Draw Your Own Temporary Tattoo

Tattoos are a great accent to your look and can help you express your creativity and individuality. However, real tattoos are permanent and are painful to remove. If you don't want to get a permanent tattoo or want to see if you like having a tattoo before making the commitment, you can draw a temporary tattoo on your body instead. By doing your research and looking at professionally created tattoos, you can get an idea of what kind of temporary tattoo you can draw. With enough practice, you can create a temporary tattoo that looks close to the real thing.

Steps

Brainstorming Ideas

  1. Gain inspiration from other people's tattoos. Find tattoo designs on famous people that you like. If any of your friends have tattoos that you find aesthetically pleasing, do an image search online to find tattoos in a similar style. Get an understanding of tattoo culture so that you have a better grasp on what may look good on you. Visit tattoo blogs and follow tattoo enthusiasts on social media.
    • Tattoo styles include traditional American, traditional Japanese, realism, black and gray, and illustrative.[1]
    • Popular tattoos include arrows, flowers, semicolons, and tribal art.[2]
  2. Determine the location of the tattoo. You should think about where you want to put your temporary tattoo and whether you want it to be visible or not. Determine how large you want the tattoo to be. Consider the parts of your body that you feel most comfortable with, as a tattoo will draw attention to that part of your body. For example, if you're confident of your arms, you should apply your temporary tattoo to that part of your body.
    • Good locations for a visible tattoo include your collarbone, forearms, and calves.
    • Good locations for a hidden temporary tattoo include your back, your stomach, and your shoulders.
  3. Look through tattoo artist's portfolios'. Tattoo artist's portfolios' is a great resource for anyone aspiring to one day become a tattoo artist. You can find many portfolios online, or you can visit local tattoo parlors and request to see their work. Looking at a professional's work can inspire you to create something unique yourself.[3]
    • You can also get inspired by artists like Lucy Hale, who specializes in temporary watercolor tattoos.[4]
    • Some of the most well-known artists include Kaiyu Huang, Mo Ganji, Paco Dietz, and Chen Jie.[5]
  4. Think of ideas that are personal to you. Try to incorporate aspects of something personal into your temporary tattoo. Think of something visual that relates to an important phase or event in your life. Other great ideas include images that remind you of family or friends. Think of metaphors that you can use that apply to your life.[6]
    • For example, if Edgar Allan Poe is your favorite author, you can draw a raven tattoo to represent your love for his work.
    • You draw a temporary tattoo of your mother's name.

Drawing the Tattoo by Hand

  1. Start simple. When you start off drawing your tattoo, you should pick something simple at first. This will help you become acclimated to drawing. Start off with simple geometric shapes like squares and triangles before moving onto more complex and detailed images.[7]
    • Other simple designs include a puzzle piece, a star, a phrase or word, or a musical note.[8]
  2. Sketch out your different ideas. Use a sketchpad and a pen to create ideas and forms on paper. Visualize what you'd want to create for your temporary tattoo and try drawing it on a regular piece of paper. If you mess up, start again next to your mistake. The goal is not to get everything down perfectly, but to explore different ideas, shapes, and forms that you can use in your temporary tattoo.
  3. Draw the outline of your tattoo first. Don't get caught up in minute details or shading at first. Start by drawing the outside outline of your image before moving onto more intricate parts. Try to draw continuous, steady lines and avoid scratching or scraping at the image.
  4. Add smaller details and fill in colors. Once you've got the outline drawn, you can start filling in the finer details. Work your way around the image and fill in smaller details. When you're satisfied with what you've designed and drawn, you can move on to apply the temporary tattoo to your skin.
    • Use markers with a smaller tip to draw in fine detail.
  5. Get creative and unique. Don't be scared to draw something that's original or unique. Temporary tattoos are all about having fun and expressing yourself, so there are no right or wrong design choices. Experiment with different subject matter and don't be afraid to push your boundaries.

Applying the Tattoo

  1. Design the tattoo online and get it mailed to you. There are websites that provide free, transferable temporary tattoo customizations on their pages. If you'd rather design your tattoo in a computer program like Photoshop or Illustrator, then you can visit one of these sites and upload an image. You can even scan an image that you drew by hand into the computer and then manipulate the lines in a photo editing program.[9]
  2. Draw the image on tracing paper and apply it for an outline. You can use tracing paper and a pencil to create a light outline of your tattoo which will help guide you. To use basic tracing paper, draw an image on the front of the paper. Soak your arm in rubbing alcohol before pressing the image, pencil side down, onto it. Then, apply a wet towel to the backside and hold it there for 30 seconds. Doing this should leave an outline of your image on your body.[10]
    • Once you transfer the image to your body, you'll need to go over it with eyeliner or marker to make it darker.
  3. Use liquid eyeliner or marker to draw your tattoo. Use marker or liquid eyeliner to fill in the outline that your tracing paper left. If you feel confident with your drawing abilities, you can try to freehand your tattoo onto your skin. Have a bottle of acetone and a rag ready, in case you mess up and need to wipe parts of your skin clean. Practice drawing simple shapes at first until you feel more confident doing larger more elaborate pieces.
    • Parts of your body like your thighs, arm, hand, or feet may be easier to freehand on.
    • You can also use Use-Henna-for-Skin to create a longer lasting temporary tattoo.
    • There are also pens created specifically to make temporary tattoos.[11]
  4. Use professional tattoo transfer paper. Also called a tattoo stencil, tattoo transfer paper is what professional tattoo artists use to create the image on a person's skin before permanently dying it with their tattoo gun. Print out your image on thermographic transfer paper that you can buy online. Apply a stick deodorant and a little water to the location where you're going to stick the tattoo before applying the transfer paper to the area and pressing down. Hold the transfer paper for 1 to 2 minutes before peeling it back to reveal your temporary tattoo.[12]
    • Do not shift the paper while you are holding it down or you may need to start over.
  5. Seal your tattoo with a liquid bandage to make it last longer. Whether you use transfer paper or draw the tattoo directly on your skin, you can apply a liquid bandage over the image to make it last longer. Use the brush that's provided with the bandage and apply a healthy layer over your tattoo. Let the bandage dry for two to five minutes before touching your tattoo. This will seal the ink of the tattoo and make it resistant to water.[13]
    • You can purchase liquid bandages in the bandage section of your pharmacy or grocery store.
    • Remove your liquid bandage by scrubbing the site with soap and water. If it's still not coming off, scrub the area with baby oil, acetone, or castor oil.[14]



Things You'll Need

  • Liquid Eyeliner or markers
  • Transfer Paper
  • Drawing pad or paper
  • Pencil
  • Liquid Bandage
  • Acetone
  • Clean cotton rags

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.inkedmag.com/tattoo-style-guide/3/?ipp=3
  2. ↑ https://www.tattoodo.com/a/2015/11/the-15-most-popular-tattoos-of-2015-according-to-tattoo-artists/
  3. ↑ http://www.hartandhuntingtonorlando.com/blog/tattoo-ideas-uncovered-hh-takes-closer-look-inspirations
  4. ↑ http://www.teenvogue.com/story/best-watercolor-tattoo-ideas
  5. ↑ http://illusion.scene360.com/art/84760/best-tattoos-2015/
  6. ↑ https://tatring.com/getting-tattooed/TattooAdvice-2
  7. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfpBnpI_FYQ
  8. ↑ https://www.buzzfeed.com/danieldalton/wrist-tattoos?utm_term=.niKqBoabX#.gflJpxayB
  9. ↑ http://www.stickeryou.com/2/products/temporary-tattoos/601
  10. ↑ http://lifehacker.com/5945600/diy-temporary-tattoos
  11. ↑ http://www.bodyjewelleryshop.com/online_store/permanent-tattoo-pen.cfm
  12. ↑ http://www.tattoodiy.com/news/how-to-use-tattoo-transfer-paper-a-25.html
  13. ↑ https://weightdownweightloss.wordpress.com/2013/06/26/diy-temporary-tattoo-for-kid-safety/
  14. ↑ https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-best-way-to-remove-a-liquid-bandage
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