Tattoos are no longer a hobby or interest; it has become a specialized field for serious designers and learners. Once an interest today a subject; tattoos have come a long way!
With the advancement in tools and techniques, more numbers of experts have switched to tattoo designing and making. It is due to the demand for tattoos by Americans.
With the tattoo business rising upwards, there are few things to learn such as how do tattoo artists practice and what do they practice on? It is important to know the hard work behind all those dreamy and desired tattoos that we see on our skin.
This article is about the various ways tattoo artists learn before presenting the best to their clients.
12 Different Options for Tattoo Artists to Practice On
Tattoos are a permanent design and so it requires lots of practice, skills, dedication, and focus to do the artwork on someone’s skin. No tattoo artist will immediately and directly craft the design no matter how experienced.
There are several ways he would try to reach perfection before beginning with the permanent ink on the skin.
We have a list of things that these tattoo designers practice on from beginners to experts. Let’s check these out in brief.
1. Practice Books
Notebook or drawing book is the basic tool these artists begin with. You will find them scribbling, drawing, sketching, and coloring in notebooks. Various tattoo coloring books help you practice coloring and filling colors.
The pencil is the most important tool they use as that helps them erase and redo any design during practice sessions. Once they are confident with the design, they present it to the client.
Our Recommended Practicing Books for Tattoo Artists:
2. Henna Ink
Some tattoo artists use a fine-tip marker or Henna ink, to begin with on the skin. Henna ink is temporary and helps them to check how their design will look pre and post.
Henna tattoos last for weeks and believe us, some clients become so crazy after their design that they love the practice sessions repeatedly by their tattoo designer.
Our recommended Henna Ink:
3. Fruits
Fruits are essential for good health but, it is also an important tool for tattoo artists. Fruits have curvy shapes just how a human body is. Don’t get shocked if you see a new tattoo artist buying often fruits like honeydew melons, bananas, grapefruits, oranges, et.,
They buy it all the time to practice their new tattoo equipment. These are amazing, to begin with.
4. Synthetic skin
Artists pick various sheets that are crafted in human body shapes such as hands, feet, neck, etc. Although these are not like real human skin, some similarities go well with the tattoo needle.
Practicing on these sheets especially shading and outlines helps the artists to get close to steadiness and perfection.
Our recommendations:
5. Tattoo on themselves
Once the practice sessions make them confident, artists get more comfortable to try their hands on real skin. They begin practicing on their skin with temporary inks.
The tattooed skin of tattoo artists helps the clients to connect with them and begin with a short conversation. Designing on own body parts is also an honor to showcase their artwork and creativity.
6. Rocks
Most of us have played with pens, papers, stones, and scissors. Rocks, pebbles, or stones are still cherished by tattoo artists as they practice their artwork on them.
Rocks help to understand a tattoo designer how to design on small and difficult places on the body. Not every rock has the same design and shape.
Thus, these come in handy to practice. Fruits and rocks help you practice even the curvaceous parts as to how they would on a real body.
Our Recommendation:
7. Tattoo buddies
There will be more passionate people with similar interests in your friends’ circle. Find someone in your friends or family who would be interested in a permanent tattoo by you.
They are the best people, to begin with as you will also be comfortable and confident to start tattooing with a known person. Several tattoo artists offer free or cheap tattoos to get more clients in the beginning phase.
8. Weighted pencils and pens
Other than fine tip markers, you may find tattoo artists using heavy pencils to practice drawing and designing. Heavier objects help tattoo artists to practice holding heavy tattoo machines in the future.
Artists use nuts and bolts to make pencils and pens heavier during their practice time.
9. Cheap tattoo machines
Any beginner would not wish to waste money buying expensive tattooing machines until he is confident to design like a pro. Also, it wouldn’t be cost-effective to practice on expensive machines.
You get cheap tattoo machines for practicing. With more practice on these machines, the artists become confident in holding the device for long, practicing patience, and grip of hands while drawing and designing.
Our recommended Cheap Tattoo Machines for Tattoo Artists to Practice:
10. Cloth
There are special clothes where tattoo beginners begin designing. These let them understand how the needles should be and how much pressure you must put on sensitive skin in real.
As a tattoo artist, you can explore more and seek items that are similar to body parts.
11. Canvas
Thankfully, the markets have a variety of canvases today to practice tattoo designs. These are easily available in different shapes and sizes. As a beginner, many tattoo artists make use of canvases to practice their design.
It is no wonder that most of them are amazing artists in arts and drawing. Some of them can tattoo on anything, anywhere, and anytime.
12. Silicone body parts
Get your hands on human-like silicone body parts. You will find them in all the body types and parts such as hands, face, legs, etc., These are amazing, to begin with as a tattoo artist.
Some artists even flaunt their designs in the tattoo parlor and share their initial practice designs with their clients.
Our Recommendations:
Final Words:
If you have been a passionate learner of the art of tattoos, we hope to have helped you with the beginning tools. The more open you are to experiment with different objects for your designs, the more confidence you will gain to become a pro. Hope our recommendations on the product line also help you to begin tattoo designs as a beginner.
