It’s the season of Graduate Shows, which often bring us brand new ideas and sometimes controversial proposals. This gadget probably falls into that second category.
Jakub Pollág, who has just graduated from the Royal College of Art, has created a machine with amateur tattoo artists in mind. The Personal Tattoo Machine is just that – a machine allowing anyone to ink themselves from the comfort of their own home. Inspired by prison tattoos, Pollág created a system which is simple and easy to use, but his machine is a little more high tech than those you’d find behind bars. It runs on a 9-volt battery, and a small DC motor runs the needle, which is much slower than the ones on a traditional tattoo machine and does not have different thickness options – something he thinks will make novices focus more on their drawing. The designer worked with 3D printing techniques to simulate the plastic which could be used in commercial production, and also made packaging to house all of the different components, including antiseptic lotion, rubber gloves, and the all important instructions.
Pollág is the first to admit that tattoos created with this machine won’t be as impressive as those done by a trained tattoo artist, but he also believes that tattoos should be associated with memories and meanings, not just beautiful images. He describes his as a “quality tool that is safe and easy to use”, and the Personal Tattoo Machine uses sterile tubes and needles which have been outsourced for added safety.
Although this graduate’s design is a novel idea, we still don’t think you should try tattooing yourselves at home – if you want some ink, visit a tattoo artist instead!
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