Color/Fill help......please

[Miss Disaster]

I don't know what it is, but the past few days, I have been working on myself (that could be the problem) and when I am doing fill/ color work, I notice that the ink is not going in smoooooth, I do small circles, but when I used a mag or a flat, it's like I could see a line from each individual needle and there are major holidays. Then I switch to a round, and it just hamburgs the skin. Is this a machine problem? I'd appreciate any feedback, I am still trying to get my tuning in gear. Maybe someone could look at both my machines and tell me if I just have them set up wrong. PM me and I will email a pic of them. Man, I would love any help on this, thanks! :oops: :D :oops: :? :?

[Inkster]

I personally think working on yourself is quite difficult, firstly depending on where you are tattooing it can be difficult to stretch the skin so the needles bounce off or because of the pain that you feel while tattooing yourself, your own in built safety feature will make you ease off how deep you are going, thats what I have found anyway. What I do intend to do at some point is numb an area with Ametol Gel then tattoo myself because if there is no pain you will not ease off and it may be like tattooing another persons skin......I know what I mean anyway. Do you have any web space that you can load the pictures of your machines so we all can learn from them.

[Miss Disaster]

I don't really know how to put the pics on the net, but if someone can tell me, maybe I can figure it out, or I can just email them. /// Yeah, I am working on the tops of my legs, right above my knees. I try to go as deep as I think I go on other people, but you're probably right, I might not be.

[tadt]

i practice on myself and it is alot harder than working on someone else, i get into the same situation as you sometimes you can actually see the individual needles when filing, i usually will turn the voltage down and make the stroke alittle bit longer and make sure im close to 45 degree angle and that seems to help, or ill throw another rubber band on. ive been working on my left arm and both my shins experimenting with different voltages and stroke lengths but when i slow the machine down that seems to help alot even tho it doesnt make alot of sense to me why slowing the machine down would help, but i guess getting the needles to stay in the skin longer would get more ink in. hope that helps you out. check out my website on the bottom to see what im doing on myself, i just started a koi fish on my left leg only the outline so far will post some pics soon.

[BigDaddyInks]

just to add here...I really like tattooing myself, I concentrate on it so hard i dont notice the pain. But Maybe it could be that like it was said before the pain factor for some people would would make them naturally hurry up while doing it. You are more prone to be nice and slow on someone else because you dont feel their pain. But when its yourself you might be less concerned about being careful and naturally more inclined to go faster thus causing you to be a little careless. Just my 2 cents :twisted:

[Inkster]

just to add here...I really like tattooing myself, I concentrate on it so hard i dont notice the pain. But Maybe it could be that like it was said before the pain factor for some people would would make them naturally hurry up while doing it. You are more prone to be nice and slow on someone else because you dont feel their pain. But when its yourself you might be less concerned about being careful and naturally more inclined to go faster thus causing you to be a little careless. Just my 2 cents :twisted:That is exactly what I was trying to say but couldn't.

[BigDaddyInks]

sorry inkster didnt mean to step on your toes :oops:

[urmindsi]

Ive found that if u check ur needles with an eye loupe, and they are good to go, (no hooks, crooked, bent, or pitted) and u can see almost a figure 8 when you look at your machine head-on (at about 7.5-8.5 volts depending on machine) when its running with the needle bar+rubber bands.( it will sound smooth and purr... adjust voltage to hearing at this point) and you stretch the hell out of the skin in a small area of about 3/4 to 1 1/4 of an inch you can use any shader or mag (in small circular motions)((I go left to right cause Im a southpaw)) always adjusting you hand speed to how the ink is going in.. youll be o.k. ( keep tattooing unless their is something terribly wrong, alot of the areas we call valleys have been hit correctly, its just the natural way the skin reacts, touch up after the fact and dont rush it)
As for tattooing myself, I love the pain, because I love the ink, however, Its the green soap that kicks my ass!!!!!

[Inkster]

sorry inkster didnt mean to step on your toes :oops:You put it so much better than me, I should of gone to school more!

[Inkster]

Maybe someone could look at both my machines and tell me if I just have them set up wrong. PM me and I will email a pic of them. Man, I would love any help on this, thanks! I have a little space left on my web site so I could host the pictures for a few days if it helps, if you like I can PM you my email adress, send the pictures to me and I will try to launch them.

[FORGIVEN]

this is from experience ,DO NOT USE A NUMBING AGENT WHEN WORKING ON YOURSELF !!!! , between the endorphins and the numbing agent it's really easy to rip some shit up !!!!.....and this way you understand a little better what the clients feeling , COWBOY UP AND TAKE THE PAIN :lol: !!!!!

[ink_freak]

Its all about the pain like given said.If they didnt hurt everyone would have 1!enjoy it and...................damn avatar..did it again sorry.

[odisius]

i tried some of the numbing agents out and found all the ones i tried made the skin not want to hold ink.