Tattoos in Hollywood movies?!
Question: What do they use to “ink” the tattoos onto actors for specific roles in movies. Do they reapply the tattoos every day or are they semi-permanent and only need a touch up at the beginning of a shoot? If they have to reapply them every day, how do they make sure that they are in exactly the same place in every scene? Let’s use the movie Alpha Dog as an example since JT has many tattoos and they are in plain sight in most scenes.
Answers: What do they use to “ink” the tattoos onto actors for specific roles in movies. Do they reapply the tattoos every day or are they semi-permanent and only need a touch up at the beginning of a shoot? If they have to reapply them every day, how do they make sure that they are in exactly the same place in every scene? Let’s use the movie Alpha Dog as an example since JT has many tattoos and they are in plain sight in most scenes.
I had a tattoo magazine from a few years ago that talked exactly about this...(tattoos put on robert de niro in Cape Fear..ect) I thought it was still in my bathroom...can't find it...but anyway If I do find it..I'll post what it said in the article.
Most the time I think they use paint, or just plain temp tattoos.
Let me look for it...
Ok found it..amazing..anyway give me a few minutes to read it.
From Skin & Ink March 2004
Temptu Marketing (the company doing the temporary tattoos for photo shoots and movies)
The Temporary tattoo process is simple, a no-brainer. Prepared designs come screened onto lightweight tissue paper (about as thick as cigarette paper_ The area to be deocrated is wiped clean with standard, house hold 70% isopropyl rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball or makeup re mover pad. A thin coating of alcohol is left on the skin, then the tissue (with the image side toward the skin) is put in place and daubed (pressing gently) with alcohol. A quick peek under a corner will let you know it has transfeered. Then the tissue is lifted away, leaving the design on the skin. When needed, the addition of solid or blended colors and shading can be done with a brush. The paints dry faster than nail polish and are translucent, letting the skin town showthrough, much like the ink of a real tattoo. Talcum or baby powder is dusted on, which sets the paint, removing any shine and making the temp look convincingly real. These images can last three to five days or be removed at any time with alcohol or baby oild. A fin-tip body liner applicator can be used to do freehand outlines.
It also says...
Broadway and off broadway special effects, lighting and staging go hand in hand with cosmetic temp tattoos. Theyre put on with ease before every performance of Rent, The Rose tattoo, Aida, Miss Saigon, South Pacific and Cabaret.
Also it seems that Justin wears Tinsley Transfers to play a drug gang member in Alpha Dog.
Last comment xD
I would think that they are most likely done everday...due to the cracking that can happen when skin bends. I know that with movies they have people that take in ever consideration of the set and actors...how they are dressed, where certain things are placed on the set. I would imagine that they take pictures of the actors after they are first set with the temp tattoos...so they can replicate it again.