This Is How Tattoo Machines Work In Slow Motion

Destin, who explores the world using science on his Smarter Every Day YouTube channel, has shot some amazing footage of tattooing in slow-mo with his Phantom high-speed camera.

In the six and a half minutes episode, Destin visited Timepiece Tattoo in Huntsville, Alabama and talked to one of its tattoo artists about the mechanics of tattooing machines and how they work. The icing on the cake, however, is the close-up video of skin getting needled and inked in poetic slow-mo. While it does get quite bloody, the footage also has a strangely hypnotic and mesmerising effect that makes it hard to turn your head away.

On his video description, Destin wrote, “I hope this video helps break a few of your stereotypes.” He said that he found that “most Tattoo artists that I dealt with were very courteous professionals.” But at least one thing is quite clear: tattoos are painful, and with good reason!

by Low Lai Chow