If you want to use tattoo transfer paper but do not have the money to buy a thermal copier. There are still other options available to you. You can use the hand sanitizer and soap method outlined below instead of the copier to get similar results without spending as much money on equipment and supplies. Here’s how to do it!
What Is It tattoo Transfer Paper is a Stencil
That is printed on clear plastic film with an adhesive backing. Using transfer paper will create a perfectly placed stencil. The thermal copier uses heat to transfer your design from film to your skin so you can tattoo it easily. The problem is that most people don’t have access to one of these machines and even if they did, it would be very expensive for just one or two stencils.
Transfer Paper Without a Thermal Copier
What you need are instructions on how to use transfer paper without a thermal copier. Because those instructions won’t cost you much money at all if any at all. That’s what we’re here for! You’ll learn about how to use tattoo transfer paper without thermal copiers and get some great results in doing so! This tutorial shows step-by-step instructions on how to properly apply tattoo transfer paper onto your skin.
Professional Tatoo Artist
A professional tattoo artist will always recommend using pre-made stencils. But when working on small designs or customizing existing tattoos, transfer paper may be more suitable than pre-made stencils available online. In addition to explaining exactly how to apply transfer paper without thermal copiers. I also discuss different kinds of art you can create using transfer paper as well as other tips and tricks. That makes using pre-made stencils easier!
Step 1 - Prepare The Design
Start by downloading a design you’d like to transfer. It should be in a high-resolution format, such as an image in JPG or PNG. The most popular files for transferring tattoos are AI (vector), PDF, and EPS (vector). Other file formats include PSD, TIFF, GIF, and BMP but these are not recommended for tattoo transfers because they tend to blur after transfer. A good rule of thumb is to make sure that your design is at least 2000px x 2000px or higher resolution.
If your file is smaller than that it won’t work well with thermal copiers or tattoo stencils so plan. Next, we need to print out our design on transfer paper. You can do so by using any inkjet printer capable of printing on 8.5x11 sheets of paper. For best results use a laser printer instead of an inkjet printer since it will allow you to control how much ink is transferred onto your skin when applying the tattoo later on.
Step 2 - Tape Design Onto Surface
Start by preparing your surface, we’ll be taping our design onto a shirt. Measure out how long you want your design to be and then tape one side of your transfer paper onto the bottom edge of a hanger or wire. Then line up your design on top of your transfer paper.
You can either cut around it with a pair of scissors or leave extra room so that you can trace around it as I did. Cut out around your design, leaving about 1⁄2 extra around each side in case things aren’t completely straight when you apply it to your garment. Tape down all four sides so that they don’t move. While you trace over them with a pencil or pen! Step 3 - Trace Design Onto Garment: Once your transfer paper is taped down, trace over your design using a thin-tipped marker or pen.
Make sure to go slow and use small strokes
Because if you press too hard you could end up going through both layers of fabric. If that happens just remove some of the ink with rubbing alcohol before moving on to don’t worry if there are parts where you couldn’t get close enough because once you remove it from its backing, everything will lay flat against your garment anyway!
Step 3 - Apply Ink: Now that we have our design printed out onto transfer paper we’re ready to apply some ink!
Step 4 - Spray Stencil & Wait 30 Seconds
After you’ve traced your design, cover it with a sheet of clear tape to protect it from getting dirty. Then take your stencil and spray over it. Make sure you have good coverage but don’t completely soak your paper. Remove the stencil after 30 seconds and let dry for at least 15 minutes (if not longer). Spray over again to make sure there are no missed spots and remove after another 30 seconds or so.
This is an important step; because if you miss any spots. Then when you apply your transfer paper, later on, those areas will be left blank. If that happens, don’t worry! You can just re-spray them and wait another 30 seconds before removing them. Once all of your stencils are sprayed with tattoo transfer paper solution, let them dry overnight in a safe place away from direct sunlight.
I recommend using cheapo newspapers
Because they’re easy to toss out once they get too wet or dirty. Don’t use newsprint though - I tried that once and I had some major smearing issues which made my transfers look blurry. If you want clean lines, use standard copy paper instead. Also, keep in mind that tattoo transfer paper tends to leave behind an oily residue. So do not use newspaper if you’re planning on keeping your final artwork intact for more than 24 hours after applying.
Step 5 - Remove Stencil
Using a small paintbrush, remove your stencil by brushing it away. It should come right off. In some cases, you’ll be able to remove it entirely in one piece; if not, don’t worry—it’s very easy to cut individual letters out of a stencil with an X-Acto knife. Once all your lettering is removed and you’re satisfied with how your transfer looks, move on to Step 5. If you see little bits of paper still attached after removing your stencil, gently rub them away with an old toothbrush or Q-tip dipped in rubbing alcohol Make sure you are wearing loose clothing. So that there isn’t any interference between your skin and the tattoo transfer paper as you apply it.
Also, make sure that whatever surface (skin) you plan on applying it to is clean and dry before beginning the first thing you need to do when designing your tattoo transfer paper is decide what size font you want to use. This will depend largely on where you plan on placing your tattoo and what size it needs to be for optimal visibility. Remember, these transfers can only hold about 4 lines of text at most, so choose wisely!
Steps 6 - Repeat Steps 2-4 As Needed
Now, you can repeat Steps 2-4 as many times as you need to to create your desired tattoo transfer image. You’ll have to cut it down to size at least once so that it fits on your tattoo stencil sheet. How long your image is will depend on how many layers of transfer paper you use. So be sure to take that into account when deciding how large or small you want your final design to be. The example shown here used about 20 different layers of transfer paper and took up a lot of room in between each layer.
This will result in more work later on if you want to fit everything onto a single tattoo stencil sheet, but it’s possible depending on what kind of machine you’re using and how large each layer is. Don’t worry too much about cutting off some of your detail though, because you can always add back any lost detail with additional coats of paint after everything has dried.
If you do decide to cut off some detail, just remember that there are no real rules for creating these transfers so feel free to experiment and make something unique! As long as you’re having fun with it then there isn’t anything wrong with experimenting! After doing all five steps (Steps 1-5) one time through, I decided I wanted my skull and spiderweb tattoos to be larger than they were originally designed to be.
So how does the ink Transfer from the Paper to the Skin?
The trick to using these products correctly is that you have to make sure there’s a layer of skin oil on your skin where you want to place your design. You can use rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer to create a smooth and even coating on your skin. Then spray or dab some hair spray over that, making sure to cover all of your tattoo paper with it.
Hair spray acts as an extra adhesive for any clumps in your stencil; it will also keep excess ink from soaking into areas you don’t want it on. Now, quickly peel away all of your tattoo paper pieces—and voila! Your design should appear completely intact and ready for you to apply directly to your body. If you don’t get it right on your first try, simply clean off your skin and start again until you get it right.
It may take a few tries before you get used to applying transfer tattoos correctly, but once you do, they are extremely easy to work with! Just remember: practice makes perfect. Good luck, tat lovers!
What can I use instead of stencil liquid?
One of our favorite questions to answer here at #GSDtattoos is, I can’t find stencil liquid where I live, what do I use instead? Use tattoo transfer paper with water, or use hand sanitizer and green soap. (Note: While we’ve done everything we can to ensure accuracy, there’s no way for us to test all solutions before recommending them. We recommend trying a small area on your skin and seeing how it works before making any decisions.)
If you’re looking for an alternative to stencil liquid, give one of these two options a shot! If neither works out for you, check in with local tattoo shops in your area - sometimes they’ll sell their excess supplies at a discounted price. If both don’t work out for you, ask around at local tattoo shops in your area - sometimes they’ll sell their excess supplies at a discounted price! Or order online if necessary!
Conclusion
You’ll need to test each stencil on your skin a few times before applying it. Spray lightly—too much and you risk smudging your stencil. If that happens, spray again or wipe off with a cotton ball. If you are not completely satisfied with your result, try a new method of applying it or ask for help from someone who does body art regularly.
Regardless of how simple these applications seem, using tattoo transfer paper is far more complicated than many people realize—this has been my experience at least! I hope these tips help you apply your stencils successfully and save you time in trying to figure out how to get tattoos without a machine! Good luck!