How to Make Fake Tattoos
Tattoos say many things about an individual, making them an excellent detail to round out your look. The expense and permanence of a real tattoo isn't always desirable, but a temporary tattoo provides all the perks without the pain. While temporary tattoos are easy to find in most stores, it's near impossible to find them in the style that you want. Make your own tattoos at home with very little to no extra cost.
Computer Printed Temporary Tattoo
Things You'll Need:
- Tattoo design
- Photo editing software
- Tattoo printer paper
- Washcloth
- Pick out your ideal design. Alternatively, you may elect to design your own if you are the artistic type.
- Edit the image as desired in your preferred photo editing software. Remember to flip the image before printing, using the “mirror” option in the editing software. This is especially important if the image contains writing.
- Load a sheet or two of special temporary tattoo paper into the printer as per manufacturers suggestions. Before officially printing it's suggested to look at a “print preview” or print out a copy on regular paper to make sure your sizing is appropriate. If the image is too small, simply return to the program you have opened and resize as needed.
- Follow the instructions stated on the package the paper came in to apply the printed tattoo, as this differs from manufacturer to manufacturer. Typically, you press the image to the skin and pat it down with a wet cloth until the special film on the paper separates and affixes itself to your skin.
Hand Drawn Temporary Tattoo
Things You Need:
- Tattoo design
- Carbon or wax paper
- Pen
- Permanent narrow pens (various colors)
- Paper towels
- Pick the design you want. It may be a wise idea to copy the image onto carbon paper or wax paper and create a transfer template to obtain a better match of the original image.
- Draw or trace over the carbon template with a pen to create the outlines. Acid, and oils in the skin may cause some pens to stop working after long periods and it's advised to have a sheet of paper, or extra pens to coax the pen back into letting ink flow.
- Apply any color gently. Too much pressure in an area will cause excess ink to bleed along crevices in the skin and into undesired areas. For added realism, take a damp paper towel and gently blot the fake tattoo to lift extra ink away. Real tattoos only remain bold and crisp for a short time, removing small amounts of ink gives the impression of age. Be careful not to get the paper towel too wet or risk making the colors run.