Branding

Branding is a less common form of body art. It’s considered to be a little more extreme and certainly more unique. Brandings are often desired by those who want to truly have something unique. They are also requested by groups or teams that feel a very strong connection and want to make the most extreme commitment to that group by all getting the same brand. These groups may be firefighters, police officers, sports teams, college sororities or groups of life-long friends. Branding also has a large following in the fetish community. Our branding clients are both men and women but women usually get larger brands or more of them than men do. Maybe because women often have a higher pain tolerance?

There are different types of branding. Heather and I (Rose) both use a technique that is called draw branding. We like it because you can get more detailed and more creative than you can with other methods. For those of you who are not interested in branding this won’t make sense but for those who are you’ll know what I mean. Draw branding is more personal. There’s a sort of intimacy that isn’t there with strike branding or cauterization pens. It’s more primal and a connection is made. Many people come in an out of our lives and some are easily forgotten over time but no one who has received a brand will ever forget their branding artists. There’s a trust that’s deeper than with a piercing or tattoo. Piercings can eventually be taken out, tattoos can be removed or redone but your branding is there for life. Every brand I have ever done has resulted in a permanent memory and bond for me, and I have no doubt that Heather would agree.

Draw branding is done with a straight rod of surgical steel heated with a torch and then drawn into the skin with short brief strokes. It’s drawn almost as one would draw an outline of a picture using a pencil or pen.

This might sound simple and tempt people to try doing their own or doing them on friends. But believe me that’s a very dangerous idea. Brands can easily become infected so it is extremely important to have them done in a clean environment by someone who knows how to keep everything safe. Technique is also very important. It’s not as easy as it sounds. Brands spread as they heal so someone who is not an expert doesn’t know the pressure to use, the space needed between lines and the right thickness of the lines. This will leave you with a big burnt blob. So if you want a brand make an appointment to have it done right by Heather or Rose.

Branding is not for those faint of heart or people who change their mind a lot. The healing process is long and uncomfortable but when it’s done our clients feel it's well worth it. Heather is our Worcester brander and Rose is in Maine and in the shop by appointment only.

Branding is priced at approximately $120.00 per hour

An appointment is always necessary for a brand. It is not something to do on a whim.