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Post by chantrierimoon on Dec 4, 2016 8:40:57 GMT
Thought I'd put a collective thread together of my white ink tattoo experience for those who were curious how they'd heal, as well as an FAQ of sorts now that people are definitely noticing/asking about them. Hopefully this can also pull in some outsiders to our new community as they search for answers Basics: - Machine set up/technique - Round #3 needle, stippled with rotary machine
- Time - Approximately 1 hour per finger, not including stencil time
- Artist - Ed Swanson @childrenofthehydrasteeth
About the pieces/my process: - Index fingers were stenciled with traditional purple (gentian) stencil paper, thumbs will be stenciled in red stencil paper to test which stains less
- White ink is a thicker pigment and takes longer to pack
- I am fair skinned, and my body holds white/colored ink very well
- I heal tattoos by washing 3x daily with Dr Bronner's unscented castile soap for first few days, then minimize contact with water after that and apply coconut oil sparingly
- I used a thicker beeswax/shea butter based balm on the knuckles due to heavy scabbing/cracking
- I wear nitrile gloves at work, which did prolong my healing experience
The artwork itself is what's called a practical bindrune, meaning a symbol that combines multiple Elder Futhark/Germanic runic letters to create a personalized sigil. It has ties to my ancestral background/spiritual beliefs and I had no hand in choosing or designing elements of the pieces whatsoever. The primary element that is repeated multiple times is ᛉ Algiz, for protection and guidance of higher self.
STENCILS:IMMEDIATELY AFTER FINISHING:
Healing pics to follow in continued post below.
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Post by chantrierimoon on Dec 4, 2016 8:48:38 GMT
DAY 4 Gentian began to push out and cause a greyish appearance. Scabbing set in and caused puckering around edges/knuckles. At this point, they were very tender and raised.Macro close up to show stippling details starting to appear: DAY 7 Areas around knuckles were badly scabbed/cracked at this point, but other areas became very flat though still stained with gentian. Gloves got caught on the top knuckle a few times, exacerbating this:
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Post by chantrierimoon on Dec 4, 2016 8:58:29 GMT
TODAY, DAY 25 Knuckles still have scabs that just won't let up and there is still some puckering, but the texture is soft. Nothing has fallen out, but I can see places where we can adjust line thickness by going over it again. The edges get very red when exposed to cold and I have some bad nerve pain, but that is something I experience with all tattoos due to my health conditions. I will update again as any further changes happen, and once we get around to doing my thumbs
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Post by nossie on Dec 4, 2016 12:56:54 GMT
yess! interesting and thanks for sharing! i'm curious about the design since you mentioned that you had no hand in it, did the artist simply create it from scratch? i mean since you also mentioned it having ancestral ties (but perhaps you meant the subject matter allover?)
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Post by chemicalburn on Dec 4, 2016 15:35:59 GMT
Thanks for sharing this, I'm not planning on getting a white ink tattoo but it's interesting to see how the healing process compares to other colours.
Those are beautiful designs too, they'll look great when they're all done and healed.
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Post by chantrierimoon on Dec 5, 2016 5:32:41 GMT
yess! interesting and thanks for sharing! i'm curious about the design since you mentioned that you had no hand in it, did the artist simply create it from scratch? i mean since you also mentioned it having ancestral ties (but perhaps you meant the subject matter allover?) I had no idea visually what to expect or where on my hands they'd end up-- I told him what power/intention I needed behind the pieces, and based on that he cast them by puzzle piecing together symbols significant to where my family is from. I know this kind of thing is very woo-woo to most people, but magick has been a huge tool in managing my grief/struggles. Thanks for sharing this, I'm not planning on getting a white ink tattoo but it's interesting to see how the healing process compares to other colours. Those are beautiful designs too, they'll look great when they're all done and healed. Thank you!
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Post by lana on Dec 5, 2016 8:57:46 GMT
Yes, loving this thread! They look fantastic and the colour is so clean. Can't wait to see how the other two turn out
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Post by jessamine on Dec 5, 2016 10:24:21 GMT
I love them and the meaning behind them. I love also that because they're subtle not everyone will notice them all the time but because they're on your hands you'll notice them every day. I think the artist seems to have captured your intent really well
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Post by asclepiads on Dec 8, 2016 1:17:31 GMT
I enjoy your updates on these.
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Post by lilly on Dec 8, 2016 2:20:13 GMT
These look so stunning I've just started studying the elder futhark and can't stop drooling over how beautifully crafted these designs are. Thank you for sharing! Really interested to see how it all turns out.
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Post by chantrierimoon on Dec 8, 2016 5:06:33 GMT
Yes, loving this thread! They look fantastic and the colour is so clean. Can't wait to see how the other two turn out Thank you! I have a date set for next week but I'm not sure if he wants to do my thumbs or work on my butt some more. So I might have an update on that soon! I love them and the meaning behind them. I love also that because they're subtle not everyone will notice them all the time but because they're on your hands you'll notice them every day. I think the artist seems to have captured your intent really well Thank you, he definitely gets me and it's a great feeling having 100% trust in an artist for surprises I enjoy your updates on these. These look so stunning I've just started studying the elder futhark and can't stop drooling over how beautifully crafted these designs are. Thank you for sharing! Really interested to see how it all turns out. Thanks! If you know a bit about Furthark and the Eddas, I should add that Ed later told me the shape of these pieces with how they point/guide forward is meant to reflect the mountains of Jotunheim which I found neat
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Post by Sassure on Apr 25, 2017 19:35:35 GMT
Hey Petra! How is the healing going on theese? Any changes since the last picture? It has been educational to look at your pictures:) Thank you for sharing! I have not seen the healing stages of white ink tattoos any where else.
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Post by chantrierimoon on Apr 26, 2017 5:47:53 GMT
Oh yeah! I actually noticed a neat thing-- I have Raynaud's disease which causes my hands to be very temperature sensitive. When they get cold, the tattoos get a bit raised and blueish-grey in color. Otherwise they flatten out and are similar in appearance to stretch marks after they turn shimmery pale white. They also seem to be more noticeable to people now which is interesting, and most comments I get ask if it's scarification. I'm always rushed in the mornings when the lighting shows this best, but I'll be mindful to try and grab a update photo when I can
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Post by justine on Apr 26, 2017 14:48:53 GMT
I can't wait to see the pictures
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