How To Print Tattoo Stencils Properly?

If you have never gotten a tattoo, you might wonder how to do tattoo artists trace a client’s design onto the skin? You might think that the artist takes the time to actually draw the image on the skin first before tattooing. But that is not it all! Instead, tattoo artists create stencils of the image and then print them.

So how to print tattoo stencils? If you are wondering if tattoo artists use a special kind of printer for these stencils, then you are correct. Tattoo shops have special printers to help reduce the time it takes to trace out the design. But the printer itself isn’t important in the stenciling, it is actually the paper that artists use that is very important. Come learn of the wonderful world of tattoo stencils, printers, and special papers!

Key Takeaways

• Tattoo stencils are used by tattoo artists to follow the outline of the tattoo when tattooing and have many benefits to it.
• While most tattoo shops use special stencil printers, it is possible to use a regular printer with the right paper.
• There are two types of tattoo transfer paper, one which is more old-school and the newer which makes clearer designs.
• You should know about the way you have to prep the skin before you apply the stencil.

Tattoo Stencils: Uses and Benefits

A stencil is where the tattoo artist creates the outline of the tattoo design that will be transferred to the client’s skin. The brilliant thing about stencils is that they are totally harmless and help a client see how the tattoo will look on their skin before actually getting the tattoo.

If you are not satisfied with the stenciling, you can ask your tattoo artist to change a specific part and re-print the design. For the old stencil on your skin, all you would have to do is rub it out and get the new one on your skin! It can be redone as many times as possible without having to worry about making mistakes so you can safely get stencils done and rub them out if you are not satisfied.

The other benefit of a stencil is that it will help the artist when they are tattooing. The stencil mark does not interfere with the tattooing as it can be rubbed out while you are getting your tattoo! It acts as the guideline for where the tattoo needles have to be placed and the artist can simply follow the lines to get your design tattooed. Only a few expert-level tattoo artists can do a freehand tattoo without the use of stencils. It helps to avoid mistakes when the tattooing is done.

Printing a Tattoo Stencil: 7 Steps for Regular Printers

While the stencils are fascinating, what is even more fascinating is how tattoo artists get them printed. Most shops don’t use your regular old printers for this. Instead, they use something known as stencil printers or stencil copiers.

Stencil printers or copiers

These are connected to a computer where a tattoo artist can use various software and applications to design the tattoo. Then all you will have to do is set the specific paper, such as thermal paper, hectograph transfer paper, or carbon transfer paper, into the stencil printer and print out the design once you are done!

For copiers, you will have to line up the paper after placing it inside by pulling on the yellow paper. The thermal paper will be placed on the back lid. Then you have to feed the design of your tattoo through the front and press copy on your copier and that is all there is to it!

Regular thermal printers

But could you use a regular old printer to help with designing the tattoo? Absolutely! While the stencil printer is good to produce accurate stencil designs, what matters the most is the paper that is used for the stencil itself. The papers I have mentioned above are easy ways to transfer the stencil from the print to the skin, which is why they are used.

So here are the steps that you need to follow to use a regular thermal printer to set your stencil design. Remember to use tattoo paper when you are getting your stencil printed.

1. Connecting printer: Connect your printer to your computer and open the design that you want to stencil.
2. Remove the brown paper: When taking out the thermal paper, take out the brown “onion” paper in between the layer.
3. Placing the tattoo paper: Place the tattoo paper where you would have the placed regular white paper. Make sure that it fits into your printer. The white side of the tattoo paper should face the head of the printer so you know that is the side that will receive the ink.
4. Drying the paper: Once your stencil is printed, leave it to dry. This is to make sure that the ink is completely dried before using it to avoid smudging the stencil.
5. Cut out the stencil: Make sure to cut out the stencil, leaving at least 1 inch of space on the sides to make the removal easier. Do not cut the inside parts of the stencil.
6. Applying on skin: This is the part where you will be transferring the stencil to the skin. Apply a transfer solution which can be a cream or liquid and then stick the stencil on the skin. If you don’t have a transfer solution, then use a non-fragrance stick deodorant and apply a thin layer over the skin.
7. Removing the stencil: Place the design down and smooth it over the skin so that it is sticking properly. Let it stay there for 15 to 20 minutes before removing the stencil and you have your stencil on the skin!

The tricky part of using a regular printer to print your stencils is that not all printers will support the papers that you need. Thermal paper is thicker than normal paper so your printer might not be able to print with them. That is why it is important to test out a paper first before doing your actual design.

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Tattoo Transfer Paper Types

While you can use a regular printer to print out your stencils, what is essential is the paper you are printing it out on. There are mainly two types of tattoo transfer paper that are considered the industry standards during their individual eras; the old hectograph transfer paper and the newer thermal transfer paper.

Hectograph transfer paper

Hectograph papers were some of the first tattoo papers that were used to help with the stenciling of tattoo designs. These are known as carbon paper, where the transfer of the design is done through a carbon imprint. They typically have 3 layers. The top layer is where the design is drawn, the bottom layer becomes the stencil, and the middle layer prevents the two from coming into contact.

Good for:

• Freehand designs
• Relatively easy to draw on

Bad for:

• Needing a dot matrix printer
• Cannot be used in thermal printers

Thermal transfer paper

Thermal paper has become the darling of the tattoo industry for tattoo stenciling. It is made of 4 layers. The top layer is white where the image is transferred. The layer underneath this is usually thrown away when you are printing. The ink layer, which was purple before the S8’s red stencil paper, is what transfers the ink to the skin. The bottom yellow layer is there to hold the paper in place when using a stencil copy printer.

Good for:

• Clear crisp image
• Can be used on any thermal printer

Bad for:

• Not for freehand drawing

Preparing the Skin to Apply Tattoo Stencil: 7 Tips

When you are done printing out the tattoo stencil, there is something that you will need to do to your skin in preparation for applying the stencil. So here are some tips for you to know about preparing the skin.

• Determine where to put your stencil. It might help to stand up so that the stencil is not stretched later.
• Shave in the natural direction of the hair
• Wash with green antibacterial soap and disinfect the area; leave it to dry.
• Apply the transfer solution after washing the skin and letting it dry.
• Try to avoid using stick deodorant as it is not a good sticking application.
• Smooth over the stencil with a warm towel to speed up the process.
• Wear tattoo gloves.

FAQs

Can tracing paper be used to make tattoo stencils?

Many artists use tracing paper to do a freehand drawing of the tattoo design but it might not be the best paper to be used to print out the actual stencil.

What is the best ink to use for tattoo stencils?

Any ink that is heat-dried. These are made to withstand the heat of thermal printers and help to dry with the help of heat.

How long will the stencil last on the skin?

The stencil can last anywhere between 1 to 2 weeks, where some might last even more. But it is important to note that it will last that long only if you don’t wash that area!

Final Thoughts

Stenciling is an important part of the tattooing process. It helps to show you how the design will look on your skin before you start tattooing. With the help of stencil printers, you can get a very accurate representation of the outline of your tattoo without getting the tattoo done! The stencil will help the tattoo artist during the tattooing process and will not interfere with it. Special printers are not needed, the only thing you will need is thermal paper so that you can get the clearest stencil that will be placed on your tattoo. Without the help of printers, it would have been a longer and more time-consuming process to stencil your tattoo!

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