The Complete Handbook of Piercing & Tattooing
A practical reference for working professionals and serious enthusiasts
by Alumigogo Books
non-fiction
The complete technical and business reference for the modern piercing and tattooing professional. No filler, no hype — just practical, usable knowledge.
About this book
This is the reference we wished existed when we started: a single, honest, and technically detailed volume that covers the entire scope of professional body modification work. It is written for the working artist, the studio manager, and the serious apprentice who wants to understand not just how to do a procedure, but why the equipment and materials are chosen, and how a studio operates as a sound business.
The first half of the book is a technical deep dive. You'll find detailed breakdowns of different tattoo machine configurations (coil, rotary, and pen-style), needle groupings and their applications, and a thorough explanation of metals, their grades, and the specifications that matter for long-term implant-grade jewelry. For piercers, the book clarifies sizing, threading types, and the practical differences between materials ranging from surgical stainless steel to niobium. We cover setup and sterilization protocols with the clinical specificity they demand, and the chapters on maintenance and troubleshooting provide clear diagnostic paths for common equipment failures and procedural complications.
The second half shifts to the business of the craft. We analyze the current supply chain, profile major manufacturers and suppliers, and lay out realistic pathways for making a living in this industry — from running a private studio to private-labeling your own jewelry line. The book concludes with a forward-looking analysis of the industry's trends and a curated guide to the professional associations and certifications that serious practitioners should know. This is not a book of inspiration; it is a book of information, designed to be read with a highlighter and kept on the studio shelf.
Reader Reviews
Ashley Carter
★★★★★I bought this for my apprentice to get them out of the vortex of contradictory online advice. It is the first book I can just hand over and say 'read this, it's the standard.' The chapter on equipment specs is worth the price alone — they treat coil versus rotary with such a practical, balanced eye that I actually rethought my own setup. It's dense but not academic. It is exactly the reference we needed on the shelf.
Susan Roberts
★★★★★I own a small studio and have done this for fifteen years, so I expected to browse and nod. Instead, I found the maintenance and troubleshooting chapter to be full of things I have been doing by feel, now all clearly explained and systematized, like pressure testing autoclaves. The business section is transparent in a way these books never are. I wished it were longer, actually. It feels like it was written by someone who has been on the shop floor, not in a marketing department.
Mark King
★★★★★As a newer piercer, I can see this is a well-researched book, and I learned a lot from the jewelry metallurgy section. However, I thought the chapter on choosing equipment was too focused on the cost-conscious working artist and didn't give enough room to the top-end gear, which is what I want to eventually buy. Also, some of the 'future trends' stuff felt a bit dated already. It's a solid four-star reference, but not the definitive bible I was led to expect.
James Young
★★★★★This is the first book I've read that acknowledges the business of tattooing is as important as the art. The breakdown of the supply chain and the honest look at what it costs to actually run a private studio is something I haven't seen anywhere else. It's a dry read in places, but I didn't buy it to be entertained. A few more real-world images would have been helpful, but the tables and specifications more than make up for it.
Ashley Adams
★★★★★I have a collection of manuals from the 90s and 2000s, and this is the first modern volume that feels like it is actually current with modern sterilization and technique. The chapter on installation and usage is flawlessly clear; I was able to set up a new rotary machine properly after just reading the instructions. It's not a coffee table book — it's a workshop manual, and that is exactly what the industry needed. I'll be recommending this to everyone at the shop.