Tattoo guns are specialized instruments that usually use custom made needles to puncture the epidermis (the outer layer of your skin) and apply the tattoo ink in the top few layers of your skin.

The best tattoo artists use to make their own needles by joining one or more small needles together in the shape and the design that will be most effective for the area of the tattoo they are working on.

But the increase in popularity of tattoos has made it profitable for companies to manufacture the groups of needles pre-made, pre-packaged and sterilized. This makes it easier for the tattoo artist to change needle type at will to better match your design.

For example if they are doing a bold border from the original tattoo stencil they might use a group of five needles in a circular group that will leave a broad line in one pass instead of doing three or four passes to create the bold line. Then when it comes to the color fill for the tattoo they will switch to a group of four or five needles side by side to give the most coverage in one pass. How often the change the type of needle depends on the artist you are working with but it never hurts to ask before they start.

The average tattoo gun works at variable speeds that the tattoo artist will adjust to fit his needs and the design needs. They can usually be set to make between 50 and 3000 strikess per minute.

The depth of the needles is also adjustable by the tattoo artist but usually it just punctures the surface of the skin. This puncture isn’t that deep it might cause a little bleeding but it is more like getting a scratch from something like rubbing against tree bark then it is like being stabbed. Diabetics that have to test their blood sugar have to puncture 3 to 4 times as deep to get the single drop they need for their tests.

The tattoo artist will usually start by creating a transfer from a stencil that provides the outline and dark definition lines of the design. Then this transfer will be applied to the area that the tattoo will end up on. He will then draw in the outline with the tattoo gun.

Depending on the size of your tattoo and the artists’ personal preferences they will either start filling in the colors right after the outline is finished or they will let the outline set up for a day or two and have you come back to finish the coloring.

The tattoo guns have special tips that have special reservoirs to hold the ink. The reservoirs hold the ink and supply it evenly with each trust of the needles. The tattoo artist fills the reservoir by dipping it in the pre-mixed ink.

They will usually change the reservoir with the change of ink color to ensure the even distribution of the ink.

But remember it can take between 6 and 20 sessions to get the tattoo totally removed.  It depends on the age, the ink, the ink color and how deep it was put on.

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The history of the Celtic people dates back thousands of years and they were well know for their skills as warriors metal works and on a more civilized side they created artwork and jewelry.

Through the passage of time the Celtic people established symbols to represent themselves and their lifestyle. The most common of these is the Celtic Cross that is worn by their ancestors throughout Europe and North America.

The Celtic symbols have been passed down over the years but there is no real written history about the Celtic people, just vague references and the artwork they left behind. As time has passed the wearing of Celtic crosses and jewelry has faded from the general public but tattooing has brought the tradition back to life with the famous Celtic cross tattoos and other popular Celtic designs.

Trinity College in Ireland, has probably the most comprehensive collection of Celtic Manuscripts and designs. It is from these that most Celtic tattoos are derived.

Celtic knot tattoos feature a design that creates an endless loop that symbolizes the on going saga of life and death, in constant repeat. Even though most of the Celtic knots are never ending some people add an end and quite often these ends have end that are heads, tail and feet. This effect is said to symbolize a spiral.

Those who are from a Celtic descent, Irish, Scots, or Welsh, normally find a Celtic tattoo to be a great way to express their heritage pride. These tattoos help to reestablish pride, and give tribute to one’s ancestors. The tattoos aren’t easy to do, most taking several hours. Unlike other tattoo designs, Celtic tattoos are among the hardest designs in the world.

If you are from a Celtic descent and have decided to get a Celtic tattoo, the first thing to do is find an artist capable of doing the tattoo. The designs are very difficult and not all tattoo artists can do them. You really want to make sure you have the artist original stencil when you get a Celtic Tattoo. You can find designs like this at Tattoo Johnny It’s always best to find a tattoo artist who has a background in Celtic designs, as this will ensure the tattoo is done correctly. The artist who does the tattoo needs to have an eye for detail and exact line placement – which is a skill that not all tattoo artists possess.

So, you are getting your first tattoo?

Do you know everything you should know before you get one?

We have the information that covers everything you need to know about getting your tattoo and as you can see there is a lot of good content on this site.

A little about how these pages will work. We have the search available on the top right hand side put in your keyword and see what turns up. You can also use the newest info and category sections on the right and there will be links in the text that will take you to more information. If you see some words that are blue links you can click on them for more information about that topic.

Below is just a quick overview of a few things that you should consider before you get your tattoo.

Remember a tattoo is permanent (more or less).

Tattoo removal options are limited. Yes, they have laser removal, balms and acids that will remove your tattoo but it usually still leaves a remnant of the tattoo (a slight difference in the skin color where the tattoo was). Your best bet is to make sure you have a design that you will want for the rest of our life.

Never get a tattoo under pressure.

This means if your boyfriend, girlfriend, wife, husband or anybody else is pushing you to get a tattoo DON’T DO IT unless you are positive that you want the tattoo. You are the one that will have to live with it.

Avoid putting a name in your tattoo design.

I hate to say it but unless you are putting your name or the name of a family member like a parent, sibling or child, you don’t want to put a name in your tattoo design. The reason for this is that you might think you are going to be with that person forever. Everyone that gets married thinks this, but more then half of marriages end in divorce! Then you are left with a reminder of a time that isn’t always a pleasant experience.

Ask questions about your tattoo artist or studio.

There is information you need to know about your tattoo artist and/or studio. How long have they been in business, do they have a guarantee?

Free Tattoo Designs

There are a lot of places that you can get free tattoo designs from. A key point here is to make sure that you get an stencil and color reference for the design. The better the quality of the stencil the better the tattoo. If you can get the artist original stencil instead of having one copied by your local tattoo artist you should end up with a much better tattoo.