

Perr, who has been hand-poking for her entire career, says she’s noticed an uptick over the past couple of years. With the popularity of minimalism over the past few years, the dainty nature of many stick-and-poke tattoos is, perhaps, one reason they’re having a renaissance.

“ do tend to look a bit more delicate, organic, and hand drawn on skin.” (That said, Perr says it’s also possible to create delicate designs with a machine the size of the needle, the design itself, and, of course, the artist, all influence the final outcome.)

The slow and steady approach of stick-and-poke “encourages more simplicity and delicacy in the design,” Perr explains. Stick-and-poke tattoos may have a more organic, hand-drawn look It’s “entirely by hand.one dot at a time,” Rosa Perr, founder of the New York hand-poke tattoo shop Bluestone Babe explains, likening stick-and-poke to “a slowed-down machine tattoo.” Below, three key facts about stick-and-poke tattooing to know ahead of getting one.
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Whereas mechanical tattoos employ numerous ink-depositing needles in a rapidly vibrating fashion, stick-and-poke tattooing uses a single needle-and, most importantly, is a completely manual process. In most professional instances a single, sterile, specialized tattoo needle is used. As the name suggests, stick-and-poke tattooing, also known as "hand poke tattooing," involves physically “poking” dots of tattoo ink into the skin. Such is true for a method known as stick-and-poke. While many people associate tattooing with the whirring, buzzing sound of a mechanical machine, tattooing can actually be a silent experience.
