A

A & D® (ointment):
A highly recommended product for the healing of new tat
toos. This is an ointment that contains vitamins A & D, hence
the name.

Aftercare:
1) The phase of the tattoo immediately after its complete.
2) The care you give your tattoo after it is applied.

Air Gap:
Is the measurement on a tattoo machine between the centre
of the front coil core and the Armature-bar. The air gap
determines the working stroke length of a tattoo machine.

Angle of Attack A.o.A.:
Sounds cool don’t it, Angle of Attack. This is the same as
Throw but it sounds more menacing. And I’m a big fan of
menacing. Every thing you should know about Angle of
Attack is discussed in the Arm Reach section.

Analogous:
Those colours which are closely related in hue. They are
adjacent to each other on the colour wheel. Any group of
three like yellow, orange and read for example.

Antimicrobial:
An agent capable of destroying or slowing disease-bearing
microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, algae, fungi, protozoa,
etc.).

Applicator:
Includes single-use, disposable spatula or similar device

Apprentice:
Someone who is learning to tattoo

Armature Bar:
Refers to the armature bar in the machine. The weight of the
bar is indicated as lightweight, mid-weight or heavyweight.
The weight of the armature bar, in conjunction with the
springs, also determines the machine's speed. The weight of
the armature bar also affects the force with which the
machine hits.

Arm reach:
This is the measurement from the spring pivot point to the tip
of the Armature bar. Don’t include the nipple when you
measure. If you look at the picture you will notice that the
Throw will increase the further out you extend the Armature
bar. Because of manufacturing standards a Machine will
have to be custom built to accommodate a longer Arm
Reach. As you will pass the tube vise if you extend it out too
far. However if you cut the vise off your machine with a
rotary tool, and add one of those replacement vises some of
the suppliers sell, you can extend it out a little further. You
may have to drill new holes in the replacement vise or even
better, oval them to allow adjustments. If you start extend
ing the Arm Reach out too far you will need a longer
Armature bar and a longer rear spring also. This alteration
will increase the Throw or Angle of Attack without adjusting
rear spring tension or point gap. Please remember that once
you cut your vise off that’s it, it’s gone forever. This doesn’t
matter if you have one of those older crappy vises.

Art:
What your tattoo should be. Why do some people spend
more time picking out their wall art then they do their body
art?

Autoclave:
An autoclave is basically a high-quality, regulated pressure
cooker. Used tubes and needle bars can be placed in the
autoclave and brought to a very high temperature to kill
bloodborne pathogens and bacterial agents. Equipment that
is properly sterilized is safe to be used repeatedly.

B

Backroom:
The name that professional tattoo artist refers to where ama
teur tattoo artists work. (see scratcher)

Baikaboku:
Baikaboku is the Japanese reference to black outline ink for
tattooing, which is made the soot from cooking oil. The ink
for calligraphy, which is made from the soot of resin, is not
suitable for tattooing, primarily because the color does not
last long.

B.C.E.:
Before the Common Era. The proper academic term for
before the time 0 C.E.

Blackwork:
A tattoo done only in shades of black and grey.

Blood borne Pathogen:
Pathogenic micro-organisms are present in human blood
and can cause disease in humans. These pathogens include,
but are not limited to, hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C
virus (HCV) and human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV).

Bloodline
A technique where the artist tattoos using only water (no ink) to create a permanent, raised scar-like outline.

Blowback:
When ink from the sanitary tube travels back into the tube,
onto the needle-bar and eventually rests upon the nipple,
splattering the coils.

Blowout:
A mistake where ink is pushed too deep into the fat layer of the skin, causing the lines to look blurry or "spread out."

Body:
SEE CANVAS

Bodysuit:
Complete coverage of the body with tattoos.

Bokashi
Fading of black to grey shading in Tebori tattooing.

Bold:
A design that makes a strong graphic statement.

Body Piercer:
Any person who performs body piercing.

Body Piercing:
The creation of an opening in the human body for the pur
pose of inserting jewellery or another decoration. This
includes but is not limited to, piercing of an ear, lip, tongue,
nose or eyebrow. Body piercing does not, for the purpose of
this code, include piercing the leading edge or earlobe of the
ear with a sterile, disposable, single-use stud or solid needle
that is applied using a mechanical device to force the needle
or stud through the ear.

By Appointment Only:
Translation: Don't just show up at the studio.

C

Cartridge:
A pre-assembled needle housing used primarily with rotary and pen-style machines for quick swapping.

Coils:
The electromagnetic components of a traditional tattoo machine that create the "buzzing" sound and drive the motor.

Contact Screw:
The adjustable screw on a coil machine that completes the electrical circuit.

Call Ahead:
An important step if your artist works by appointment only.

Canvas:
The client.

Carbon paper
Carbon paper is similar to the flimsy purple paper found in receipt books which allows the writing on the receipt, to be transferred onto a duplicate receipt for tax purposes or personal records.

Carve:
Scary slang for tattooing.

C.E.
Common Era. The proper academic term for before the time after 0 C.E.

Contact size:
The size that allows the image to be tattooed on straight
without the need of enlargening it or reducing it.

Cool colours:
Cool colours are yellow/green, green, blue/green, blue, blue
violet, violet. Cool colours tend to assist in the illusion of
recession.

Celtic tattoo:
A Celtic design or tattoo is a pattern, usually a series of
knots that are derived from Irish culture.

Clean:
1) A technically perfect tattoo. (Solid line work and color)
2) Sanitary

Cleaning:
A process of removing dirt and reducing the number of
micro-organisms from the surface of an object by a process
such as washing in detergent

Cling-on:
A Cling-on is the tattoo industries equivalent to the music
industries groupie phenomena. Cling-ons are the people
who hang out at tattoo studios, kiss the tattoo artists arses
and generally want to feel like they belong to the studio.

Coagulant
Blood thickening agent. Coagulation is when the blood thick
ens (clots) to block up a wound.

Coil gap:
This is the distance between the top of the forward coil to the
bottom of the Armature Bar. The Coil Gap is measured either
at the front or center of the forward coil core, the choice is
yours. Coil Gap is not always the same as Point Gap.
Because of rear spring tension, the forward spring can flex a
little when it is in the relaxed position.

Color:
Perky pigments. (see also Solid)

Color contamination:
When darker colors are mixed into needle holes after light
colors already have been because of the incorrect order of
coloring operations.

Colour mixing:
All colours can be changed by adding another colour. With
tattooing, there are some colour rules.

Complimentary colour:
Colours which are directly opposite each other on the colour
wheel, like red and green are for example.

Contact reach:
This is the measurement from the Spring Pivot Point to the
tip of the contact screw. If you change the Contact Reach
you affect how fast the Machine runs. The shorter the
Contact reach the faster the Machine will run. Cutback liners
have a small contact reach this is why they run fast. The rea
son the speed is affected is the front spring is stiffer the fur
ther back you go. When you have the contact point touching
at the extreme end, like the Machine in the photo, the spring
is softer so it will run slower. Cutback Machines also use a
short Point Gap and because of the longer Arm Reach com
pared to the short Contact Reach the Machine has a longer
Throw or Angle of Attack. Which results in penetration along
with the speed.

Contaminated:
Means the presence or reasonably anticipated presence of
blood, other body fluids on a surface or in or on an item.

Contaminated Waste:
Means any contaminated material used in tattooing, perma
nent cosmetics or body piercing that is to be disposed of.

Copycat tattooist:
Copycat tattooist or a tattooist, is different than a tattoo
artist. A copycat tattooist is basically just an average some
one who is just technically proficient enough in tattooing to
tattoo, but they primarily just trace and copy other peoples
tattoo designs, instead of creating their own art as well as
custom tattoo art.

Cosmetic tattooing:
The process by which cosmetics are applied permanently
through a process of implanting the colored pigment into the
dermis layer of skin.

Coverup:
A new, hopefully better, tattoo that gets placed over an exist
ing and unwanted one.

Cross contamination:
The spreading of germs, bacteria and/or disease by carrying
them from an infected area to a non-infected area.

Custom:
A tattoo designed especially for you

Cutback Frame:
A cutback frame means the hole for the front binding post is
set further back and usually hangs a little lower than on a
standard machine. This means, because the fulcrum point is
further back, you can have a smaller point gap and still have
a large air gap allowing for a fast running machine with a
long throw.

Derma-graphics:
1) Skin design. Derma, meaning skin and graphic meaning
design.
2) Fancy name for tattooing.
3) Art on the skin

Dettol®:
An effective concentrated disinfectant that kills bacteria and
germs. A safe alternative to using deodorant to put on sten
cils and transfers.

Disinfection:
The process of eliminating all micro-organisms except bac
terial spores.

Dime width for a liner:
See Nickel width for a shader:

Doe den tap toe:
which means “turn off the taps”, or in other words, “lights out
for soldiers”, or “for pub owners to stop serving booze”.

Done:
What you really want to hear the tattoo artist say after you
spent a few hours getting tattooed.

Dr. Bonners® soap:
Dr Bonners soaps are made of all-natural ingredients, and
won't hurt the environment. They are bio-degradable and
gentle for delicate skin. Dr. Bonners soap is an ideal natural
replacement for using deodorants to apply stencils and
transfers.

Duty Cycle:
Is the relationship of the time the contact points on a tattoo
machine remain closed, compared to how long the contact
points remain open. The measurement is of the closed con
tact time, as a percentage.

E

Edo
Edo is the old name for Tokyo as well as the name for a peri
od in Japan’s history.

Electromagnet:
An electric current flowing through a wire produces a mag
netic field. Coiling the wire produces a stronger magnetic
field. Coiling it around a soft iron core increases the effect;
raising the current or the number of coils increases it further.
Electromagnets are based on this simple principle.
A basic electromagnet can be constructed around a long car
riage bolt. Almost any iron core will work, including a large
nail, but the bolt is simpler to work with. Screw a nut on to
the end of the bolt so that there are two stops on either end,
the nut and the head of the bolt itself. Wrap a piece of paper
around the bolt between the nut and head and tape in place.
Leaving a foot or so free, coil an insulated wire around the
length of the bolt, between the head and the nut. Once the
end is reached, coil the wire back to the other end. Repeat
until there are several layers. The free ends of the wire
should be at opposite ends of the bolt. Tape the wire so that
it stays in place. Leaving a foot or so free, cut the wire off at
the end. Strip the insulation off the ends of the wires. When
the wires are attached to a battery (dry cell), the electric cur
rent around the wire and bolt will form a magnetic field. Don't
use it too long, as the battery will drain very quickly.

Epidermis:
The outer layer of the skin.

Explosions:
Splotchy, uneven lines in a tattoo.

F

Flash:
Pre-drawn tattoo designs displayed on shop walls or in books for customers to choose from.

Freehand:
Drawing the design directly onto the skin with a marker instead of using a printed stencil.

Fresh:
A brand-new tattoo that hasn't started the peeling or healing process yet.

Fall Out:
Rapid Fading, usually of color, of a new tattoo due
to improper application. (see scratcher)Fall out can also
refer to the fading of any tattoo. Besides improper applica
tion, the usual cause is age, or improper aftercare. It can
also occur when a tattoo is placed on a body part that does
not hold ink well, i.e. inside lip, bottom of foot.

Fineline:
A tattoo done single needle style. Does not have the heavy
black outline of traditional tattoo work.

Flash:
1) Pre-drawn designs that often hang on the walls of a tattoo
shop.
2) Drawings designed for the use of creating tattoos.

Free-hand/ing:
Free-hand/ing is drawing or tattooing without either any ref
erence material or registration marks.

Fineline:
A tattoo done with a single needle. Does not have the heavy
black outline of traditional tattoo work.

G

Grommet (Nipple): The small rubber piece that connects the needle bar to the armature bar, providing stability and cushioning.

Gloves:
Disposable medical style hand wear that should be used by tattooist during the tattoo installation.

Glycerin:
(See USP Glycerine) Green soap: It should be a natural soap made from pure vegetable oils and glycerin and 30% alcohol. Use for cleaning, preventing friction and applying the stencil or transfer.

Gun:
Some ignorant person's name for a tattoo machine. (Also a tool that assists in bill collection.)

H

Holidays: Small gaps or missed spots in the color or shading of a healed tattoo.

Haida
Native American group centered in the Queen Charlottes
High Energy:
"New Style" tattooing, often based on classic comic graphic
styles, but can refer to any tattoo work that is bold and col
orful.

Holmes:
An affectionate form of greeting used by a small group of tat
too artists.

Holidays:
Skips (bare patches) in the colour of a tattoo.

Hori
In Japanese, Hori is prefix to a Japanese tattoo artists name.

Horimono
The polite word given to tattooing in Japan.

Hectographic marker:
Aka: skin scribe aka surgical marker - A marker containing
hypo-allergenic ink used by the medical profession and tat
tooists.

High Energy:
"New Style" tattooing, often based on classic comic graphic
styles, but can refer to any tattoo work that is bold and col
orful.

Holmes:
An form of greeting term. What up Holmes? = Hey, how are
you?

Holidays:
Skips (bare patches) in the color of a tattoo.

Hue:
Used to designate the common name of a colour.

I

Idiot:
Someone who gets tattooed by a scratcher.

Infection control:
The process of minimizing the risks of spreading infection
while providing tattooing and body piercing procedures to
clients.

Infectious waste:
Includes all waste, which is known to be or could potentially
be contaminated with disease-causing bacteria or viruses
and which presents a recognized infectious hazard to waste
disposal workers and to the environment if appropriate pre
cautions are not used.

Ink:
The pigments placed into the skin during the tattoo process.
Instrument:
A general name for any utensil used for tattooing.

Intensity:
Saturation of a colour, which changes with the addition of
more or less colour.

Inuit:
A people who live in the north of Canada and Greenland.
Traditionally, they live from animals and fish. When there is
only one person, she or he is called an Inuk.

Itch:
What your new tattoo does besides scab.

Irezumi:
The traditional Japanese art of tattooing, often involving large-scale body suits.

J

Jailhouse:
A style of tattooing that was developed by inmates and was the root of blackwork. Can be used in a derogatory sense to refer to a tattoo that lacks sophistication or was badly applied. Also called Joint style.

K

Kanji:
A Japanese system of writing that utilizes characters bor rowed or adapted from Chinese writing

Kinky:
What most non-tattooed people think tattooed people are.

L

Liner: A machine or needle configuration specifically designed for creating crisp, solid outlines.

Lapalapa:
The mallet used to pound the Au into the skin in Samoa

Lines:
They should be straight and consistent.

Local Enforcement Agency (LEA):
Means the local department of health or environmental
health responsible for enforcing the regulations in this code.

Love:
(See Vow.)

M

Magnum (Mag):
A needle configuration with two rows of needles, used for packing color and smooth shading.

Machine speed:
A tattoo machine runs up and down. The number of times it
completes this up and down cycle in one second is the
machine speed measured in hertz. A machine speed of 100
Hz means that machine is cycling at 100 times per second.

Magnetic field:
A magnetic field is an entity produced by moving electric
charges (electric currents) that exerts a force on other mov
ing charges. (The quantum-mechanical spin of a particle
produces magnetic fields and is acted on by them as though
it were a current; this accounts for the fields produced by
"permanent" ferromagnets.)

Maori:
The Maori are an aboriginal (indigenous) tribe of people
native to Polynesian New Zealand. Although they are by no
means primitive, they adhere to many traditional ways and
treasure their heritage. Ta Moko or Moko is a type of tattoo
reserved only for Maori, and should not be imitated in any
way.

Minor:
Any person under the age of 18 (eighteen) years.

Moko:
A moko or mokomokai is the facial tattoo of the Maori people
of New Zealand.

Mono-chromatic:
One color with variations of shade, tint or tone.

Mush:
A tattoo that has lost definition

N

Naked:
Skin without tattoos.

Name:
See Vow (also see coverup)

Needle:
1) The needles used tattooing.
2) The sharp pointy thing that connects you and your tat
tooist.

Needle configuration:
Is the grouping of needles used to tattoo. The name given to
each needle configuration consists of the number of needles
in the grouping and the placement of the needles in relation
ship to each other, or the shape of the grouping.

New school (also known as New Skool):
New skool refers to tattoos that are bold, bright and in-your
face. These are more contemporary and fantastical designs
and are a favorite of many younger artists looking for a chal
lenge.

Nickel width for a shader:
This a prevalent myth propagated primarily by Huck
Spaulding's book, The A-Z of tattooing. There's more action
in the air gap between your armature bar and your coils than
in the distance between your contact point and your set
screw. Different machines will run at various voltage depend
ing on their components.

O

Old Skool (Old school):
1) A tattoo artist who served a traditional apprenticeship and
adheres to the tattoo world's traditional code of behavior.
2) Art actually tattooed or based on the style of tattoos
prevalent in the earlier days of modern tattooing. Old School
attributes are simple designs with bold outlines. Some popu
lar old school designs are nautical and armed forces sym
bols, pinup (calendar) girls, hearts and other designs with
"ribbons" surrounding a motto, name or special date.
3) Also commonly called Traditional style

Onomatopoetic:
The formation or use of words such as buzz, crash, hiss or
murmur that imitate the sounds associated with the objects
or actions they refer to. Late Latin, from the Greek word
onomatopoii, from onomatopoios- coiner of names:
onoma, onomat-, name + poiein, to make.

Oriental:
A style of tattooing that is carefully thought out and utilized
the entire body, as opposed to the western method of arbi
trary pieces scattered about on the skin with no overall plan.
Often incorporates swirling patterns and imaginary from
Japanese mythology.

Ointment:
Creams used during the aftercare process. (see Itch)

O-ring:
The O-ring is a little rubber ring that is used as a spring
cushion inside a tattoo machine’s tube assembly .

Owner:
Any person having ownership, control or custody of any
place of business or employment.

P

Pack (Packing):
The technique of filling in a large area with solid, saturated color.

Peeling:
The natural stage of healing (usually day 4–7) where the top layer of skin flakes off, similar to a sunburn.

Parasite:
(See Scratcher).

Permit:
A written approval to operate a tattoo, permanent cosmetics
or body piercing facility. Approval is given in accordance with
the regulations in this code, and is separate from any other
licensing requirements that may exist within the local juris
diction.

Permanent cosmetics:
The application of pigments to or under the skin of human a
human being for the purpose of permanently changing the
colour or other appearance of the skin. This includes, but is
not limited to, permanent eyeliner, eye shadow, or lip colour.

Permanent cosmetic Technician:
A person who applies permanent cosmetics.

Pigment
A dry substance that when mixed with liquid does not dis
solve, but becomes a paint, ink, or other coloring agent.

Portrait:
A photo-realistic reproduction tattoo of your favorite person
or beast.

Point of A.o.A.:
This is where the line of relaxed Point of Attack intersects
with the line of the seated Point of Attack. This point
changes if you adjust the Arm Reach by sliding the rear
spring forward or backward. It really doesn’t matter where it
is located, I just thought you would like to know about it.

Primitive:
Relating to early times or original state of something.

Procedure area:
The immediate area where instruments and supplies are
placed during a procedure.

Proportion:
Proportion is the relationship of one size to another.
Propylene glycol:
Helps form the base of the ink and is the ingredient that
causes the ink to thicken or to become more viscous.

Provon® :
A medical grade liquid lotion soap highly recommended for
the aftercare of new tattoos and piercings. Unlike many anti
bacterial soaps, it’s not harsh and doesn't make the wound
sting. It smells lightly pleasant and feels
soothing.

Purchased Pre-sterilized:
Instruments that are sold individually packaged and steril
ized. Each package shall have an auditable sterilization lot
number from a sterilization facility.

Q

Quiet:
What you should be while you're getting a tattoo.

R

Rotary:
A type of tattoo machine powered by a small electric motor rather than electromagnetic coils; they are usually quieter and lighter.

Round Liner (RL):
A needle grouping where the tips are soldered in a tight circle for fine line work.

Rate:
What your artist will charge you for your tattoo. Attempting to reduce the rate will only result in a twisted tattooist.

Readable:
A tattoo that is easily decipherable from a distance. Realistic: A true to life tattoo piece.

Rebuff:
A abrupt refusal. Which is what will happen if you attempt to lower the artist's prices (see Rate) or come into the studio intoxicated.

S

Satin® :
A medical grade liquid lotion soap highly recommended for
the aftercare of new tattoos and piercings. Unlike many anti
bacterial soaps, it’s not harsh and doesn't make the wound
sting. It smells lightly pleasant and feels soothing.

Sanitation:
Effective bactericidal and veridical treatment of clean equip
ment surfaces by a process that has been approved by the
Department as being effective in destroying pathogens. It is
not the same as sterilization.

Scratcher:
A person who attempts to tattoo, despite the fact that he or
she has no knowledge of technique or sterilization proce
dures. Strangely enough, scratchers often believe that they
are God's gift to the tattoo world.

Shade:
Shades are made by adding varying amounts of black to the
colour.

Skips:
Breaks in the lines or uneven color in a tattoo.

Sleeve:
The full coverage of an arm with tattoos.

Solid:
What your tattoo should be: when referring to color it means
a tattoo with no patchy areas or skips. Also used to refer to
a technically perfect tattoo.

Space:
The illusion of depth can be achieved with colour. Saturated
or intense colours will advance. Warm or hot colours will
advance, while light or dark values will advance depending
upon their background. This is a general principle, because
ultimately, all colour advances or recedes depending upon
the background.

Spring pivot point:
This is where the spring pivots. Usually at the front corner of
the Spring Saddle. You can change the Spring Pivot Point by
filing an angle on the spring saddle. If you do this you are
changing the both the Contact reach and the Arm Reach.
This will speed the machine up a little without changing the
Angle of Attack. But remember that this is an irreversible
alteration.

Spring working length; (not shown)
This is the measurement from the front edge of the spring
saddle to the center of the Armature Bar screw.

Surgical stainless steel:
Aka SSS. Stands for surgical stainless steel. 316L is the
highest grade of purity available that can be used.

Stencil:
A pattern, often made of acetate, used to transfer a design
onto the skin.

Sterile:
Free from disease causing germs. All equipment used to tat
too should either be disposed of after one use or sterilized
by autoclave.

Sterilization:
A process intended to destroy or eliminate all forms of micro
bial life, including bacterial spores.

Stroke:
See Stroke Length below.

Stroke length:
The stroke length of a tattoo machine is the distance the
needles travel up and down during one cycle. The working
stroke length of a machine is critical in accessing the per
manent layers of skin without causing excess trauma.

Style:
Particular genre of tattooing; such as Tribal, Traditional, etc.

T

Tacked Back:
Heavily tattooed.

Ta-Moko:
A moko or mokomokai is the facial tattoo of the Maori people
of New Zealand.

Tat:
Pet name for skin art.

Tattoo
The modern word tattoo also has meanings to it that are
completely unrelated to the art of tattooing the skin. Tattoo is
derived from the Dutch expression "doe den tap toe", which
means “turn off the taps”, or in other words, “lights out for
soldiers”, or “for pub owners to stop serving booze”. The
word tattoo, was also the name for a marching ceremony
that was usually performed by the Regimental Band of the
Corps of Drums, before lights-out.

Tattooer:
Another common term for tattooist or tattoo artist.

Tattooist:
Any person who tattoos competently. Unlike a tattoo artist,a
tattooist is just basically capable of executing a tattoo.

Tattooing:
Inserting pigment under the surface of the skin by pricking
with a needle or otherwise, to permanently change the
colour or appearance of the skin or to produce an indelible
mark or figure visible through the skin. This includes but is
not limited to, eyeliner, lip colour, camouflage, stencil
designs and free hand designs.

Tattoo artist:
1) Someone who tattoos professionally. P
2) Someone who is more proficient with tattooing than just
tracing a design upon the recipient of the tattoo's skin
Tea Tree oil:
Natural anti-septic oil harvested from the Melaleuca tree

Throw:
How far back and forth the armature bar moves.

Tint:
Tints are made by adding varying amounts of white to the
colour.

Tones:
Tones are made by adding varying amounts of grey to the
colour.

Touch up:
Anything less than a perfect job may require a second visit
to have any incidental falling out or unseen breaks fixed. Not
necessarily the sign of a bad tattoo artist, since the healing
process may lose certain areas of colour or aging may cause
fading. Many artists will charge less for touch-ups on their
work than new art, especially for post-healing work

Traditional:
A style of tattooing that uses bold black outlines, strong
black shading, & bright primary colours

Tribal:
Bold, black, silhouette style designs.

U

Underground:
A tattooist who is unable to work openly, often due to legis
lation banning tattooing in their area.

USP Glycerin:
Glycerin is an emollient, which is an ingredient that aids in
maintaining moisture levels, Glycerin also adds body and
consistency and prevents the ink from drying out. Glycerin is
a humectant, meaning it attracts moisture. Glycerin is a neu
tral, sweet-tasting, colorless, thick liquid which freezes to a
gummy paste and which has a high boiling point. Glycerin
can be dissolved into water or alcohol, but not oils.

V

Value:
Lightness/darkness of a colour which changes with mixing gradations of tints, tones, shades or hues.

Vow:
A vow tattoo is a design that incorporates a name or slogan ("Mom", "Betty Sue","Harley Davidson"). Most cover-ups are placed over vow tattoos.

W

Whip Shading:
A technique using a fast-moving machine and a flicking wrist motion to create a "textured" or "peppered" gradient.

Warm colour:
Warm colours are yellow, yellow/orange, orange,
orange/red, red and red/violet. Warm colors tend to assist in
the illusion of advancing.

Washout cup:
A container filled with distilled water or rubbing alcohol for
rinsing the tattoo machine’s tube and tip.

Wow:
This is what your "Mom" tattoo says when you're standing on
your head.

X

???

Y

???

Z

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Disclaimer & Educational Purpose The materials and information on HistoryOfTattooing.com are provided for educational, historical, and research purposes only. This site functions as a digital archive to document the cultural evolution of tattooing and the technical development of tattoo machinery. The content is not intended as medical advice or as a substitute for professional apprenticeship and training. The author and site owners assume no liability for the misuse of technical diagrams or historical data.

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