DIY Temporary Tattoo with Silhouette

Not only are DIY Temporary Tattoos guaranteed to be a huge hit with the little ones, they can also add an extra layer of safety when venturing out in crowded places.   Today Silhouette School contributors Becky and Glenna from My Paper Craze are sharing a Silhouette Tattoo 101 tutorial from start to finish.

If you're a pro with Print and Cut, this one will be second nature to you (but don't fret if you're not, your trusty Silhouette will get you through!).

To kick off this tutorial, let's check out the goods. We purchased Silhouette Temporary Tattoo from Amazon and sure enough, it was delivered to the house two days later (thank you Amazon Prime!). The pack comes with two tattoo paper sheets (white) and two transfer sheets (green).

Design your tattoo image in Silhouette Studio. Just to clarify, the swimming reference is a pun on the mermaid image, we certainly don't encourage children to swim alone, lol. My husband had to point this out for me.

For the print and cut, you'll need to adjust your cut settings. 

Create an OFFSET of your design. 

Select the entire design and modify your CUT SETTINGS to NO CUT.  Then select just the offset and setback to CUT. Be sure to change the LINE COLOR to white or clear so that it doesn't show when you print.  Select the entire image again and GROUP together.

Once you are completely satisfied, MIRROR YOUR IMAGE from the Replicate window. Don't forget this part or you will be seriously disappointed.

Now we'll set the file up for printing. Check your DESIGN PAGE SETTINGS to ensure your page size is set to LETTER or current printer.

Next, check your REGISTRATION MARKS and set the STYLE to TYPE 1 (CAMEO, Portrait). Obviously if you have a different model, select the appropriate setting.

Fill your page with your desired design or designs, they don't have to all be the same. 

At this point, I always double check my CUT SETTINGS and review where my cut lines are in comparison to the printing and cutting margins. 

Remember to stay within the RED lines and the registration area. Since this is going through your printer, we recommend fully utilizing your available space because you cannot use the leftover scrap (unless your printer is set up to accept smaller sized paper).

Once your document is prepared, move forward with printing. 

You'll want to modify your paper type to the GLOSSY PHOTO PAPER if available (or as Melissa has recommended with the clear sticker paper, select the paper type as 'transparency') and make sure the ink quality is set to HIGH.

STOP AND READ THE NEXT STEP BEFORE ACTUALLY PRINTING

Load the Silhouette Temporary Tattoo into your printer to print on the GLOSSY side (the pattern side is the back).

After printing, set aside for the ink to completely dry.

After the ink is COMPLETELY dry, grab the clear transfer sheet (green backing). Notice that one edge has a pre-cut line. DO NOT ACTUALLY PEEL IT BACK JUST YET.

Line up the green transfer backing to the FRONT of the printed temporary tattoo paper. 

Secure the top of the transfer sheet (ABOVE the pre-cut line) with your finger. If you need both hands, you can do this with paper friendly tape. Reaching between the two sheets, find the pre-cut line and slowly peel pack the green backing. As you peel, use your other hand to smooth the clear transfer sheet onto the printed tattoo images.

Now you can proceed with the Print and Cut by securing the temporary tattoo paper (with transfer sheet adhered) to your cutting mat. Feed into your Silhouette and cut. 

Once cut, remove from the mat as usual. Now congratulations, you have a temporary tattoo just begging to be applied! Don't worry, we'll walk you through how to do that too, but it's the same as most temporary tattoos; nothing too complicated. 

When you get ready to apply your tattoo, grab a wet cloth or paper towel. 

Peel off the clear transfer sheet from the front of your tattoo.  You'll notice a sticky adhesive will be left behind - this is what makes the tattoo adhere to the skin.

Line up the temporary tattoo paper at its desired location and press against the skin. Apply the damp cloth or paper towel and press evenly over the entire back of the tattoo for 10 to 15 seconds. Carefully remove the backing.

And there we go, an amazing little personalized temporary tattoo for your little one (or yourself!). 

As you can see, I didn't measure the size of her arm, but at least no one will miss it when it takes up her whole upper arm. 

Note: This post may contain affiliate links. By clicking on them and purchasing products through my links, I receive a small commission. That's what helps fund Silhouette School so I can keep buying new Silhouette-related products to show you how to get the most out of your machine!

Thanks for coming to class today at Silhouette School.  If you like what you see, I'd love for you to pin it!

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