Whats the best way to display the tattoos you are offering?

I am looking for a good way to display the tattoos that I would like to offer at each event. I currently have over 200 designs, but I do not offer them at all events. I usually change out the tattoos depending on what the event is. I currently have a small graphic of each tattoos printed with their corresponding number underneath it on a piece of paper and then laminate it. I then have a picture of the color choices on the back with their corresponding numbers (each color is given a number in my palette, so when they come up they can say they want color 21). I usually just pass this out to those waiting in line. This works great, but I was just wondering if anyone else had some successful ideas of how to do this.

I found a brand-new (but second-hand priced) hanging jewelry case from the "Container Store" that holds 60 or 80...a "not for you to touch" solution for quicker finds for me. I like your idea though.

I actually just found a great solution to this, but it takes a bit of graphic knowhow. I STRUGGLED with my tattoos, I wanted a way to display them without people getting their hands on my stencils.

Origonally I bought the kit from Amerikan Body Art, came with a binder with clear pockets for all my stencils. but they were slippery and I kept having stencils fall out of pockets.

What I did was I scanned all my images, and then using Paint Shop, I turned them into negative images and printed them on letter sized paper. Each stencil got a number which then went in a 5x8 filing box.

I have laminated posters that I can then tape the pages to that display the stencils (similar to Faketoos posters)

I'll see if I can get some pictures and put them up for you

Trina

This is an example of the poster. This one isn't laminated yet. The 8x10 sheets are stuck on there with a light non-permanent adhesive so I can change them out. They have the number of the stencil and the pricce written on them as well.

I have 2 of these.



The extra "sheets" of stencils I have in a binder. I have 100 different designs so I could PAPER the walls of my tent with them if I tried to have them ALL out.



This is where I store my stencils. This is a storage box I got at Walmart, and 5x8 divider cards I bought somewhere, staples I think.



It was somewhat time-consuming to scan and edit each stencil image, but have the negative image (vs the stencil image) I think really works. I played with all sorts of different things before coming up with this.

Hope that gives you some ideas! I can write a bit of a tutorial for how to scan and edit images so you can print them this way. You do have to be somewhat tech-creative though I'd think.

In the future I'm only going to purchase stencils from faketoos, cause they have their images all like this already.

Trina

That's a great idea about doing the negative image. I didn't do that but did have a new poster made.



and I made a banner to match for when we ONLY do glitter tattoos and body bling. We're in a new area and there are a lot of festivals that already have face painting, so we're trying a few festivals with just the glitter body bling and tattoos.



We also have the stencils numbered and in a 5x8 box like yours, Trina. I've tried just about every way and that way is absolutely the easiest

I would love to see more glitter tattoo displays if any of you are willing to share. I just looked and I don't have a picture of mine, I will try to post one though. I just don't love it!

Squiggle, that is amazing work!

My suggestion since I cut my own stencils, is wherever you order them from, ask them to provide you with the positive image (the part you would put on your sign, it looks just the way it would on the skin) for each stencil. When you get stencils, you are given the negative image (backwards so it ends up positive on the skin. Tell them it is for your display board. Then you just put it on your display board. They show up the actual size they will be on the skin.

I think binders with stencils in them are cool, but you can only show your designs you offer to just 1 or 2 people at a time. Having signs displayed big at your booth can give everyone in line waiting enough time to decide what they want instead of them taking your time when you greet them, trying to find a design in the binder. My advice is get a big foam poster/presentation board and put each design on it. Or you can get a piece of wood, paint it white and put the pictures or stencils on it with pricing. Lean the board against something or find a way to hang it to your canopy if you have one.

I have a booth set up that I will take pics of this weekend during my event. But the better quality your signage is, the more customers it will attract. It's always good to spend extra on your display, it just looks better. Contact a designer or sign shop in your area to give you the best display.

You can even get your stencils if you don't have access to the negative images and paint them with poster glue, and then glitter them with cheap glitter for your display.

Or you can go to the craft store and buy glitter sheets that are just glitter from the scrapbooking isle. You know, the page inserts for scrapbooks. Get black, gold, or red and put your stencils on top of the glitter sheet and the stencil will show up as glitter. If I didn't explain myself well, please let me know and I can share pics.

You can even get your stencils if you don't have access to the negative images and paint them with poster glue, and then glitter them with cheap glitter for your display.

What I mean when I said this is basically do a glitter tattoo on the foam poster board. (The posters that have foam in the middle). The best ones I found are in the framing section at a craft store. They have a glossy (not papery) feel to them, which is good for removing the vinyl as you make your display.

When making your display poster, make sure you space out and draw light lines across your poster with a pencil so you apply your stencils straight. BUT when you peel your tattoo stencil off the backing, pat it on your hand several times first to remove most of the stick from the vinyl, but don't remove it all. You want it sticky enough to stick to the poster, but not too sticky where it tears teh poster when you remove the stencil after it's dry. THEN do your "glitter tattoo" on the foam poster board. I have learned to let the glitter and glue dry completely and then take the stencil off the poster carefully so you don't tear any of the poster. That way the poster tattoo dries completely. Not like when you do it on a real person, where you remove the stencil before glittering (some of you do it that way, I do too).

When you do your poster display, just use poster glue and craft glitter. Don't waste your cosmetic glitter. Buy enough extra stencils, glue, glitter and an extra poster board to practice on.

Does that make sense? Need photos?
let me know!

Wow Eileen, thanks for that extensive answer and for all those ideas! I have tried doing the tats right on the display board before, maybe I need to revisit that idea. I do want something that pops out at people more, instead of just black and white. Have you done this? If so, I would love to see pics!

I haven't done that yet but i know it would work. Just buy some extras to practice with, use your least popular stencils, just 1, that you dont mind using as your guinea pig stencil. I actually have a banner that I printed and finished tonight, I will take a pic. I will explain another idea shortly after i post the pic. :-)

Let me know if you use any computer design programs... Ill post pics soon.

Here are some pics I took. You can get your stencils printed in positive and negative images, depending on where you get them. Here is one of mine for example. The positive image you can use for any display, just put it straight on the board. If you have a plotter, you can order sparkle vinyl to apply sparkly vinyl tattoos as your display on your display board. And of course, the negative image is what you use for your tattoos. (your stencil)



Another quick and easy option... So now, here is some scrapbooking paper I got at the craft store. One is gold, one is silver hologram. These are just extras that I had sitting here.




If you don't have much time to make a poster, or you don't have access to the positive image (like first pic) to make your display board, do this. You can take your stencil and lay it right on top of the glitter page and then cut it out. That way, your customer has an idea what the tattoo will look like on the skin. It's not the best to give your customers access to your stencils OR present the negative image, they won't understand that the stencil is opposite of what goes on the skin. Some people have a hard time picturing the end result. So here, I am just placing my stencil on top of the paper. Make sure you really get it on there, like with a squeege or a bank card. (Pictured below)



Then cut it out around the edges, and apply it to your display board. (pictured below)



I don't have a pic of this, but stick it to your board either using double-sided tape or glue. Protect your board by laminating it, or by getting a thin piece of plexiglass custom cut to cover the front of your display board so little fingers won't ruin it. (Sorry, I don't have a pic, I haven't displayed my tats this way yet)

Another option is by getting a banner custom printed. (Sorry this pic is dark, the lighting in my house wasn't good enough and I couldn't un-roll this banner completely because it's 10 feet wide) This is my banner that I designed, again sorry for the bad lighting, but my point here is showing you that you can get your stencils printed on a banner. Since I do graphic design and design my own stencils, I used Adobe illustrator to do this. This is part of my banner and it's part of my logo which has a blue glitter wing in it. I used a clipping mask in Illustrator by taking an actual photo of glitter and applying it as an overlay over my vector tattoo design. So basically, you can have your tattoos printed on a banner (as in a display board, not pictured) using this concept. So just imagine all of your stencils printed on a banner looking like real glitter tattoos. Here is a piece of my banner, showing you that you can have your stencils printed to look like glitter tattoos.



And if you work with computers and know anything about Photoshop or Illustrator, you can make a banner with your tattoos by using a clipping mask in Illustrator. Just find any glitter background online and use it for your clipping mask. Here is a quick example I did with my humming bird and hibiscus stencil. I just used the glitter backgrounds I could find fastest online. (click to see it large, I know half of it shows up) Let me know if there is any questions!

Eileen those are some AWESOME ideas!! I'm trying to design a banner to be printed and I'm totaaly TOTALLY snagging some of those ideas

Kudos!

Great, I'm glad I could help! Let me know if you need ANY help with your design, that's what I do! But if you have a designer doing it, tell them you want your printed banner to have the tattoos look like glitter. (The clipping mask option)

All they do is find a high resolution picture of glitter, and then in the program they can do a "cookie cutter" kind of thing to it with your stencil. So if you have a heart, they will use a red glitter background, put the heart above the glitter background, and in one click, you have a virtual glitter tattoo for your banner. Do you know about Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop? Let me know if you need anything!

Hey EIleen,

I don't use photoshop however I do use Corel Paint Shop Pro. Does all the stuff that Photoshop does Masks are my friend! When I get some time to play around with stuff I'll make sure to post the final product!

This is only good if your not outside and its no chance of rain. by the way LOL


Okay, gals, here is my great idea LOL for today. Using the infamous "Vicky Technique" which is finding plexiglass and using it as a board with flouresecent markers.

I was at the store and saw they are selling magnetic glass frames and flourescent markers god knows i love and have always wanted to try to use the markers they look so fun. anyways it cost an arm and a leg and blood including about 30 dollars probably in all to buy the set. I saw it was glass and the background is colored. (you know the kind at a restaurant) I made my own in about 15 minutes! I knew this would be a great way to display my tattoo shapes.

I took a large peice of plexiglass I had lying around well my husband did he uses it for his boardgames. I bought for about 2 bucks a paper tablecloth. I used paper clips to hold the paper on the back of the plexiglass. I thought about gluing it first but remembered it wasnt "mine" LOL.


Let me just tell you. This works like a charm! Here are some trials of me using different mediums to get the right "look" i wanted. What i found out:
-the flourescent markers run a lot so its best to have your hair dryer handy before you lift the stencil. Dry erase markers and flouresecnt markers all easy to wipe off your board if you need to make a change. Very simple!!! This gives alot of flexibility to your board. Change it up! You can also write messages for example... 1 dollar for these, 2 dollars for those. bla bla and Back at 1.pm. or be back in Five minutes, or Sorry we are out of black glitter at this time." This gave me a chance to try out some home made stencils that i thought looked great on paper and it seems look like crap in actuality. So glad i tried this!!


https://2img.net/h/i76.photobucket.com/albums/j37/Roosterdog/IMG_1970.jpg

Vicky, I am having a hard time pictureing it. Could you post pictures and more details?? I would love to see it!

haha when i am finished i will post pics hon.

Oh! I see the pics now! I got ahead of myself, lol. Wow that's cool! What does it say on the pic "2nd try with snaz...huge what?"

So what do you think worked the best?

On the one where you wrote perfect...what did you use?

Did you use any of the adhesive stencils or just plastic ones?

Sorry for all the questions!

It says "Huge fail"

on the Minecraft!

Thanks misha!
Hmm this gives me so many ideas! What if I use the adhesive stencils right on thd glass, fill in with fluorescent marker, then remove the stencil? I could put glitter paper behind it or better yet is there a glittery paint pen that would work and then black paper behind it...ooh the wheels are turning !!

zeebee wrote:Oh! I see the pics now! I got ahead of myself, lol. Wow that's cool! What does it say on the pic "2nd try with snaz...huge what?" huge fail.

So what do you think worked the best? snaz with hairdryer works good so does the markers with hair dryer and without if your just writing, but if your using stencils you need the hairdryer then remove your stencil after.

On the one where you wrote perfect...what did you use? stencil plus hairdryer with flourescent dry erase markers.

Did you use any of the adhesive stencils or just plastic ones? i used plastic stencils i bought at the grocery store. i have nothing else waaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

Sorry for all the questions!

no problem i ask tons of questions!

zeebee wrote:Thanks misha!
Hmm this gives me so many ideas! What if I use the adhesive stencils right on thd glass, fill in with fluorescent marker, then remove the stencil? I could put glitter paper behind it or better yet is there a glittery paint pen that would work and then black paper behind it...ooh the wheels are turning !!

I wouldnt go too complicated. this took me all day for example. i had to let each tattoo dry before i could do the next one. So i was using different areas. Use any kind of paper and color you want for the background... my tattoos are black so therefore not good with a black paper background i think.

For you face painters, this is also a cool way to practice your ideas. Snaz paint really just wipes off with alcohol.