NEED TO KNOW
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Celebrity tattoo artist Bang Bang just rolled out a robot that can tattoo clients
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Called the A.E.R.O., the machine can create more precise art than the human hand
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Bang Bang, who has worked with Miley Cyrus, Rihanna and more stars, tells PEOPLE that while it won’t replace artists, it is an exciting addition to his studio
The wold of tattooing just got a whole lot more advanced.
Celebrity tattoo artist Bang Bang — whose real name is Keith McCurdy — continues to stay at the forefront of the ink game. After debuting Magic Ink last year, a light-activated disappearing ink that he could tattoo with, the artist is now rolling out A.E.R.O. (Artist Enabled Robotic Operator), a robot machine that can create intricate tattoos beyond what even the best artists can do.
Bang Bang likens it to an embroidery machine, in that the artist is still drawing the tattoo and programming it into the machine, which was created in conjunction with Austin, Texas-based company Blackdot. Much like how an embroidery machine “maps out” the fabric to embroider a picture onto it before it stitches, this machine does the same with your skin before it tattoos.
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“It’s measuring the landscape of skin to the micron,” Bang Bang explains. It’s measuring the needle before it uses it to understand exactly how perfect that needle was manufactured. It is the most precise tattoo machine I’ve ever seen. It does things humans cannot do, and as a tattoo artist, that’s really exciting. It makes me wonder what I can’t tattoo with my hands? What ability does this give me?”
Right now, Bang Bang’s New York shop is the only location with such a machine in existence, though Blackdot has other prototypes that they are working on. Eventually, more of these robots will be rolled out for tattoo shops to use as well.
The artist, who has seen the likes of Miley Cyrus, Rihanna and Justin Bieber come through the doors of his shop, ensures that this machine, while incredibly technologically advanced, won’t be replacing artists any time soon.
“This has nothing on me,” he says with a laugh. “It just adds to what we can do.”
One of the coolest aspects of what these robots can be used for is access to high-profile artists. As Bang Bang explains, some of his artists travel among New York, Los Angeles and other cities frequently and are in great demand.
“If someone comes in and wants a tattoo from Mr. K, but he’s not here, he could still draw the art and the robot could do the tattoo,” Bang Bang explains. People may not be getting the tattoo directly from the artists’ hands, but it’s their art nevertheless. And as Bang Bang says, the robot is often more precise with its needlework. He also says clients need not worry about skin shifting while in the A.E.R.O. machine either, as you’re pretty tightly strapped in. He has not yet encountered any issues.
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Bang Bang
Bang Bang tattoo studio in New York
Another advantage of the robot, he notes, is that it can extend the lifespan of a tattoo artist’s career. If your hand isn’t as steady down the line but your art is still incredible, it can live on through the robot.
The shop started by testing the robot on themselves with text tattoos and examining them closely under a microscope to see how precise they were. They then expanded into actual artwork before starting to book appointments with the machine. Clients can now book appointments to get tattoos done by the A.E.R.O. machine. As of now, the tattoos are specifically created for the robot, and clients will have a selection to choose from. Prices vary based on artist, tattoo and placement.
Read the original article on People
