What Are Augmented Reality Tattoos?
Augmented reality tattoos are arguably the future. What makes this unique process so special? Imagine being able to see your tattoo exactly as it would look when finished. Not just a stencil lined up on your arm. Not a temporary tattoo that rubs off in a few weeks. Using augmented reality, you can place as many tattoos as you want, wherever you want on your body, and see what they’ll look like.
This is a great way to see if you’d prefer your design as full colour or black and white. Or, if you’ve never had a tattoo before, augmented reality tattoos are a great way to see if you even like the design at all.
Guess what.
You don’t have to imagine.
Augmented Reality in Celebrity Ink Tattoo Studios
We’ve started to roll out a new augmented reality experience for our customers. Soon, you’ll be able to walk into any Celebrity Ink and see what your design will look like on your own body. You can even take these photos home with you to help you make your decision. There’s no need to procrastinate getting the tattoo you’ve been thinking about. Not only is this a great tool for you to get a second opinion from loved ones, but it can even show you what your ink will look like a few years down the road.
It’s no secret that your tattoo will change with you as you grow older. If you’re asking yourself, “What will my tattoo look like in the future?” then we can apply a filter to give you a rough idea. For example, the details of a very small tattoo may become blurred over time as your skin ages. So, you may opt to have it done bigger or in a different spot. Celebrity Ink is using augmented reality tattoo technology to connect you more deeply with your piece before making the commitment.
Not to mention, it’s really fun.
How Augmented Reality Works for Tattoos
First, we’ll upload your design to the app. This can be a design that you bring in, or something that one of our artists has drawn up for you. Then, using a top of the line semi-permanent ink application device (also known as a Sharpie), we’ll draw 3 lines where you want your tattoo to be. Sharpie pen washes off, but your tattoo won’t so this step shouldn’t bother you. Finally, we simply take a picture of the square smile and your design is applied in real-time through the magic of smartphone-powered augmented reality pixels. Using one of our massive interactive screens you can play with the design, making it bigger or smaller, and even moving it around your body (If the studio closest to you doesn’t have one of our interactive screens just yet, don’t worry they’re coming soon!)
Once you’ve decided on the placement of your future tattoo you can now see an alternative version of yourself, only with an awesome tattoo. It’s not always easy communicating your ideas with friends and family. We’ll take a snapshot and even send it to you so you can show off. Augmented reality tattoos go a long way in helping to demonstrate your creative vision.
Augmented Reality & Virtual Reality are Bringing Tattoos to Life
There’s more to this technology than just being able to see your tattoo design on you before you commit. The earliest recorded tattoo was found on a mummy in the Alps that dates back to 3250BC. Ötzi, the European Tyrolean Iceman had 61 tattoos. We’ve been using tattoos as a way to immortalise people, places, events and anything of great significance since before then. But they’ve always been a (mostly) 2D visual. Until recently.
Looking beyond augmented reality tattoos, ink-based art is now an interactive experience. With virtual reality, and even artificial intelligence, tattoos are more than pictures. Now you can listen to tattoos, you can even play games with your tattoos. Take this scenario for example, you want to get a memorial portrait of a loved one. Using our augmented reality technology you determine where the best position is for the tattoo, as well as the best size, colour, and what it will look like after some ageing.
Take it to the next level with a sound clip. By combining traditional body art with augmented reality, an app converts audio into a sound wave. Once the newly created sound wave pattern is tattooed on, you can use the app to scan the ink and play back the original recording in real time. You can have a tattoo portrait of your mother saying, “I love you.” Or even the sound of your dog barking.
Augmented Reality Tattoos are the Future
In an industry that fundamentally hasn’t changed that much, infusing technology into this art form is a game changer. We’re excited that Celebrity Ink Studios world-wide will be offering augmented reality tattoos at every location. Now, more than ever, is our ability to connect with ourselves so essential.
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