What is branding? I'm just curious. How do they do it? Do they take a design made of metal, stick in fire, and then burn it into your skin. Because thats what I want to do. Anyone know where I could do something like that. I'm willing to travel to get it done. Are there other kinds of branding?

http://wiki.bmezine.com/index.php/Branding

http://www.bmezine.com/scar/bme-scar.html

http://wiki.bmezine.com/index.php/Branding 

http://wiki.bmezine.com/index.php/Scarification 

 

And beaten by less than a minute. 

BME doesn't tell you that there's also organic rod branding. This is done by heating different gauge rods in a set temp. torch and drawing the design on the skin with the rod. This method allows for different width lines and fine detail work in a design, tho due to frequently having to heat up the rod it takes longer than some other types of branding. I've seen a fair number of these in person (including the one on my thigh) and they stay very precise and lovely. PM me if you want more info :)

Actually Jess, would you mind posting a recent picture? I'd love to see it healed, it's such an awesome design and I haven't seen it in so long.

 yes! picture please!

Jess:

BME doesn't tell you that there's also organic rod branding. This is done by heating different gauge rods in a set temp. torch and drawing the design on the skin with the rod. This method allows for different width lines and fine detail work in a design, tho due to frequently having to heat up the rod it takes longer than some other types of branding. I've seen a fair number of these in person (including the one on my thigh) and they stay very precise and lovely. PM me if you want more info :)

 

 

Sounds like a subtle variation on strike branding to me. :)

 

What makes it organic?  

You know Rick, I'm not exactly sure...perhaps because it uses no electricity or the like, just the basic elements of fire and metal? I can ask her wednesday at my next tattoo appt. tho. It is, I suppose a form of strike branding, but with much more detail and precision than the kind most people associate with cattle branding. My artist was taught both electrocautery and rod branding in her apprenticeship (she has an electrocautery brand, actually) and it just comes down to personal preference for her. As far as I know, she is only one of two artists doing rod branding in the US currently, and the other one has a vastly different style and technique (which I frankly find a bit iffy). If anyone is really curious about how rod brands look, you can check out her portfolio at www.dreamillustration.net under "branding"... I scar silvery white and due to my paleness I'm having a hard time taking a decent healed pic of mine (tho it's quite visible in person). I can try to get a couple shots of my former roommate's tho, as he scars darker than his skintone.

Yea I'd love more info. Like the mechanics of it. And healing times. Do they just do the design and then cut away the skin on the inside? Also where can I get it done. Preferably from someone who has done it before. Cost?

My best friend branded herself a paperclip in her left (down)cheek.

 

Cute, but I wouldn't recommend it lol

The mechanics of it are that a hot tool (either rod or electrocautery device) are used to draw a design on the skin. Branding is burning the skin, there is no cutting involved. Much like a tattoo, a stencil or freehand design is placed on first and then the branding is done. There is, from my experience, a great deal of mental preparation and focus required...it's certainly not like getting pierced or tattooed. As far as healing times go, it varies from person to person, but expect to still have some soreness or at least tenderness for up to 3 months. While the scab is still present it can be quite painful, and you have to force yourself to stretch out the skin or you can permanently lose elasticity in the area and as a result, mobility. It takes nearly a year for the brand to truly be healed and settled. If you really want a brand, I'd spend at least 6 months doing research both in the procedure and in artists. I'm not sure if there's a database of scarification artists, but if there's a good quality shop in your area they should have a decent knowledge of the body modification industry and would probably be able to point you in the right direction. When selecting an artist, make sure they have done an apprenticeship with someone competent (branding is not something that should be self taught imo), have taken classes such as anatomy and work in a sterile environment. Check out their spore sheets, make sure they have proper ventilation equipment (for artist, client and in the branding room), look at their portfolio. Branding (and scarification in general) is not something to be taken lightly...it WILL hurt, and it WILL take a substantially longer time to heal than a piercing or tattoo. As for price, you're looking at around $200-$300 an hour from a competent artist. For reference, my reasonably sized thigh piece (about 8" by 10") took 6 1/2 hours to complete.

 Just my two cents, but most of the talented scarification/branding aritsts that I know are self taught. None have done an apprenticeship for that. Most of us, teach ourselves with some help by picking our friends who do this also's brains. 

That was really great. I have been looking into some of the things you mentioned but not all. One thing I can't figure out is what happens to the skin that is already there? I mean: if I did it on the area of my right nipple would my nipple just burn into the design or what? I hope that makes sense! Where did you get your's done? Because I think I'd feel safer doing it at the same place that you did your branding, seeing as you've got a lot of knowledge about it.

Rick, that's a totally fair opinion...however, with branding becoming more "popular" or "commonplace" in the body mod industry, don't you think more young artists SHOULD do apprenticeships with seasoned pros? While inventing an art from so to speak, it's totally acceptable to learn as you go with the advice of people who are learning with you...but once a standard is established, isn't it smart to for newbies to take advantage of what you folks have learned rather than just trying to figure everything out on their own? My artist chose to apprentice rather than self teaching because she knew there were people who knew more than her at the time and she didn't want to hurt anyone due to inexperience. Her apprentice ship gave her the opportunity not only to learn from a respected pro and his fellow artists, but also attend Scar Wars and get valuable experiences she couldn't have gotten thru self teaching. Rotty, I honestly can't help you out on the nipple question...seeing as it's totally different skin than say, your arm, I'm not sure how exactly it would respond to branding. I'm not sure of your gender honestly, but that might also play a role in how your body would react. Also, where do you live? That'd certainly help in us helping you find a good artist reasonably close to you, unless you're up for cross country or (continent) travel.

Sure an apprenticeship from a seasoned pro would be optimal. I am stating that the majority of "seasoned pros" are self taught.