Although most people are familiar with standard tattooing practices, there are other methods in use. Few people outside of the Orient are familiar with the art of irezumi, which forms the basis of Japanese tattoo culture.

Originally limited to the yakuza, tattooing has started to become more popular in youth culture, both as a sign of rebellion and sign that they are part of a different culture than that of their parents. The new oriental culture is more likely to depend on smaller tattoos rather than the large, sometimes full-body tattoos of the yakuza gangs. Although tattooing is legal, and had begin to lose its criminal connotations, those wearing tattoos can be banned from areas such as public baths, hot springs, and even gyms.

Unlike western tattooing, where instruction has been somewhat institutionalized, one must learn irezumi from an established teacher. The teacher usually only takes on a single student, and that student must endure years of apprenticeship. During the initial years, the student is little more than a servant, and may only practice on himself; only when he has mastered the basics of his art is he even allowed to talk to potential clients.

The tools are deceptively simple. The ink is made by the apprentice, if possible, rather than purchased, although commercial ink is gaining a foothold. The needle itself is still handmade, and some are antiques. The tattoo itself can run from relatively cheap (under $50) to well over $50,000 depending on the size of the tattoo, and the drawing can last up to five years; however, the person is advised that even a small tattoo can have negative connotations in Japanese culture and anesthesia is rarely offered. There are also a large number of books available, as well as temporary tattoos.

Irezumi can make for some very interesting discussion pieces, especially as they involve a bit more sacrifice than the standard tattoo. However, they remain controversial even today, but can are indisputably some of the most beautiful works of art out there.

There’s a lot of different pieces of the puzzle to take into consideration if you are considering a way to get started with tattooing. The industry itself is very hard to break into due to a number of factors – namely, high competition for few apprenticeships, where a newbie artist is able to go under the wing of an established artist and learn the craft mostly on a one to one basis.

Either way – whether you’ve decided to go at it alone or whether you’ve got someone to teach you – you obviously are going to need some of your own tattoo equipment to get started. What equipment is it that you need? In this article we’ll address this question for you.

Obviously, the central piece of the trade is going to be the tattoo machine. Sometimes this is also referred to as a tattoo gun, but you’d do well to call it a tattoo machine in front of any other artist, lest you shall sound like an amateur! There are many different tattoo machines on the market, and even different types of tattoo machines.

This gets us into the needles placed into the tattoo machines. The reasons some machines are specialized is because there are two broad classes of needles. Some guns are specifically designed for one of these types of needles. These are known as shader tattoo needles and liner tattoo needles. The type of needle used depends on the tattoo work being implemented. Someone started in tattooing is going to need either a machine that is versatile and can be loaded up with either type of needle – shader or liner – or needs to have two guns on hand, one for each type. Additionally, of course, he or she will need to purchase both types of needles.

The needles themselves are what is used to pierce or penetrate the skin. It’s with these penetrations that a small deposit of tattoo ink is made, and over repeated needling, the entire tattoo is created on a persons skin. So this means in addition to the tattoo machine(s), the shader and liner needles, a beginner also needs to have ink. Black is the most common color but most tattoos use an array of colors, so it’s a good idea to purchase a set of inks providing an array of color.

Something not yet mentioned that’s absolutely mandatory is the power supply for the tattoo machine (or gun). These machines do not run off batteries – in other words, they need an external source of power. A solid power supply means peace of mind when doing work, as it’d be a bad situation to lose power in the middle of a tattoo! You might want to consider investing in a power supply whose control is operated via a pedal switch. This allows all hands to be free, along the eyes, to focus on the tattoo work, and not messing with settings on the power supply.

In summary, the tattoo equipment needed to get started is probably what you thought it was: a machine, the needles, tattoo inks, and a power supply.

Of course there is much more to it than simply having these supplies to becoming a real tattoo artist, but everyone starts somewhere, and as far as tattoo equipment, this is where it starts!