Tattoo Terminology

As it rains me out of yet another day of work, I thought it'd be productive to give you guys and myself a quick look into tattoo terminology. I feel like it's my job to let you guys know what to call, and what to STOP calling tools, pieces, work, equipment etc., as we all have heard the worst of it. (So the next time you go into a shop, you won't look like a newbie.) For your first lesson, I'll give you five of the most popular terms: 

1. Guns/Machines- Some artists don't mind, some have never been taught the difference, some use the words interchangeably *cringe*, and some might grit their teeth at the thought. The sacred device that tattoo artist use to create works of art within the flesh is NOT called a gun. Do not call it that. In the shop I am apprenticing in, there is a jar in which we police eachother to give up five dollars every time we accidentally use 'gun' instead of machine. I've also heard the term 'irons', but that one is more of a locational discrepancy. They vary between looks as different tattoo machine artists have different styles. Below is an example of a tattoo machine. 
   
    
2. Tat/Tattoo/Piece - A 'tat' takes five minutes to throw on the skin; a tattoo is a creation brought literally within the flesh by your artist. Take the time to use 'tattoo' instead of 'tat', as that took work and time by the tattoo artist. Calling the piece a 'tat' is the equivalent of calling a Monet a fingerpainting; it's downright insulting. 
3. Scratcher - An "artist" typically "working" out of his/her home in unhygienic environments, giving extremely low/poor quality pieces. Scratchers usually have little to no real experience within a tattoo parlor or shop, and more than likely have never been apprenticed by a professional artist. Artists call them scratchers because they deliver poor line integrity, or "drill" their clients, causing extreme surface trauma to the epidermis, therefore leaving scar tissue. Scar tissue is raised on the skin, which is a telltale trademark of a scratcher. Within the two months of my apprenticeship, more people have come into the shop looking to fix their scratcher tattoos than not. Do yourself a favor and do not go to scratchers as not only will you be unsatisfied with the finished piece, but there is a real risk of bacterial infection. Below are a few 'grim' examples of a scratchers' work. 
   
   
   
   
4. Tattoo Flash - This is the tattoo art usually hung up on the walls of a tattoo shop. It's there to help those who come in with little to no idea of what tattoo they want get a little inspiration, or even pull directly from the flash. It also gives new clients a better idea of what kind of style the artists within the shop perform. Below are examples of Sailor Jerry tattoo flash. 
   
5. Jailhouse - Similar to the quality of a scratcher and lack of professionalism; quite frankly a tattoo given while in jail or sometimes at home. Jailhouse tattoo 'machines' are crafted from ballpoint pens and two batteries in place of the double coils present within professional machines. Below is a jailhouse crafted machine that was confiscated by a prison guard; and an example of a jailhouse tattoo.  
   
   
   
   
   
    Until next time kids, 
   x