These primitive instruments were a collection of needles tied together into a bundle. They were often made from animal bone and were used in this form as late as the 19th century. Medieval inks were created out of burned wood, oil, soot and even breast milk. Some ancient Roman ink recipes included wood bark, corroded bronzes and insect eggs.
Advancement came in 1891 in the form of the electric tattooing machine, however the ink still had a little to be desired.
Today, tattoo ink is formed of a pigment suspended within a carrier solution. The pigment gives the ink it's colour and is typically derived from metals or plant matter.
However, the pigment used to give black ink it's colour can be made from charcoal and soot sourced from burnt animal bones. This is known as 'bone black'. Black ink may also con taint shellac.
The liquid suspension which carries the pigment acts to keep the ink sanitary and evenly mixed, whilst also aiding the ease of application.
The carrier will contain purified water, ethyl alcohol, propylene glycol and glycerine and may also contain witch hazel. The glycerin used within the ink can be derived either from plant material or animal fat. If you are unsure, please check first.
In America, salon ‘Gristle Tattoo’ in Williamsburg prides itself on its completely vegan tattooing processes. They use non-toxic Eternal Ink, which is created using a plant-based glycerin and natural after care products that don’t use animal derivatives.
Here are a list of animal free inks.
Dermaglo -
www.tattooingsupplies.co.uk/
Electric Ink -
www.electricink-us.com/index.html
Intenze -
intenzetattooink.com
SilverBack Ink -
www.silverbackink.com
Skin Candy - (Bloodline and Skin Candy ranges)
skincandytattoosupply.com/
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