Homemade Tattoo Photo #4139

The practice has a long history in prisons, military settings, and teenage experimentation, but the gap between a romanticized DIY aesthetic and the reality of untrained needlework is significant. If you are drawn to the raw, imperfect look of homemade tattoos, this page covers the real risks and the safer ways to achieve a similar result.

Using lines of varying thickness to define shape and depth, linework tattoos achieve expression through economy. The absence of shading keeps the focus on the quality and flow of each stroke.

Forearm tattoos benefit from a natural canvas that follows the arm's long shape. Designs can wrap around the arm or sit on the inner or outer surface, giving flexibility in how the tattoo is displayed.