Tattooing has become a rite of passage for many college students. But how many students think beyond their intricate and brightly colored design to the technology behind the inks and needles?
Centuries ago before electricity, tattoo artists used any kind of sharp object and hand poked the skin, which was extremely painful and time consuming. Today artists use electric powered machines, which vary in speed from 240 pricks per second to as slow as five pricks per second.
Ed Skirkie (senior-meteorology) said he thinks it is important to take the time to make sure the technology is as safe as possible. But overall he would be most concerned with the cleanliness of the shop and the artist.
Artists learn the trade by working as apprentices under another artist. Jason Salerno trained as an apprentice under Tim Sellers. Both are tattoo artists at Tattoo Mark's Studio Two, 411 E. Calder Way.
"In my personal opinion artists should go through six to eight weeks of dermatology training, as I have," said Phillip Alan Clouser, derma-graphic specialist/ owner of Art of the Ages Inc. 103 S. Pugh St. "Everyone's skin is different and in order to tattoo each person properly, you must have the knowledge."
Skin is made up of seven layers; layers five and six hold the natural pigment of human skin. It is those layers in which the ink of a tattoo is placed and held.
Why does the tattoo not flake or rub away? Only the top layer of human skin reproduces.
The deeper layers remain the same. The palms of hands and soles of feet shed deeper layers and Clouser does not recommend tattooing those places.
Ink Information
Tattoo inks are made from natural products. The natural pigment of the ink and the pigment in skin naturally bond with one another. A tattoo is the bonding with and staining of the natural pigment already found in the skin. Also contained in tattoo inks are distilled water, isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) and medicinal glycerin, which acts as a bonding agent. After three or four days, those three ingredients evaporate and leech from the skin leaving only the ink pigment. That is why tattoos ooze for few days.
Besides natural pigment ink, ink made from plastic synthetic materials have emerged on the market. Clouser said some inks claim to glow in the dark or under a black light. He does not recommend putting anything artificial in the body.
"There is a big debate in the industry over plastic or natural based pigment. We are using natural [ink] at our store currently," Sellers said.
Needle Points
The needles are grouped together and the gap between the groupings holds the ink. The artist dips the needle into an ink bowl and the access ink is held in a casing. When the needle retracts from the skin, gravity forces the ink to drop down onto the skin. The needle then enters the skin pushing the ink into the cells of the skin. When the needle retracts again it leaves the ink in the cell, which then closes and traps the ink.
Clouser said a serious painter usually has many different sized brushes: Likewise, experienced tattoo artists have many different sized and shaped needles. Clouser himself makes and groups his own needles and has about 25 to 30 different ones. Each size and shape allows an artist to do many different techniques. For example, thicker needles grouped in as many as 17 are ideal for shading large areas. Detailed designs call for extremely thin needles grouped in small patterns.
Technology has stayed relatively the same, only the techniques of various artists and needle groupings have changed and evolved.
Keep in Mind
"Placement is key as far as the tattoo looking good. An artist must be willing to work with you in order for you to have the best tattoo," Salerno said. "So many times a customer walks in not knowing anything about tattooing except the design they have in their head. Opinions of the artist are crucial."
A tattoo may require a touch up due to the fault of either the artist or the customer. A part of the body that may stretch or grow with age is not an ideal place for a tattoo.
"Mostly it is the UV exposure. I recommend the highest sun block," Sellers said. "I know if I was paying a lot for a tattoo, I would not want it destroyed by the sun."
Clouser also endorsed protection and said that if a tattoo is properly taken care of, including always protecting it with sunscreen, it should never need a touch up.
Dermatologist Dr. Mark Kozminsky disagreed and said it is stretching and cell interaction that occurs with age that distorts a tattoo.
"A tattoo a girl has at age 19 will not look as clear cut at age 40," Kozminsky said. "It becomes blurry with age and that's usually when I see people coming in for removal."
If the tattoo artist uses non-sterilized equipment, a "nasty skin infection" could develop, said Dr. Edward Rosick, a physician at Ritenour Building, though for the most part, they are not common.
Rosick also said students should take tattoos seriously because their removal is painful and involves the burning or peeling the ink pigment.
"Tattoos are not fully removable. The skin is never perfect after laser treatment; a scar always remains," Kozminsky said. "Also a different laser has to be used for each different color of the tattoo and most doctors do not have every laser in their office. It can be extremely expensive and time consuming for removal."
Finally, the knowledge of the tattoo artist can be a helpful factor when considering a tattoo.
"I feel there are two types of professionals; a 'tattooest' and a tattoo artist," Salerno said. "Anyone can learn the trade and the technology of tattooing, but it is those who use placement and color to the fullest who are the true artists."
