First things first. I would first off recommend that you find a Professional tattoo artist to apprentice you. If you can’t find one, and insist on doing this, then my next comment is in regards to cleanliness!! You can never be too clean. Without having the money to invest in all the proper equipment for proper sterilization. Go thru the proper steps to stay clean. New needles every time. I also recommend using disposable tubes to avoid any possible contamination. There is a guide out there called the “Tattoo Artists Black Book.” Download it, and read it. It is a freebie. The possibility of some form of infection is the biggest risk for any “scratcher.” That is the term used for someone doing ink without any formal training. Never try something you are unsure of. If you don’t think you can do it, don’t. Try getting practice skin to try things on that you are unsure of.

Again, try to get yourself an actual tattoo artist to be your mentor. This is someone elses body and life you can be messing up if you do a bad tatt, or worse yet, get them infected with some sort of disease such as Heppititis, Staff, MRSA, or HIV/AIDS. Alcohol will not sterilize your equipment properly, so keep that in mind.