Advertisement

Amputee tattoo artist tattoos with both ‘hands’ after getting unique prosthetic

Click to play video: 'Amputee tattoo artist gets functioning tattoo arm prosthetic'
Amputee tattoo artist gets functioning tattoo arm prosthetic
WATCH: French tattoo artist JC Sheitan Tenet may be the first to ever wield a prosthetic that also doubles as a tattoo gun – Jun 18, 2016

An amputee tattoo artist may be the first person to wield a prosthetic arm that doubles as a tattoo gun.

JC Tenet lost his lower right arm when he was 10. He started his career as a designer but left that world eight years ago when he realized that tattooing was his passion.

That passion translated into innovation when the 32-year-old French tattoo artist came up with the idea of building a prosthetic arm with a tattoo gun in place of a hand. He teamed up with JL Gonzal, an artist known for creating kinetic sculptures, and gave him an old prosthetic to work with.

READ MORE: ‘Thank you for making a doll like me’: Girl with prosthetic leg has dream come true

“When [Tenet] saw my creations, he imagined he could bring back his right arm and tattoo with it! It was a crazy but [such a] beautiful idea!” Gonzal told Global News. “I loved the challenge!”
Story continues below advertisement

Using parts from an old mechanical typewriter and gramophone to complete the steam punk aesthetic, Gonzal built the hybrid prosthetic.

Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.

Get daily National news

Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

The pair debuted it at a tattoo convention in Davezieux, France on June 4.

In an interview with Mashable, Tenet said, “I had to relearn to use my right hand 22 years after the loss; it’s terrifying and amazing at the same time.”

The prosthetic is powered by a generator that is attached through the elbow, ensuring cables don’t get in the way while Tenet is working.

Tenet told Global News that in its current state, the tattooing prosthetic isn’t accurate enough to do anything more than shading and that it is only used during exhibitions due to the long and meticulous cleaning process.

READ MORE: Electronic skin could soon give those with prosthetics a sense of touch and feel

But a second prototype is already in the works.

Gonzal said the next challenge is to improve the prosthetic’s wrist mobility while Tenet learns tattooing again, but this time, with his right arm.

Sponsored content

AdChoices