Mastectomy & Scarring Tattoo Course Online
There is a tremendous need for tattooers who understand scarring.
And we need more solid tattooers that have the ability to care, listen, and are aware of themselves emotionally.
If you’re ready to learn, you’ve come to the right place. I’ve spent years compiling this information in order to make this readily available. Some of the content is specific to mastectomy tattooing, the majority of the material is just as relatable for standard tattooing.
First, I show my tattoo techniques with a 3 liner, some photoshop tips and there’s a tattoo walkthrough where I’ve recorded commentary to share insight.
This course also covers all things skin related: healing, scarring, and conversations with doctors. You'll learn more about how the body heals and what that means for tattooing. There’s also access to conversations about mastectomies and types of reconstructions.
It's thorough and loaded with thoughts and commentaries (7 videos, 3 audio files, 8 pdfs, etc.)
I’m excited to see what you do with this knowledge, we need more hearts and minds helping solve these universal problems!
- David Allen
David has pioneered the field of mastectomy tattooing. He’s published in the medical journal JAMA, speaks internationally on the power of empathy with clients (TEDx), and has tattooed over 250 mastectomy tattoos.
This curriculum has been running as a workshop in Chicago for 3 years, participants paid $2500 for two jam packed days. But it’s time to make the course available online for as many people as possible... to be watched, read, and listened to within their own time frame.
Topics included:
Tattooing
Consultation Video
Conversation between tattooer and client. Watch the video and hear the back and forth that helps establish what she's looking for from the process.
Tattooing Video
Watch me tattoo the final design chosen from the consultation video. With commentary.
Mark Making Video
Highlighting the types of marks I make with a 3 round liner (3rl).
Interview with tattooer Sergio Sanchez
Sergio and I go back and forth discussing using a smaller liner to shade.
Design Principles
Gestalt design principles - overview and Keynote presentation (PDF) with tattoos based on each principle.
Stencil Process Videos - printing a stencil and placement technique on breasts.
Photoshop Tips Videos - Document basics, using a "before" photo as a template to design tattoos, and how to use Photoshop filters for stencils.
Body Landmarks - Two full walkthroughs of positioning stencils and sizing the tattoo to match the body based on landmarks (moles, freckles, scars, etc.).
High resolution tattoo examples - Zoom in to see the scarring and understand how and why the design works (or tricks the eye).
3d model of healed tattoo - another example to get an idea of placement dimensionally
Skin, Scarring and Breast procedure
Breast Procedure video with Dr. Ellis - recorded from workshop (49 min) with related PDFs of visuals
Breast procedure talk - transcripts from Dr. Kim
Skin Conversation 1 Audio - audio interview/ call with Dr. Rogers on skin. (with transcript)
Skin Conversation 2 Video - video interview on skin, tattooing, scarring, and aftercare with Dr. Rogers
Emotional Attunement - Empathy and gathering context
Empathy Talk Audio - Audio of David speaking about the importance of empathy with clients.
Grace Documentary Video - a short documentary (16 min) on a tattoo client Grace. Gives powerful context to these tattoos.
Interview with Grace - video zoom recording with Grace. She's able to communicate, without filters, a lot of what she's been through.
Self Care - Audio interview about Compassion Fatigue and Burnout
Mastectomy & Scarring Tattoo Course - $150
(Lower price so more people can have access. The first year two years, this sold for $500)