Drawing On The Skin With Fountain Pen Ink?

[ScottT]

Howdy all,

 

A friend of mine drew a wee design on her skin with fountain pen ink, and I wondered both at the possible toxicity of the ink, then of course at the toxicity of the more flamboyant inks (she used I believe Diamine Onyx Black) such as Blue Ghost and the new Diamine shimmer inks.

 

Thoughts? The idea of half a design being visible while half remains hidden until a blacklight is used struck my curious bone and I wonder at the safety of experimenting a bit. Nothing huge, maybe a two or three inch design?

 

I've never had a tattoo and never will, but for some reason this idea has me wondering.

 

Thanks, hope everyone is having a nice weekend...

 

S

[lynxcat]

do you mean drawn on the surface of the skin, or injected with a tattoo gun's needle? because i imagine that'd make quite the difference, medically speaking.

 

still, while fountain pen ink is certainly not meant for ingesting or injecting, it doesn't usually carry the sort of toxicity warnings you'd expect from something unsafe to even spill on the surface of your skin, so it's most likely relatively safe. (good thing, too, my fingers get inky fairly regularly when i clean out or refill a pen.) that said, for anyone who's considering a permanent tattoo, i would REALLY recommend you go to a professional tattoo artist and let them use whatever inks or dyes they consider safe. just in case.

 

i've seen photos of people drinking fountain pen ink by the bottle-full, when airport security wouldn't let them bring it on board a plane. i consider that sort of display silly, and likely to land you in an airplane's restroom failing to keep your lunch down most uncomfortably, but not likely to permanently harm you. if it were, i'd have to expect ink bottles to come with some sort of warning, even if only to let parents know to keep them away from inquisitive toddlers.

Edited December 6, 2015 by lynxcat

[ScottT]

Definitely only drawn on the surface!

 

Yes, when I use Majestic Blue or BSB, my fingers looked like I strangled a smurf...I figure an on the skin drawing would be safe, but wanted to hear some opinions.

 

As I said in the prior message, NO interest in a tattoo whatsoever. (If I had, you could be assured I would go to the best I could find, I've seen enough horror shows on different websites...)

 

I wonder if tattoo artists ever use blacklight-reactive ink? Sorry, my mind is wandering all over this problem for some reason...

 

Thanks for your response!

[Peppers]

Definitely only drawn on the surface!

 

Fountain Pen ink is water based. It will smear super quick on the skin. Skin has oils and sweats.

Have you tried drawing a simple line on your skin? It feathers. There are recesses that connect each skin pore.

Fountain Pen is not toxic when place on top of the skin, everybody for the past 100 or so years have stained their fingers when inking a pen.

 

I say, give it a go! Have fun!!

 

('Blacklight' also know as UV light). The reason UV ink reacts with UV light is because it is radioactive, which is toxic, the base element of the ink is a radioactive element on the periodic table. Yes, tattoo artists do use UV ink if requested at the clients risk.

[ScottT]

I haven't tried it, aside from the smurf strangling when blues are involved...

 

Really...what element is in BG that is radioactive? Love learning new things...

 

I shall have her give it a go, volunteering my arm as canvas...I can't draw a bath properly, let alone any kind of design.

 

Thanks for your response, very eye-opening!

[saskia_madding]

I used to draw fake tattoo sleeves up my left arm from my wrist to my shoulder in fountain pen ink when I was stressed out during exam time. Never had a toxicity problem, but I didn't use any inks other than waterman blues.

[ScottT]

Goodness, stressing during exams...that takes me back...

 

Hoping you did well.

 

Thanks for your response!

[ScienceChick]

 

('Blacklight' also know as UV light). The reason UV ink reacts with UV light is because it is radioactive, which is toxic, the base element of the ink is a radioactive element on the periodic table. Yes, tattoo artists do use UV ink if requested at the clients risk.

I can't speak to tattoo ink but many substances fluoresce under UV light that aren't radioactive. Chlorophyll, for one.

[PS104]

If the design came out looking well-designed, considering the obliqueness of her point-of-view, she should be applauded. We used to do things like that in grade-school.

Or are you disappointed that she didn't ask your help in drawing a design on some other part of her anatomy

Sounds like one day she'll get a real tattoo (they are very "fashionable" these days doncha know). Whaddya gonna complain about then

I sense there are two different personalities at play. As they used to say "Can this relationship be saved?

I doubt it

[Sandy1]

Hi,

 

The only times I've dyed my skin on purpose was with henna.

 

Of the FP inks, I'd most certainly avoid the nano particle inks, mostly because I have no idea what such minute particles might get up to.

 

Bye,

S1

[ScottT]

I can't speak to tattoo ink but many substances fluoresce under UV light that aren't radioactive. Chlorophyll, for one.

 

Goodness, I googled things that fluoresce under UV light...wow!

[ScottT]

Hi,

 

The only times I've dyed my skin on purpose was with henna.

 

Of the FP inks, I'd most certainly avoid the nano particle inks, mostly because I have no idea what such minute particles might get up to.

 

Bye,

S1

 

A very good point, which is too bad given how cool the effect might be. I'll ask Diamine for fun, see what they say.... thanks Sandy!

[Peppers]

I can't speak to tattoo ink but many substances fluoresce under UV light that aren't radioactive. Chlorophyll, for one.

 

I drink chlorophyll quite often. Good for your health.

[mtmowl]

[Physics teacher mode on]

 

Fluorescence, as in Blue Ghost, has nothing to do with radioactivity.

 

Fluorescence is caused by an atom's electrons getting bumped up to a higher energy level and then returning to their proper "ground" state. Because it gives off visible light rays, it can be called radiation, but so can candlelight. It has no connection to radioactivity, which is generally considered to be the result of an atom's nucleus giving off very energatic particles as it sheds extra parts.

 

One is perfectly safe, the other, not so much.

 

[Physics teacher mode off]