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Ink Trails Tattoo Forum _ Most Requested Topics _ WHAT IS TATTOO INK?
Posted by: mark Apr 19 2007, 01:51 PM
I see here a lot of you guys asking about Tattoo ink. I was like you when I first started and wanted to know exactly it was I was using to mark people.
There are a lot of brands out there and not all of them are created equal. What you should realize that tattoo ink if for tattooing and other ink isn’t.
What is Tattoo Ink?
Basically it is a pigment suspended in a liquid. Unlike real ink tattoo ink separates after long periods.
Tattoo ink is the same stuff that make up is made of. It consists of pigment, glycerin, propylene glycol (synthetic glycerin),
alcohol and distilled water.The pigment gives it color, the glycerin gives it body to stay thick and flowing,
the alcohol and water make it sterile so Bacteria and germs can’t grow in it.
The more premium brands like Starbrite, Moms and Millennium are thick and full of pigment,
when they separate you can see how much they have in them.
Intenze (back when I tried them 6 years ago) and prizm are lowgrade; you are paying for water and alcohol,
that’s why your tattoos look faded right away. They also have a strong smell of alcohol.
Then you have India ink, this is what was used because back in “THE DAY” that’s all they really had to use.
India ink contains a pigment, some binders and shellac for waterproofing.
They aren’t good to swallow so why would you put them in your skin.
I know Talens is making a “TATTOO BRAND” but if it contains shellac stay away from it.
When I first started you could order India Ink and rapio-graph ink for tattooing.
It was there because that’s what the old school guys preferred but I stay away from the old stuff.
I stay with what I know.
This is my opinion on brands you may find different results after trying certain brands.
Posted by: Aussie Battler Apr 19 2007, 02:08 PM
Mark,
You keep mentioning Intenze ink as low grade and crap just like Prizm, you are the only one i have heard of that bags Intenze, even on the professional forums they say good things about Intenze. Here are some of the quotes on other forums.
i use millenium, starbrite, and intenze only. never had the problem of drying to fast on any of them.
they do have a sm. package of intenze single use, has like 20 colors in it and
would be good for testing it to see if you like it.i think its 10-15 bucks.
i have a koi posted up in the photo gallery that was done in all intenze ink. I dig the colors. They stay extremely bright and go in pretty good. Ya dont have to pound it in with a jackhammer.
while on the subject... I'm currently using intenze and very happy, but I'm curious about 'Unique Ink' and 'Stable Colors'. Who has used them and what's your take?
I've been using Intenze lately and they heal very brite and are easy to work with.
Posted by: mark Apr 19 2007, 02:51 PM
When I used Intenze it was crap. If you say it works, great. I have tried a ton of inks and at the time Intenze was garbage along the lines of Prizm and the Superior brand. Tattoo ink is way to expensive to try and go back and give it another try. Once they lose a customer then they are gone. A set of inks is like 250 dollars for a sampler; that’s more then paint.
The brands I use are consistent and I haven’t had a problem with them yet, like I did with Intenze. I know that an 8oz bottle of millennium versus Intenze weighed three times as much from the pigment and Intenze reeked of alcohol. I probably won’t ever use it for that fact but if you haven’t used any other brand when you get a chance try it. I like the thickness and flow of the brands I use. I've never used stable colors or Unique. I’ll edit my post a little.
Posted by: thelosersinc Apr 19 2007, 04:18 PM
Ive heard only the best from unique. Guy swears by it. He uses mainly unique and occasionally starbrite. Aussie. 1 question about Unique. I know each ink depends on the tattoo artist just like everything else in tattooing. It depends on preference. But how long will intenze last. Guy says Unique Ink still looks just as good 10 years later. I dunno fi thats true. But you gotta think about longitivity of ink as well. NOt just the thickness, and the brightness.
Posted by: B!F Apr 20 2007, 10:16 PM
if taken care of, things last longer, but if you abuse it and subject it to sunlight and soaking in water right after getting it, then its going to be fucked up, but if you take care of it and protect it, it last longer... i'm definetly open to hear which inks would stand up 'better' against the test of time when under 'normal' conditions
Posted by: MadScratcher May 24 2007, 03:20 PM
This piece was done on my back about 4 years ago with Millenium and has withstood a 2nd degree sunburn.
Posted by: John_Olexa May 27 2007, 06:41 AM
As a animal rights activist I was really dissapointed to find out where most ink came from. :-\
I did hear about companys that make Vegan ink but hard to find and have been told that it's not really vegan ink anyway
Posted by: mark May 27 2007, 10:39 AM
What have you read? Inks are made out of plastic.
Posted by: gurgigirl May 27 2007, 02:09 PM
hi guys and gals,
check out.... http://chemistry.about.com/library/weekly/aa121602a.htm
gives a pretty good overview of what is potentially in your tattoo inks. i.e. chemistry of different colours etc...
hope this helps
gurgi ;D
Posted by: John_Olexa May 27 2007, 03:59 PM
Tattoo ink usually contains animal products. The glycerine used as a suspension or carrier is mostly derived from animal sources and even the colors can come from animal sources (black from the bones of animals burnt down to charcoal
Posted by: mark May 27 2007, 05:33 PM
Well I've never heard of animal bones burnt down for charcoal. I know glycerine can be made more easily from plants. Tattoo ink isn't FDA approved so they really don't have to list exactly their scources. If animals don't want to be made into ink or eaten they better evolve a thumb, larger brain and stop tasting good.
Posted by: John_Olexa May 27 2007, 05:44 PM
Some have thumbs, some have large brains, and some don't taste good. I also know humans with no thumbs, small brains and stink.
Posted by: SirTralala Jun 14 2007, 07:27 AM
hei i have a question.
I did try Makkuro Sumi Pure Black Ink (www.makkurosumi.com) on my leg, but the black (although it works/looks great) did smell like dog-shit. Is this usual?
Posted by: Alvin Jun 14 2007, 08:56 AM
Funny you should say that cos when I went to Japan last year I was privileged to be shown around the Azayaka studios where they make the Makkuro sumi black & greyshade inks.
Out around the back is a set of kennels with various breeds of dog. They use the Doberman for there blacks/gray, the Great Dane for their yellow & the Pekinese for the greens..........sorry, I can't go on!!!
I damn near pissed myself with that description, they should make it their advertising motto, "Makkuro Sumi Pure Black, it stays black........but smells like dog-shit!"
Seriously, I've never used it, but the Kuro Sumi black smells perfectly fine to me.
Posted by: SirTralala Jun 14 2007, 10:15 AM
hi again, I did talk seriously and I don`t want to make bad advertisment for this ink (as I mentioned, the black looks great). But when I did
two or three first ink-sessions there was this awful smell. at the last sessions the smell went away - so maybe I don`t recognize it anymore or maybe it went away or maybe it was something different which made it smell. maybe I ran the machine too fast or so?
(to anticipate any more jokes about dogs and ink, please don`t get the idea of me using the shaved asses of dogs for my practising and then blaming makkuro sumi for bad smelling ink.
I am not practising on animals or anything. and the ink was from a sealed bottle, maybe it had something to do that I did use it with a new machine? maybe the hole of the tip was too small for my needle configuration and so they did rub on the steel making the ink cooking?
Once I read that people have troubles with putting white ink into the skin because the ink turns into gray, and then they found out that there are micro-little parts of steel coming from the friction between needle/tip which is like putting new pigments into the ink. )
maybe I shall smell again ???
Posted by: mark Jun 14 2007, 10:56 AM
Graying comes from not properly cleaning your needle after each color. Tattoo ink does have a weird smell but it shouldn't be really bad.
Posted by: Morbid79Angel Aug 6 2007, 03:38 PM
two or three first ink-sessions there was this awful smell. at the last sessions the smell went away - so maybe I don`t recognize it anymore or maybe it went away or maybe it was something different which made it smell. maybe I ran the machine too fast or so?
(to anticipate any more jokes about dogs and ink, please don`t get the idea of me using the shaved asses of dogs for my practising and then blaming makkuro sumi for bad smelling ink.
I am not practising on animals or anything. and the ink was from a sealed bottle, maybe it had something to do that I did use it with a new machine? maybe the hole of the tip was too small for my needle configuration and so they did rub on the steel making the ink cooking?
Once I read that people have troubles with putting white ink into the skin because the ink turns into gray, and then they found out that there are micro-little parts of steel coming from the friction between needle/tip which is like putting new pigments into the ink. )
maybe I shall smell again ???
Lol is it possible that you stepped in something maybe just before? i know that most bad smells like that are usually caused by bactiria which i dont think is a real good thing to be having in tattoo ink :-) did the art work become infected in anyway at all after the session? perhaps their was a contaminated bottle of ink being used if it did smell and did get infected.
Just a thought
Regards morbid79angel
Posted by: tatboy69 Aug 6 2007, 05:26 PM
i know you've all seen this tattoo a bunch of times but half of it was done with intenze ink and the other ink was millenium and i think the colors speak for themselves. i think intenze makes good stuff now (not sur what it was like 6 years ago)
i think the intenze ink is really good as long as you pack it in right. too often bad technique gives decent ink a bad name
Posted by: Oscar The Monster Aug 9 2007, 01:59 PM
at the shop i was apprenticing at i used Eternal ... they worked great ...have any of you guys and gals used or come across eternal inks.......
Oscar The Monster
Posted by: tatboy69 Aug 9 2007, 08:46 PM
Oscar The Monster
yeah i loved eternal inks but i can't afford them right now but when i run out of moms and intenze im buyi n some
Posted by: Alvin Aug 10 2007, 03:00 AM
You know it's bizaar how things go around the world.
The people I buy Eternal from over in the UK sell theirs for about 1/2 the price of their MOM's.
Posted by: ESSEX_GAZ Aug 10 2007, 06:01 AM
The people I buy Eternal from over in the UK sell theirs for about 1/2 the price of their MOM's.
hey Alvin,where in the U.K. do you get your Eternal ink dude? wud be great if you could point me in their direction mate!
Posted by: tatboy69 Aug 10 2007, 07:19 AM
shit if eternal is half the price where you are then id rather pay the shipping and get it from there can you post a link or info for where you order it??
Posted by: Alvin Aug 10 2007, 07:55 AM
http://www.barberbodyart.co.uk/CategoryListing.asp?catid=21
This is where I get it, but I've been told they want health certificate numbers nowadays. I've not bought anything from them for a while, so I don't know.
Tatboy, what you have to remember is that the UK tends to pay a shit load more than you guys do so you may be out of luck. Eternal $40 for 8oz & MOMS $20/$28 for 2oz bottle.
Posted by: Alvin Aug 10 2007, 07:59 AM
Oh & Gaz happy birthday!
Posted by: tatboy69 Aug 10 2007, 07:59 AM
ok i was tryin to be a cheapskate. ill just order the stuff when i can afford it. at least i can order from my buddy's shop. oh yeah i think i got a seat in a new shop i find out for sure tomorrow!! its about time im gettin rusty!! its been over three weeks since i tattooed i need to knock the barnacles off!!!!
Posted by: Alvin Aug 10 2007, 08:34 AM
Oh for sure, nothing worse than having an itch you cant scratch!
Hope it all goes well & you get back in the game!
Posted by: Oscar The Monster Aug 16 2007, 01:52 PM
Well i guess what im going to do is get a set of eternal and starbrite... the only thing is getting the money for them is the hard part.... but yeah... ok so here is another question.... I bought some Pelican ink for Shading... and i have to prepair it before i use it... now from what i remember i have to boil the ink then add blue... im not sure how much blue or what type of blue or how long does it have to boil for.... or may be im way off.... can any one help...
Oscar The Monster
Posted by: Oscar The Monster Aug 16 2007, 01:54 PM
Oh and does any one else here have any piercing expierence... i would like to share some info with you or what not....
Posted by: dlohart Aug 16 2007, 09:09 PM
i have made a lot of ink for people. Yes, I said make. I learned how to make it while being incarcerated and brought it out and people liked it and have been having me make it for them. I dont know how safe it is, but I havent had any complaints ar mishaps. 
Posted by: Oscar The Monster Aug 20 2007, 01:08 PM
well a lot of old school artist make there own ink... no one ever taught me and i never really bothered to try... but i just know that pelikan ink does have to be prepared in order to get that powdery look in your shading...
Posted by: mopar86 Aug 23 2007, 12:32 PM
Wondering what any of you guys think about VIVID Colors ink?? I am slowing switching over to Eternal inks(Expensive)but still have a lot of VIVID ink. I myself don't care for the VIVID. Black and grey wash I use KOKKAI SUMI Ink, I LIKE it, Smells bad though.
Posted by: VDinCC Sep 17 2007, 06:45 PM
Never used it,but a friend has and he said it was not that good....
Posted by: scratchin.to.the.oldies Sep 17 2007, 07:17 PM
up to date info pigments
http://www.acidbaby.com/tools.htm
Posted by: Texasframer Oct 6 2007, 07:18 PM
I use moms ink. Though the yellow and oranges have to be diluted a drop or so. They come out so thick. almost like paste
I have not had any troubles so far.
Posted by: gurgigirl Oct 7 2007, 03:37 AM
http://www.acidbaby.com/tools.htm
great link - very informative!
Posted by: derksquad Oct 11 2007, 04:30 PM
what is in 'blacklight ink" will i glow or gain superpowers?
Posted by: Short Dogg Oct 12 2007, 03:14 AM
no it wont gain super powers but the color is kinda like when u write something in highlighter and put it under a blacklight.... you get the same effect.
Posted by: derksquad Oct 12 2007, 04:21 AM
what about the rumors of health effects cancer or skin problems?
Posted by: David44 Oct 17 2007, 12:18 PM
I've used Intenze ink and it has never failed on me to get the color in. A multi color tribal I did on my buddy bout 4 years ago has stayed in perfectly and he goes tanning and gets burned all the time. I have had one problem where the guy i was workin on had some kind of reaction to the red tho.
Posted by: Charlie72 Oct 17 2007, 03:03 PM
I've only really tried a couple of inks (not inc. the cheap ebay shit)
Dynamics & Premium k's (used to be known as Premium 2000?)
Premiums is really really thick & goes in fantastic, really suits my style of working.... I've really got used to it? Available from this seller only on ebay (don't let this put you off) I know she is who she say's she is lol! It gets sent from Spain.....
http://members.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewUserPage&userid=kjatacat
Only looked into Premiums after seeing my own artist using it on me.
Then i got a sample pack of Dynamics (when i say sample i mean 14 tiny 15ml bottles for £75!), as i was told good things about it? But it's too thin for my liking or it's just i've got used to the thicker Premium stuff? Liked the healed purple & reds though, not keen on the yellow or whites...
Posted by: bulldog joe Nov 8 2007, 10:27 AM
kuro , intenze and moms for me .
any one had any exp. with the new kuro colors?
Posted by: biomech Dec 11 2007, 12:53 PM
Heres a link/ recipe on how to make your own professional inks;
http://chemistry.about.com/cs/howtos/ht/tattooink.htm
Hope that helps someone : )
Posted by: Clutch Jun 8 2008, 11:12 AM
thank you
Posted by: Dave_The_Wicked Jun 9 2008, 12:16 AM
Starbrite, Intenze and One here...
Posted by: IronB Jun 15 2008, 11:01 AM
Iron Butterfly, MOMs, Eternal and One for black for me
Posted by: Tanama Jul 8 2008, 09:19 AM
Anyone using Kuro Sumi color Ink???? Is it good??? 
Posted by: Blozo Jul 26 2008, 04:24 AM
I have Mom's, Starbrite, Spaulding, and Eternal. I bought the Spaulding ink just to test out for myself and I have used Intenze in the past.
I have had excellent results with the Mom's ink and the Eternal is great too. Starbrite has been good as well.
I felt Intenze was a tad more costlier than the Mom's and Starbrite so that's why I didn't buy more of them. Eternal isn't cheap either.
School's still out on the Spaulding color yet...
Posted by: bulldog joe Jul 30 2008, 12:41 PM
its good shit man
ive been using a bunch of thier colors
Posted by: bulldog joe Jul 30 2008, 12:42 PM
its good shit man
ive been using a bunch of thier colors
Posted by: Oztatz Jul 30 2008, 01:44 PM
we use it everyday, best ink so far in my books
Posted by: Isis in Vinyl Oct 23 2008, 08:22 PM
two or three first ink-sessions there was this awful smell. at the last sessions the smell went away - so maybe I don`t recognize it anymore or maybe it went away or maybe it was something different which made it smell. maybe I ran the machine too fast or so?
(to anticipate any more jokes about dogs and ink, please don`t get the idea of me using the shaved asses of dogs for my practising and then blaming makkuro sumi for bad smelling ink.
I am not practising on animals or anything. and the ink was from a sealed bottle, maybe it had something to do that I did use it with a new machine? maybe the hole of the tip was too small for my needle configuration and so they did rub on the steel making the ink cooking?
Once I read that people have troubles with putting white ink into the skin because the ink turns into gray, and then they found out that there are micro-little parts of steel coming from the friction between needle/tip which is like putting new pigments into the ink. )
maybe I shall smell again ???
I use Kuro Sumi exclusively for lining, ..wonder if you tried another bottle. I never noticed and funky, foul or otherwise doggy-esque scents...
yes I admit it, I also just went and sniffed my current bottle ... smells like ... paint maybe a very very slight little chemical smell...
I'd getcher self a new bottle friend
or, oh right you said the smell went away.. I have had this one a while but I will certainly think of you at least for the moment I open my next bottle wet dog = ew
Posted by: Isis in Vinyl Oct 23 2008, 08:44 PM
any one had any exp. with the new kuro colors?
I have a couple Kuro colors. I really like Dragons Breath Red and Geisha Grey. They seem to settle out faster than Millennium but worth the shaking. Also got their white but have used so little of it, hard to say. They're easy to try though because you can get them in .5 oz. sized bottles so it doesn't cost a fortune to get a handful
Posted by: SideShow Oct 23 2008, 09:53 PM
intenze ink, like any other ink company, years ago probably didnt have all the kinks worked out from what i see they have developed into a fine ink company and alot of people speak highly of them, if im not mistaken, Mike Devries uses intenze and moms mainly? correct me if im wrong.
Posted by: Justin D Dec 4 2008, 12:41 AM
Anyone try STABLE?
Posted by: Redrichie Dec 4 2008, 03:28 AM
I use one for my blacks some Kuro for greywash, and all kuro for my colors now. They are the brightest ive used to date. All smooth going in and can really make it opaque if you want to. About to try out joshua carltons technique and see how they work using there translucency. anyone else tried them in that manner?
Posted by: Coggy Feb 19 2009, 01:43 AM
I use "Scream Ink" but my friend uses intenze and the coulor is really bright and he wouldnt use anything els lol so i say each to there own
Posted by: J.D.Irons Mar 24 2009, 09:36 PM
http://chemistry.about.com/cs/howtos/ht/tattooink.htm
Hope that helps someone : )
I would NOT recommend trying this unless you have someone with you who has done it before.
3 words..
messy.
explosion.
messy.
Posted by: Himhimself May 14 2009, 02:25 PM
i dont understand how a lot of the ingredients to make this pigments in the ink are toxic...wouldnt that be really bad to put into skin
Posted by: Joe Sleepy May 14 2009, 03:42 PM
Scream ink is some of the poorest on the market,
cheap is cheap for a reason. If you are getting good,
lasting results with it I'd genuinely love to see some
pictures. I had an asshole do a tattoo on me with
Scream & the black was green within two months,
I had to get the thing totally relined and recoloured....
Posted by: Noz187 May 14 2009, 11:43 PM
yer u would think wudnt u..
Posted by: Brownie May 17 2009, 01:55 PM
The best ink i found is made up from Satans blood with a combo of sand lizards skin and a ferrets entrails twist .. only joking MOMS... just me 2 euros <<DTM>>
Posted by: Kat Von Dyke Jul 14 2009, 07:01 PM
sorry to bring back this topic but i have a question...anybody knows if the tatboy ink is any good?
tatboy ink comes with the starter kit from I.T.S
Posted by: tat4dollar Jul 15 2009, 11:16 AM
Stop asking about stupid ink and spend the money on good ink.... I get about 30 3hr tats out of a 1oz bottle. Ink pays for itself! buy starbrite , foreverstained , intenze , or moms PERIOD!
Posted by: Joe Sleepy Jul 15 2009, 12:13 PM
I checked out the "Foreverstained" shop you're pushing, they sell seriously cheap & shitty Chinese machines so I'm not sure I'd trust the ink....
Posted by: shocker Jul 15 2009, 12:31 PM
So you are saying that Internationals inks are stupid,hence no good?Does that go for their machines too?Id like to know............
Posted by: PAINT Jul 15 2009, 02:25 PM
x2 looks like junk
Posted by: Kit Wiz Jul 21 2009, 09:42 PM
scream is junk. i orderd some and used it on a guy. he was sick for a few days. then i goodled scream ink and thye are all lawsuited up. Hes well now but i hope he was sick from this broad he was humpin and not that shite hole Scream ink
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