Homemade ink is an effective way to save some money instead of running out to buy a commercial brand. Most people who want to make homemade ink are teenagers who are not old enough to run out and get a tattoo, so if you are not of age, do not attempt this. Commercial ink is always higher quality than a homemade alternative, so weigh your options before reading on. Homemade ink will work fine, if necessary precautions are taken.
Setting Up
Video of the Day
FThe first order of business is to gather all the necessary items for making your ink. All you need is a few pieces of paper, a large ceramic plate, a water bottle with a cap and a lighter. Make sure you have a safe place to use fire, without any wind. Look around the area you plan on making the ink in, and check to make sure that no flammable items are around.
Video of the Day
Burning the Paper
Gather your paper, plate and your lighter. Burn the paper piece by piece over the plate, catching the ashes on the plate. Be careful to not catch anything else around you on fire. All fans should be turned off to control the risk of embers catching. Make sure all paper burning is controlled. Never burn more than one or two pieces of paper at a time.
Gathering the Ashes
Gather all of the ashes from the burned paper into your water bottle, and shake it up and down until the ashes become a somewhat fine powder. Add some water to the powder and shake it a few times. Getting the desired thickness hinges upon how much water is added, so experimentation is necessary. After a few tries, you will get the consistency you are looking for. Typically, a dark, thin ink will result, which is perfect for tattooing.
Safety
A common mistake from people making homemade tattoos is to not sterilize their materials. Sterilize your needle before tattooing, and sterilize the skin where the tattoo will be. Make sure to use fresh, sterilized needles after each and every tattoo, as these are common ways to transfer various diseases.
Ink Recipes
This is a website where you can find two more recipes for homemade inks: http://tattoos.lovetoknow.com/Homemade_Tattoo_Ink_Recipe