Stick and poke tattooing is an increasingly popular method among young people and creative types. As the name suggests, are handmade, no machine involved.
Hand poked tattoos, as the name suggests, are handmade, executed without a machine: the needle pokes into your skin, piercing it so that the tattoo drips into your flesh. It’s a slower process but much less aggressive and less painful, that heals a lot quicker than the conventional method. Each dot is made by hand, using a needle that is supported by a tongue depressor or grip, nothing like the usual machine tattoos and the constant buzzing of the electric machine.
Because it’s a more delicate process it creates a different connection between the client and the tattooer. And because it doesn’t require any electricity to be done, this technique allows you to get a tattoo in non-conventional places.
They are meant to last as long as regular tattoos, but when not done by a professional tattoo artist, are known to fade partly and/or eventually, depending on how much ink is poked into the skin and how deep it goes.
Many people skip the professional hand poke tattooers altogether and get tattoos by their own from items lying around the house, such as sewing needles and pen ink (which is not recommended by any means), or with a few inexpensive online purchases. Probably the smartest option if you go down this road is to avoid unnecessary risks and buy a kit with everything you need in it, and take all the necessary safety measures.
