How Do Artists Create a "Grey Wash"? A Guide to Black and Grey Tattoos

Michael Hollman
Grey wash is the technique that makes black and grey tattoos possible—the method by which artists create the full tonal range from deep black to near-white using only black ink...

What is a Tattoo Apprenticeship? A Guide to Becoming a Tattoo Artist

Michael Hollman
There is no official school you graduate from to become a tattoo artist. No standardized licensing program, no university degree, no certification that admits you to the trade. What exists...

What is "Green Soap" in Tattooing? An Insider's Guide

Michael Hollman
Tagged: design
If you’ve watched a tattoo session—or had one—you’ve seen the artist reaching for a spray bottle throughout the process, wiping the area as they work. What’s in that bottle is...

How Do Tattoo Machines Work? Coil vs. Rotary

Michael Hollman
Tagged: design
The machine doing the tattooing isn't just a detail—it directly affects the feel of the session, the sound in the room, and the characteristics of the line work and shading....

What is a "Freehand" Tattoo? A Guide to Ultimate Custom Art

Michael Hollman
Tagged: design placement
Most tattoos start with a stencil—a pre-made design transferred to the skin as a guide. Freehand tattooing skips that step entirely. The artist draws directly on your skin with marker...

Tattoos and Keloid Scars: What You Need to Know Before You Book

Michael Hollman
Tagged: health
If you have a history of keloid scarring, getting a tattoo requires real thought before you commit. A keloid isn't a normal scar — it's an overactive healing response that...

A Guide to Getting a Tattoo if You Are a Smoker

Michael Hollman
Tagged: health
A Guide to Getting a Tattoo if You Are a Smoker Smoking affects tattoo healing in ways that are predictable, measurable, and worth understanding before your session. The core issue...

Can You Get a Tattoo if You Have Hemophilia?

Michael Hollman
Tagged: health
Can You Get a Tattoo if You Have Hemophilia? Getting a tattoo with hemophilia is possible for some people, but it requires careful planning, medical involvement, and realistic expectations about...

Are There Any Long-Term Health Risks to Tattoos?

Michael Hollman
Are There Any Long-Term Health Risks to Tattoos? The long-term health effects of tattoos are an active area of scientific research, and the answer is that many questions remain open....

Can Tattoos Cause Cancer? What the Research Actually Says

Michael Hollman
Tagged: health
A 2023 study out of Lund University in Sweden made headlines with a finding that tattooed people had a 21% higher risk of lymphoma than non-tattooed people. That number spread...

Does Tattoo Ink Enter Your Bloodstream?

Michael Hollman
Tagged: health
Does Tattoo Ink Enter Your Bloodstream? Yes, some tattoo ink particles do enter the body beyond the skin. Research has confirmed that ink particles and their breakdown products migrate from...

Can You Get a Tattoo on a Skin Graft?

Michael Hollman
Tagged: health
Can You Get a Tattoo on a Skin Graft? Yes, you can get a tattoo on a skin graft, but the outcome depends heavily on the type of graft, how...