New Way to Tattoo ?

[M.D. Holloway]

MakerBot 3D Printer Hacked to Become Automated Tattooing Machine in Paris

Interesting idea - not really new but still interesting.

I thought of a device that could be even simpler. Tattooing (by human or machine) is done with one needle at a time. What if the image could be 'drawn' on the skin with hundreds of needles all at once? A micro-needle pad that would be placed on the skin and in one shot the ink is applied. Or maybe instead of a needle its a high pressure ink jet that is designed to penetrate the skin to a certain level?

I think the days of human assisted single needle will become a thing of the past.

[stomachmonkey]

Part of the challenge of a one shot system will be a combination of the design, client, and placement.

People are not flat.

Part of a tattoo artists talent is in transferring a flat image onto an irregular surface and making the adjustments required to maintain the correct proportions.

Obviously the smaller the tat the less of an issue.

[scottmandue]

Dunno, I think the multiple needle thing would hurt like he11 but people do crazier things (branding)
The ink jet idea is interesting.
However I think the tattoo crowd is pretty esoteric and would prefer the old school ink shop over anything high tech.

On the other hand, I'm not a gambler but when I go to Vegas I notice more and more electronic games and fewer of the old school table games.

Only time will tell.

[HardDrive]

Originally Posted by M.D. Holloway

I think the days of human assisted single needle will become a thing of the past.

No offense Mike, but you clearly don't know anything about tattoo culture. People want to go to the shop. They want to have the interaction with the artist.

More to the point, I think its going to be a long while before a machine can do something like the photo below. New design that the gal who does mine came up with. Needle depth, pressure and the amount/color of ink are extremely important when doing shading. Add in the fact that peoples skin varies widely, and you are talking about a significantly more complex engineering feat. You would need a fully articulated arm that could keep track of its skin depth to within hundreds of an inch. Tattooing is a somewhat bloody, messy process, so the machine would also need to constantly clean the area.

[HardDrive]

My former boss's son owns his own shop. Check out this flower. Good luck getting a machine to do that.

[sc_rufctr]

IF they ever made a machine that could tattoo more efficiently (cheaper) the Bikies wouldn't be happy.

[cashflyer]

Mike - if you want to revolutionize the tattoo industry and really bring it to the masses, invent an ink that the body will completely degrade and absorb on a predictable timeline. You could have tattoos that are good for X years, and is absorbed and gone. That way granny isn't running around with a wrinkled butterfly on her waist level tits, and better yet, those 20-something kids won't be stuck regretting their youthful idiocy for the next 60 years.

It also means that bad art goes away, and the tattoo industry can tattoo that same patch of skin multiple times - because, you know... tattoos are cool.

[Nostril Cheese]

Originally Posted by M.D. Holloway

I thought of a device that could be even simpler. Tattooing (by human or machine) is done with one needle at a time. What if the image could be 'drawn' on the skin with hundreds of needles all at once? A micro-needle pad that would be placed on the skin and in one shot the ink is applied. Or maybe instead of a needle its a high pressure ink jet that is designed to penetrate the skin to a certain level?

There is far, far more to tattooing than just injecting ink into the skin.

[scottmandue]

Better yet create ink that changes color with your mood

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by Nostril Cheese

There is far, far more to tattooing than just injecting ink into the skin.

Exactly! I would have a ruler tattooed on my pecker by a big, inked-up lady with massive dangley boobs and dozens of piercings. And a mohawk. It's all about the experience.

[HardDrive]

And when was the last time you were in a top flight tattoo shop? Perhaps the cartoonish ideas you seem to have about the field are in need of a refresh.

Quote de Nostril Cheese

There is far, far more to tattooing than just injecting ink into the skin.

Exactly! I would have a ruler tattooed on my pecker by a big, inked-up lady with massive dangley boobs and dozens of piercings. And a mohawk. It's all about the experience.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by HardDrive

And when was the last time you were in a top flight tattoo shop? Perhaps the cartoonish ideas you seem to have about the field are in need of a refresh.

Apparently I've never seen a "top flight" tattoo shop. There don't seem to be any around here. I've only been exposed the the real ones that come and go in town. The last time I was in one was exactly February 20th when my friend asked me to go collect the rent the inked-up deadbeat who rents the space was supposed to have paid by the 1st. Perhaps the cartoonish ideas I have come from seeing actual random tattoo businesses without cherry picking the "top flight" ones you refer to.

[scottmandue]

I don't have any ink but thought of having a small memorial for my dear past brother done.
There is a shop here in town that has been established for a long time and is highly recommended.
I stopped in to price such a thing.
I kid you not a very nice young man that looked like he walked off the set of a 1950's sitcom (no pricings or visible ink) came out and talked to me.
{could be they sent the low key guy out to talk to the middle age dude shopping for a tat }
San Pedro & Long Beach were huge Navy towns and thus have a long history of tat parlors and dive bars.

[HardDrive]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

Apparently I've never seen a "top flight" tattoo shop. There don't seem to be any around here. I've only been exposed the the real ones that come and go in town. The last time I was in one was exactly February 20th when my friend asked me to go collect the rent the inked-up deadbeat who rents the space was supposed to have paid by the 1st. Perhaps the cartoonish ideas I have come from seeing actual random tattoo businesses without cherry picking the "top flight" ones you refer to.

I stand by what I said. I think your exposure to tattooing is very limited. The dirtball shops that open up in your quiet corner of central OH do not represent the industry.

[HardDrive]

btw, your idea of having a ruler put on one's manhood had already by done. I had just such a tattoo done. Although in my case, it was a micrometer. One has to do the best with what god gives us.

[VINMAN]

Originally Posted by Nostril Cheese

There is far, far more to tattooing than just injecting ink into the skin.

Originally Posted by HardDrive

No offense Mike, but you clearly don't know anything about tattoo culture. People want to go to the shop. They want to have the interaction with the artist.

Both very well put points. I have friends who have visited multiple, well established shops before deciding on which one to go with. People nowadays don't just walk in and say "gimmee that one hanging on the wall" ( like I did with a couple of my older ones...)

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by HardDrive

.....The dirtball shops that open up in your quiet corner of central OH do not represent the industry.

Oh god no.

I have a friend in NYC.

Traditional artist who had tattoos then got into doing them himself.

There is a lot of work out there that should be framed and hanging on a wall.

Stunning work some of these guys do.

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by HardDrive

btw, your idea of having a ruler put on one's manhood had already by done. I had just such a tattoo done. Although in my case, it was a micrometer. One has to do the best with what god gives us.

Reminds me of that old joke.

Guy goes into a bathroom and walks up to the urinal at the same time as a rastrafarian guy.

They both whip it out and first guy glances over and says, "hey, does that say Wendy? I have my girlfriends name tattooed on mine as well"

Rasta guy looks at him and says, "nah man, it say Welcome to Jamaica, have a nice day."

[M.D. Holloway]

[QUOTE=HardDrive;8529955]No offense Mike, but you clearly don't know anything about tattoo culture. People want to go to the shop. They want to have the interaction with the artist.

More to the point, I think its going to be a long while before a machine can do something like the photo below. New design that the gal who does mine came up with. ...QUOTE]

No offence taken. While I do know there is a certain culture associated with tattoos and the folks that get ink have certain romantic notion about the experience, I also know that the art form is really getting very popular and it seems like technology could work for the folks that want skin ink but aren't into the genre.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

I'm so glad I've always opted to waste my money on other things. I just don't get it at all.