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    • #15432
      Shaggy
      Member

      What are your thoughts/preferences for practicing on fruit… grapefruit or honeydew?

      I’ve tried both now, and my initial thoughts are that I prefer the honeydew overall because the divots in the grapefruit skin play hell with trying to get a straight line, however shading looks nicer on a grapefruit. Each one definitely takes ink differently, grapefruit seems to soak it up and the honeydew seems to bleed slightly… although I have noticed the bleed/blowout is random, might be softer/bruised areas on the melon causing it I suppose.

      Which fruit is a closer representation of human skin when tattooing?

      Here is the grapefruit I did (honeydew can be seen in a previous post)

      http://s1274.photobucket.com/user/f3greg/media/grapefruit_zps8e36d0e5.jpg.html

    • #24192
      brokenpipe
      Member

      I’m way more for grape fruit because it teaches you to pull a straight line on a bumpy surface. The honeydew will shred after the first going over even if you did it right. so trying to work your gradients is going to be way harder. the only reason i like the honeydew is because it gives you a bigger area. If you need that in your life then tape your practice skin to it lol. I’d just work on grapefruit , id hate to you get discouraged cuse of a massacred dew. cheers brother

    • #24193
      brokenpipe
      Member

      and that grapefruit picture is the titts btw

    • #24194
      robroy289
      Participant

      Man that is clean!!! I really think you are gonna be a great tattooer…

    • #24195
      Shaggy
      Member

      Thanks everyone! I should have done this years ago when all my friends told me I should, now the desire to do this is so strong there is no denying it… I’m drawing again after 20 years and playing with tattoo equipment trying to learn all I can before taking the next big step.

      The question still remains… Which is closer to tattooing real skin – a grapefruit of honeydew?

    • #24196
      Infamous
      Participant

      I’m really not sure, I’ve only worked on oranges. As far as I know it seems like everyone has suggested honeydews so far, this is the first time I’ve heard of anyone practicing on a grapefruit, but I don’t see why not.

      Nothing feels like skin more than skin though, if you think you’re to the point you can start doing bloodlines (tattoo with distilled water instead of ink) on yourself. When you get confident in how your bloodwork looks go ahead and start using real ink

    • #24197
      Shaggy
      Member

      Please tell me more about bloodlines. What is the result? How do you know how it looks if it is with distilled water and not ink? Does it leave a permanent impression or impression on the skin?

    • #24198
      Ramenuzumaki
      Participant

      A bloodline is simply a cut on the skin. You need to be VERY careful with blood lines as they are exactly that: lines of blood. You dont even need water. You simply use just your needle without ink. HOWEVER! Be sure you can finish the piece. Your bloodlines are gone if you need more than one session. Also as i said you need to be careful as to not cause scarring.

    • #24199
      Infamous
      Participant

      It can leave a permanent impression, it will look like a scar and will heal like one. You will be able to tell if your lines are straight or shaky, and you should be able to tell if its of quality or not. Forget coloring, just focus on your outline, and maybe some light shading. You’ll basically be doing some blood red pieces, which will eventually heal over leaving hardly any trace at all. At the worst, you’ll probably have some neat looking scars.

    • #24201
      Shaggy
      Member

      Alright I pretty much understand the bloodline concept… I will be using distilled water vs. dry needle, since it seems the distilled water would add a lube like effect to needle to some degree.

      I will be doing my calf as soon as new supplies arrive and will post pics.

    • #24200
      Ramenuzumaki
      Participant

      You should be using ointment during the tattoo. That is your “lube”

    • #24202
      Rscotti91
      Participant

      @Shaggy wrote:

      Thanks everyone! I should have done this years ago when all my friends told me I should, now the desire to do this is so strong there is no denying it… I’m drawing again after 20 years and playing with tattoo equipment trying to learn all I can before taking the next big step.

      The question still remains… Which is closer to tattooing real skin – a grapefruit of honeydew?

      Well if you want to practice tattooing on something like human skin, try out some pig skin. It’s the closest thing to human skin and will definitely aid you when tattooing real skin. IN MY OPINION, once you get good on that, then you should have minor problems tattooing human skin. Very nice work on the grapefruit though, crisp and clean. Keep it up, SHAGGY!!!

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