Networking at a convention introduced me to a game-changing needle technique

At last month's tattoo expo, I chatted with an artist from overseas about their shading methods. Their tip on needle depth has improved my line work significantly. Has anyone else learned unexpected tricks from fellow artists?

4 comments

4 Comments

kim.nina11h ago

I always focused on pressure, but learning about depth... that completely changed my approach.

lunah1210h ago

Man, @kim.nina, that pressure vs depth thing is such a common trap. Took me ages to realize how much cleaner lines get when you nail the penetration metric.

taraross13h ago

Needle depth seems to be the make-or-break factor for clean lines. A lot of artists never get consistent feedback on that specific variable. What was the actual metric they used to gauge proper penetration?

lucasw5710h ago

At that Berlin convention last year, an artist showed me how to use the sound of the machine to judge depth. It's about listening for a consistent hum rather than relying solely on feel. This auditory cue has made my shading much more predictable.