Tattoo Flash

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Tattoo flash is another way to refer to the artwork seen on many tattoo parlor walls and in their shop books.  They are usually printed on high quality thick paper.  In the early days of tattooing, the flash displayed on the walls was often the artwork of the tattoo artist practicing his trade in that shop. These days, high quality flash is available from most tattoo suppliers.  Many artists sell their own flash on their web sites.  Most shops don’t limit your tattoo design selection to flash and often people bring their own pictures when entering a shop.  Other shops will only tattoo only the flash they offer which can be a perfect fit for some people but not for others. The internet is an invaluable resource for instigating ideas, doing research, and very possibly you’ll find the perfect design for your next tattoo. Tattoo Flash

Standard tattoo flash is most often sold on 11” x 14“ high quality paper. The pricier and better quality tattoo flash usually comes with a second sheet with the same exact design except this second copy is just the black outline of the picture.  This is typically what the tattoo artist will use when he makes the stencil to transfer the design on the client.  The outline usually has an extra thick outline to make the process easier on the artist.   This outline sheet is then used to manually trace the design using special paper with a heavy coating of ink.  Some shops have a thermal machine which can save the artist lots of time.  The thermal machine is an expensive piece of equipment, often running near the thousand dollar price tag.   In some shops, making a stencil is part of the duties given to an apprentice. The task helps free up time for the artist and helps in training the apprentice.  

Tattoo Flash Sites

Bullseye Tattoos | Tattoo Johnny | Tattodles | Tattoo Finder