CHAPTER 4 During

 Before you even set the needles upon someone else's skin, you should have plenty of practice. Practice makes perfect. Here we will go step by step through your first tattoo. Before starting, ensure you've positioned yourself and the customer for maximum comfort. Let the customer change their position. 

if necessary, and adjust chairs to maximize comfort. First, grab the grip—which, as I've said, is preferably ergonomically designed. Place it in your hand as if you were drawing or painting. The bulk of the machine should be over the back of your hand. Place the palm of your hand on the skin, just as if you were sketching with a pencil. This is your bridge. Use your palm on the customer's skin to control, balance, swivel,  and turn the machine while following the map you made with the stencil. Learning to pivot and turn effectively is similar to a BMX biker practicing a new stunt or a mixed martial arts fighter working out a new combo. Then again, this comparison is valid, as the body artist's pivoting and turning effectively is an essential technique used every time a tattoo is done. In contrast, the biker or MMA guy can get along without a new stunt or combo. It's more like a  musician learning scales or a martial arts guy practicing blocks. Building a solid bridge takes time, kids. But that's also a  matter of interpretation. Let's say you need the practice to master the pivots and moves the palm and heel must make to control the machine. If you try to freehand without the support of the rest of your arm, you'll end up with shitty work. A strong bridge will allow the satisfied customer train to enter your side of town.

The tattooist must have enough elbow room to make the proper motions at the right angle. You must be at a forty-five-degree angle to correctly place the ink under the skin. If your slope is too extreme, the ink won't stay, and if it does stick around, it won't look right. At the other end of the spectrum, when you set your needles too deeply, your subject may experience pain and unnecessary bleeding. Scar surfaces may not allow the ink to stay in, so don't chop anyone up. Again, don't forget: if it's too shallow, the ink won't last. You'll eventually get in the habit of finding the depth through a combination of sound and feel. One way to confirm this is to check that the binding post spring saddle is at about two o'clock. Some hold the machines at about four o'clock. 

Taut skin is vital to achieving quality work. Compare it to a  painter working on a stretched canvas. You must be prepared to use your non–tattoo machine hand to keep the skin taut. If the skin is loose, your work is going to be shit. In popular areas, like an arm or a leg, put your hand on the underside of the arm or leg and pull the skin from the bottom to make it taut on the top. Please don't squeeze the arm, or you'll give yourself the illusion that the area is more significant than it is. Instead, pull with your fingers to make the skin tight. 

For big pieces, put your non–tattoo machine hand in the shape of a C with your four fingers at the top of the area that's getting worked on. Spread the site using your index and middle finger to pull up and your thumb to pull down. For a large piece, calling a friend to stretch the skin for you makes things easier, allowing you to focus on the size and scope of the overall project. This is rarely done, however. Most artists work in smaller areas. The bottom line is that tight skin is a must. 

Make it a habit to always keep a paper towel in hand opposite the one you use. Squirt the paper towel with surgical tincture green soap when using your shader. Constantly  wipe the area to see clearly what's going on; once the base of the outline has been applied. Use a dry paper towel while applying outlines to prevent losing lines from the stencil. 

The skin you're tattooing needs to be kept moist with a thin layer of petroleum jelly while working on it. Dip the tip of your machine-hand pinky in A+D ointment just about every time you dip for ink. You'll get in the habit of keeping the tattoo moist with that trusty little pinky. Use very little ointment while working. A little goes a long way. 

OK, the machine's running, and you are following the lines to a tee. Keep in mind that tattooing is much slower than drawing. Constantly supply Vaseline or A+D to every place you hit. Be sure to stretch the skin in the same direction the lines are going. Wipe the tip of the needle every so often to remove built-up blood, ink,  and ointment. Be careful to use the A-bar to depress the needle. Keep waste can line with a trash bag near your feet so you can safely and tidily throw stuff out. 

Avoid cross-contamination at all costs. If you touch something unsterile with gloved hands, change your gloves before proceeding. If you handle your sterile equipment with bare hands, sterilize or switch your equipment. Please don't forget to check your gloves frequently to ensure they haven't developed any pin holes or tears. Never, ever put anything other than your disposable items on the lap pad (plastic wrap and paper towels can be used as a  substitute) on which we set our inks and ointment. 

To keep the ink from splattering, consciously get in the habit of dabbing the tip of the tube on the paper towel. Please don't do this with the machine running; instead, manually depress the A-bar to protrude the needle and wipe it this way. If you must do it the other way, be careful! Understand the potential for needle stick injuries. 

I can't stress the importance of staying alert when performing body art. I also need to emphasize the discipline of getting out of your head while working. The fitness guru Tony Horton said it  best: "Turn off your mind and focus on the task at hand." My Sijo Khadi dubs it "flowing in the field." Be careful, but don't live in fear. Be loose, but get in "the gap" and stay there. Be aware of the sound. Once you touch the needle to the skin, the tattoo machine should have a lower sound, almost like it's muffled. If it still buzzes at a high rate, as it does when not on the skin, you need to turn the power down. Remember, taking a break can be beneficial for both customers and artists. If you're feeling wasted,  chill—then come back into the fray. Apple juice is a great pick-me-up to combat fatigue.