In those days, tattoo artists almost always learned their trade in prison. Imprisoned crime bosses, bored with their lives, would seek out young prisoners with artistic talent and have them carve the outline of an image into their flesh with a needle or a knife. The budding artist would then use one or several needles to poke pigments into the skin.
當時台灣的刺青師傅幾乎都是應獄友的需求而產生的；獄中耐不住枯乏生活的老大、角頭，找到有繪圖天份的小弟，就任由他們使用針或刀片，在肌膚上割出圖案的輪廓，再用單針或多針的跳動方式，將色料一針針扎入皮膚。