How to use Premium Tattoo Paper

Not just any Temporary Tattoo Paper! With over 30 years experience specialized in manufacturing printer friendly decal papers, our Tattoo Paper range is meticulously designed to deliver exceptional results. Offering major improvements over traditional temporary tattoo paper.

Unlike our standard Tattoo Paper, which is thicker, lasts incredibly long, and may require cosmetics such as baby powder or matte sunscreen to reduce the gloss, Premium Tattoo Paper is a results focused version for creating realistic results, first try. It’s thinner and adapts to the skin’s natural contours. The semi-matte finish means no optional cosmetics / creams are required to mattify the tattoo, although still fully compatible. It’s fast to apply and creates hyper-realistic results upon application. It’s also more soft and comfortable to wear at the cost of longevity. Completely skin-safe, even on sensitive skin as always, and easy to remove using baby oil and warm water by rubbing in a circular motion.

A true game changer! Favored by award-winning makeup artists, cosplayers, and great for film shoots, pranks and daily outfits.

What Printer Should I use?

If you want to maximize how long your tattoos last we recommend using a Laser Printer.

This is because Inkjet is water soluble and therefore much less water-resistant when compared to Laser toner. For this reason, the Laser versions of Tattoo Papers are significantly thinner and may produce more desirable results.

There is also a visual difference between the two printer types.

In the image above, we have exaggerated the difference so it’s easier to see on screen. Inkjet has a glossier appearance, whereas Laser has more bold drier colors.

Your results may vary especially when using 3rd party ink or toner refills in your printer.

Instructions

The Premium Tattoo Paper package consists of two types of paper. The semi-matte sheets are the printing papers, and the glossy papers are the adhesive sheets.

Materials Needed:

Laser or Inkjet Printer (Purchase the correct version for your printer type)
Scissors, Craft Knife or Cutting Machine.
Squeegee Rubber or Popsicle (for rubbing).
Smooth hard tabletop to work on.
A ruler is recommended for even application of adhesive.

Step 1: Mirror

Tattoo Paper is applied face down, so you may want to mirror your images before printing, especially if they contain any text.

Photoshop: Image > Image Rotation > Flip Canvas
Illustrator: Object > Transform > Reflect
GIMP: Image > Transform > Flip Horitzontally
Krita: Image > Mirror Image Horizontally

Alternatively, you can mirror the file in your printer settings.

Step 2: Print

Make sure the Printer Settings have been set accordingly:

PAPER TYPE: Premium Glossy Paper, Opp Film, Label Paper or Transparent Film.

We advise you to use the manual feed in your printer (not the paper tray).

When ready, print on the glossy side of the printing paper.

Step 3: Drying (Inkjet Only)

Wait until the ink is fully dry. You can use a blow dryer to speed this up.

(If you're using a laser printer then the image will already be dry).

Step 4: Adhesive

Peel back a small corner of the adhesive sheet and fold it.

Lay it face down on the printed image. You can align the sheets before pressing down the exposed corner.

It's very easy to align perfectly each time by doing the following:

Align the bottom corners by pressing the sheets from the sides.
Hold down the aligned sheets with one hand as you make your way up to the exposed corner.
Press down the exposed adhesive exactly where the fold is before pressing down the rest of the corner.

Step 5: Attach

We recommend using a ruler and flat tabletop to avoid air bubbles. Slowly peel away the white backing from the adhesive with one hand, while pressing the layers together with the ruler.

Next you need to press the image and adhesive together.

Rub the adhesive down to ensure a good bond between the image and the adhesive.

You can rub it with a knuckle but we recommend using the hard edge off a squeegee, using a popsicle or a laminator (heat setting turned off).

The image will get clearer as you rub.

Step 6: Cut out your Temporary Tattoos

You can cut these out using a cutting machine, craft knife, or scissors.

If you are using the white adhesive, then any edges left around the tattoo will leave a white outline, so you may want to cut closer depending on your desired result.

Please don’t cut through the temporary tattoos if made using an Inkjet Printer, as this will weaken the tattoo and compromise its water-resistance.

However, we do recommend cutting close to the image as it may provide a stronger edge, reducing how fast the tattoo will peel.

Ready:

At this point your temporary tattoos are ready and can be stored away in an airtight bag or used right away.

To transfer your image it's important to ensure the skin is clean and oil-free.

We recommend shaving the area to remove any “invisible hairs” that may weaken the adhesive. This can be overlooked, but it prevents irritation and improves longevity.

Step 7: Apply

Remove the clear protective backing and apply face down.

Press down well, to ensure a good transfer.

Don’t be afraid of creating creases in the backing.

You can massage the backing to make sure the tattoo is stuck down well.

NOTE: Applying the tattoo on joints, such as knees and elbows is not recommended, as the frequent bending and stretching will reduce the longevity of the tattoo.

Step 8: Reveal

To release the backing, dab it with water until it's completely wet. You can use a tissue, sponge, or towel to wet it evenly.

By gently sliding away the backing, you will reveal your beautiful tattoo. The tattoo will strengthen as it dries and adapts to your skin.

Should you want to further mattify the tattoo you can use baby powder, or matte sunscreen after the tattoo has dried.

Most cosmetics will work on the tattoo, however try to avoid oil based cosmetics as they may cause the tattoo to loosen from the sides.

Tips for advanced users

Are Inkjet and Laser versions cross-compatible? Inkjet is not compatible with the Laser Tattoo Papers, however due to the fusing technology in Laser Printers, your Inkjet Tattoo Paper sheets will work inside Laser Printers. The downside to this is you are missing out on the reduced thickness Laser Tattoo Paper offers.

How can I make my tattoo look more realistic?

You will require an image editor to make these changes.

Gaussian Blur:

This effect will blur the image. Using a small amount of it, will make the tattoo look more natural, like it is under the skin. Higher amounts of blur will simulate a tattoo that is 5+ years aged.

Saturation:

Colored ink in real tattoos starts to slowly fade after 1 year. By reducing the color saturation, you can simulate this to make the tattoo look aged.

Transparency:

Making your images more transparent (reducing opacity), is another way to make tattoos look more aged. Recommended for tattoos that have little ink.

If the tattoo has very thin line art, the transparency setting will be great for simulating a natural fade. Real tattoos in this style are usually gone within 2 years. If the tattoo has lots of ink or thick lines, Gaussian Blur is recommended.

You can go in even greater detail and use the eraser to manually add transparency unevenly and preserve some of the ink. This will look most natural.

Premium Tattoo Paper Structure

If you have any questions, difficulties or need some advice, feel free to contact us. We'll be more than happy to help.

Tutorials