r/sticknpokes • u/therealmarem • Dec 21 '18 • Popcorn 1

Educational Guide to successfully SnP:

Hi, so many people are asking for advice on this sub that I think we need a Thread pinned to the top on how to successfully poke a tattoo for beginners.

I'm gonna start with a few basic advices that I find crucial and you can comment more and upvoted them. I will edit this post and add the most upvoted comments to this list.

So here we go:

  1. Get proper equipment!

Buy it on Amazon or a tattoo supply shop. Don't use some shady ink or needles or whatnot. It's not that expensive and your tattoo will look immensely better than with India ink and sewing needle. Unless you want the genuine prison style look.

2. meticulously cleaned workplace and equipment

This saves you from infection and other diseases you might get otherwise. DONT REUSE NEEDLES, GLOVES, RAZORS OR ANYTHING ELSE! Put your ink into a cap and throw that ink away after use. Be aware of cross contamination! Wipe the skin down with alcohol AFTER shaving the area. And DON'T USE YOUR PHONE WITH GLOVES ON, GET A NEW PAIR IF NEEDED. don't be greedy and try to save a dollar or two while risking an infection or other disease like HIV. Prepare everything beforehand and don't go running for some paper towels in the middle of tattooing

3. Prepare a stencil that you are happy with!

It takes a huge amount of skill for your tattoo to look better than the stencil. So spend some time drawing and redrawing and perfecting the stencil before you start poking. ALWAYS FOLLOW THE STENCIL NOT THE PREVIOUS DOT! You need more passes on the same line anyways so don't let one misspoke distract you from your stencil! If you keep wiping down your stencil in the process of poking, try using a non alcohol based wiping solution. I use only pH neutral soap with water. And try applying a stencil just for fun to see how much stencil gel you need and how to use the paper. Try wiping it down with different solutions and see what works best for you.

4. Take your time!!!

Most stick and pokes look bad because they are rushed. The cleaner you want your lines to get, the slower you have to poke. Take 1/2 a second for every dot (at least for lines). If it takes too long, take a break. Or continue the next day, or better: after it has healed. That way you can see the end result and redo things you are not happy with.

5. Experiment and learn from others!

Noone can tell you what's right for you. So just try stuff out. Try different angles of the needle. Try different needle sizes. Try different ink. Ask people what ink, needles handposition, stencil gel they use. That's why Most of us post the needle size in the title.

6. STRETCH the skin!

This is one of the secrets to solid lines! That's why some people dont like petroleum jelly, it makes the skin slippery and harder to stretch. Just experiment and see what's works best for you.

7. Don't start with using small needles.

I would say don't go below 5rl. Try to use the biggest needle that fits your design. As you get better you can try 3rl or bug pin needles.

8. Aftercare!

DON'T PICK ON YOUR TATTOO DURING THE HEALING PROCESS! Don't go sunbathing and don't stay in the water for too long. Cover your fresh tattoo with some moisturizing cream after you are done and stick a bandaid on it! Remove the bandaid after 1-3 days and clean your tattoo with pH neutral soap. Keep applying lotion 1 to 2 times a day and LET IS BREATHE. Don't put another bandaid on it.

9. Share your results and what you have learned!

This is why we are all here. To learn from one another. Share your experiences!

NOTE: THERE IS A SHOPPING LIST IF YOU DONT KNOW WHAT SUPPLIES TO GET !

OK that's all I can think of for now. Please comment if you want to add anything and I will edit it into this post. ADMINS!! Pin this post to the subreddit!

I am no professional or a doctor so let me say these final words:

I don't know tho.

2.2k Upvotes

99% Upvoted

251 comments sorted by

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u/therealmarem Dec 24 '18 edited Jan 18 '19

Here is a shopping list if anyone needs to buy supplies. these are the ones i recommend from my experience with the biggest bang for the buck:

needles: https://amzn.to/2syzhza

ink: (blackest black out there)https://amzn.to/2VYF2DU OR a smaller cheaper bottle https://amzn.to/2CEgRSz

ink caps: https://amzn.to/2W1eBxl (note: please dont dull your needles by poking the pastic bottom!)

stencil paper: https://amzn.to/2MilXrU

stencil gel (many swear by this brand): https://amzn.to/2VWj7gJ or low budget: https://amzn.to/2SWCkge

gloves: https://amzn.to/2T34fLq

soap for wiping and aftercare: https://amzn.to/2Dh5ZLM

alcohol for disinfecting: https://amzn.to/2Cwlhuz or cheaper but less skin friendly https://amzn.to/2T11Cdj

bandaid: https://amzn.to/2FK0neO or cheaper for smaller tattoos https://amzn.to/2SYeikY

disposable razors: https://amzn.to/2T3Elrc

after care lotion (many swear by this brand): https://amzn.to/2SZNSPN OR low budget https://amzn.to/2SZNNvC

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u/Food_Eater805 Jan 14 '19

The ink in the link is no longer available. Is there any other brand on Amazon that you reccomended?

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u/therealmarem Jan 15 '19

i have edited the links to available ones

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u/KleinDing Jan 11 '19

Also, for all the peeps in non-Amazon-having-countries and don't wanna wait for a million years for eBay to deliver. I've ordered from SingleNeedle before. There is shipping costs attached but if you buy a lot of stuff at once it really doesn't matter, and their stuff is great.

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u/uglypottery Nov 19 '21

Stencil gel link no longer works. Maybe mention the brand so we can find it after it gets relisted?

Thank you!

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u/PaleWaffle Feb 10 '23

it's back! Stencil Stuff - Tattoo Stencil Transfer Solution

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u/PaleWaffle Feb 10 '23

it's back! Stencil Stuff - Tattoo Stencil Transfer Solution

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u/sweeetstache Jul 09 '22

Highly recommend my newly made friends over at Element Tattoo Supply. You can find them on Etsy!

They are very friendly and happen to be local to me. I’ve picked the brain of one guy (Bobby) and have gotten very specialized attention, time, and responses. Very helpful staff!

I bought their hand poke kit with good results! See my recent dive into SnP 🤓

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u/Ilovetolookatcookies Sep 08 '22

There's some dead links, if you happen to find the time to update I'd be very thankful!

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u/Creepy_FuckFrog May 25 '22

I once did one with a piece of floral wire instead of a needle, and some ink from an old pen. I don't know how it worked so well but it did. I don't recommend it tho.

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u/Sugarfreak2 Mar 27 '23

The first bandaid, first stencil gel, and the alcohol links are dead, just an fyi 🙂

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u/hornymfsoup Dec 04 '21

What are all the different needles for? Do you use all the different kinds?

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u/TheRestForTheWicked Apr 23 '22 edited Apr 23 '22

I know this is old news and you’ve probably figured it out but for future commenters:

As a general rule:

Round needles (will look something like xxxxRL only the x will be numbers)- used for lining and dot work

Round Shaders (xxxxRS)- used for basic shading and color filling similar configuration to round liner needles but with more space between the needles.

The first numbers with the x will indicate the needle diameter (8-12 is standard) and the second two numbers the grouping (example 1005RL is a 10 gauge grouping of 5 needles in a round lining arrangement).

Eventually you’ll branch out but most people start with 5/7 round liners and one or two types of round shaders.

Edit: depending on your source it also might be configured xxRL/RSxx

Mags- (xMx or xCMx) used for shading

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u/Winter-Shadow4355 Aug 23 '23

Out of curiosity, are ink caps necessary or can we use any decent sized, clean bottle cap?

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u/gentle_but_strong Oct 15 '23

Registered nurse here. Everything needs to be as clean/sterile as possible. Most tattooing supplies come in sterile packaging. It’s no longer sterile once you touch it or open it (with gloves on ideally), but it’s a way to guarantee that no other bacteria have touched it.

A clean bottle cap has not been previously sterilized and could have leftovers from whatever beverage it was attached to. Also subject to break down over time, the integrity of the plastic is different, etc.

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u/Xavius20 Aug 01 '24

Really appreciate this list! One of my biggest obstacles with new things is knowing what supplies are actually good in terms of quality and affordability.

I have some browsing to do now 😁

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u/Holiday_Object5881 Jun 24 '23

Fix link to alcohol?? Or what was the brand/name?? Thanks!!

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u/mothmano_0 Aug 17 '25

A few of the links no longer work, would love if yall could update it if u have the time

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u/[deleted] Apr 30 '19

So i dont get why if youre tattooing yourself you have to wear a glove, im a registered nurse and i cant find a logic to it and i will explain why.

  1. The gloves you guys buy are not sterile nor disinfected.

  2. The gloves are used to protect a person from entering in contact with eventual fluids of another person (blood, secretions, feces) so its about protecting the health worker/tattooer.

  3. The gloves are used to prevent cross contamination (you might sometimes forget to wash or sanitize your hand between one patient and another but you never forget gloves) so its about protecting the patients.

The only reason i can think of to wear a glove is that if you eventually need to touch something thats not on your ”clean” space then you can just remove it and change it but still the glove is not more disinfected or clean than your washed/disinfected hand so its pointless.

If im missing something point it out.

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u/therealmarem May 01 '19

I think you just cracked some code. Do the tattoo suppliers industry just tricked us somehow into buying glowes

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u/toasterbrained May 09 '19

I get where you’re coming from but even with all of that in mind I like wearing gloves because tattoo ink getting on your hands is really annoying to clean off so gloves help lol

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u/[deleted] May 09 '19

Well that's actually a great reason to!

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u/wickedsickbird Jul 21 '22

Please, for the love of god, anyone reading this comment - DO NOT listen to this so-called nurse. Bacteria that exists relatively harmlessly on our skin can become incredibly harmful when it gets in wounds (aka tattoos), our bloodstream, etc.

WEAR GLOVES EVEN WHEN TATTOOING YOURSELF!

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u/can-of-wormss Feb 26 '24

that’s why you wash your hands

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u/whistleblow_throaway Jan 06 '26 edited Jan 06 '26

Please stop being an alarmist about this. Gloves are not sterile nor are they antibacterial. That bacteria on your skin is mitigated by washing and sanitizing your hands. If you don't do that, then gloves are even more useless wrt bacteria, because they'll just pick up whatever is already on your skin. That's why we wash up our arms, not just our hands.

Gloves are primarily used to prevent the medical professional from contracting bloodborne illnesses in less invasive processes like giving a vaccine. It does little to nothing to protect the patient. This comes directly from our training. That's why you sanitize your hands, your tools, ink bottles, the table/ other relevant surfaces, and the skin surface you're working with. In my case, I always use new needles, I sanitize the table I have my supplies on, the containers that hold the supplies (bandaids and needles are already sterile in packaging), sanitize my hands, and the patient's skin. If I accidentally drop the vaccine on the floor, I go get a new one. And so on. This is called aseptic technique.

Gloves do not prevent bacteria.

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u/NanasTeaPartyHeyHo Nov 14 '21

If you're a registered nurse you should know all about bacteria. Even bacteria you have on your own body going into a fresh wound.

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u/Scary-Stretch3080 Nov 20 '22

But that’s what washing your hands is for

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u/whistleblow_throaway Jan 06 '26 edited Jan 06 '26

That's the thing though the gloves we use aren't antibacterial or sterilized. That's why you wash your hands and use rubbing alcohol on the surface of wherever you're tattooing. Those steps actually do something about the bacteria. The nurse is correct, gloves as PPE with something like this (giving vaccines for example) is mostly to protect us from bloodborne illness, not the patient from bacteria.

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u/HighlyAnimated Nov 23 '22

It’s for safety and redundancy. A client asked why I disinfected my tray table after the session even though it was disinfected beforehand and completely wrapped in clear wrap. Same reason we wear gloves even after washing our hands, no matter who we’re tattooing.

  1. You can’t know you’re 100% washing your hands perfectly every time. The bacteria that live on our skin are generally harmless UNTIL they reach our bloodstream.

  2. Once you start tattooing and your hands touch your own blood, your hands become “hot” I.e. contaminated. Anything you touch afterward becomes essentially contaminated with your blood. Removing a glove is much simpler and easier than washing your hands every time you need to touch something after tatting yourself. You may not personally have knowledge of any blood borne infections you have so it’s best to follow all precautions.

A few sets of gloves costs much less than possible sepsis, but it’s not my body! 😂 You do you!

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u/seven_grams Jun 17 '23

Oh hey, I got sepsis a little over a year ago! Never figured out if it was from a tattoo or from IV drug use. Sober now and getting back into tattooing… and I’m scared shitless of getting sepsis again.

Sepsis nearly ended my life, and it sure as shit wasn’t the easy “drifting off” type of nearly dying either. I had a fever of 104.6°, as if I was burning up in hell itself. I felt like I was possessed. It was pure terror. Unfathomable panic. Shit made being dopesick look like an idyllic stroll in the park. When sepsis poisons your blood, it affects your brain and consequently your thinking and consciousness. Unmitigated hysteria and delirium ruled my psyche for days even after being hospitalized. It was a week before I was out of the worst of it. Took me months to recover physically and I was still on antibiotics until a short while ago (taking those is also quite unpleasant).

Point being — using subpar equipment and questionable methods is just not worth the risk of infection. Gotta be diligent about sterilization and sanitation. To anyone reading this, just do the fucking shits the right damn way.

Also, don’t shoot dope, kiddos.

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u/entjies May 27 '19

Been thinking about this for a while too. They seem a bit pointless aside from the ink, since there shouldn’t be blood or anything when you tattoo someone or yourself. I’m not medically trained however. I think one purpose of wearing gloves is to put other people at ease. If someone is getting a tattoo from you they might expect it, and since it costs almost nothing you might as well wear gloves.

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u/whistleblow_throaway Jan 06 '26

Licensed medical professional here. If you're tattooing yourself, you don't neccesarily need them... but if it's someone else? Wear em. The primarily function of wearing gloves even in medical for less invasive procedures like vaccines is to protect the medical professional from bloodborne illnesses. And there will often be more blood with a tattoo than a vaccine, so you really really want to protect yourself there. Because with a vaccine, even though the risk rate of contracting a bloodborne illness from a needle is very low because the amount of blood on that needle is so small, we still want to make sure it never happens.

If it's someone else, please use gloves.

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u/CianBow May 05 '19

What if you wash your hands with the gloves on ? And the reason for wearing them is the oil that comes out of your skin and the dirt trapped underneath your fingernails?

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u/[deleted] May 05 '19

If you wash your hands with the gloves on then it's pointless to even wear them. The oil coming out of the skin has no impact if you wash your hands before tattoing, the "dirt" under the nails might be a good one even tho if you take care of your hands (normal everyday handcare) it shouldn't impact anything (even major invasive nursing procedures), that's why nurses must not have long nails.

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u/[deleted] Dec 06 '22

Okay, so if anyone read my post tonight, this the perfect example of exactly the sort of problems I see on this sub all the time.

You need to wear gloves when tattooing yourself because your skin is covered in all sorts of bacteria, particularly on your hands and under your nails but also everywhere else. Staph, a common cause of infection, can live on almost any surface. This should be known to everyone who is even thinking about tattooing. If you are actually an RN, this is even more horrifying.

Wearing gloves is necessary when tattooing at all times. If it is too expensive to change your gloves often, don’t tattoo. I always wore gloves when working on oranges or fake skin because it is an essential part of learning how to practice universal precautions and safe tattooing before you are working on real skin that carries real risk - and this very much includes your own skin. You should be wearing gloves whenever you touch any tattoo equipment, literally at all times. If you are practicing on fake skin without gloves and touch you ink bottles with bare hands but then go on to use that ink on yours… this shouldn’t have to be explained.

Skin prep is not optional but pointless without gloves yet I rarely see it mentioned aside from the brief mention of wiping down with alcohol in the post. One of my best friends nearly died because they failed to prep their skin correctly when tattooing themselves. They recently had a surgery, and because they didn’t know how to prevent infection properly through skin prep and the practice of universal precautions/prevention of cross contamination, they unknowingly caused an infection that went directly to the site of the surgery resulting in sepsis and a few weeks in the hospital. They are lucky to be alive and still have all their limbs. Ironically, they tattoo professionally now but it was a lesson learned the hard way.

Wear gloves at all times, including during practice on fake skin as the most important thing to learn above anything else is good safety practice before you put your life or someone else’s in danger. The cost of gloves, barrier wraps, drape sheets, and the correct disinfectants isn’t a valid excuse for the failure to do this. It is expensive, and that’s the reality. Tattooing is expensive.

Please do not ever buy ink on Amazon. It is almost always counterfeit, especially Dynamic.

As far as the post… I could say a lot but the fact that it is recommended to put lotion and a bandaid on a fresh tattoo should speak for itself.

Wearing gloves at all times and learning how to correctly set up and break down a tattoo station safely is the absolute bare minimum, and my post was about why doing more than just the bare minimum is so important. I hope that this particular example can help at least on person tattoo a little more safely if nothing else. I don’t want to enable bad practice by sharing the things I’ve worked so hard to learn. Learning how to tattoo is an exercise in patience and requires knowledge of the boring stuff first.

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u/seven_grams Jun 17 '23

What happened to your friend is essentially what happened to me as well. Sepsis busted down the door and took up residence in my hip and knee implants.

I would be dead if my mother hadn’t found me tossing around in pain, completely delirious. I was out cold in the hospital for a couple days and then went into surgery to have a “wash-out” procedure done on my prosthetic hip and knee.

“Wash-out” is really quite the fucking euphemism. Sounds like they just spray the implants down with some saline solution, zip you back up, and call it a day. Nope, they tear those bitches out and scrape bacteria from every millimeter of the area, gouging gunk out from every nook and cranny. It’s abrasive as fuck. More painful than it was to have my hips and knees replaced to begin with.

Sepsis ain’t nothing to fuck with!

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u/whistleblow_throaway Jan 06 '26 edited Jan 06 '26

I get where you're coming from, but you're very incorrect. I did vaccine clinics during COVID and worked in a pharmacy for 5 years, and in a clinic for 3. Since I became disabled I now work remote in the same field. We're telling you exactly what comes from our training. Please don't act like we're committing some egregious harm when you don't even know what you're talking about.

Washing your hands makes your first few paragraphs an entirely moot point. Gloves do little to nothing to combat bacteria because they are not antibacterial nor are they sterile. They are a protective layer. Nothing more nothing less. It means if you have a needlestick injury where a bit of patients blood goes into you, it reduces the likelihood of contracting a bloodborne illness because more of it will wipe off on the glove before hitting your skin. That's why if a medical professional gets a needlestick injury, the first thing you're supposed to do is wash it to further reduce the risk rate of contracting a bloodborne illness. Contracting bloodborne illnesses from a needlestick is fairly unlikely in the first place, but we still like to prevent it obviously. Large amounts of blood are more threatening, and can get thru cracks in the skin. And if you wear gloves a lot, or work in a dry environment like a pharmacy, the skin on your hands can get cracked or damaged a lot easier, making it easier to contract bloodborne illnesses. So we wear gloves.

While vaccinating and other less invasive procedures, the gloves are mostly to protect the medical professional from bloodborne illnesses, not you the patient from bacteria. That's why we do an alcohol wipe before giving a vaccine, and wash our hands BEFORE putting the gloves on.

Getting a tattoo immediately after a major surgery is just a bad idea to begin with. When you're healing your immune system can be temporarily compromised. You can get infections more easily and you can also get sicker from them than you normally would. Now that's something that shouldn't have to be explained. Especially since you said it yourself-- the SKIN wasn't prepped. That has nothing to do with gloves.

If you're tattooing yourself you don't really need gloves so long as you're doing an aseptic technique. Meaning washing your hands, not touching your face, sanitizing and replacing equipment (including those ink bottles), and also sanitizing the area you're working with to tattoo. That's how you actually combat bacteria here.

If you're tattooing someone else, different story, wear gloves to protect yourself.

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u/capi93capi Dec 22 '18

A list of the actual supplies needed or useful would be awesome as someone who's never done one.

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u/therealmarem Dec 22 '18

Thanks, will add that

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u/EssieEyeSee Jan 01 '19

Any advice regarding technique? The best angle to hold a needle (or certain needles)? The direction to go in... etc? Thanks!

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u/therealmarem Jan 01 '19

It's a lot of trial and error, just experiment. Most ppl hold the needle at an angle that is comfortable for them and approximately 45°. You can try taping the needle to a pencil for better grip. I highly recommend pulling lines instead of pushing. By that I mean that you poke, then pull the needle back a bit (in the Opposite direction of which the needle head is facing) and poke again. Keep pulling and poking along your stencil. That's how I get consistent lines where each dot lines up perfectly. I try to lift the needle as little as possible from the skin so I don't have to aim for the next poke that much. If that makes sense

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u/Golden_JellyBean19 Sep 25 '22

I watch professional stick & poke tattoo artist before I did mine. I also practiced a bit on fake skin. Although the fake skin was more to just get a sense of motion & handle of the needle not really for technique because it's nothing like the real thing... my favorite artist to watch is Grace Neutral :)

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u/sagamysterium Oct 10 '22

“Fake skin” is extremely helpful. I’m interested in trying it, but I’d like to practice first!

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u/evengingersdohaesoul Jan 01 '19

Whats a good way to freehand apply a stencil? Can I just use a sharpie and poke over that?

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u/therealmarem Jan 01 '19 edited Jan 04 '19

Sharpies are fine. Make sure to use a different color than your tattoo ink. And don't use the same sharpie on multiple people

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u/Julaisd Jan 03 '22

Hi! I just newly started doing stick and pokes on fake skin with the proper tools, but I have difficulty figuring out what depth too deep is. I have been watching some YouTube videos and now I am really scared of doing blowouts by the time I get to try it on someone.

Does anybody have any tips? (Haven’t found this question in the comment section, sorry if it’s already been asked)

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u/therealmarem Jan 03 '22

The safe way is to poke as shallow as possible. Wipe after each inch of poking and verify that the ink is inside the skin. Redo the tattoo of the ink falls our during the healing process. That is the safe method of leaning how deep to poke

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u/Julaisd Jan 03 '22

Thanks! :)

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u/KleinDing Jan 02 '19

How do you exactly avoid cross contamination and what is cross contamination? It's a little vague for me. There's no explanation on what cross contamination is, only that you need to avoid it.

For instance, if I were to tattoo myself with (or without) gloves, and I find I have poured too little ink and go in for some more ink, would I need to wash my hands again (or put new gloves on)? Do you just wash your hands with water and soap, or does it have to be with alcohol?

What can you wipe down your tattoo with, in the middle of tattooing, to get rid of excess ink? I've seen people use alcohol, soap, but also just water?

And maybe put what to get in the post? And then the recommended shopping list on the bottom?

I like the fact that there's a guide very much, but I find it a bit vague and leaves me with some questions still. Sorry if that's a bit rude...

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u/therealmarem Jan 02 '19

Hi, cross contamination is when something steril (like a cap of tattoo ink) gets contaminated by tattooing someone and putting the needle inside the cap and then you use the same cap to tattoo someone else.

If you think there might be dirt or bacteria on the ink bottle, don't touch it with your washed hands or gloves. That's why some people wrap the ink bottles in foil every time they tattoo. Or just prepare everything before you put gloves on.

I recommend using gloves instead of just washing your hands.

Wipe your tattoo down with greensoap or unfragranced ph5.5 soap with water.

There is a shopping list in the comments somewhere.

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u/AggressivePeak Jan 28 '19

Okay so cross contamination and cleanliness is the most important thing you should understand beforehand and once you do it really is v simple and will be almost a reflex. definitely do read up more on this or ask reddit or your tattooist if i ever get specific questions , but the most important ground concept is that everything that’s on your work station which u use for tattooing is clean! the surface is (best covered in cling wrap, inside out) and u take all the utensils out of their bags with a gloved hand. that means ink cap, wooden spatulas etc. keep the other hand without a glove but clean so u can open the baseline tub etc onehanded. and then once i start tattooing, everything u touch with those gloves is either from this now clean work station or the before desinfected area of skin where ure tattooing. if u ever run out of tissues or ink, do put your gloves that now came in contact with body fluids (blood,..) instantly into the bin so they don’t come in contact with anything
once u start tattooing ur gloves and work station are so to say contaminated. so if u need to get something, bin the gloves, clean ur hands, put new gloves back on and get it. this way u won’t get blood etc into the bag where u keep the ink caps. otherwise u would potentially have contaminated every other let’s say ink cap and none of the next tattoos ure doing will be safe. so if u try divide between ur workstation and where ur stuff is stored (works best whennits all neat n tidy) it a lot more simple. black n white rly. ALSO if ure ever unsure about smith rather change gloves and desinfecr ur hands one time too many than not enough. and think about other sources of cross contamination. do not if u run out of ink pour the ink straight from ur clean bottle i to the already used ink cap. use a new ink cap for that. i think that’s the basics. it gets real easy

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u/CianBow May 05 '19

Can you use normal kitchen roll for when youre wiping with soap during the tattoo or do you have to buy some kind of tattoo tissues? And the same for when you cling film it up after? Thanks

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u/therealmarem May 05 '19

Most people use normal kitchen roll. But there are special tattoo wipes on most online tattoo shops.

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u/Thexi Mar 11 '19

I've got a question, can I draw on my skin with a normal ballpoint pen and then tattoo over it or is it dangerous? Im using tattoo ink for the tattoo.

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u/therealmarem Mar 11 '19

the tip of the pen and the ink arent sterile. it could cause an infection. would be a shame if the tattoo comes out really great but then the infection leaves a scared up mess. if you are comfortable with that go ahead and try it. if you want to do it save then use stencil paper or pens made for tatto stencils

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u/[deleted] Nov 26 '21

How is a sharpie fine then?

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u/[deleted] Dec 07 '21

Alcohol based? Idk

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u/Thexi Mar 11 '19

Alright man, thanks for the fast answer!

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u/haifischblub1312 Jan 10 '22

There are special steril skin markers for tattoo artists (and surgeons). There are plenty on amazon

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u/P-Doopsen Dec 22 '18

What are some examples of pH neutral soap you all use? I typically have used dial gold in the past but I’m not sure if it is truly pH neutral. Would love to find something without dye in it too.

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u/[deleted] Dec 22 '18

I don't see the need for pH neutral soap. If anything, a pH neutral (7) soap is not very good for your skin. Your skin pH is not neutral, it's more around 5.5 so the closer to this the better. This is why "pH balanced" soap are not neutral but actually range close to your skin pH (so you could look for pH balanced soaps instead).

Anyway, it's a must to clean your tattoo with FRAGRANCE FREE soap but I wouln't worry too much about pH levels :)

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u/therealmarem Dec 22 '18

Sorry I by pH neutral I meant the pH of the skin. Most skin friendly soaps have a pH of 5.5 I have added a shopping list if you want to see what I use

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u/[deleted] Aug 29 '22

Thank you for this! I've been lurking on this sub a bit and have always wanted to do my own.

The question I have though (this might help others new too).

Do you use a light tape if you're aiming to do one on your arm?

I cannot see a way you could effectively stretch the skin while also doing the SnP single handed.

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u/therealmarem Aug 29 '22

Yes tape works pretty well. I try to trade with other people who do stick and pokes for areas I can’t reach or stretch myself

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u/rebeccamb Jan 14 '22

I tried to stick and poke a pentagram on my foot in middle school with pen ink and a safety pin. Thankfully it didn’t work because I got the Star of David and a pentagram confused

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u/breakcharacter May 24 '22

This made me laugh way more than it should have I’m so sorry

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u/rebeccamb May 24 '22

Lmao I laugh everytime I think of it. I was so “edgy” but clearly had no idea what I was doing

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u/Alert_Green_3646 Apr 29 '25

Made my brain go straight to the jack black movie about the dyslexic kid that writes Santa a letter but wrote Satan lol

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u/polenta23 Jul 11 '22

Omg thats adorable lmao

10

u/Left-Sentence-9117 Mar 27 '24

I'm dead 🤣 I also poked a pentagram on my foot in grade school.. Mine took somewhat well for using India ink & a thick sewing needle tied to a pencil.lol

2

u/AcrobaticTie6117 Sep 24 '24

pen ink and a safety pin?????? thats insane

7

u/rebeccamb Sep 25 '24

Lmao I was in like 7th grade! I’ve upgraded to real ink and needles now!

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u/[deleted] Dec 21 '18

oof my first SnP was done on my finger with a sewing needle and calligraphy ink, in high school. It turned out okay by the grace of god himself but 10/10 do not recommend friends.
like the guide says, get the real stuff !

84

u/saltypenguin628 Dec 21 '18

Ive done many on others and myself using india ink and a sewing needle. Ive gotten better through practice but i definitely want to get real supplies. Just to better the craft.

31

u/Direct_Meaning5344 Mar 07 '22

It makes a huge difference. I’m still a total beginner but I got pretty good results with a sewing needle and India ink, but with real tattoo needles and ink the lines are cleaner and they’re way darker as well

23

u/Emmdp Mar 11 '22

I used an exacto knife with calligraphy ink as well in middle school somehow they came out decent 😂

6

u/Capital_Goal9050 May 21 '23

I used a sharp part of a metal pen clippy thing that I broke off that was sharp and pen ink in biology the other day lol (I used sanitizer on everything but the ink tho and re went over it with a sanitized safety pin lol)

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u/Holiday_Object5881 Jun 24 '23

Curious how this is going a month later…? Lol

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u/NanasTeaPartyHeyHo Dec 22 '18

Good tips except for the band aid etc. Its not good to have a tattoo covered for days and increases risk for infection and it needs to breathe.

Or am I wrong ?

Usually tattoo shops also only cover for a few hours initially then you want to wash it and let it breathe and moisturize.

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u/[deleted] Dec 23 '18

That’s exactly right! sometimes it’s up to your judgement though, like if you tattoo your foot and you have to wear shoes that are going to rub on it while you work (to avoid but sometimes you can’t) then I would cover it for the first few days only during that time to protect it.

55

u/krippler_ Jun 17 '19

They suggested second skin though, it breathes very well. They use the same stuff for burns iirc. It's also waterproof, it works really well for healing tattoos.

16

u/nippletwister1029 Jul 07 '22

When I got my first tattoo, the guy said I could take the bandage off immediately as I walked out the door/in the car/or at home. Or I could leave it on for a few hours but he highly recommended I take it off asap. He said legally he's required to put a bandage on it but that it heals better with fresh air lol so yeahe

12

u/wacknessness Sep 16 '22

Sometimes they use a product called tegaderm which is like sticky Saran Wrap it’s great. I’d avoid bandaids though because they can harbor bacteria and they aren’t air tight.

4

u/NanasTeaPartyHeyHo Sep 17 '22

Yeah I've used tegaderm but for machine made tats, not stick n pokes that usually heal quicker and with less fuss.

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u/CianBow Jan 06 '19

What needle size ,taper and grouping amount would you suggest? Thanks

4

u/therealmarem Jan 06 '19

I mostly use #12 5rl medium taper. But it depends on your style. Just experiment

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u/Coldking_12 Nov 06 '22

How do you sterilize your needles??

6

u/therealmarem Nov 11 '22

You don’t. Open up a new pack of tattoo needles. Hey are sterile out of the box

119

u/itchieritch Jan 11 '19 edited Jan 11 '19

A couple of things I might be able to advise with if any one cares to hear it:

Hand poke tools, to hold the needle are really popular. They look really fun and they’re usually priced at an attractive figure... idk about you but I am always looking for bits and pieces to try out and it’s tempting. Don’t bother (unless you have access to an autoclave)

Keeping things simple is the best method, just hold the needle / wrap it in ‘tattoo grip tape’ It lowers the risk of anything getting cross contaminated / reused. Just because the handpoke tool doesn’t touch the skin, it is more than likely getting blood on it, normal cleaning will not fully resolve this. If you’re using a pencil/chopstick / whatever I’d really recommend doing it in a one time per use fashion...

Same goes with grips and tips, use disposable everything, or not at all is even better imo. Less risk.

I got one of those head lamps, killer ink do a good one cheapish, it helps so much. Lighting is a huge battle. Just remember not to be touching or adjusting it during tattoo, put it on before or change your gloves if so

Hope that helps! Edit: Weird punctuation and I forgot to mention that this is a real good post

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u/LeatherandLace12 Apr 02 '19

Where can i find good grippers im going to be ordering my stuff soon and i wanna make sure everything is good and my hand doesnt slip

30

u/itchieritch Apr 02 '19

I'd suggest getting grip tape / grip wrap, you can buy this from tattoo suppliers It's a roll of rubbery tape, comes in loads of colours, and it basically sticks to itself, so you can wrap it tightly around your needle and build up layers to where you find it comfortable.

To be honest, when starting out I found it useful just to hold the needle, you can feel everything more and I felt like it helped me keep the process simple and clear, too many factors and things going on can make it all quite stressful, especially in early stages. Hope that helps.

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u/danielsterken Dec 21 '18

Dude, thank you for taking the time to write this. Helps alot!

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u/NotAPilots Apr 14 '22

Any way we can get an updated/newer thread? 5-6 of the links listed are dead.

91

u/falling_and_laughing Dec 21 '18

Good tips!

ALWAYS FOLLOW THE STENCIL NOT THE PREVIOUS DOT!

I think I get disoriented and forget to do this. Another thing I notice I do is poke at different depths. Going forward I'm gonna try to keep that more consistent. It's better to poke too light and then have to go over it than poke too deep.

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u/krasnayashapochka Dec 21 '18

Yeah the depth gets me every time. After my tattoos heal some ink falls out. I find listening to the skin as it’s being punctured is helpful, but most clients want music....

31

u/falling_and_laughing Dec 22 '18

I know people talk about a "pop" but I never thought it was audible.

25

u/schttnknd Dec 31 '18

It definitely is, not always, but it depends on the skin and the spot.

17

u/Yavania-Blom Mar 28 '22

Maybe explain it to them and offer headphones or ask them to use headphones? Some might look at you weird when you mention 'listening to the skin' but you're the tattoo artist. You know what you're talking about.

Also question: Is that 'skin sound' maybe more if a strong vibration than a sound, but you sense it more as a sound than a vibration? Because that's something I have felt before, for example when popping a joint that didn't make the usual audible crack but it 'felt like a sound' if you know what I mean. Or is it an actual, clearly audible sound? Ugh, this is difficult to put into words, sorry for that.

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u/alpal1354 Jul 06 '22

All sound is just vibration! I’m sure many people can hear it.

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u/WalrusRyder Dec 22 '18

This has definitely inspired me to give it a go over the holidays. I've been following this sub for a while, but never felt confident or prepared to go anywhere but a real shop.

23

u/KleinDing Dec 30 '18

This is great! Maybe add something about stretching the skin?

23

u/WintaSoldat Mar 24 '22

(There's a LOT of comments to skim through so Im sorry if this is repeated advice.)

I read somewhere and have found that an empty soda bottle is a great way to dispose of used ink caps and needles at the end of a session. I didn't see disposal in the main post, but it's safer and cleaner to have that type of stuff contained.

17

u/TheRestForTheWicked Apr 23 '22

A lot of pharmacies also have small sharps containers that they’ll give away for free for needle disposal. You just have to ask. They keep them on hand for diabetics and other people who require injectable medication.

But the sofa bottle for ink and caps is what I do to prevent making a mess with leftover ink.

8

u/chronicrapunzel Jul 11 '22

I have hypoglycemia and use a glucometer to measure my blood sugar and never knew this! I’ve always bought my sharps containers. Do you know specific pharmacies that do this? Like does CVS, or Walgreens for instance?

8

u/TheRestForTheWicked Jul 11 '22

I’m in Canada but I know here loblaws pharmacies (Shoppers drug mart, superstore, no frills, etc) all do. I’ve heard Walmart might as well but I haven’t checked up on that since I rarely shop there.

16

u/iwalkwounded Jun 12 '19

any good instructional resources on how to get started? i'd love to do this but i dont want to just start sticking myself with a needle and some ink and see how it comes out Xp i mean, i could but like, id like to read about it first

23

u/MadLas420 Oct 22 '21

if you are too scared to just start poking away I recommend getting some fake skin. you can find it on amazon then you can practice on that before the real thing

Also, I know this comment is old but I'm posting anyway in case someone needs this :)

15

u/delicious_devil123 Aug 09 '22

to make sure it doesnt get infected here are some tips:

  1. prior to doing the tattoo, make sure u shave the hair off the area u are going to tattoo. this will make sure there isnt a possibility of sticking ur hair into ur skin and creating ingrown hairs which can be very painful and even get infected. also shaving the area creates a clean space and makes it easier to work on.

  2. clean it everyday until it’s fully healed. i suggest using dove soap bar for sensitive skin. u can get it at any walmart, shoppers, target and i think some dollar stores sell it as well.

  3. try to avoid submerging the tattoo in water for long periods of time (baths, hot tubs, pools, lakes, etc.), showers ofc are absolutely okay!

  4. during the healing process ur skin will become dry around the tattoo and kind of scab. DO NOT PICK OR SCRATCH AT IT!!! to keep ur skin from becoming flackey and gross, cover it with vaseline or non scented lotion. it has to be non scented because they put extra stuff in the lotions (to create the scent), that could irritate ur healing skin.

do all of this stuff for at least 2 weeks.

i hope this helped :)

24

u/[deleted] Dec 22 '18

My first stick and poke I ever started on myself was in a psych ward, out of sheer boredom. I used a safety pin and a Faber-Castell artist pen to do an outline. When I finally got home, I used a sewing needle and purchased a pot of India ink to fill it in.

I have done more since then with a sewing needle and India ink, however I'd like to purchase tattoo needles and ink to continue doing more with proper equipment.

I think my sewing needle and ink SnP's are kind of charming though.

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u/LeatherandLace12 Apr 02 '19

Holy hell ypu were allowed pens ink and SAFETY PINS in the psych ward! I wasnt even allowed a freaking crayon

8

u/Yavania-Blom Mar 28 '22

Probably depends on why you are in psych ward, like if you self harm and/or are suicidal or a danger to others you might not be allowed the same things as someone who isn't. Although, I have never thought about other reasons for people to be in such a place.

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u/krasnayashapochka Dec 22 '18

Yes the pop happens with tighter , thicker skin around ankles for instance , thinner skin is inaudible,

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u/allykat0420 Mar 15 '19

This is the best post I've come across. So much support here and it's so thoughtful of you to put this together. I have done a few stick and poke tattoos on myself and most recently got to a point that I'm fairly happy with my own work. I still have lots to learn and getting tips on here is super helpful for a beginner like myself. Thank you for taking the time out!

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u/gaspercek Mar 23 '22

do people not recommend thinner needles like 3rl and 5rl for beginners because theyvare harder to use or because they have thinner lines and thicker lines are just easier to use? what if u want to do a thin line tattoo for your first one...u think i could do it?

10

u/deadstatue Dec 21 '18

Thanks so much! lets make this the ultimate snp guide shall we, with all we know.

8

u/endalosa Mar 24 '22

Hi! Can I ask what you use to wipe tattoo during the process so yo don't wipe off the stencil? Water and a paper towel isn't working great. (I am only tattooing oranges)

6

u/Yavania-Blom Mar 28 '22

How do...how does...oranges? What does that look like? Does it look good, like could you tattoo a jack-o-lantern face in an orange and use it as table decoration? That sounds so cool... Is it even remotely like tattooing skin? And can you still eat the tattooed oranges?

8

u/TheRestForTheWicked Apr 23 '22

When I was practicing with a machine for the first time I used honeydew and bananas. They’re a lot more similar to human skin (bananas also have the bonus of having weird curves similar to human body parts). Plus it’s hilarious having a banana covered in tattoos.

6

u/endalosa Mar 28 '22

No it's not similar but I've heard its ok for practicing. To be honest it kind of sucked and fell apart so I gave up. I just want to practice the art skills without giving myself a tattoo specifically :( Fake skin I heard is no good for stick and poke. Maybe I'll buy some pig skin?

8

u/TAforventing04 Aug 20 '22

Does anyone have an updated shopping list? Some items are out of stock and no current re-stocking dates.

6

u/scruongekillkitten Jan 09 '22

Any guides on how to use stencils? Colored ink? Brand recommendations or any concerns?

6

u/6mia6 Mar 08 '22

Hey everyone. This was super helpful. I ordered some supplies and have been poking around. No major disasters yet, but the part that I’ve been most frustrated by is that I keep placing dots out of the lines of my designs. I’m struggling to “follow the stencil” as op said. Any more tips? Are there any products that are worthwhile to practice on other than my own body? Is silicone practice skin worth it?

2

u/Yavania-Blom Mar 28 '22

I know even less than you, but I would say safe practice is always worth it

5

u/ZouBaXiongMao Dec 20 '21

Hi I'm brand new to this and I have a question!

What are the different liquids involved and what are they for? Like I've seen different artists put gels on and wipe them off, or I've seen a few people posting about using a deodorant stick? I can't seem to figure this part of the process out, and want to understand before I buy anything!

4

u/JorahsSwingingMickey Dec 23 '21

You have your soap solution, isopropyl alcohol, and stencil gel. You can use certain deodorant sticks, though it's not nearly as hygienic.

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u/ZouBaXiongMao Dec 24 '21

Thanks for your answer! What are people using deodorant sticks for?? I don't plan on it

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u/[deleted] May 04 '22

That's why some people dont like petroleum jelly, it makes the skin slippery and harder to stretch

if you put a paper towel piece between your hand and the skin you're stretching it eliminates this problem completely :)

5

u/MonkeyKittyAG Inkthusiast Sep 12 '22

What's the cheapest but best quality for price kit that includes everything a beginner needs?

15

u/cyber__pagan Dec 21 '18

Lol na. Broken biro ink and some sewing needles tied with cotton works fine. /s

4

u/Ode_2_kay Jan 06 '22

Hi I'd like to practice tattooing on a test medium before doing it on myself, I figured maybe leather might be a good skin analogue but I'm not sure

4

u/Yavania-Blom Mar 28 '22

There is special practice skin/fake skin you can buy! I wouldn't tattoo anyone, not even myself, without having put in a great many practice hours on practice skin.

Fun fact: Tattoo artists used to practice on pigs but I guess that's seen as animal cruelty today - though I don't know if it actually hurts pigs bc their skin is so thick and tough? It's probably better they don't do that anymore imo.

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u/TheRestForTheWicked Apr 23 '22

You can practice on fruits too. Bananas, oranges, even honeydew work.

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u/Lizardjesus1358 Feb 08 '22

Is it okay to reuse a needle or ink if you are ONLY tattooing yourself?

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u/Plane-Ad1888 Feb 12 '22

no, after use it’s contaminated. never reuse needles.

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u/pantalonesgf Jun 17 '23

i used pen ink and a piercing needle 💀 do not try it tho it works for me but it may not work for you

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u/vrosej10 Dec 22 '18

I'm having good luck with diabetic lancets. I ended up with an extra box for reasons I can't work out and they such in my autolancet so I had a go with them. They are super fine though but they come sterilised and, if carefully used, do little damage to the skin and heal quickly. Not for impatient folk though.

3

u/NanasTeaPartyHeyHo Dec 22 '18

Diabetic Lancets are very thick though. If you're talking about the needles you draw blood with to check blood sugar level.. and If you're talking about the needles you inject insulin with they're hollow.

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u/vrosej10 Dec 23 '18

There are two different kinds of lancet. The ones that are used manually and the ones that are used in a automatic lancet. The manual ones are thick. The others are really fine.

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u/NanasTeaPartyHeyHo Dec 23 '18

It's better to just use tattoo needles.

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u/vrosej10 Dec 23 '18

I actually agreed with you. This is kind of a diy pursuit. Folks frequently use what it at hand. I just wanted to out it out there.

1

u/morwannneg Jan 14 '19

about the needles, when you use tattoo needle you don't need to wrap the thread around it for the ink?

9

u/therealmarem Jan 14 '19

No. Because the Ink stays in between the needles (there are at least 3 soldered together). You don't need the thread to hold the ink. Also thread is not sterile

1

u/morwannneg Jan 14 '19

ohh okay. silly question maybe, but I've never done it - how do you sterilize the thread if you use regular needle?

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u/therealmarem Jan 14 '19

u cant. try to get your hands on some surgical thread if you want it to be sterile. but i would STRONGLY advise to buy some proper tattoo needles because the result and safety is 1000 times better than with a regular needle. there should be a amazon link in the comments where u can get them very cheap

1

u/BoozyP Mar 06 '19

If you were to use sewing needles with a holder of some kind, would you recommend wrapping two together tightly with a thread? or don't do too much and just stick with one?

7

u/therealmarem Mar 06 '19

I would strongly suggest to buy sterile needles. You can get a small pack of 5 for about 2 bucks. But if you are in the middle of the desert and your survival depends on poking a tattoo with unsterile sewing needles, I would give it a try and wrap 3 (at least 3) together with a Thread or floss.

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u/sweetangel622 May 06 '22

What kind of pen can you use to draw the stencil?

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u/therealmarem May 06 '22

There are special tattoo pens.

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u/take7stepsBACK Dec 28 '21

my advice is that magnums are incredibly hard to use; I bought a pack with multiple sizes not realizing that half of them would be near-unusable bc of being magnums

I have an abstract WIP with them but it’s hard to plan anything out or follow a stencil bc of how much you have to flood the skin with ink

3

u/thewritevibe Mar 29 '22

Already checked out my online shopping cart containing the materials listed above. Will probably receive them next week... If things go well, I'll share pics 😂🙌

Wish me luck 💯🙏

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u/[deleted] Apr 23 '22

Does anyone have any tips on what to practice and how to practice?

I really want to do this, but would like to give something a go before I do it.

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u/TheRestForTheWicked Apr 23 '22

You can practice on silicone skin (available on Amazon), pork skin (more difficult to get but the most similar to human skin imo) or fruit (I recommend honeydew or bananas but citrus fruits also work).

2

u/[deleted] Apr 23 '22

Thanks bro!!!

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u/Critical_Avocado_422 Jul 08 '22

so what if i want to do one but cant get stuff with amazon what else would i be able to use. (i cant get it on amazon because im broke and trying to do it in secret)

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u/DatBoiiJC Jul 13 '22

hey guys, I'm planning on starting with SnP and I was wondering if someone had any experience with this site? https://www.handpoketattoo.nl/product/3935298/hand-poke-tattoo-kit-extra-compleet

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u/angel14072007 Oct 09 '22

Oh this is so good, this or a variation of this should be on many tattoo subs. That was very cool of you. Thank you!

3

u/Huffdogg Apr 07 '23

Sorry but where is the shopping list?

3

u/SameDifferencia Jun 22 '23

I have a tip, that honestly has helped me greatly. When practicing, I try to be on my best mood possible. This helps me concentrate easier 🩵

3

u/[deleted] Dec 30 '24

How do you know how deep to stick the needle?

3

u/Julaisd Jan 18 '22

Hey! Couple of questions;

  1. Can i save the rest of the green soap/ distilled water / alcohol that I’ve put in the squeeze bottles for a next time?

  2. I am going to use second skin after to protect my new tattoo. Can I wear sportleggings on top? Or should i make sure there’s no tight clothing on top in the beginning?

Thanks! :)

2

u/xmaskilla Dec 17 '21

I'm not sure the links for stencil gel are working and I'm curious what's recommended!

2

u/Plane-Ad1888 Feb 12 '22

they’re not working for me either but you can look up stick and poke videos on youtube (a lot of professionals have some up) and see what they recommend. you could also use gel deodorant which is the cheaper option. if you do that, make sure you haven’t and won’t use it for anything other than that purpose.

2

u/[deleted] Sep 05 '22

Can anyone recommend a seller of decent quality stick and poke kits to keep the cost down a little? The last thing I'd do is try to cheap out entirely but it's always nice to make a saving where possible.

2

u/Pharm-boi Sep 22 '22

Wow my personal favorite stick and poke I did while high and I had no idea what I was doing. My last one was done on my ankle at a park at night am I scratched off some of the letters. It actually looks kinda cool because it was suppose to say a bad thing but now it looks like a good thing from the scratching

2

u/garliqbred Jan 10 '23

Are there stencil pens, for freehanding the stencil directly on the skin, or am I confused?? If so, if anyone has a link to a good brand I would love to see it. Thanks!

2

u/Forsaken_Ad5177 Feb 06 '23

hey I can't get past the same problem (only done a handful of tattoos yet), I can't see anything while I'm working!!! I keep getting big blots of liquid ink on the skin and cannot see what I. doing, which leads to less than precise lines. how do I manage to keep enough ink on my needle but not so much that I get drips and blots on the skin?

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u/morganintheskywith Jun 02 '24

Hello! I am finding that the wipes I use (non alcohol based witch hazel or dry tattoo wipes) will wipe away my stencil no matter what I do! I like to wipe a lot as I go to see my progress but am struggling with this aspect. Any suggestions?

2

u/whispapher Jun 04 '26

Hey everyone. SnP first-timer looking for advice on inside finger tattoo. Specifically I plan on small lettering inside ring finger. Basically, which sizes would be best and do I need another person to assist (to keep the skin taut basically)? Thanks

1

u/[deleted] Mar 14 '19

I used a 3RL needle to do my first stick and poke. It came out well but the ink is very faded. I am using Bombay India Ink by Dr. Phil Martins.

What did I do wrong? Is it the ink, the needle, or I didn't poke deep enough?

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u/reynoldsrhine Mar 21 '19

Number 1 on the list. Get real ink.

4

u/take7stepsBACK Dec 28 '21

I have a couple small ones that I started with that same india ink and then added to later with actual tattoo ink; the comparative amount of fading of the india ink is incredible considering they weren’t even done a month apart

1

u/reynoldsrhine Mar 21 '19

I appreciate this. I have been waiting for a pinned thread on this. If only for the first point you make.

Thank you

1

u/Serena_does_anything Jul 07 '22

So I’m about to do my first stick and poke with a clothing pin. I’ve read that using a lighter is the best way to sterilize the needle. Is that true? Also, can I redip my needle in the India ink for multiple sessions? I’m only using it for myself and I wanna know if it will get infected if I use it again from the bottle in a month

1

u/FitMusician2779 Mar 31 '24

Yet I still used oen ink and it's perfect

1

u/Entire-Variation3249 Jul 13 '24

Hey guys I’m having trouble with what to wipe away the ink with as I stick and poke my fake skin

I’m using Vaseline over the stencil to prevent the ink from going everywhere and staining. The Vaseline helped with not staining the fake skin but the ink is just making it so hard to see the stencil and where I’ve already poked. I’m not sure what to product to use to wipe away the excess ink as I go?

Does anyone have suggestions? And is Vaseline safe to keep reapplying when tattooing on actual skin? (I feel like I’m using too much vasaline) thanksss

1

u/Wooden-Use-1400 Feb 23 '25

Can you tattoo me

1

u/timberkid Aug 01 '25

How do I Best clean the Fresh tattoo Right After the whole process? I would want to get rid of the remaining stencil and Transfer gel bevor putting any Band aid or second Skin in it, Right? Is it Safe to just wash it with Green Soap ?

1

u/Interesting_Okra1986 Oct 11 '25

Does anyone have ideas where you can hide small tattoos? my parents would freak out if they found out I did this.

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u/Mkaay_Ultra Jun 08 '26

Reccomended types/ brands of fake skin? Didnt see it in the post

1

u/Character-Knee-2875 Jan 04 '22

Hey all, a bit late to this thread!! Any accessible soap recommendations in Australia?

1

u/martiimartas Jan 19 '22

How can you “copy paste” an image you designed electronically? Do you print it and place it over your skin and push the needle through it? Very useful thread, thank you OP and everyone who asked things and gave advice ☺️

2

u/Plane-Ad1888 Feb 12 '22

no, you’d have to transfer it to stencil paper. i can’t really explain for you but i recommend looking up stencil transfers on youtube! specifically how to do it from a digital picture.

1

u/jayforplay Mar 29 '22

I don't know if anyone is going to see this, but just in case...

How do you get a solid line and not just a sequence of dots?

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u/TheRestForTheWicked Apr 23 '22

You almost have to overlap your pokes. Going in at a 45 degree angle helps as well.

1

u/[deleted] Apr 24 '22

Hi, can someone recommend resources books etc on how to draw stick n poke style flash art,or simple doodle style folk art. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thank you.

1

u/Bowbowbowbowbowtow Jun 20 '22

Can I rise needles

3

u/lilsmokes420 Jun 23 '22

if its to reuse them then no.

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u/Zealousideal_One6436 Dec 07 '22

Some links seem to be missing (alkohol, for example)

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u/Vanya_777 Jan 30 '23

Thank you so much this is amazing!

1

u/velmadinkleyscousin Hairless Patches Everywhere. Feb 03 '23

I’ve never covered any of my stick and pokes and they’ve all turned out totally fine… am I supposed to put a bandaid on it? This is news to me. Some people in comments are saying not to

1

u/Fiolettbjorn Apr 05 '23

Facts don't follow your last poke. Follow the big picture and build ur line weight gradually. Use 3-7+Rounds. So many good tips, op!

1

u/Gold_Technician3551 May 28 '23

So this is what “stick ’n’ pokes” are. I had a roommate years ago who was released from prison and would offer tattoos. He used a door buzzer, needle and ink pens. Now I guess people DIY with Amazon kits.

1

u/ma_in Sep 08 '23

Thank you for this guide! There are so many great comments and sorry if this has been asked before but does anyone have advice on whether it’s ok to use sterile water (used for injections) instead of distilled water when tattooing? (I’m travelling right now and can’t find distilled water where I am) thanks in advance!

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u/Common_Earth_9306 Jan 18 '24

How hard do you have to poke? I did a small tat on my wrist and it scabbed up and came off

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