Tattoos are easily transferred from the printed sheet to skin by first lightly dampening the skin. Care must be taken not to saturate the tattoo because the film may begin to dissolve before the image is transferred. The backing paper is then firmly held against the skin either by hand or with a damp cloth or sponge. The paper must be held still to avoid shifting the image during transfer. After one to three minutes the transfer layer will soften and separate from the backing paper. The paper can then be easily peeled away, leaving the transfer film and the printed image intact on the skin. As the film dries, it bonds firmly to the skin.