Best Tattoo Practice Skin

  • Written By Dan Hunter on February 02, 2023
    Last Updated: February 3, 2023

Tattooing is becoming increasingly popular, with more people than ever before wanting to become tattoo artists. One of the crucial things you can do to improve your skills when becoming a tattoo artist is to practice. 

Practice makes perfect, as they say. With this in mind, you may be asking how you can do this without tattooing a person’s body? There are many options out there to give you the practice that you need to improve your art skills on your customer’s skin.

One of the best options would be to use practice skin. As the name suggests, this is a material that’s made to look and feel like human skin. This allows you to get a feel for the texture you’ll be drawing on. Some practice skins are even shaped like body parts to enable you to understand the contours of the body better when drawing.


The best tattoo practice skins available on the market right now are:

Best Tattoo Practice Skins Reviewed 

Gospire 10pcs 8x6in Practice Skin Tattoo Skin—Best Overall

The Gospire practice skin is a synthetic skin that gives you the natural skin feel to be able to practice your tattooing skills. It has a great texture and allows you to grip the material as if it was natural skin. 

The practice skins come in a pack of 10 blank sheets that are 8 inches by 6 inches. This gives you plenty of space to create your designs. The practice skins are 0.05 inches thick and can be used on both sides. 

The Gospire practice skins come with an 18-Month warranty and a 60-day money-back guarantee so you can be confident in the product.

Users like many things about the Gospire practice skins, and you can see some of their comments below:

The texture is semi-skin-like, and though some people have mentioned that they dislike how thin it is, I find the thickness to be helpful…if you can clearly see your work from the reverse side you are working at a depth that would cause blowout in real skin. For the low price this is a great buy.”

“We’ve tried 3 other brands during our practicing sessions. This Gospire brand is by far the best hands down!!!”

Specifications

Number of Sheets: 10 sheets.

Material: Synthetic skin-like flexible rubber.

Size: 8 inches x 6 inches.

Thickness: 0.05 inches.

Double sided: Yes – can be used double sided.

The Gospire practice skins are a great all-round product that gives you an excellent base to improve your tattooing skills. 

The synthetic skins are flexible and have a great texture, feeling like human skin. They’re great for beginners looking to grow their tattoo portfolio and experienced tattoo artists who are trying out new tattoo styles. 

Pros

  • Real skin feel gives you a natural base.
  • Durable material that’s stretchy and flexible.
  • Double sided giving you extra space.
  • Good sized sheets.
  • 18-Month warranty and a 60-day money-back Guarantee. 

Cons

  • Some users found the skins difficult to wipe clean.

CINRA Blank Tattoo Skin Practice—Best for Absorbing Ink

The CINRA blank tattoo practice skin is soft and flexible, but it still gives you a durable surface to practice your tattoo skills. The practice skin absorbs the ink well and can be cleaned easily by wiping with a suitable product to show your tattoo design at its best.

The practice skins are 8 inches by 6 inches and offer a 0.05-inch thickness, allowing you to use both sides without any issues. The sheets are soft and stretchable, giving you the flexibility you need to practice your skills.

The company is so confident that you’ll enjoy their product that they offer you a 100 percent satisfaction guarantee. If you’re not happy with any element of the product, just contact them to let them know.

The CINRA practice skins are enjoyed by users, and you can see some of the comments that we found online below:

“Fun product to practice new techniques on and just to all around make cool pieces on. Sheets are big enough to fit a couple of palm sized tattoos. Wipes off very easily and needles go in without a problem! And there’s no stretching!”

“This is one of the better practice skins I’ve purchased. Thick, stretchable, ink is more true to color and easily implanted than latex or cheaper silicone. I don’t use the nylon straps so I wish they sold these without them, but I do love them!”

Specifications

Number of Sheets: 10 sheets.

Material: Silicone.

Size: 8 inches x 6 inches.

Thickness: 0.05 inches.

Double sided: Yes – can be used double sided.

The CINRA blank practice skins give you a great option to practice your tattoo skills and add to your portfolio. They absorb the ink thoroughly and give you amazingly clear and precise results. 

You can use both sides of the skin, and it’s stretchy and flexible, so it can be used positioned on the body as well as a flat surface.

Pros

  • Absorbs the tattoo ink well.
  • Left with a clear vibrant color on the practice skin.
  • Stretchable silicone material.
  • 100% satisfaction guarantee.

Cons

  • Texture is slippery when using and can make tattooing difficult.

Yuelong Blank Tattoo Skin Practice—Best Value for Money

The Yuelong blank tattoo practice skin sheets give you great value for money. They’re made from a synthetic silicone material that offers you a skin-like texture and feel. The practice skins are flexible and can be wrapped around the body to get a true feeling of tattooing on the skin.

They are thick enough to be used on both sides, giving you the chance to complete double the amount of tattoos. The 8-inches by 6-inch sheets provide you with plenty of space to use to improve your tattooing skills.

The Yuelong brand is committed to offering you a quality product, and they offer you an unconditional satisfaction guarantee. If you’re not happy with the practice skins, just let them know, and they will refund or replace your product.

Users of the Yuelong practice skins like everything about them. You can see some of the comments that we found online below:

“Great product. Easy to use with my tattoo machine and blades. It holds the ink nicely. I wipe with baby wipes by the brand “parent choice”, and it wipes off amazing. No stains.”

“I am a beginner to tattoo art and ordered a kit along with these skins and this product is awesome. The clean-up process during the ink process with use of a stencil is very similar to actual skin. I recommend this product for anyone who wants to learn and practice without messing up yourself or someone permanently.”

Specifications

Number of Sheets: 10 sheets.

Material: Synthetic skin-like flexible silicone.

Size: 8 inches x 6 inches.

Thickness: 0.05 inches.

Double sided: Yes – can be used double sided.

The Yuelong blank practice skins are a great affordable option that gives you great results when practicing your tattoos. 

They’re strong and flexible and can be used on both sides. They can also be wrapped around the body to give you a more realistic feel.

Pros

  • Offer great value for money.
  • Durable and flexible material.
  • Can be used on both sides.
  • Offer an unconditional satisfaction guarantee.

Cons

  • Some users reported smudging when wiping clean.

WeekShow Blank Tattoo Skin—Most Realistic Material

The Weekshow blank tattoo skin is made from an upgraded rubber silicone material that gives you an excellent texture that feels just like natural skin. 

You get more for your money with these practice skins, giving you 12 sheets in the pack measuring 8 inches by 6 inches. They can be used on both sides, giving you plenty of space to perfect your tattoo designs. Each skin is individually packaged, keeping them separated until you’re ready to use them.

The practice skins are easy to clean; you just need to wipe them down with a bit of vaseline to get rid of the excess ink. 

Users of the Weekshow blank tattoo practice skins enjoy using them. You can see some comments from users below:

“These practice skins are exactly what I wanted. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who is trying to learn how to do tattoos!”

“Seems like a good practice skin. I ordered the more rubber type and have been happy with results so far using it. Great for working on technical skills.”

Specifications

Number of Sheets: 12 sheets.

Material: Silicone.

Size: 8 inches x 6 inches.

Thickness: 0.04 inches.

Double sided: Yes – can be used double sided.

The Weekshow tattoo practice skins give you a flexible material that’s durable and feels just like real skin. You get 12 individually packaged practice skins in the pack and are able to use them on both sides.

The practice skins can be easily cleaned once you’ve completed your design, giving you a clear view of your tattoo.

Pros

  • Realistic skin feel.
  • Flexible and durable material.
  • Excess ink can be easily cleaned from the material.
  • Each skin sheet is Individually wrapped.

Cons

  • Some users find the practice skin too thin for their needs. 

Best Tattoo Practice Skins Buying Guide

When you’re starting to tattoo, the first thing you need to do is practice. You don’t want to do this on real human skin as this could cause damage to your friend’s skin, leaving a badly drawn permanent tattoo and a broken friendship. 

This is where practice skins come in. They’re ideal for beginners and experienced tattoo artists who are learning a new tattoo style. The practice skins give you a perfect surface to complete your tattoo designs without causing any damage. Once you’re confident in your designs, you can then tattoo them on real skin.

There are many factors to look at when you’re buying practice skins for tattooing. You need to ensure that the one you choose is the right material, texture and size to give you the perfect practice skin.

Check out our buying guide below to understand what you need to be looking for.

Materials

There are several different materials that you can use for practice skin, latex, silicone, and synthetic. Some tattoo artists out there also use real pig skin to practice their tattoo skills.

Latex

Latex is the best option, giving you the real feel and texture of human skin. However, this is also the most expensive option, so it is not ideal for a beginner who’s just starting out and needs lots of practice.

Synthetic

Synthetic practice skin has a similar feel to the latex material, but it does tend to be more solid and thicker than latex. It still gives you an excellent base for your practice sessions and will help to improve your tattooing skills. It’s also a lot less expensive than latex, so you get more skins for your money.

Silicone

Silicone is also slightly harder and thicker than latex, but it gives you great value for money and is very popular with beginners.

Pig Skin

Yes, you read that right; many tattoo artists practice their skills on real pig skin! Tattoo artists will tell you that the texture and feel of pig skin are the closest you’ll get to actual human skin without having to tattoo your friends. 

You can speak to your local butchers to get pieces of pig skin to practice on, but you need to be aware that this will decay, so you can’t keep the tattoos you complete on pig skin. Also, the smell for some people is a deal breaker, so it may be better to stick with your silicone practice skins.

Size

Practice skins for tattooing come in all different sizes. They are generally sheets of material that can be used single or double-sided. 

The larger the sheet, the more tattoos you can practice. Be careful not to go too big, as this may then make the practice skin more challenging to handle if you’re only completing smaller designs. 

Shape

You can buy practice skins as sheets of material or shaped as actual body parts. The blank sheets can be used to draw on when they’re flat on a solid surface. You can also try attaching the blank sheets to your friend’s body to get a feel for the shape of the body and its contours. 

Some practice skins come shaped like body parts, such as arms, hands, legs, and even heads. These are great to understand the body’s contours but can be expensive to buy if you’re on a limited budget or just starting your tattooing career.

Quantity

Many tattoo practice skins come in packs that include a number of sheets so you can practice your tattoo skills for many hours.

Make sure that you know how many sheets are included and if these can be used double or single-sided before buying them.

Durability

You want to make sure that the tattoo practice skins you choose are durable and will last while you practice your tattoo skills. The skins should be thick and strong enough so that they don’t rip when you’re using them.

They should also be able to be wiped clean using vaseline to give you a clear view of the tattoo that you’ve produced. This can then be used as part of your portfolio to promote your work. 

Price

Tattoo practice skins can be as cheap or as expensive as you like, but the less expensive option will be better for you as a beginner. As you perfect your tattooing skills, you can choose a higher-quality practice skin to work with.

You can buy a pack of tattoo practice skin sheets for as little as 10 dollars online but make sure that the ones you choose are suitable for your requirements. 

As you get used to the tattooing process, you can then invest in high-quality skins that are a little more expensive. These will give you a great portfolio to show off to prospective employers or customers. 

Conclusion

Tattoo practice skins are an ideal way of improving and perfecting your tattoo skills. They can also be used to grow your portfolio and show off your skills to prospective employers and customers.

The skins can be made from several different materials offering you various levels of quality. You need to make sure that you choose a durable practice skin that is flexible and hold your tattoo design well.

Our favorite in the best tattoo practice skins is the Gospire 10pcs 8x6in Practice Skin Tattoo Skin. These practice skins are made from a durable material that’s flexible and has a real skin texture. The sheets are a good size and can be used on both sides. 

Gospire offers all users an 18-month warranty and a 60-day money-back guarantee if you’re not completely happy with the product. 

Our runner-up would be the CINRA Blank Tattoo Skin Practice. The skins absorb the ink well and give you a clear vibrant color. They’re made from a stretchable silicone material that’s durable and the brand offers a 100 percent satisfaction guarantee with the product.

We hope you’ve found our reviews and buying guide helpful and you now understand the type of practice skin that is best for you. Remember practice makes perfect!