mikesherman Report post Posted October 21, 2017 (edited) Day 2 learning to tattoo leather...first time with a tattoo gun in my hand was yesterday... Using black antique gel, cause it runs nice and slow (dye is too thin, just oozes out of cartridge as soon as the needle touches leather), no surface treatment whatsoever...no pj, no resolene, on dead dry completely untreated 4 oz veg. No running, dripping, splattering, smearing...a bit more practice and I'll be ready to tackle the project I wanted to learn this all for... No excuses, I need to work on my lines, steady my hand, probably a million other things...but, I did this in like 20 minutes, just trying to see how to get it to work with leather dye rather than tattoo ink. The ink runs nice and smooth, but even when dry for a day it smears at a touch. I feel like leather dye will stay put once dry, so finishing will be much easier. Here's to hoping... Edited October 21, 2017 by mikesherman resize image Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bodean Report post Posted October 21, 2017 Interesting. I have tattoo machines, and have wondered if this would work. What tubes and what size needles did you use? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mattsbagger Report post Posted October 21, 2017 Same question as Bodean. I have tattooed on myself but not leather. Keeping a straight line probably easier without the pain and contortions migjt be easier.lol Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bodean Report post Posted October 21, 2017 10 minutes ago, Mattsbagger said: Same question as Bodean. I have tattooed on myself but not leather. Keeping a straight line probably easier without the pain and contortions migjt be easier.lol LOL. Yeah tattooing yourself is not real fun. Well my interest was peeked so I went and watched some Tube videos, and it seems there are some talented people doing some nice work. How they keep the ink from smearing up the work I don't know. Also most appear to be using tattoo ink. Now I got to try it. My machines have been gathering dust for years, now I have an excuse to dig them out, lol. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikesherman Report post Posted October 21, 2017 I'm using a Rogue rotary pen with Cheyenne 3RL cartridges. Shading is a complete mystery to me, so I still need TONS of work on it. Still playing with speed and depth; never tattooed anything before, so I can't say much more at this point. For leather, I'm planning mostly line art, like the beautiful work I'm seeing all over the 'net. I'm guessing that cured, tanned animal skin acts a whole lot different than living people skin, so I need to figure out how to practice that... I'll probably be tattooing myself soon...just don't think I can resist...looking forward to the pain, contortions, and squeeling...LOL. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bodean Report post Posted October 21, 2017 Never used a rotary, all mine a coil type machines. Looks like some are throwing some color on Youtube , but it looks faded out, not solid. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
480volt Report post Posted October 21, 2017 My wife was a traditional, old school (I hate that phrase) tattooer who apprenticed back in the 80’s, and I helped her run a shop for a number of years. That said, I have a couple observations: In general, tattoo ink is a pigment and does not remain on the surface of the skin, rather in the tissue below the translucent outer layer. Tanned leather will not behave like living skin. As of 15 years ago, when my wife got out, you made your own needles, i.e. you bought loose needles and soldered them to the needle bar. Needle bars are reusable, needles are not. You have to know from experience how to make shaders or liners. Unlike humans, leather is flat, does not stretch, or squirm or ask stupid personal questions. No professionals used rotary machines- they left those to the jailhouse tattooers who made ‘em out of old cassette players and shit. If you’re going to start tattooing yourself, or gods forbid, your friends, do you really understand sterile procedure and cross contamination issues? Tattooers, no matter how experienced, occasionally stick themselves. You have to hope the SOB your working on doesn’t have something nasty like hep c. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bodean Report post Posted October 21, 2017 (edited) Rotary machines are widely used by professionals now, but they have their pros and cons. Edited October 21, 2017 by Bodean Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
