Tattoo Stencil Application – Part 1

Once we have made our stencil, we need to successfully apply the stencil.

Application of the stencil is of the critical, it is the foundation on which you will build. Only apply the stencil to the skin when your customer is in a normal and natural position, usually standing straight with arms down by the sides is best in most cases.

After selecting the correct tattoo position, you can ask your customer to stand, apply the stencil and then remeasure the tattooing position. Stencils applied to the arms while sitting can occasionally result in a tattoo that appears off-centre or askew when standing, the same applies to other places and parts of the body. Always double check.

For example, in the case where a stencil is applied to the stomach area with the customer  laying flat and their skin stretched, ready to be tattooed. When the customer stands, that perfect circle may resemble more of an egg or worse!.

Before applying the stencil, the skin must be cleaned and prepared.

Put on your gloves, take your green medical soap. Using a disposable razor, carefully and gently shave the skin to remove any hairs and dispose of the razor in your clinical waste bag. Even if the skin appears hairless, always shave as there will undoubtedly be a covering of the fine downy hair that is also worth removing, allowing you to keep the area clean. Shaving the area makes the process more comfortable for your customer as well as providing you with a better, cleaner and clearer skin surface to apply your stencil too and tattoo…

Continue this article on page 2 here.