When you consider the added utility stencils bring to the tattooing process, it is no surprise that they are a common feature in almost every tattoo parlor.

In the days before the invention of the tattoo stencil, the only way for the artist to transfer their concept onto human skin was to draw directly on it. This method presents several problems, chief of which is that tattoos are permanent, and hence, even a slight error can easily mess up your designs and make them unrecoverable.

Enters the tattoo stencil. Tattoo stencil papers form a much-needed intermediary that generates a bridge between the abstract world and your client’s skin. When using stencils, tattoo artists can perfect their drawings and verify their customers’ concepts before placing a single dot of ink on their skin.

Tattoo transfer papers also help make the tattooist’s job faster and more efficient. The artist has guiding lines leading him through the entire process and helps ensure that the image transfers correctly, with all of its tiny details, in the shortest time possible.

Stencils help significantly on the client-side as well. Since you have to place the stencil on the customer before you start drawing on them, this method offers them a last look at how the finished tattoo will appear on their skin while they can still reverse their decisions.

This preview can help customers validate the concepts in their minds or reject them before it’s too late, saving them any potential regrets and saving you the stress of attempting a rescue operation after drawing a significant portion of the design.

Once you are ready to get stenciling, you need to pick up a batch of high-quality papers for use with your tattoo stencil printer or draw your stencil on by hand, if you so prefer.

The good news is there is an abundance of top-notch options available on the market today, and you should have no trouble finding one that works. Here is a selection of our favored options.