Skin Deep

Under the Influence of Drink' sign, c. 1960
With the rise in popularity of tattoos, came the need for a fast and convenient method of application. Simple needles were replaced by machines to inject ink into the skin and synthetic tattooing inks were mass-produced to fulfil the demand. The first electric machines emerged around 1890 and have remained largely unchanged ever since. In Britain, the electric tattooing machine began life as an electric doorbell, which formed the mechanism. Many machines were and continue to be made by tattoo artists themselves. They are hand-held and can be used to trace transfers or to draw freehand designs on the body.

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