. I normally twist the end of the back, and wrap it around the machine. This way nothing gets into the machine while im prepping, or while its sitting there. Repeat for other machines as necessary. Apply barrier to clip cord, attach cord to first machine, set volage, place machine down. You can also purchase Machine, and clip cord sleeves at http://www.tattoomachineequipment.com . very good prices.

Grab a small amount of Vaseline, or A&D ointment, or what have you. If you’re using PurTect DURING your tattoo i say use Vaseline as the glue for your cups. you can get it at the dollar store, and PurTect gets expensive if you use it for your cups too. use your tongue depressor to remove the vaseline as to not cross contaminate. I usually then stick the tongue depressor to my work space and then stick my cups to that. that way I can toss all my cups at once. it just makes it easier for clean up. drop down a bit of your tattoo ointment, and you’re good to go.

As far as practising i recommend using Honeydew Melon. I really don’t like practice skin, or those pig ears you mentioned.

After your tattoo is done you remove your gloves, wash hands, don clean ones, place some paper towel in your Left hand–clean hand–and start cleaning. Place down about 10 half sheets of paper towel–i always buy select-a-size–and grab about 2 at a time. Make sure you pinch them with your fingers. The TOP of the paper is going to be DIRTY, but the BOTTOM will be CLEAN. This way your CLEAN hand is never DIRTY. You can touch anything with your right hand, like your bottles n shit, but NOTHING with your dirty hand. So remove your barriers with your right hand. Use your clean hand if you have to BUT MAKE SURE YOU ONLY TOUCH THINGS TH ROUGH YOUR PAPER TOWEL. Remember the TOP of your paper towel is Dirty, but the bottom is clean. Spray your bottles, clean em, put em aside, Remove the bags from your machines, and cord. The cord is fine unless you drop it it doesnt need to be cleaned. I usually do my cord once a week. Toss your needles in the sharps, toss the elastic, grommet, and grip int he trash.

place your machine on your clean hand’s paper towel, spray AROUND it, then go between the two sheets and only use the top one to wipe your machine clean. remember the bottom of your paper towel must stay clean. Place machine down on a clean surface for later moving. Toss your paper towel, and grab new ones as needed. As i said always pinch grab 2 at a time in case you need to grab the bottom of the first paper towel to wipe stuff. always use your dirty hand to clean stuff. After everything is wiped down, and cleaned remove your gloves, change your garbage bag and wash your hands. Always wash your hands AFTER the garbage is changed, or youll have to wash em again.

NOW EVERYTHING IS CLEAN AND AS ARE YOUR HANDS. Gloves are no longer necessary. Rewrap everything–work space, bottles, etc–and then you’re ready for your next tattoo.

this is step by step of what I do in my studio.

@Ramenuzumaki wrote:

You look like you have a pretty basic set up. I’d get another machine. One for packing in some rad colour. Personally I had 11 machines all coil.

I have my HP-2 Power Supply, and am trying to get an HP-3

I use the Aegis Foot Petal from Hildbrant, and currently use only Hildbrant machines

Eikon Clip Cord sleeves, and I use regular fold and lock sandwich bags for my machine

I have a total of four squirt bottles: disinfectant[1], distilled water [2], wash bottle [3], and stencil solution [4]

1. I use CaviCide, but there are many other products out there like MediCide
2. I use distilled water mixed with 2 capfulls of witch hazel
3. I use 1 part PurKlenz mixed with 10 parts water with 2 caps of witch hazel and 2 caps of bactine
4. 1 part isopropyl alcohol mixed with 7 parts detol. spray glove and rub on. repeat until tacky not wet

my ointment is PurKlenz instead of vaseline(you can also use A&D ointment, or after inked). its much better. I use vaseline only as a glue for my ink cups and rinse cups

disposable ink cups, tongue depressors to remove vaseline from the tub without cross contaminating, dry lock bandages, 3 different sized ink cups, razors, a plethora of markers for freehand work, stencil paper, needles with disposable grips, a sharps container, nitrile gloves, nipple grommets, rubber bands, saran wrap to cover your bottles, and your work station. label all of your bottles and jars. a small stainless steel garbage can with a foot operated lid, paper towel, kitchen catchers for the garbage that will be changed after each tattoo. some people also cover their foot pedals with bag as well. clip cord.

you will also need some tools: two sets of allan keys [imperial, and metric], and as an added luxury you can get an armature bar alignment tool, and a spring/armature bar jig. there are machine stands out there but they need to be autoclaved to be reused so dont use those, or ink cup holders.

Other bonuses are an arm rest, and a bed. I use a massage bed from a spa.

Consent forms, and aftercare sheets are also a must. as well as somewhere to put them. I use manilla envelopes

inks: i recommend radiant, star brite, intenze, alla prima, and fusion

hand sanitizer of at least 70% alcohol. I use this both on myself, and the client. I clean, shave, hand sanitizer, stencil solution, then stencil. an office fax machine can be purchased used cheap, and then used as a stencil copier. a computer with a working printer will also be a GREAT asset. Bactine also helps a lot! :3

youll also need hand soap

hmmm I think thats pretty much everything. This is all I could think of off of the top of my head haha.

i hope this helps
as far as licensing youll need ot check your local, federal, and municipal laws to see if youll need a license. In ontario the only place you need a license is Toronto. Everywhere else as long as you have teh Health Unit inspect your place and you pass you’re good

[Lennart82]

Welcome to the forum.

Now that you have read Rams post, you are free to leave, as you know what you now need to know ;)

Naaahh just kidding :D

[Ramenuzumaki]

im just trying to help D:

[einvalentine]

Welcome! That’s why most of us are here… we’ve tried it at one point, loved it, and now we want to do it the right way! The best way to start is READ READ READ! :D There’s a plethora of information on here, and all over the internet, just be cautious. If it it’s something you wouldn’t want done to you, it’s probably not a credible source. Good luck!

[Slayer918]

Thanx guys for all the tips! I read it all and I’m amazed at the level of healthcare that’s in the process.(Sooo many gloves).

Sorry for not replying earlier but I finally got a kit and am ready to go :D.
With my kit I got some old 2002 videos about tattooing and they mentioned using Vaseline and green soap, but i guess times have changed and I wont be using that anymore except Vaseline for glue. I will be testing my kit out tomorrow on some fruits. Will post some pictures if I get a chance :) .

I’d also like some advice on what to do if one of my machines contact point is making small blue sparks? I tried adjusting the screw and it doesn’t work :/ .

[Ramenuzumaki]

Your power supply is either too high, or your cap could be shot. if you put the leads onto your machine wrong and it can damage your capacitor. Try tattoing on Honeydew Melons. They are the closest to human skin.

[Infamous]

Vaseline clogs the pores so I don’t use it during the tattoo process at all :/ But a lot of people still use Green Soap. I don’t and the reason why is because it contains Alcohol as its antibacterial and that can leave a client in a pretty bad way. Also it has to be diluted with distilled water 9 to 1 or it can be even worse for a client as its an irritant as well.

You’re better off with plain antibacterial hand soap, just check the active ingredient on the back and make sure its not alcohol based. You can dilute it as well with whatever as long as its clean. Witch Hazel would be good, Distilled Water would work, Rose Water, or even antiseptic mouthwash (as long as the mouthwash hasn’t been used for anything else anyways)

[Slayer918]

@Ramenuzumaki wrote:

Your power supply is either too high, or your cap could be shot. if you put the leads onto your machine wrong and it can damage your capacitor. Try tattoing on Honeydew Melons. They are the closest to human skin.

Adjusted the power and it worked :)

[Slayer918]

@Infamous wrote:

Vaseline clogs the pores so I don’t use it during the tattoo process at all :/ But a lot of people still use Green Soap. I don’t and the reason why is because it contains Alcohol as its antibacterial and that can leave a client in a pretty bad way. Also it has to be diluted with distilled water 9 to 1 or it can be even worse for a client as its an irritant as well.

You’re better off with plain antibacterial hand soap, just check the active ingredient on the back and make sure its not alcohol based. You can dilute it as well with whatever as long as its clean. Witch Hazel would be good, Distilled Water would work, Rose Water, or even antiseptic mouthwash (as long as the mouthwash hasn’t been used for anything else anyways)

Will keep that in mind! What can a person use to make your hand move smoothly as you tattoo? I tend to make small bumps as i move along long lines.

[Infamous]

When you practice, start out using larger needles until you get to a point where you can do a straight line with that one without a problem, then you can move down to the next smaller size. The thicker the line is, the harder it is to see a shake. And try not to lift off the canvas until the line is complete.

Now, if you really want to get good at keeping your hand steady, take a practice skin and a 1RL, and try to make a grid so that it looks like graph paper. One solid line all the way up, one solid line all the way down until the skin is completely covered. Do a few of those and you won’t have any more problems busting out a non-bumpy line. 8-)

When I first started out I actually used a 1rl :o but that was on oranges so you couldn’t tell much. Try that on a Honeydew and it was a completely different story :shock:

[robroy289]

Green soap is very good to use.. I have been using it for years , my mentor for years!!! That is what it is made for. That was my most fondest memory’s of my first tattoo when getting ,that smell of green soap!! It has been trusted for years by great artist!! If it isn’t broke don’t try to fix it!!!

[xDreamerx]

Welcome aboard. sorry been MIA long mission and story. good to see this forum getting heavily used. ;) 8-)

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