top of page

Beginners Guide to Tattoo Stencil Printers

For tattoo artists, one of the most complicated aspects of tattooing is stenciling and copying pieces. Because of the intricate lines, colors, and shading involved, modern tattoo artists are always on the lookout for new tools and technology to help them create the most beautiful art possible. One of these new pieces of technology is tattoo stencil printers. Whether you are a tattoo artist interested in purchasing this tool, or you want to acquire some knowledge about the stencil printing process, read on to learn the basics:

What is a tattoo stencil printer? These are thermal dot-matrix printers. The print head for printers, such as those offered by companies like S8, includes a grid of organized, sensitive heating elements. They are used to make reverse image stencils that can be transferred onto a client's skin, resulting in a traceable outline of the design.

How does a tattoo stencil printer work? The print head warms the wax of the specialized tattoo stencil paper, and the design is transferred onto the paper. Modern stencil printers have an output of 300 dots per inch (DPI). Any additional details within computer generated images can be transferred onto a stencil as well.

Why are tattoo stencil printers beneficial? With the use of digital thermal printers, problems such as guesswork, anxiety, and the need for technological modifications often arise. Manufacturers of tattoo stencil printers wanted to address the most common issues for tattoo artists and remedy them.

What devices can be connected to stencil printers? This varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. However, many providers have leveraged the power of modern technology to connect tattoo stencil printers to Apple and Google products via a WiFi connection. Many devices such as laptops or Android phones can connect through Bluetooth or with a USB wire as well.

Can you take tattoo stencil printers on-the-go to conferences or other tattoo shops? The short answer to this question is yes. Printers can be powered using lithium-ion batteries, which are shown to perform better than nickel metal hydride batteries. These printers are developed in a way that offers as much flexibility as possible for traveling tattoo artists.

Traditionally, creating stencils for tattoos can be tricky, with a lot of guesswork involved. However, with new tattoo stencil printers, the job has gotten a bit easier. These thermal dot-matrix printers solve common problems for tattoo artists and can connect with phones or laptops, in a shop or on-the-go.

bottom of page