How Airbrush Tattoos Work

Airbrush tattoos have been around since the late 1990s. First introduced at theme parks and events, they became a new and popular form of temporary body art. Innovation, creativity and appearance provide the artist with a detailed piece of body art that looks like a real tattoo.

They are done using paint on the skin not injected into the skin as are permanent tattoos. They are not dyes like henna tattoos nor are they ink like ball point pen art. They are not glued on like glitter tattoos, they are painted with a special air gun that applies the different colors with a special precision that allows the recipient to easily wash off or keep the body art.

Airbrush Tattoos

Airbrushes themselves are not a new concept and are used for many different purposes. Airbrushes were first created in 1893 and were used for different kinds of art and other hobby projects. They are now used on everything from cars to clothes. With the many advances in airbrushes and paint over the years, they have evolved for use on the skin.

These tools are delicate and require some training, so novices are discouraged from using them without some form of introduction and instruction.

The first step of getting an airbrush tattoo is selecting a design stencil pattern for your tattoo. The professional airbrush artist has many already created stencil designs to select from and some allow you to create your own. Once you select your design, the artist asks you to choose your colors. Some artists limit the number of colors used in the design, while others are more liberal. Keep in mind there may be an extra charge for extra colors. The next step is deciding where you'd like your design. Once these things are all decided, the artist goes to work and creates your beautiful airbrush tattoo. Once the design is completed, artists will apply a thin layer of powder or a finishing spray to help the design last longer.

History of Tattoos - Ancient Ink

Tattoos are a passionate topic today. People get tattoos for many reasons. Millions of variations have been applied and continue to be fashioned. But tattoos aren't a new craze. The history of tattoos is a novel, not a short story, and they've been here for a long time.

Oetzi The Iceman

Nobody can truly state just when the history of tattoos began. The most ancient recognized tattoo was exposed in 1991. It was found on a mummy named Oetzi, an Iceman dated to be not less than 5300 years old. His tattoos are comprised of horizontal and vertical lines. There is a certain amount of dispute as to the reason the tattoos are there.

Since discovering the remains, researchers have been able to do little but guess that this most primeval form of tattoo was for the purpose of fending off evil spirits, or that it might have been a certain type of rite-of-passage. The most widespread view is that the tattoos were designed for medicinal purposes.

Oetzi's fifty-seven tattoos are positioned on various joints of the body. The notion is that the tattoos were created as a type of acupuncture was applied to relieve tender joints. In the present day, the same locations are used for acupuncture. Additional ideas vary from social standing and ritual markings to ethnic inscription or just preference.