Charged Magazine

Day: April 19, 2025

  • How Ink Becomes Art

    How Ink Becomes Art

    A Brief History of Tattooing

    Tattoos have been part of history for thousands of years, serving as cultural markers, expressions of identity, and art. There are many methods of tattooing, such as stick and poke with a mallet and needle and machine tattoo guns. While styles and meanings have changed, one question many people may have is how do tattoos actually work?

    The Permanence of Tattoos

    The nature of tattoos lies in the body’s response to injury and pigment. In essence, tattoos are an open wound when first done. When a tattoo needle pierces the skin, it inserts pigment into the dermis, the second layer of skin that lies beneath the outer epidermis, which is composed mainly of the cell called keratinocytes. Unlike the epidermis, which renews itself every few weeks, a process called skin turnover, the dermis remains relatively stable, allowing ink to stay in place (Magnum Tattoo Supplies, 2024).

    Macrophages, a type of immune cell, rush to the area to absorb the foreign ink particles. Some of these macrophages remain in the dermis with the ink trapped inside, while others die, releasing the pigment again and restarting the cycle. This immune response is important for the tattoo’s visibility and permanence (Mimzi Pma, 2023).

    Skin Layers and Needle Depth

    Tattooing requires precise depth control. The epidermis, which sheds over time, cannot hold ink permanently. If the needle deposits pigment too shallowly, the ink will fade as the skin regenerates. On the other hand, if the needle penetrates too deeply into the hypodermis (subcutaneous fat layer), it can cause a “blowout”. This is a smudged or blurry effect as ink disperses into fat tissue and can cause scarring (Mykhalevych, 2025).

    Daemon, a practicing tattoo artist, explains: “Needle depth is kind of complex depending on the type of skin you’re tattooing and how thick the skin is in certain types of the body… you can tell when you’re going too deep when you see the ink starts to bleed into the vein.” In hand-poked methods, she relies on feeling and auditory cues like a soft “pop” to gauge correct penetration depth.

    Pigment Chemistry: What’s in Tattoo Ink?

    Tattoo inks are composed of pigments in a carrier solution. Black ink commonly contains carbon or iron oxide. White inks may use titanium dioxide, which can cause allergic reactions in some people. Lastly, colored pigments vary widely. Red often contains mercury sulfide or azo dyes, while greens and blues may include copper-based compounds (Miranda, 2019).

    Some inks use organic pigments, especially in vegan or eco-conscious formulations. These pigments can be less stable and may break down faster. Moreover, different skin tones and types can influence how pigments appear and heal. As Daemon notes, “Certain ink might not show up as well on darker skin types… and sometimes ink or healing products can cause mild skin reactions.”

    Healing and Aftercare

    A fresh tattoo is an open wound, vulnerable to infection and irritation. The aftercare process is crucial to both healing and the tattoo’s long-term appearance. As Daemon emphasizes, “Don’t touch it, don’t scratch it… [because] you’re going to pick the scab off and the ink is going to fall out with it.”

    She recommends gentle cleansing with unscented soap, using a thin layer of ointment, and limiting sun exposure. New technologies like second skin bandages offer a breathable barrier during the healing process but must be used with care to avoid excess moisture buildup. Additionally, moisturizing remains important even after healing, as dry skin can cause fading and distortion.

    Aftercare is not only about preventing infection but preserving the artwork. “It’s a piece of art,” Daemon says. “Taking care of it and taking care of yourself will make it look super good.”

    Concluding Remarks

    Tattooing is a combination of biology, chemistry, and craftsmanship. From understanding skin anatomy to mastering pigment behavior and immune responses, both science and skill are important aspects in the art of tattooing. As tattoos continue to grow in popularity and cultural significance, so too does our scientific appreciation for them.

     

    Sources Cited

    Mykhalevych, Alina. (2025). “Physico-Technical Basis for Needle Depth Control in Fine Line Technique”, Universal Library of Innovative Research and Studies; 2(1): 01-06. DOI: https://doi.org/10.70315/uloap.ulirs.2025.0201001.

    Kapoor, Sky. (2021, October 31). From machines to macrophages: Breaking down the science of tattooing. The Varsity. https://thevarsity.ca/2021/10/31/science-of-tattooing/

    mimzipma. (2023, July 5). The science of tattooing—Mimzipma. https://mimzipma.com/science/

    Miranda, M. D. (2019). Tattoos and tattoo inks: Forensic considerations. WIREs Forensic Science, 2(1), e1360. https://doi.org/10.1002/wfs2.1360

    The science behind why and how are tattoos permanent. (2024, February 12). Magnumtattoosupplies. https://www.magnumtattoosupplies.co.uk/blogs/article/the-science-behind-why-and-how-are-tattoos-permanent

    Weiß, K. T., Schreiver, I., Siewert, K., Luch, A., Haslböck, B., Berneburg, M., & Bäumler, W. (2021). Tattoos – more than just colored skin? Searching for tattoo allergens. JDDG: Journal der Deutschen Dermatologischen Gesellschaft, 19(5), 657–669. https://doi.org/10.1111/ddg.14436

  • Mind the Tentacles: How Octopuses Outsmart Scientists (and Aquariums)

    Mind the Tentacles: How Octopuses Outsmart Scientists (and Aquariums)

    Mind the Tentacles: How Octopuses Outsmart Scientists (and Aquariums)

    When you first think of an octopus, you’re probably picturing an animal with 8 tentacles floating around in the ocean. As unseeming these creatures may seem, they are one of the smartest animals in the ocean! Octopuses have a nervous system, which controls their movements, thought processes, memory, and more (Carls-Diamante, 2022). Octopuses are said to have two brains – one in their head and a complex net of massive nerves in each of their tentacles (Carls-Diamante, 2022). About 2/3 of an octopus’ nerves are in their tentacles, and this allows each tentacle to act independently or jointly with the others (Shamilyan et al., 2021). Let’s explore the capabilities and intelligence of an octopus!

     

    Flexibility:

    Octopuses use their flexibility in the natural environment to escape and hide from predators by squeezing into very tight spaces. For example, scientists have put a small octopus in a jar with a closed screw-lid. The challenge for the octopus was to escape the jar from the inside, which the octopus managed to do using its incredible flexibility (Mather, 2021). Since octopuses are immensely flexible, some octopuses have managed to escape from aquarium tanks by opening the top lid! In addition to their amazing flexibility, they have several other surprising abilities to survive in the wild.

     

    Camouflage:

    Octopuses are known for their abilities to blend in with their surroundings by changing their color to match that of their surroundings (Young, 2023). This ability to camouflage into their surroundings is a key survival mechanism to prevent predators from spotting them. However, octopuses also use their color-changing abilities to communicate with each other (Young, 2023). An octopus’ color changes based upon its mood and can be used to warn other octopuses of potential danger (Carls-Diamante, 2022). Octopuses often go on hunting trips together, but how do they remember their way back home? That’s where their navigational memory comes in!

     

    Spatial and Navigational Memory:

    Octopuses make their homes in holes in the seabed or coral reefs. They go on long hunting trips for food, often for days or weeks at a time for long distances before returning back home. They frequently take different paths home each time they go hunting, indicating they have incredible spatial memory on how to return home (Carls-Diamante, 2022). In addition, some octopuses have been seen putting rocks near their home as an identifier, like how people put numbers outside their homes or apartments to identify which residence is theirs (Carls-Diamante, 2022). Octopuses are more like humans than we originally thought!

     

    In conclusion, octopuses are amazingly intelligent ocean creatures whose wit should not be underestimated. They are able to escape closed spaces using their flexibility, change colors at will to disguise themselves or communicate with other octopuses, and use spatial memory to identify where their homes are. Next time you go to an aquarium, check out the octopuses and see their tricks in action!

     

    Citations:

    Carls-Diamante, S. (2022). Where Is It Like to Be an Octopus? Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience, 16. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnsys.2022.840022

    Mather, J. (2021). Octopus Consciousness: The Role of Perceptual Richness. NeuroSci, 2(3), 276–290. https://doi.org/10.3390/neurosci2030020

    Shamilyan, O., Kabin, I., Dyka, Z., Kuba, M., & Langendoerfer, P. (2021, June 1). Octopuses: biological facts and technical solutions. IEEE Xplore. https://doi.org/10.1109/MECO52532.2021.9459727

    Young, N. (2023, December 27). Exploring Problem-Solving Skills through the Octopus Mind – West Coast Centre For Learning. West Coast Centre for Learning. https://www.wccl.ca/problem-solving-skills/