Part Two of the Interview
This second article will focus on preparing for the tattooing process itself, for a long session without stress. That is, when you have already discussed all the details of the future work with the person and are starting the project in your studio. Checklist before the session: what does ideal preparation look like in terms of food, sleep, and clothing? How should you start preparing for the session the day before?
Preparation checklist before the session
[Rinat] First and foremost, do not consume alcohol. This is the most important rule. Also, eat well in the morning, have a hearty and filling breakfast two hours before the session, as you would before a workout.
When it comes to clothing, it all depends on where the tattoo will be applied. If it's on the thigh, it's best to wear loose shorts for comfort. If it's on the shoulder, wear a T-shirt, preferably not white, because it can become very colorful after the session. Or wear a white one, but one that you don't mind getting ruined, because it will turn into a custom designer item.
Then, whatever you like: headphones, iPad, whatever you prefer. Some people prefer to read books. Some take their laptop and sit and work or do something else. This is possible if the area where we are working allows you to sit comfortably, for example, the shoulder. If the tattoo is done on the side of the body, then a laptop is problematic and headphones, music, or audiobooks are often more convenient.
It is very important not to shave the skin yourself before the session. The artist will do all of this. If it is, say, a man's leg, there is no need to try to shave the hair the day before the session; the artist will do all the necessary procedures themselves.
When it comes to clothing, it all depends on where the tattoo will be applied. If it's on the thigh, it's best to wear loose shorts for comfort. If it's on the shoulder, wear a T-shirt, preferably not white, because it can become very colorful after the session. Or wear a white one, but one that you don't mind getting ruined, because it will turn into a custom designer item.
Then, whatever you like: headphones, iPad, whatever you prefer. Some people prefer to read books. Some take their laptop and sit and work or do something else. This is possible if the area where we are working allows you to sit comfortably, for example, the shoulder. If the tattoo is done on the side of the body, then a laptop is problematic and headphones, music, or audiobooks are often more convenient.
It is very important not to shave the skin yourself before the session. The artist will do all of this. If it is, say, a man's leg, there is no need to try to shave the hair the day before the session; the artist will do all the necessary procedures themselves.
Why you shouldn't shave the tattoo area yourself?
[Journalist] Why can't you prepare the area yourself before the session?
[Rinat] Irritation may occur. If a person has no experience with this type of shaving, they can easily “overdo it” and ruin the entire surface. I had a client who shaved his arm himself, but left a lot of scratches, so we decided to work on another one.
If that was the only area he was considering, we would have had to postpone the session until it was completely healed. Therefore, you don't need to do anything to your skin before the session. It is enough to just get a good night's sleep, eat well, and bring your favorite things with you, such as a blanket (if you have one), headphones, and so on.
[Journalist] Are there blankets in the studio?
[Rinat] There are no blankets in the studio. There are pillows and couches. A blanket is too personal an item; it cannot be used on different people. We have pillows in individual cases, everything is packed separately.
[Journalist] You mentioned that a person prepared one arm, but you did the tattoo on the other. So it happens that the day before the session, the person plans one area, and before the session, you rethink everything?
[Rinat] That's possible if it doesn't ruin the overall concept of the tattoo. In that case, the guy scratched his arm and said, “Let's do the other one then.”
[Journalist] So, basically, he shaved his left arm, but you ended up tattooing his right arm, and he walked around with two shaved arms for nothing?
[Rinat] Yes, he prepared the surface for nothing. When he came in, we chose the other arm, and his preparation was simply not needed.
[Rinat] Irritation may occur. If a person has no experience with this type of shaving, they can easily “overdo it” and ruin the entire surface. I had a client who shaved his arm himself, but left a lot of scratches, so we decided to work on another one.
If that was the only area he was considering, we would have had to postpone the session until it was completely healed. Therefore, you don't need to do anything to your skin before the session. It is enough to just get a good night's sleep, eat well, and bring your favorite things with you, such as a blanket (if you have one), headphones, and so on.
[Journalist] Are there blankets in the studio?
[Rinat] There are no blankets in the studio. There are pillows and couches. A blanket is too personal an item; it cannot be used on different people. We have pillows in individual cases, everything is packed separately.
[Journalist] You mentioned that a person prepared one arm, but you did the tattoo on the other. So it happens that the day before the session, the person plans one area, and before the session, you rethink everything?
[Rinat] That's possible if it doesn't ruin the overall concept of the tattoo. In that case, the guy scratched his arm and said, “Let's do the other one then.”
[Journalist] So, basically, he shaved his left arm, but you ended up tattooing his right arm, and he walked around with two shaved arms for nothing?
[Rinat] Yes, he prepared the surface for nothing. When he came in, we chose the other arm, and his preparation was simply not needed.
Alcohol, lack of sleep, and other mistakes
[Journalist] What do you say to those who plan to come to the studio after a wild night in Vegas?
[Rinat] I say, “You should get some sleep.”
[Journalist] Why not sleep right during the session? You say it's possible.
[Rinat] Sleep with a hangover and normal sleep are two different things. One is meditative sleep, when you are relaxed and just dozing. The other is when, after a night out, you actually lose consciousness and pass out. These are different states, and the second one is not suitable for us.
[Journalist] What other mistakes can ruin the process, besides alcohol, partying, and lack of sleep? Coffee, energy drinks? Colds, menstruation, pregnancy?
[Rinat] In principle, all of the above can complicate the session. If a person has high blood pressure, coffee and energy drinks are definitely not recommended. There are people who are not affected by coffee: they can drink two or three cups, and their blood pressure does not change. Others take a couple of sips of cappuccino and their blood pressure immediately rises.
Therefore, you need to take your individual characteristics into account. If you feel that coffee or energy drinks raise your blood pressure, it is better to avoid them before the session.
[Journalist] So, the session should take place on a normal day for a healthy person, without doping or aids?
[Rinat] Yes. If we're talking about “doping,” then maybe ibuprofen after the session to relieve a slight feeling of chills. A tattoo is technically an injury, and even though it's minor, the body gets tired and may need a little help to recover and feel comfortable. You can take ibuprofen, vitamin C, and so on after the session.
[Journalist] Is ibuprofen a prescription drug?
[Rinat] No. Any adult can buy it at a pharmacy.
[Rinat] I say, “You should get some sleep.”
[Journalist] Why not sleep right during the session? You say it's possible.
[Rinat] Sleep with a hangover and normal sleep are two different things. One is meditative sleep, when you are relaxed and just dozing. The other is when, after a night out, you actually lose consciousness and pass out. These are different states, and the second one is not suitable for us.
[Journalist] What other mistakes can ruin the process, besides alcohol, partying, and lack of sleep? Coffee, energy drinks? Colds, menstruation, pregnancy?
[Rinat] In principle, all of the above can complicate the session. If a person has high blood pressure, coffee and energy drinks are definitely not recommended. There are people who are not affected by coffee: they can drink two or three cups, and their blood pressure does not change. Others take a couple of sips of cappuccino and their blood pressure immediately rises.
Therefore, you need to take your individual characteristics into account. If you feel that coffee or energy drinks raise your blood pressure, it is better to avoid them before the session.
[Journalist] So, the session should take place on a normal day for a healthy person, without doping or aids?
[Rinat] Yes. If we're talking about “doping,” then maybe ibuprofen after the session to relieve a slight feeling of chills. A tattoo is technically an injury, and even though it's minor, the body gets tired and may need a little help to recover and feel comfortable. You can take ibuprofen, vitamin C, and so on after the session.
[Journalist] Is ibuprofen a prescription drug?
[Rinat] No. Any adult can buy it at a pharmacy.
What a day in the studio looks like?
[Journalist] Describe a day in the tattoo studio from the moment a client walks in. What do they see, hear, and feel? How do you create the atmosphere in the studio?
[Rinat] We have an amazing administrator-manager, Kimberly. She likes to burn incense, so most of the time the studio smells either of incense or cleaning products, i.e., cleanliness. There are few options: either one or the other.
The client sits down on the couch and fills out a form stating that they are of legal age, of sound mind and memory, and so on. Then there is a discussion: design adjustments, fitting. By the time the client arrives, the artist has usually already prepared some options.
When we have decided on the size and made all the adjustments to the design, the artist transfers the stencil, which is a transfer, a contour image that is pre-copied onto the skin.
After that, the session itself begins:
- the workspace is already laid out;
- needles, machines, and consumables are prepared.
The work surface is a table covered with special napkins. All surfaces that the client and the master touch are treated and covered with disposable materials to create the safest possible environment and eliminate the risk of cross-contamination.
[Journalist] Then the person can turn on music, a movie, something to watch or listen to, and the session itself begins, which can last quite a long time?
[Rinat] Yes, the duration depends on the project. Sometimes it's the final stage and it takes 3-4 hours to finish. If it's the first big session, it often takes the whole day, 6-8 hours.
[Rinat] We have an amazing administrator-manager, Kimberly. She likes to burn incense, so most of the time the studio smells either of incense or cleaning products, i.e., cleanliness. There are few options: either one or the other.
The client sits down on the couch and fills out a form stating that they are of legal age, of sound mind and memory, and so on. Then there is a discussion: design adjustments, fitting. By the time the client arrives, the artist has usually already prepared some options.
When we have decided on the size and made all the adjustments to the design, the artist transfers the stencil, which is a transfer, a contour image that is pre-copied onto the skin.
After that, the session itself begins:
- the workspace is already laid out;
- needles, machines, and consumables are prepared.
The work surface is a table covered with special napkins. All surfaces that the client and the master touch are treated and covered with disposable materials to create the safest possible environment and eliminate the risk of cross-contamination.
[Journalist] Then the person can turn on music, a movie, something to watch or listen to, and the session itself begins, which can last quite a long time?
[Rinat] Yes, the duration depends on the project. Sometimes it's the final stage and it takes 3-4 hours to finish. If it's the first big session, it often takes the whole day, 6-8 hours.
Beginners, low pain threshold, and a “light touch”
[Journalist] How do you adapt the process for beginners or people with a low pain threshold? Do you have any techniques: breaks, conversation?
[Rinat] At the beginning of the session, we still communicate: we talk, joke, discuss something. Then everyone slowly drifts off into their own thoughts, music, or movies. This helps them distract themselves.
Many clients say that I have a light touch. I can't judge myself—I got a tattoo a long time ago, and it wasn't very unpleasant for me, just like for everyone else. But people who get tattooed by different artists, collectors, often say in unison that I have a light touch. Apparently, that's my special feature.
[Journalist] So your tattoos are less painful than expected? Maybe clients come up with some life hacks for long sessions? I've heard about hand grips, for example.
[Rinat] Yes, there are such cases. Thanks to the hand grips, people concentrate on squeezing and releasing, distracting themselves from the sensations of the tattoo, especially towards the end of the session. But this is quite rare.
More often than not, I see something else: girls like to bring soft toys and hug them. It helps them relax. Men usually have their phones in their hands. In today's world, a phone is a universal way to distract yourself: it's a book, a movie, music, and a messenger all in one. There are so many ways to distract yourself.
[Rinat] At the beginning of the session, we still communicate: we talk, joke, discuss something. Then everyone slowly drifts off into their own thoughts, music, or movies. This helps them distract themselves.
Many clients say that I have a light touch. I can't judge myself—I got a tattoo a long time ago, and it wasn't very unpleasant for me, just like for everyone else. But people who get tattooed by different artists, collectors, often say in unison that I have a light touch. Apparently, that's my special feature.
[Journalist] So your tattoos are less painful than expected? Maybe clients come up with some life hacks for long sessions? I've heard about hand grips, for example.
[Rinat] Yes, there are such cases. Thanks to the hand grips, people concentrate on squeezing and releasing, distracting themselves from the sensations of the tattoo, especially towards the end of the session. But this is quite rare.
More often than not, I see something else: girls like to bring soft toys and hug them. It helps them relax. Men usually have their phones in their hands. In today's world, a phone is a universal way to distract yourself: it's a book, a movie, music, and a messenger all in one. There are so many ways to distract yourself.
Myths and impressions of the technical side of the process
[Journalist] What is the silliest myth about tattooing that you have heard? For example, that realism is more painful than other styles, or that the skin is pierced down to the bone and the ink remains on the bone.
[Rinat] There are many myths, and each one is based on something. I watched a video from India, where things are happening that make it impossible to tell where myth ends and reality begins. That's why it's difficult to separate one from the other.
Probably the silliest myth is that you won't get a job if you have a tattoo.
[Journalist] Great, we'll come back to that. Now for a “technical question”: what surprises people the most when they see your equipment and the process?
[Rinat] The 69 magnum.
[Journalist] Sixty-nine magnum? What is that?
[Rinat] Yes. I had the biggest one, either a 67 or a 69 magnum. To explain it in simple terms, it's a nozzle with 69 needles soldered in two rows in a checkerboard pattern. It's a pretty massive needle in terms of size. I can't say exactly how many inches, but it's really big and looks impressive.
When you need to quickly fill in a large area, you take a magnum like this, and it always makes an impression; clients react cheerfully.
[Rinat] There are many myths, and each one is based on something. I watched a video from India, where things are happening that make it impossible to tell where myth ends and reality begins. That's why it's difficult to separate one from the other.
Probably the silliest myth is that you won't get a job if you have a tattoo.
[Journalist] Great, we'll come back to that. Now for a “technical question”: what surprises people the most when they see your equipment and the process?
[Rinat] The 69 magnum.
[Journalist] Sixty-nine magnum? What is that?
[Rinat] Yes. I had the biggest one, either a 67 or a 69 magnum. To explain it in simple terms, it's a nozzle with 69 needles soldered in two rows in a checkerboard pattern. It's a pretty massive needle in terms of size. I can't say exactly how many inches, but it's really big and looks impressive.
When you need to quickly fill in a large area, you take a magnum like this, and it always makes an impression; clients react cheerfully.
In the next part, we will talk about the rules and methods of tattoo healing and how to care for a healed tattoo.