Finding one spot has all kinds of places is hard when it comes to gathering information. The equipment and the supplies needed change according to the ‘apparatus’ we use in the industry but when we are stuck in the wormholes of an ever-changing and ever-evolving industry it is hard to keep track.
So, to make things easier, here is everything you need to have, from rotary tattoo machines to needles, when it comes to opening up a tattoo place.
(limited to equipment)
An overview
- Sterilization equipment
- Needle supplies
- Ink supplies
- Guiding supplies
- Machine and tools
The Supplies
- Sterilization equipment
Sterilisation plays a key role when handling a tattoo store or place. Even if you are just experimenting. Things can go seriously wrong if the needle has any sort of bacteria on it or the ink is contaminated, and especially if the skin area has not been disinfected.
When handling needles and customers, their happiness must be your uber one priority. It is important that customers are given the guide on how to tend to these wounds and the process.
- Razors,
- bandages,
- spray bottles and
- vaseline
- Sanitizers
- Medical alcohol
These are just some of the tattoo supplies essential to carry out the inking process. Making sure all the basics are covered means there should be no risk to the customer’s safety or their healing process.
- Needle supplies
To work with tattoos it is important to know if you have the right needle for the job. Different types of tattoos require different needle calibres. To work with large areas using a needle grouping would be your best option. Look into these beforehand and make the costing.
Here’s a basic list of the different types of needles:
- Round tattoo needles
- Flat tattoo needles
- Magnum tattoo
- Waved magnum needles
- Stacked magnum needles
- round/curved magnum needles
Needle cartridges are also essential!
Tattoo needle cartridges are speciality needles that are only used by certain machines.
- Ink supplies
The quality of the ink the artist uses speaks out what the final product will look like, so bad ink, bad picture. Look into good quality and safe ink for customers. Always test out the ink before use to make sure your customers do not have any allergic reactions.
There are a range of colours an artist can choose from and the more colors they own the more detailed they can go into their creations.
- Guiding supplies
These supplies also include stencils used by the artists, they help shape out the work a customer requires.
I have saved the most important for the last!
- Machines and equipment
You can’t create art without the machine!
Do not skip out on quality when it comes to machines, these are used to draw needles into the skin and must be given high attention. This equipment will be pricey when purchasing but remember, it is an investment and with the right care and love after the initial purchase, you’ll have it for a very long time.
Test out your styles and see if a coil or a rotary machine is more your personality.
