DE102022119091A1 - Tattoo stencil and method for its creation - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a technique for creating a graphic template (5) for the manual application of a tattoo as body decoration. The technology includes a computer-implemented method for creating a graphic stencil (5), a working method for preparing a tattoo application process and the graphic stencil (5) in various versions. The creation of the graphic template includes the use of an edge filter (S30) to detect contrast edges and the creation of a contrast edge image (2) and the use of an area structuring filter (S40) to divide the image content of the template image (1) into areas. Segments (11) with the same or similar pixel values and the creation of an area segment boundary image (3). The creation of the graphic template further includes the creation (S50) of a combination image (4) by superimposing the contrast edge image (2) and the surface segment boundary image (3) and the output (S70) of a graphic template (5) based on the combination image (4) .

Description

The invention lies in the field of creating graphic stencils for the application of tattoos, i.e. tattoos for the purpose of body decoration. Such graphic stencils are also known as “tattoo stencils”.

In practice, tattoos are applied by a tattoo artist in a manual process, namely by introducing a dye into a person's skin using a hand-held needle. For the purposes of this disclosure, the recipient of a tattoo is referred to for simplicity as a “person.” The creator of the tattoo is referred to as a “tattoo artist”.

Before the actual tattoo application process, the person coordinates the desired motif with the tattoo artist using a template image. Photographic content is often initially selected as the main motif as the image content of the template image, such as one or more images of relatives, well-known personalities, works of art, animals or landscape objects. The main motif may be supplemented with writing and/or decorative elements.

A qualitatively perfect application of a tattoo requires that the image content of the body decoration applied to the body matches the original image almost identically. What is particularly important is that the proportions of the image content of the template image are reproduced identically in the image content of the body decoration. It is also important that different surface areas of the template image, which contain, for example, different colors, color gradients or shades, are also correctly reproduced in the image content of the body decoration. Shadows in photographic image content should also be reproduced with consistent boundaries and gradients in the body decoration.

In order to ensure that the image content of the body decoration and the original image matches as closely as possible, tattoo artists often create a tattoo stencil by hand, i.e. a graphic template that is applied to the person's skin in a separate step before the actual tattoo application process takes place. The graphic template is only applied externally and temporarily to the surface of the skin and contains guidelines for carrying out the tattoo application process. The graphic stencil is therefore a temporary aid that is removed again at the latest after the tattoo application process has been completed.

Creating the graphic stencil by hand is a very time-consuming process that still requires great skill on the part of the tattoo artist. Young professionals often need several months of practice before they are able to create a good stencil that can ensure the above-mentioned expectations regarding the correspondence of the image content of the template image and the body decoration even on the person's three-dimensionally shaped skin.

Recently, various attempts have been made to implement the creation of a tattoo stencil in a technical manner. For example, the “Tattoo Stencil” app from the developer “Pony Lawson LLC” is known, which was developed for tablet computers of the “iPad” brand from the American manufacturer “Apple”. In this app, a template image can be converted into a graphical stencil that can be saved as an output image. The template image can, for example, be taken from standard image processing software such as “ProCreate”.

6 , 7 and 8th show comparisons of a template image (1, top left) on the one hand with an output image (100, bottom right) according to the prior art and on the other hand with a graphic template (5, top right) according to the present disclosure.

In practice, the template image (1) often includes colored photographic image content. It is often defined with a large number of possible colors. A particularly frequently used format can define up to 16 million colors per pixel, i.e. it has a bit depth of 24 bits (RGB image with 8 bits for each of the color channels R=Red, G=Green, B=Blue) or 32-bit. Bit (CMYK image with 8 bits for each of the color channels C=Cyan, M=Magenta, Y=Yellow, K=Black). An 8-bit data value for a color channel can have a range of values from 0 to 255 when expressed as a decimal number.

Simplified grayscale images are shown in the attached drawings.

The output images (100) according to the prior art comprise, on the one hand, lines (104) which comprise a combination of black and gray pixels and match certain contours in the original image, and on the other hand (large-scale) distributions of black and gray pixels (101). The lines (104) are very thick in many places and have a jagged edge contour. The lines only make up a small proportion of the non-empty image content (non-white image content) of the output image (100). This proportion is often less than 20%. The vast majority of non-empty image content consists of the (large) area distributions of black and gray pixels (101).

It has been shown that an output image according to this prior art is not optimally designed for use as a tattoo stencil. On the one hand, various structures of the object shown in the template image (1) that are relevant to the tattoo application process are not included in the output image. For example, according to is missing 6 In output image 100 in the enlarged area on the back of the neck of “David” there is any information about the lower end of the head of hair. The output image (100) therefore has missing contours (103) compared to the template image (1). Important contours (103) of the nostrils are also missing in the nose area. On the other hand, certain structures of the template image (1) are clearly exaggerated in the output image (100). For example, the shadow of the nose and a scar on the upper lip of “David” can be seen in the output image (100) as thick black lines and thus as exaggerated contours (102). Also in the example of 7 According to the prior art, the output image (100) shows large distributions of image points (101) and black and gray lines (104), which can be seen as greatly exaggerated contours (104) compared to the original image (1).

During the introduction of a colorant into the person's skin, various disadvantages are encountered when a graphic stencil according to the prior art output image (100) is applied to the person's skin. This will be explained below.

When introducing the dye, a needle is repeatedly pierced into the person's skin to inject small amounts of the dye into the skin tissue. This causes a veil of liquid consisting of excess dye and wound fluid to form on the surface of the skin. This film of liquid must be removed at regular intervals, which is usually done by wiping with a cloth. Wiping causes two adverse effects. On the one hand, parts of the excess dye can accumulate on the structures of the stencil image applied to the skin. This can lead to a change in the line thickness. The already particularly thick line areas (104) of the output image (100) become even thicker during the tattoo application process.

On the other hand, the (large) surface-distributed image points (101) are relatively easily detached from the skin surface when wiped and are at least partially deposited again at another location on the skin, as a result of which parts of the template applied to the skin gradually dissolve or at another location incorrectly form new image structures in the template. This effect is particularly strong in an output image (100) according to the prior art because almost all relevant surface areas of the main motif are filled with the (large) surface distribution of image points (101).

As a result, a stencil based on the output image (100) according to the prior art only inadequately supports the work of the tattoo artist. During the tattoo application process, the tattoo artist must fill in missing contours (103) in the output image (100), consciously refine exaggerated contours (102) and compensate for the changes in the stencil image that result from the removal or displacement of flatly distributed pixels (101) result when wiping to create a graphically flawless body decoration. This creates numerous sources of error that can lead to quality defects and person dissatisfaction.

It is the object of the present invention to demonstrate an improved technique for creating a graphic stencil that can be used as a tattoo stencil, as well as for preparing the creation of a body decoration (working method). The invention solves this problem through the features of the independent claims.

The technique according to the present disclosure includes a method for creating a graphic template for the manual creation of a tattoo as a body decoration, which is preferably carried out as a computer-implemented method. The technique further includes a software program product that includes instructions for execution on a data processing device, the instructions being designed to implement a method according to the present disclosure when executed.

The process or working method for preparing a tattoo application process includes the creation of a graphic stencil based on the template image using the aforementioned method or the software program product, as well as the creation of a transfer image that contains physical image content according to the graphic Stencil on a carrier medium, and transferring this physical image content from the carrier medium to the surface of the person's skin.

The technique also includes a graphic template for creating a tattoo, which is designed as a digital object or as a transfer image that can be. The graphic template may be created using the method disclosed herein or by any other computer-implemented method, possibly using a printing process from a template image.

The aforementioned disclosed objects can each be used independently and independently of the other objects.

The objects are connected by a common technical concept. This concept envisages that image content is present or created for a graphic template, which includes first line sections that correspond to contrasting edges in the template image, and further includes second line sections that run along the boundaries of surface segments that represent the template image. Divide the image into areas with the same or similar pixel values.

The graphic template can be a digital object and/or a physical object.

Furthermore, the graphic template preferably comprises exclusively image information in the form of line segments or only a very small portion of image information that does not represent line segments. Particularly preferably, the graphic template is largely free of image points distributed over a large area that cannot be assigned to any line section.

In this way, a graphic stencil is achieved that particularly supports the manual application of the tattoo. In particular, the disadvantageous effects explained above with respect to the use of an output image according to the prior art are avoided.

• Ein Vorlage-Bild mit grafischen Bildinhalten wird erfasst. Die Bildinhalte können eine beliebige Ausbildung haben. Sie umfassen bevorzugt eine Rasteranordnung von Bildpunktwerten und repräsentieren ein grafisches oder fotografisches Motiv, das unter anderem Farbverläufe, Graustufenverläufe und/oder direkt aneinander grenzende Flächen mit unterschiedlichen Farbgestaltungen aufweist.

The preferably computer-implemented method for creating a graphic template includes the following steps:

• A template image with graphic image content is captured. The image content can have any design. They preferably comprise a grid arrangement of pixel values and represent a graphic or photographic motif which, among other things, has color gradients, grayscale gradients and/or directly adjacent areas with different color designs.

An edge filter is applied to detect contrast edges and a contrast edge image is created which includes a plurality of line sections that run along the determined contrast edges. The edge filter is applied based on the image content of the template image.

Furthermore, an area structuring filter is used to divide the image contents of the template image into area segments with the same or similar pixel values, and an area segment boundary image is created which includes a plurality of line sections that run along the boundaries of the determined area segments . The edge filter is also applied based on the image content of the template image.

The creation of the contrast edge image and the creation of the surface segment boundary image can be done one after the other, overlapping in time or simultaneously. The applied filters preferentially access the same image contents of the template image. The image content can be stored in one or more channels for each pixel, for example in color channels (RGB channels / CMYK channels, etc.) and / or a grayscale channel. It is also possible for the template image to be a grayscale image, or for a grayscale image to be generated from the template image in an intermediate step for the application of the edge filter and/or the area structuring filter.

A combination image is created from the contrast edge image and the surface segment boundary image by overlaying them. The combination image thus contains two types of line sections, namely first line sections that correspond to contrast edges in the template image, and second line sections that run along the boundaries of surface segments that divide the template image into areas with the same or similar pixel values .

The graphic template is output based on the combination image. It also contains two types of line sections.

The graphic template for creating a tattoo represents an independent aspect of the present disclosure. It can be created by the method disclosed here or another computer-implemented method based on a template image. The graphical template includes two distinguishable types of line segments, namely first line segments that correspond to contrasting edges in the template image, and second line segments that run along the boundaries of surface segments that divide the template image into areas with the same or similar pixel values structure. According to a preferred embodiment, the graphic template for creating a tattoo comprises exclusively or predominantly line-shaped image information, the proportions of which correspond identically to the template image, and which distinguish both outlines and boundary lines represent surface areas of the body decoration that are to be designed.

The surface areas of the body decoration to be created are almost or completely free of pixels or pigments in the graphic template. On the one hand, this means that a significantly smaller amount of pigments is applied to the skin overall, which results in a particularly clear graphic template. On the other hand, when wiping the surface of the skin, there is little risk of displacing pixels or pigments in the graphic template or causing a change in proportions.

The graphic template can be created in an extremely short time by partially or fully automated implementation of the method according to the disclosure. This means that after the image content for the template image has been coordinated, the tattoo application process can essentially begin immediately and it is no longer necessary to arrange two different appointments.

The method according to the disclosure can preferably be implemented as a server service or portal service and provide a communication interface that includes at least an input interface for a template image and an output interface for the graphic template. The communication interface can, for example, enable access via an Internet browser. It may further include a user interface through which further input and output are possible.

Preferably, the possibility can be provided via the user interface to manually change certain parameters for the application of the edge filter and/or the application of the area structuring filter and/or to display the contrast edge image and the area segment boundary image. The contrast edge image and/or the surface segment boundary image can be displayed on its own and/or in an overlay on the template image.

The technology according to the present disclosure can be made available to a large number of tattoo artists quickly and inexpensively through an implementation, preferably as a server service or portal service, so that they can create tattoo stencils without having to use any software or app having to install your own data processing device.

Alternatively or additionally, a software program product according to the present disclosure can be obtained from a tattoo artist and installed and executed on the tattoo artist's own data processing device.

Further advantages of the invention are set out in the accompanying drawings, the following detailed description and the subclaims.

• 1: Eine schematische Ablaufdarstellung zur Durchführung des offenbarungsgemäßen Verfahrens und zur Vorbereitung eines Tattoo-Aufbringungsvorgangs;
• 2: Ein Ablaufdiagramm zur Erläuterung des offenbarungsgemäßen Verfahrens;
• 3 bis 5: Beispieldarstellungen eines Vorlage-Bilds, der daraus separat erstellten Paarung aus Kontrastkantenbild und Flächensegmentgrenzenbild sowie das hieraus durch Überlagerung gebildete Kombinationsbild;
• 6 bis 8: Vergleichsdarstellungen eines Vorlage-Bilds mit einerseits einem Kombinationsbild gemäß der vorliegenden Offenbarung und andererseits einem Ausgabe-Bild gemäß dem Stand der Technik.

The invention is shown by way of example and schematically in the drawings. These show:

• 1 : A schematic flow diagram for carrying out the method according to the disclosure and for preparing a tattoo application process;
• 2 : A flowchart to explain the method according to the disclosure;
• 3 until 5 : Example representations of a template image, the separately created pairing of contrast edge image and surface segment boundary image as well as the combination image formed from this by overlaying;
• 6 until 8th : Comparison representations of a template image with, on the one hand, a combination image according to the present disclosure and, on the other hand, an output image according to the prior art.

1 explains a preferred procedure for preparing a tattoo application process, i.e. a working procedure. Within this working process, a computer-implemented process for creating a graphic template (5) is carried out. The working process also includes the above-mentioned steps for applying the graphic stencil to the surface of a person's skin (8). After completing the working process, a tattoo application process can follow.

It is used in the example of 1 It is assumed that the input information is a template image (1), which was usually created in coordination with the person (8). The template image (1) can have any content. In particular, it can include photographic or other graphic image content with various color and shadow gradients. On the basis of this template image (1) or based on the image contents of this template image (1), a contrast edge image (2) and, on the other hand, a surface segment boundary image (3) are generated, whereby these generation steps can take place essentially independently of one another. By superimposing the contrast edge image (2) and the surface segment boundary image (3), a combination image (4) is created, which is present in particular as a digital object (14).

In a first embodiment variant of the method according to the present disclosure, the combination image (4) can be output directly as a graphic template (5) in the form of an image file (15) and, for example, via a communication interface (18) to a data processing device (17). , especially a computer or a smart device belonging to a tattoo artist. Alternatively or additionally, the graphic template (5) or the image file (15) can be stored on a data storage (19). In the aforementioned cases, the graphic template (5) is a digital object (14).

According to an alternative or additional embodiment variant, the combination image (4) can be subjected to additional image processing steps, such as scaling, mirroring or local lamination or cropping, in order to be output as a graphic template (5). In this case too, the graphic template is available as a digital object (14). Its motif content essentially corresponds to the motif content of the combination image (4).

In the example of 1 The combination image (4) was mirrored along a vertical axis for output as a graphic template (5) and reduced to a main component of the motif, namely the head and neck of “David”, by adding parts of the line sections (10,12). were removed.

Another alternative or additional embodiment variant provides that the graphic template (5) is (also) generated as a transfer image (6) with physical image content. For this purpose, a printing process is particularly preferably carried out using a computer-controlled printer (13), in which the physical image content is applied to a carrier medium (9). The carrier medium (9) can then be applied to the desired location on the person's skin surface (8) in order to transfer the physical image content to the skin surface and thereby create the applied graphic template (7) on the skin surface, which is the default for the tattoo application process.

In the 1 The method and process steps shown can be distributed in any way across different data processing devices. In particular, they can be distributed, on the one hand, to a data processing device (17) and possibly a printer (13) of a tattoo artist and, on the other hand, to a remote data processing device (not shown), with one or more communication interfaces (18) and/or a data transfer between these data processing devices can be done through a data carrier (19).

It is also possible for all method and process steps, with the exception of the activities that take place in physical contact with the person (8), to be carried out on a remote data processing device and a remote printer. In this case, the tattoo artist will simply upload a template image (1) to the remote data processing device via a communication interface (18) and place an order to create a graphic template (5) in the form of a transfer image (6). Via the communication interface (18), he can possibly track the process steps for generating the contrast edge image (2) and the surface segment boundary image (3) and/or the production of the combination image (4) and/or further optional specifications for the generation of an image file (14), on the basis of which the graphic template (5) is to be output. The transfer image (6) can be generated on the remote printer (13) and, for example, sent by post to the tattoo artist, who subsequently carries out the tattoo application process.

2 additionally explains the steps of the method according to the present disclosure in a flow chart. In a first step S10, a template image (1) is captured. The capture can be done in any way, for example by reading in a digital object in the form of an image file, by retrieving image information from a sensor, such as a photo or video camera, by scanning image information or by taking over image information from external software such as a standard image processing program.

According to an optional step S20, image information from the template image can be converted into a grayscale image. In particular, the image information from different color channels is combined and converted into a grayscale value using known procedures.

The further steps S30 and S40 can take place independently of one another and access the image information of the template image (in its original form and/or in the form of the grayscale image according to the optional step S20) in any way.

In step S30, an edge filter is applied to detect contrast edges and a contrast edge image (2) is created which includes a plurality of line sections (10) that run along the determined contrast edges.

In step S40, an area structuring filter is applied to divide the image contents of the template image (1) into area segments (11) with the same or similar pixel values. Furthermore, a surface segment boundary image (3) is created, which comprises a plurality of line sections (12) that run along the boundaries of the determined surface segments (11).

In step S50, a combination image (4) is created by superimposing the contrast edge image (2) and the area segment boundary image (3).

According to step S70, a graphic template (5) is output based on the combination image (4).

In the upstream optional step S60, the image content can be scaled and/or mirrored and/or cropped.

• ▪ Ausgabe als ein digitales Objekt in Form einer Bild-Datei; UND/ODER
• ▪ Ausgabe als ein digitales Objekt in Form einer digitalen Druck-Verarbeitungsanweisung; UND/ODER
• ▪ Ausgabe als ein physisches Transfer-Bild (6).

As stated above, the output of the (prepared) graphical template (5) may include one or more of the following output variants:

• ▪ Output as a digital object in the form of an image file; AND OR
• ▪ Output as a digital object in the form of a digital print processing instruction; AND OR
• ▪ Output as a physical transfer image (6).

The digital print processing instruction (16) can preferably be output to a printer (13) via an electronic interface, in particular as a control command for the printer. The electronic interface can be part of the communication interface (18).

The image file (15) can particularly preferably be output in a vector format.

According to a preferred embodiment, the combination image (4) can exclusively include image information in the form of line sections (10, 12). For this purpose, in particular very small-format pixel sets that comprise less than a predetermined number of connected pixels and/or do not reveal any linear alignment, as well as individual pixels, can be removed. The predetermined number can be, for example, 5 or 10 pixels. It can be defined depending on the size and level of detail of the template image (1). Small-format sets of pixels and individual pixels could possibly exist as so-called fractals after applying an edge filter or an area structuring filter. Their removal offers the advantage that flat distributions of image points between the line sections (10, 12) are reduced or excluded. Alternatively, the filters can be configured using suitable parameters so that they only generate line sections (10, 12) with a certain minimum size or minimum number of pixels.

The combination image (4) and a graphic template according to the present disclosure are preferably designed or are generated in such a way that they include a minimum percentage (X) of image information in the form of line sections (10, 12), the minimum percentage (X) in particular more than 60% of the non-empty image content, more particularly more than 80% of the non-empty image content. In the method according to the disclosure, the creation of a contrast edge image and a surface segment boundary image already causes image information with a strongly pronounced line-shaped extension to be generated almost exclusively. When creating a graphic stencil using another method, creating it according to the aforementioned criterion can help reduce or avoid the negative effects of wiping explained above.

• ▪ ein erstes Cluster mit Grauwerten von 0 bis 30 (weiß),
• ▪ ein zweites Cluster mit Grauwerten von 31 bis 60 (weiß-grau),
• ▪ ein drittes Cluster mit Grauwerten von 61 bis 100 (hell-grau),
• ▪ ein viertes Cluster mit Grauwerten von 101 bis 150 (mittel-grau),
• ▪ ein fünftes Cluster mit Grauwerten von 151 bis 190 (tief-grau),
• ▪ ein sechstes Cluster mit Grauwerten von 191 bis 220 (grau-schwarz),
• ▪ ein siebtes Cluster mit Grauwerten von 221 bis 255 (schwarz).

The area structuring filter (S40) can be applied in any way. The existing image information of the template image (1) is preferably divided into clusters, each cluster corresponding to a specific subset in the set of values of the existing pixel values. The set of pixel values for a color channel or grayscale channel often extends from the minimum value of 0 to the maximum value of 255. A division can be made, for example, into seven clusters, each of which provides a different subset of the gray values:

• ▪ a first cluster with gray values from 0 to 30 (white),
• ▪ a second cluster with gray values from 31 to 60 (white-gray),
• ▪ a third cluster with gray values from 61 to 100 (light gray),
• ▪ a fourth cluster with gray values from 101 to 150 (medium gray),
• ▪ a fifth cluster with gray values from 151 to 190 (deep gray),
• ▪ a sixth cluster with gray values from 191 to 220 (gray-black),
• ▪ a seventh cluster with gray values from 221 to 255 (black).

The number and boundaries of the aforementioned clusters are chosen purely as examples in order to explain the structuring process in principle. The number of clusters and the definition of the boundaries can be be chosen in any other way. Clusters can be provided for gray values and/or values of color channels.

The area structuring filter uses the image information of the template image (1) to find those area portions that contain image points whose image point values can be assigned to one of the clusters and these area portions are defined as area segments (11). A coherent set of pixels can therefore be structured within an area segment (11), which can be assigned completely or to a minimum percentage to one of the predefined clusters.

According to the cluster example above, a first group of area segments (11) can be defined for all “white” area portions in the template image (1), and another group of area segments (11) for all “white-gray” areas. Area portions, again another group of area segments (11) for all “light gray” area portions, and so on up to a final group of area segments (11) for all “black” area portions.

As explained above, the division into surface segments (11) can alternatively or additionally be carried out according to different color components.

The line sections (10, 12) are preferably defined in such a form that they are suitable for controlling a printer that has exactly a discretely defined color, in particular (exclusively) a solid color (e.g. "black 100%" or "blue 100% “ etc.) or a limited number of discretely defined colors, in particular (exclusively) solid colors (e.g. “black 100%” AND “blue 100%”). The number of discretely defined colors can in particular be one, two, three or four.

• ▪ „weiß“ (bspw. Grauwert = 0, oder alle Farbwerte = 255)
• ▪ „schwarz“ (bspw. Grauwert = 255, oder alle Farbwerte = 0)
• ▪ „rot“ (bspw. R= 255, G=0, B=0)
• ▪ „grün“ (bspw. R=0, G=255, B=0)
• ▪ „blau“ (bspw. R=0, G=0, B=255)

The line sections (10, 12) can accordingly preferably only provide discrete predetermined color values, in particular solid colors, for each pixel, further in particular the (solid) color values white (or “empty”), black or possibly a specific special color (red/blue/ yellow). Line sections (10, 12) defined in this way include, for example, image points that can only have one of the following discretely defined (full tone) color states:

• ▪ “white” (e.g. gray value = 0, or all color values = 255)
• ▪ “black” (e.g. gray value = 255, or all color values = 0)
• ▪ “red” (e.g. R= 255, G=0, B=0)
• ▪ “green” (e.g. R=0, G=255, B=0)
• ▪ “blue” (e.g. R=0, G=0, B=255)

The value “255” in the above example is chosen purely as an example. Alternatively, a different value and in particular a maximum value of the respective color or grayscale channel can be specified.

Alternatively, the line sections (10, 12) can be defined at a bit depth of 1. Bit depth is the number of binary bits that determine the color of a single pixel. A pixel with a bit depth of 1 can have two values: full color and white/blank. The color information can be defined for two or more color channels at a bit depth of 1.

Such a definition of the pixels of a line section (10, 12) is particularly suitable for generating a transfer image (6) with physical image content. One or the few discretely defined color states can be clearly assigned to an output channel of a monochrome or oligochrome printer.

Particularly preferably, a transfer image (6) can be generated using a thermal printer. The thermal printer can have any design. It can preferably transfer a prefabricated pigment to a carrier medium (9) for each discretely defined color state of the image points. The thermal printer can, for example, include exactly one prefabricated pigment (e.g. “black” or “blue”). In this case, the thermal printer will create a dot of the prefabricated pigment on the carrier medium for each pixel of the graphic template (5) to which the discrete color state “black” is assigned. The prefabricated pigments preferably have a high adhesive effect for later application to human skin. The thermal printer can include exactly one type of pre-made color pigments without a limited number of pre-made color pigments. The number of prefabricated pigments can in particular be equal to the number of discretely defined color states. The prefabricated pigments can be provided in any way, for example in the form of color ribbons.

The (first) line sections (10) for the contrast edges and/or the (second) line sections (12) for the boundaries of the surface segments (11) can be defined by line-shaped sets of pixels, each of which is connected. Alternatively, the line sections (10) for the contrast edges and/or the line sections (12) for the boundaries of the surface segments (11) can be defined as vector-based image content.

Preferably, all pixels within a set of pixels that represent a line section (10, 12) have an identical pixel value, in particular the same discretely defined color state. In other words, a single line section is preferably free of color or gray value shades. Furthermore, all line sections of the first type (10) preferably have the same discretely defined color state (e.g. “black”) and all line sections of the second type (12) also preferably have a discretely defined color state (e.g. “blue”).

A further preferred embodiment provides that all line sections (10, 12) have the same discretely defined color state (e.g. “black”).

• ▪ Zuweisung der jeweiligen Linienabschnitte (10,12) in unterschiedliche Ebenen; UND/ODER durch
• ▪ Bildung separater Gruppierungen für die jeweiligen Arten von Linienabschnitten (10,12); UND/ODER
• ▪ Zuweisung unterschiedlicher und bevorzugt vorbestimmter Linien-Dicken für die jeweiligen Arten von Linienabschnitten (10, 12); UND/ODER
• ▪ Zuweisung unterschiedlicher und bevorzugt diskret vorbestimmter Farb-Zustände zu den jeweiligen Arten von Linienabschnitten (10,12).

The line sections (10, 12) are preferably defined in such a way that in the combination image (4), the first line sections (10) for the contrast edges can be distinguished from the second line sections (12) for the boundaries of the surface segments (11). Such a definition can be present in any way, in particular through:

• ▪ Assignment of the respective line sections (10,12) to different levels; AND/OR through
• ▪ Creation of separate groupings for the respective types of line sections (10,12); AND OR
• ▪ Assignment of different and preferably predetermined line thicknesses for the respective types of line sections (10, 12); AND OR
• ▪ Assignment of different and preferably discrete predetermined color states to the respective types of line sections (10,12).

The first and second line sections (10, 12) can therefore also remain distinguishable in the transfer image (6) and in the applied graphic template (7) on the skin surface of the person (8). This can further aid the tattoo artist's work during the tattoo application process by preventing confusion between contrast edges and surface segment boundaries.

As explained above, all line sections (10, 12) can also be defined in the same and preferably discrete color or with the same discrete color state, in particular a solid color such as black = 255 or blue = 255 or red = 255, whereby the Creation of a transfer image (6) is possible with particularly simple technical means, in particular using a monochrome thermal printer (13).

The method according to the present disclosure is preferably carried out in a partially automated or fully automated manner by a remote data processing device or a data processing device (17) of a tattoo artist. The various processing steps can be distributed in any way between a remote data processing device and a data processing device of the tattoo artist.

A software program product according to the present disclosure is preferably stored on a data carrier (19) or is received or sent via a communication interface (18). The software program product can, for example, be made available for download on a server. The software program product includes instructions for execution on a data processing device, which, when executed, are designed to implement a method according to the present disclosure.

A communication interface (18) can comprise one or more parts, in particular an input interface for a template image, possibly a user interface for entering parameters and/or displaying intermediate results as well as optionally carrying out further image processing steps , and finally an output interface for a digital object (14), in particular an image file (15) or a print processing instruction (16).

A separate aspect of the present disclosure relates to a (prepared but not yet applied) graphic stencil (5) for making a tattoo. According to a first embodiment, the graphic template (5) can be designed as a digital object (14) that is stored on a data carrier (19) or sent or received via a communication interface (18). The digital object is created from a template image (1) using any computer-implemented method. It includes an image file (15) or a digital print processing instruction (16) as well as user data that represents image information in the manner of a combination image (4). This useful data includes first line sections (10) that correspond to contrast edges in the template image (1) and second line sections (12) that run along the boundaries of surface segments (11) that divide the template image (1) into areas with the same or similar pixel values.

According to a further embodiment, the graphic template is a transfer image (6) that includes physical image content, in particular in the form of pigments on a carrier medium (9). The transfer image (6) is made by any computer-implemented method and printing process a template image (1) is generated. The transfer image (6) includes image information in the form of a combination image (4) with first line sections (10) which correspond to contrast edges in the template image (1) and with second line sections (12) which run along the boundaries of surface areas. Segments (11) run, which divide the template image (1) into areas with the same or similar pixel values.

Modifications of the invention are possible in various ways. In particular, all features disclosed regarding the method or process for creating a graphic stencil and preparing the application of a tattoo can also be features of the graphic stencil itself and vice versa.

The features disclosed for the various exemplary embodiments can be combined with one another or replaced with one another in any way.

Reference symbols

100

Output image according to the state of the art software “Tattoo Stencil” from “Pony Lawson LLC)

101

Area distribution of pixels

102

Exaggerated contours

103

Missing contours

104

Black and Gray Lines

1

Template image

2

Contrast edge image

3

Area segment boundary image

4

Combination image

5

(prepared) graphic stencil / tattoo stencil (digital object)

6

Transfer image / physical image content / print version of the graphic template

7

(applied) graphic stencil on skin surface

8th

Person/tattoo recipient

9

Carrier medium

10

Line section for contrast edge

11

Area segment

12

Line section for boundary of an area segment

13

Printer / Monochrome Printer / Thermal Printer

14

Digital object

15

Image file

16

Print processing instructions

17

Data processing device / computer

18

Communication interface

19

Disk

Claims (14)

Method for creating a graphic template (5) for the manual application of a tattoo as body decoration, the method comprising the following steps: - Acquiring (S10) a template image (1) with graphic image content, in particular comprising a grid arrangement of pixel values; - Application of an edge filter (S30) for detecting contrast edges and creating a contrast edge image (2) which comprises a plurality of line sections (10) which run along the determined contrast edges; - Application of an area structuring filter (S40) to structure the image contents of the template image (1) into area segments (11) with the same or similar pixel values and creation of an area segment boundary image (3) which comprises a plurality of line sections (12). , which run along the boundaries of the determined surface segments (11); - Creation (S50) of a combination image (4) by superimposing the contrast edge image (2) and the surface segment boundary surface segment boundary image (3); - Output (S70) of a graphic template (5) based on the combination image (4). Procedure according to Claim 1 , wherein the combination image (4) - exclusively comprises image information in the form of line sections (10, 12); OR - to a minimum percentage (X) image information in the form of line sections (10, 12), the minimum percentage (X) being in particular more than 60% of the non-empty image content, further in particular more than 80% of the non-empty image content. Method according to one of the preceding claims, the template image is a grayscale image, or wherein a grayscale image is generated in an intermediate step (S20) for the application of the edge filter (S30) or the area structuring filter (S40). Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein when the area structuring filter (S40) is used, the existing image information mations are divided into clusters, each cluster corresponding to a specific subset of the existing pixel values, in particular a subset of color values or gray values. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the line sections (10) for the contrast edges and/or the line sections (12) for the boundaries of the surface segments (11) are defined as vector-based image content. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the line sections (10) for the contrast edges and/or the line sections (12) for the boundaries of the surface segments (11) are defined by line-shaped sets of pixels, each of which is connected. Method according to the preceding claim, wherein the pixels in a pixel set which represents a line section (10, 12) have an identical pixel value, in particular an identical color value or gray scale value, further in particular a predefined discrete color state. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein in the combination image (4) the line sections (10) for the contrast edges can be distinguished from the line sections (12) for the boundaries of the surface segments (11), in particular by - Assignment of the respective line sections (10, 12) to different levels; AND/OR through - Formation of separate groupings for the respective types of line sections (10, 12); AND/OR through - Assignment of different color or pixel values to the respective types of line sections (10, 12). Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the output of the graphic template (5) - comprises a digital object, namely an image file, in particular in a vector format; AND OR - comprises a digital object, namely a digital print processing instruction (16) which is output via an electronic interface, in particular a control command for a printer (13); AND OR - comprises a physical transfer image (6) which is designed to be transferred to the skin of a person (8). Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the method is carried out fully or partially automatically by a data processing device. Software program product stored on a data carrier or received/sent via a communication interface, the software program product comprising instructions for execution on a data processing device, and wherein the instructions are designed to implement a method according to one of the preceding claims when executed. Working procedure for preparing a tattoo application process, comprising the following steps: - Providing a template image (1); - Creation of a graphic template (5) based on the template image (1) using a method or a software program product according to one of the preceding claims; - Creating a transfer image (6) that includes physical image content according to the graphic template (5) on a carrier medium (9); - Transferring the physical image content from the carrier medium (9) to the skin surface of a person (8). Graphical template for making a tattoo, wherein the graphical template (5) is a digital object (14), stored on a data carrier (19) or received/sent via a communication interface (18), and wherein the digital object (14) is generated by a computer-implemented method from a template image (1), and wherein the digital object (14) is an image file (15) or a digital print processing instruction (16) and includes payload data, the image information in the manner of Represent combination image (4), whereby this payload data: - First line sections (10) which correspond to contrast edges in the template image (1); AND - Second line sections (12), which run along the boundaries of surface segments (11), which divide the template image (1) into areas with the same or similar pixel values. Graphic stencil for making a tattoo, the graphic stencil (5) being a transfer image (6), comprising physical image content, in particular in the form of pigments on a carrier medium (9), the transfer image (6) being implemented by a computer Method and a printing process is generated from a template image (1), and wherein the transfer image (6) comprises image information in the manner of a combination image (4) with: - First line sections (10) with contrasting edges in the template image (1) correspond; AND - second line sections (12), which run along the boundaries of surface segments (11), which divide the template image (1) into areas with the same or similar pixel values.

Images