Whether you are just beginning or an experienced tattoo artist, a template printable tattoo stencil can help hone your craft. These allow you to store designs you create in advance before printing them out as needed.
Templates
Template printable tattoo stencils can save time and effort when it comes to tattoo design practice and be used as an easy way to prepare designs before applying them to natural skin. Create your stencils either by hand or use a thermofax machine to print them out. At its core, stencils must be constructed of high-grade paper for durability and to prevent them from quickly fading onto skin surfaces when being transferred onto them. Tattoo stencils are essential to the process, providing steady guidance that ensures designs move flawlessly across the skin. As such, paying close attention and ensuring the transfer goes as smoothly as possible is paramount.
Hectograph Paper
Template printable tattoo stencils can help clients transfer designs onto the skin without errors or complications and see what their tattoos will look like on them and where to place them. Tattoo artists typically use two forms of stencil paper: hectograph and thermal transfer. Hectograph is an older carbon paper variety, having been around for roughly 200 years. Hectograph paper features two layers for drawing purposes; the upper layer can be used to trace your design, while its lower layer embeds carbon when your drawing tools press upon it. Furthermore, there’s a protective tissue between these layers which must be removed before beginning drawing. Hectograph paper is an old-fashioned but still commonly utilized method for creating stencils. While simple and user-friendly, hectograph paper may lead to messy results with inaccuracy issues.
Thermal Paper
Thermal paper is an innovative type of printing paper that uses heat to transfer images to other sheets quickly and efficiently, making it the ideal solution for businesses to issue receipts promptly and efficiently. Tattoo artists can use thermal printers to quickly generate stencils from computer-generated images and ensure the design remains correct, even if mistakes arise during production. This method helps speed up their process while guaranteeing that everything stays in line. The thermal paper also dries quickly, enabling easy removal from the skin without fear of it smudging or fading. Special thermal or hectograph carbon paper must be purchased to print a tattoo stencil. These sheets are small and portable, making them great for on-the-go tattoo artists; furthermore, they’re easy to use and compatible with various thermal printers.
Tracing Paper
Tracing paper is an indispensable resource for draftsmanship, tracing, and drawing. Available as rolls, sheets, or pads of transparent paper. Tattoo artists typically trace designs on transfer paper using tracing pens and stencil fluid to replicate them repeatedly without damaging the original drawing. This method also helps them avoid ruining any parts of an original sketch that multiple revisions of tracings have already erased. An ideal tracing paper should be constructed from a short fibered piece resistant to water and polar solvents and coated with reversible lining adhesive for easy lining up of its edges. This procedure ensures that stenciled designs are applied accordingly to ensure the design transfers to a customer’s skin in its correct orientation. Otherwise, they could end up looking backward after the application! Start your tracing process by taping your design sheet securely to a piece of tracing paper – this will keep the form from shifting around, enabling you to trace accurately.
