Before Getting a Tattoo, Consider These Cool and Trendy Tattoo Alternatives

The Permanency and Process of a Traditional Tattoo Can Be Scary

I don't like needles but I love the idea of getting body art or skin decoration. I'm also not too thrilled about the permanency of a 'needle' tattoo I might hate down the road. Have you priced tattoo removal processes lately? The cost of tattoo removal is at least 3 times as much as getting the tattoo! After doing some research, I discovered some fantastic alternatives for body art and I'm going to give those a shot (no pun intended) way before I jump into the nearest tattoo parlor.

Tattoo Alternative #1: The Natural Beauty of Henna Tattoos

Henna tattoos have been making a comeback and I can certainly understand why. The dried and pulverized Henna Plant Lawsonia Inermis is made into a paste and applied to skin treated first with mehlabiya oil. The paste is then applied to the skin using a stencil design.

Henna tattoo stencils come in an incredible variety of designs and can be reused. In fact, once the paste dries after an hour or two, the paste can be reapplied 2-3 more times to intensify the color to a deep brown or nearly black. If the paste is used just for a single time, is dried and removed, the color continues to deepen to a rusty-orange or reddish tone. It reminds me of self-tanning lotion in that respect.

The application of Henna tattoos does not require licensing and is considered safe for all skin types (outside of those who have an allergic reaction to Henna). Henna tattoos can last up to 4 weeks with care not to scrub the area and protect the tattoo with Vaseline in chlorinated water.

Kits range in price but the average cost for a henna kit, which includes the paste, stencil(s) and other needed supplies is under $20. In fact, one bottle of Henna dye can create about 25 mid-size tattoos.

Tattoo Alternative #2: Body Piercings

Yes, we're pretty much aware of umpteen holes in earlobes and ear cartilage, nose, tongue, lips, eyebrow, and belly button rings. However, the days of face piercings have gone by the wayside as more employers have increased bans on wearing this 'distracting and unprofessional' body art to work. The great thing about piercings, though, is that the jewelry can be removed (or changed) on demand. My only issue with body piercings is the healing time which varies considerably, depending on the area being pierced:

• Ear lobe 6 to 8 weeks
• Ear cartilage 4 months to 1 year
• Eyebrow 6 to 8 weeks
• Nostril 2 to 4 months
• Nasal septum 6 to 8 months
• Nasal bridge 8 to 10 weeks
• Tongue 4 weeks
• Lip 2 to 3 months
• Nipple 3 to 6 months
• Navel 4 months to 1 year
• Female genitalia 4 to 10 weeks
• Male genitalia 4 weeks to 6 months

I do worry about infection with body piercings - but not quite as much as with a traditional tattoo that might be hard to reach (as on the back of a shoulder) to keep clean and bandaged.

Tattoo Alternative #3: Temporary Tattoos

Now, temporary tattoos just might be the ticket and best choice of all as a traditional tattoo alternative. Temporary tattoos are made on special paper and coated with special silicon. Once wet and placed on an area of the body for a minute or so, the colored "tattoo" design 'slides off' and is transferred to the skin.

Similar to Henna tattoos, temporary tattoos can last up to about 4 weeks if taken care of: no scrubbing, scratchy clothing, or rubbing against them. Also, like Henna tattoos, temporary tattoos are safe (children get them in bubble-gum machines all the time) and have become as sophisticated as traditional tattoos - without needles and permanency.

What gets truly fun about temporary tattoos is that you can design your own - online - for little more than a ready-made temporary tattoo design.

Tattoo Alternatives Wrap-Up

So, celebrate an occasion, speak your mind, dare to be different! Try out some of these alternative tattoo ideas and have fun adorning your body in a new way. Invite your friends for a "Happy Henna Day" or design and order some custom tattoos for the bridesmaids in a wedding. Think outside the box.

"Alternative tattoos" are trendy, different, and can be taken off or out if you don't want to live with them for the rest of your life.

Tattoo Stencil Paper

When you are a tattoo artist, nothing is as important as getting the designs your customers want right. Permanent mistakes can ruin you as a credible artist. The tool most often used by professional tattoo artist to make sure the designs are right is tattoo stencil paper. Read on to learn how it works and where you can get it.

Tattoo stencil paper is a very useful tool for the tattoo artist. Its purpose is to transfer designs temporarily onto skin in order to use as a guide for the tattoo. There are a couple of different kinds of tattoo stencil paper, but most work in the same way. The design is either printed or drawn onto the stencil paper using a special transferable pencil or ink. The paper is then pressed onto the skin to transfer the image. The image can then be traced in order to ensure a perfect tattoo.

Why should you use tattoo stencil paper? Perhaps you think you don’t really need stencil paper. But mistakes are possible, even with very experienced tattoo artists. Perhaps the design wasn’t effectively communicated by the customer. If you use tattoo stencil paper, the customer has a chance to view the design before anything permanent is done. This also allows the customer to be sure they like the design and where it is going to be located.

Now that you know about tattoo stencil paper and why it is such a valuable tool, where can you purchase it? Tattoo stencil paper is usually available at any tattoo supply store, whether online or retail. There are different kinds of tattoo stencil paper available as well as tattoo stencil pencils and ink. Consider trying a few different kinds in order to see what styles you prefer.

Helpful Tips For Finding Your Perfect Tattoo Design

Once you have decided that you want a tattoo and have found the artist that you are going to use then the next stage is to decide on the particular tattoo design that you want. This is where the hard work really starts but it can also be a lot of fun looking at all of the possibilities. Of course, the type of artwork that you select for your tattoo is very much a personal choice but there are some that are more common than others. For example, a rose or butterfly tattoo pattern is always popular with women. These sexy adornments are often discretely placed on the back of the shoulder, top of the thigh, close to the navel or other area of the body that is not normally exposed. Men may prefer a larger Celtic tattoo design that may be a cross tattoo or a more complex Celtic band that wraps around the upper arm. The choice of designs is endless and finding the right tattoo design may seem a daunting task but there are a number of sources of inspiration available to help you.

The Internet is a good place to start your search as it is full of websites relating to body art. There are a number of sources of free tattoo design samples available. These can vary greatly in terms of size and complexity. Some of the tattoo design examples will be shown after the work has been performed for a client, while others may just be the tattoo design itself. You will also find a large number of sites that have a tattoo gallery with pictures that are copyrighted and you will need to purchase a copy before you can use it. Obviously, the cost will depend on the size and complexity of the design but it is also affected by the popularity of the actual artist. A tattoo design from a star tattoo artist who has celebrity clients will obviously cost more than one from a lesser known one. People often want to have the same body art as their favorite movie star, singer, sports star or other celebrity and this demand is reflected in the cost.

Your chosen tattoo parlor is also a good source of inspiration for designs. After all, this is where you are going to have your artwork done. You will see hundreds of designs on display in the window and on the walls. It is worth bearing in mind that these may not be the work of the tattoo artist who runs the tattoo shop and may actually be examples of another artist's work. A tattoo design that has been printed onto a piece of paper or card is known as a tattoo flash. These were originally unique hand drawn designs created by the artist himself and used to promote his work to potential customers. Also, many artists will also have a portfolio of their designs with photographs of them after they have been completed for a customer. Nowadays the Internet has led to many tattoo artists creating multiple copies of their designs and selling them to other professionals and customers. This means that the shop's artist may not be able to recreate the tattoo design exactly but can use it as the basis for your own unique piece of artwork.