I received a preserved piglet from Salmagundi West to test out tattooing on it.  An experiment.  Anne Banner, the owner of Salmagundi, had sourced it, letting me know it had died of natural causes.  It had been preserved in formalin and was now in a bath of 70% rubbing alcohol.  I kept it on my mantle for a week.

I thanked the sweet little piglet.

Set up shop.

I noticed the skin dried out quickly and became fragile.

Unfortunately, the tattoo needle ripped the flesh and the ink stained the skin.

I tested out paint, surgical pen, sharpie etc.

Re-immersing it in the bath dissolved the ink and surgical paint.  So I painted it in black ink to cover the experimental marks and reimmersed it alcohol.  I think I need to source an ethically obtained “fresh” piglet and then preserve it.