Draw or trace your tattoo design on blank white paper, using a graphite pencil. Do not attempt any shading or coloring at this time, instead, stick to a simple, broad outline of the design.
Erase and correct any mistakes with your eraser and be sure every line is exactly how you want it before you move to the next step.
Trace over the pencil lines with a thin black marker. Thin markers are ideal since they are easier to control. If there are portions of the tattoo that require thicker lines, trace over them more than once with the thin marker.
Erase all the pencil lines once you have traced over them in black ink. This will ensure no stray lines show through for the next step.
Flip the image over and place on a lighting desk or well-lit drawing surface so that all the black lines show through to the other side.
Copy the design onto the back of the paper, achieving a mirror image of your tattoo. You will use this mirror image to develop the stencil so that it will appear frontward when applied to your skin. You can either copy the design in pencil and then black ink or skip the pencil and use only the marker if you are confident in your artistic ability.
Tape a piece of stencil paper over the reverse image, once it is completed. Continue using the lighting desk or well-lit surface so that tracing is easier.
Trace the reverse design onto the stencil paper with a tattoo stencil pencil. Stencil pencils are difficult to erase, so if you make a mistake, start over on a fresh piece of stencil paper.
Remove the tape and give the stencil to your tattoo artist for proper application.