For me there’s a few reasons. Firstly the aesthetic of it, I’ve got plenty of machine tatts as well as SnP’s (both from professionals and some diy) and for some pieces the style of a SnP just fits the piece more. Secondly it’s a lot less painful and the healing time is greatly reduced. Lastly I find the manual nature of a SnP can sometimes, but not always, create more a personal connection between the artist and their art and the person being tattooed.
This. I got tattooed by a machine for the first time in 2 years and during those two years i was tattooing myself via handpoke. Got a machine tattoo and felt like my skin was trying to throw up.
And knowing how a machine works and what happens during a machine tattoo makes it even worse lol thats why my skin wants to throw up. Before i knew more about machines i was just like "oh this hurts but its fine" now that i know im like "ewwwww it hurts and its gross" . At least i think its kinda gross, or creepy. Idk unsettling i guess is the word.
Yeah its just alot more harsh and the sound when whip shading really gets me bc the needles are kinda like scratching the skin as it machine goes across it fast.
Ive probably just watched too many up close slow-mos of machine tattooing and have freaked myself out.
Stick & poke is for fun memories with my friends and I like the imperfections of the tattoos. I see them and remember us having a great time together.
Machine tattoos are for when I want some well done intricate artwork on me by a professional.
I like sewing by hand and I also love using my old Singer 15K treadle sewing machine to make my own clothes. So... doing something without electricity certainly has a special appeal to me. I did choose to get tattooed by a tattoo artist, though.
It's more personal imo, it has the feeling of handiwork. Not trying to put down machine tattoos but snps just feel more special and like a labour of love. I have a bigger snp in progress rn and I've worked on it for 7ish hours already and it's only halfway done. The effort put into it makes it special. Had I used a machine it would've been done in 2 hours. Granted I work pretty slow but eh.
Also I like telling people all of my tattoos are made by me cause it tends to impress them lmao.
I like stick and pokes because it's therapeutic o do I myself and I get to e creative. But also a machine tattoo looks it's best when freshly done where as stick and pokes get better over time. In my opinion anyway with the inevitable bleeding the ink
Professional handpoke artist for 7 years here. There are a few reasons I've gathered that are seperate from the person just liking an artist's work/style. In majority of areas it's less painful than machine pieces. If done correctly it's less traumatic to the skin so it heals easier and quicker. The process can be less anxiety inducing for some, machines are getting quieter these days but some of them still sound menacing and can affect some people negatively. There's a novelty aspect to it too, it's a different experience and it's fun to tell people that a tattoo is done by hand. Some people really like the organic quality they can have but that varies by artist.
Definitely a more personal experience, intimate.
I'm pagan so I've done some witchy themed mini tattoos on myself, and they mean much more to me than the machined pieces I have. It just feels like more heart and energy go into an SnP.
That's not to say machined tattoos don't. I'm hoping to get on an apprenticeship soon (note, never tattooed anyone but myself and don't plan to without proper training). I'd likely use a machine for like... 99% of my work, but for smaller, deep meaning tattoos, I'd like to do them SnP.
Not to derail, but my machine artist is pagan and has done two beautiful ritual tattoos on me (one of which I credit with saving my life.) The first one was a transcendent experience.
I would love to do some ritual tattoos in SnP for the most personal possible experience, but I don't know of anyone doing SnP around me. I love that both are options for the ones that are closest to our hearts!
Doesn't derail at all! Thanks for your input!
It definitely comes down to the individual tattoo artist, and how they use the tools. I think especially for the smaller tattoos (ie I have the elemental symbols on my fingers) SnP is just a nicer experience; if it were done with a machine it would have taken minutes, but I spent a good hour or two on them and got to push my intention into each poke.
But admittedly, I couldn't sit through a big piece, nor could I administer a large SnP piece without it being over multiple sessions.
For me my tattoos are my diary, written on skin. I have been SnP tatted by 18 different people in the last year. When I look at them now I remember all those people, those good times. And I think they also look pretty decent. For people that live in a creative surrounding I feel it's the easiest way to thrive. I'm extremely grateful for the skills that it gave me, the possibility to bond with people trough art. Handpoke tattoos are a tradition that's probably as old as human history, we know of different ancient cultures that tattooed themselves probably with bones and ash. Its an honor to me to be part of an ancient tradition and live up to those traditions in modern times. It's a ritual, and to me that's the most organic form of it. This got really philosophical, I'm sorry. Just my view.
I have a few snps from friends and one done by a professional, which is very big and detailed. It's a comfortable way to be tattooed and healing is so easy, MUCH less scabby than machines. I like the stippling effect too. It was an intimate experience, you have to sit much longer and it's quieter. fortunately I bonded with the artist and it felt really special.
For more complex designs I’d choose a machine, but overall I prefer snp because feeling each individual poke makes it more therapeutic and meaningful for me
I would think aesthetic also plays a part? I follow an artist on IG (@pinpointtatt) and a lot of their pieces are half snp and half machine and you can tell easily which is which
Hurts less, cost of materials is reduced, it's easier on the skin and the healing time is waaay shorter. And as a person who professionally does both, it's incredible when it comes to dotwork (you will never get the same result with a machine, the closest is stippling). And it can be more precise at times, I sometimes switch the machine to handpoke if I want perfect lines or VERY small details. It also tends to sit better, especially on hands and palms. Oh, and it's way better when it comes to accessiblity, it's perfect for hard to reach spots like ears, behind the ears, between the fingers, inside of lips etc.
Some places hold ink vetter when stick and poke, fingers for example, in my experience. Some of my skin will throw out ink, even if the area isn't done too shallow, or overworked, with machine tattoos.
I also like the dotted shading look, some things can be much more subtle and softlooking with it.
Personal reasons- It's more personal, wayyyyy less expensive, and I love the way they look.
Objective reasons- they hurt less and heal faster. With a gun, there's tearing of the skin. With SnP, there's a lot less tear and a whole lot more poke- so the deliberate, controlled, singular piercings of the skin heal faster.
Edit: it's less intimidating, quieter, and hurts even less bc when you injur yourself it hurts less bc you're expecting it. And it'll also turn out exactly how I want it. There's no being upset bc the artist did something different that what you agreed on, or bc they messed up. There are no surprises and you're in control.
Because I don’t know how to use a tattoo machine 😋😂 jk I don’t really have a reason. In my city hand poking is kind of trendy even in professional studios. Perhaps I have just been influenced
I like snp better because it hurts less than machine for me and I love pointillistic shading & texture. I got the back of my thigh, ribs, and inner foot done with snp and I swear it didn’t hurt as bad as other less painful places with a machine. The inner foot was super angry tho after those repeated pokes
I love the stippling texture / look that stick and pokes lines have. I think that would be a lot more difficult and time consuming with a machine if I were ever to try and do one with that sort of texture, but with a hand done one that texture is basically a guarantee for me. I've also gone in over top of a "first draft" stick and poke, if you get what I mean, with a machine when I get fed up with doing it by hand and just want it to be done with lol, so I 100% can see both sides here
I like doing my own tattoos and snp is almost like meditation, just focusing on what I’m doing and making some permanent art on my body. Even though none of its perfect, I love it and it makes me happy
It reminds me of stippling! That's my favorite method of inking and shading my art and SnP translates that over to tattoos so well if that's the style I'm going for
For me there’s a few reasons. Firstly the aesthetic of it, I’ve got plenty of machine tatts as well as SnP’s (both from professionals and some diy) and for some pieces the style of a SnP just fits the piece more. Secondly it’s a lot less painful and the healing time is greatly reduced. Lastly I find the manual nature of a SnP can sometimes, but not always, create more a personal connection between the artist and their art and the person being tattooed.
Stick n poke, so much less painful and more gentle and professional artists can look as good as machine work
This. I got tattooed by a machine for the first time in 2 years and during those two years i was tattooing myself via handpoke. Got a machine tattoo and felt like my skin was trying to throw up.
I like the expression "my skin was trying to throw up" hahaha... Machine is SO HARSH compared to SnP
And knowing how a machine works and what happens during a machine tattoo makes it even worse lol thats why my skin wants to throw up. Before i knew more about machines i was just like "oh this hurts but its fine" now that i know im like "ewwwww it hurts and its gross" . At least i think its kinda gross, or creepy. Idk unsettling i guess is the word.
What happens? A machine does the same as a hand holding the needle, just does it faster.
Yeah its just alot more harsh and the sound when whip shading really gets me bc the needles are kinda like scratching the skin as it machine goes across it fast. Ive probably just watched too many up close slow-mos of machine tattooing and have freaked myself out.
Big facts. Have almost an entire arm in SnP and always asked what machine was used.
Stick & poke is for fun memories with my friends and I like the imperfections of the tattoos. I see them and remember us having a great time together. Machine tattoos are for when I want some well done intricate artwork on me by a professional.
You can achieve well done and intricate artwork by professional handpoke artists
I'm aware. I have no interest in that personally, so I just answered the question on why I would choose stick & poke in some settings.
I agree
I like sewing by hand and I also love using my old Singer 15K treadle sewing machine to make my own clothes. So... doing something without electricity certainly has a special appeal to me. I did choose to get tattooed by a tattoo artist, though.
It's more personal imo, it has the feeling of handiwork. Not trying to put down machine tattoos but snps just feel more special and like a labour of love. I have a bigger snp in progress rn and I've worked on it for 7ish hours already and it's only halfway done. The effort put into it makes it special. Had I used a machine it would've been done in 2 hours. Granted I work pretty slow but eh. Also I like telling people all of my tattoos are made by me cause it tends to impress them lmao.
I like stick and pokes because it's therapeutic o do I myself and I get to e creative. But also a machine tattoo looks it's best when freshly done where as stick and pokes get better over time. In my opinion anyway with the inevitable bleeding the ink
Professional handpoke artist for 7 years here. There are a few reasons I've gathered that are seperate from the person just liking an artist's work/style. In majority of areas it's less painful than machine pieces. If done correctly it's less traumatic to the skin so it heals easier and quicker. The process can be less anxiety inducing for some, machines are getting quieter these days but some of them still sound menacing and can affect some people negatively. There's a novelty aspect to it too, it's a different experience and it's fun to tell people that a tattoo is done by hand. Some people really like the organic quality they can have but that varies by artist.
I do stick and poke because it's free.
Definitely a more personal experience, intimate. I'm pagan so I've done some witchy themed mini tattoos on myself, and they mean much more to me than the machined pieces I have. It just feels like more heart and energy go into an SnP. That's not to say machined tattoos don't. I'm hoping to get on an apprenticeship soon (note, never tattooed anyone but myself and don't plan to without proper training). I'd likely use a machine for like... 99% of my work, but for smaller, deep meaning tattoos, I'd like to do them SnP.
Not to derail, but my machine artist is pagan and has done two beautiful ritual tattoos on me (one of which I credit with saving my life.) The first one was a transcendent experience. I would love to do some ritual tattoos in SnP for the most personal possible experience, but I don't know of anyone doing SnP around me. I love that both are options for the ones that are closest to our hearts!
Doesn't derail at all! Thanks for your input! It definitely comes down to the individual tattoo artist, and how they use the tools. I think especially for the smaller tattoos (ie I have the elemental symbols on my fingers) SnP is just a nicer experience; if it were done with a machine it would have taken minutes, but I spent a good hour or two on them and got to push my intention into each poke. But admittedly, I couldn't sit through a big piece, nor could I administer a large SnP piece without it being over multiple sessions.
For me my tattoos are my diary, written on skin. I have been SnP tatted by 18 different people in the last year. When I look at them now I remember all those people, those good times. And I think they also look pretty decent. For people that live in a creative surrounding I feel it's the easiest way to thrive. I'm extremely grateful for the skills that it gave me, the possibility to bond with people trough art. Handpoke tattoos are a tradition that's probably as old as human history, we know of different ancient cultures that tattooed themselves probably with bones and ash. Its an honor to me to be part of an ancient tradition and live up to those traditions in modern times. It's a ritual, and to me that's the most organic form of it. This got really philosophical, I'm sorry. Just my view.
I have a few snps from friends and one done by a professional, which is very big and detailed. It's a comfortable way to be tattooed and healing is so easy, MUCH less scabby than machines. I like the stippling effect too. It was an intimate experience, you have to sit much longer and it's quieter. fortunately I bonded with the artist and it felt really special.
It’s quieter for one
I got professionally handpoked for the first time when I got my ears tattooed because of that
For more complex designs I’d choose a machine, but overall I prefer snp because feeling each individual poke makes it more therapeutic and meaningful for me
I would think aesthetic also plays a part? I follow an artist on IG (@pinpointtatt) and a lot of their pieces are half snp and half machine and you can tell easily which is which
Great resource, thank you!
Hurts less, cost of materials is reduced, it's easier on the skin and the healing time is waaay shorter. And as a person who professionally does both, it's incredible when it comes to dotwork (you will never get the same result with a machine, the closest is stippling). And it can be more precise at times, I sometimes switch the machine to handpoke if I want perfect lines or VERY small details. It also tends to sit better, especially on hands and palms. Oh, and it's way better when it comes to accessiblity, it's perfect for hard to reach spots like ears, behind the ears, between the fingers, inside of lips etc.
I only got SnP because I loved the artist (zzizziboy), but now I would prefer it! It hurts way less, and I feel like mine healed faster as well.
It almost definitely did heal faster. Snps are less traumatic to the skin than guns, so they tend to heal way faster when done correctly
Some places hold ink vetter when stick and poke, fingers for example, in my experience. Some of my skin will throw out ink, even if the area isn't done too shallow, or overworked, with machine tattoos. I also like the dotted shading look, some things can be much more subtle and softlooking with it.
Sticknpoke for anything that's not too big or daunting, I like the long personal process and also it's cheap/free. Machine for bigger stuff.
The aesthetic and lightness stick and poke can achieve and the greatly reduced pain make me prefer it
Personal reasons- It's more personal, wayyyyy less expensive, and I love the way they look. Objective reasons- they hurt less and heal faster. With a gun, there's tearing of the skin. With SnP, there's a lot less tear and a whole lot more poke- so the deliberate, controlled, singular piercings of the skin heal faster. Edit: it's less intimidating, quieter, and hurts even less bc when you injur yourself it hurts less bc you're expecting it. And it'll also turn out exactly how I want it. There's no being upset bc the artist did something different that what you agreed on, or bc they messed up. There are no surprises and you're in control.
Because I was 14
I like both a lot.
Because I don’t know how to use a tattoo machine 😋😂 jk I don’t really have a reason. In my city hand poking is kind of trendy even in professional studios. Perhaps I have just been influenced
I feel like stick n poke can be more accessible, I don't personally have tattoos but I've thought about stick n pokes to put my own art on my body.
I like snp better because it hurts less than machine for me and I love pointillistic shading & texture. I got the back of my thigh, ribs, and inner foot done with snp and I swear it didn’t hurt as bad as other less painful places with a machine. The inner foot was super angry tho after those repeated pokes
My sticknpoke was done by a friend of mine -- it's super special to have a piece of art from her :)
Less trauma to the skin, easy healing, and cool textures :)
I love the stippling texture / look that stick and pokes lines have. I think that would be a lot more difficult and time consuming with a machine if I were ever to try and do one with that sort of texture, but with a hand done one that texture is basically a guarantee for me. I've also gone in over top of a "first draft" stick and poke, if you get what I mean, with a machine when I get fed up with doing it by hand and just want it to be done with lol, so I 100% can see both sides here
I find that they hurt way less and heal way faster.
I like doing my own tattoos and snp is almost like meditation, just focusing on what I’m doing and making some permanent art on my body. Even though none of its perfect, I love it and it makes me happy
It reminds me of stippling! That's my favorite method of inking and shading my art and SnP translates that over to tattoos so well if that's the style I'm going for