Tonight, 12/19/2023, I have proudly completed my very first hand poke tattoo on my flesh… it is a design by my ten-year-old daughter Jocelyn, who also made the stencil for me to do the tattoo itself. It took about 4 passes total and about 45 minutes or so, and it turned out pretty good for my first time. My kids and wife watched me do the piece and just kept saying, “wow,” over and over, with my eldest two deciding that they both want tattoos and to become tattoo artists themselves!
Stick and poke tattoos hurt far less than electric tattooing, bleed less, and stay red and swollen less as well, and my skin always felt very hot from machine tattoos, whereas I didn’t feel that one bit during my poke tattoo. I suppose now that this step has been taken, there is no going back, just more practice on practice skin and real inking on my skin now. Bear in mind, the whole time I practice, I am practicing hygiene and keeping sterile in a sterile environment as well, even when just using practice skin or tattooing on myself.
This has been a simple, but fun, and engaging journey so far, and I am soooo looking forward to moving forward and learning so much more. It feels like I learn forty different things every time I watch a video or practice the craft, and I swear it feels like I am a kid all over again as I learn. I am now planning out my body… to be covered by me via hand poke tattoo, and in places I cannot reach, I would trade work with others or my apprentices in the future.