single needle techniques

[draugr]

Are there any special techniques for using single needles for lining/details?I seem to have trouble with the needle catching in the skin.I tried turning down the voltage from 10 to 7-8 but it didn't help.I got a good stretch in the skin.I usually use a 3 or 5 for linig and haven't had any problems there.Is my angle wrong?I keep the tube straight over the stencil 90 degrees. Thanks for any help you guys can give.

[hydrophidian]

I don't know about everyone else but, when I use 1rl I usually follow certain guidelines and treat it a little bit differently than say a 5rl.

drag, don't push. If you're pushing and you accidentally go too deep the needle will slip right into the soft upper dermal tissue and it'll be like literally injecting ink into the soft tissue. This is less likely to happen if you ride the tip and not the needle tip. If you're holding it up at 90 degrees it is next to impossible to tell if it's always at that perfect square angle. If you drag it a bit, you are less likely to get hung up.

I usually turn the voltage up a bit to get the needle moving more quickly, then just move my hand appropriatly more quickly. This lessens the time the needle is outside of the tube and pulls it back in faster making it harder for it to get hung up. Just be careful not to go too deep and split the skin open.

When dragging, don't hold the tube at more than a 10 to 15 degree angle. More than that and the tiny needle point will give you blowouts. The needle has less total area at the point and will penetrate much more easily into the skin, making it somethingyou want to be extremely careful with.

Using larger groupings of shaders it's improtant to pay attention to how long you've been working an area as not to overwork it. The same can be said for smaller groupings, even the smallest one. Instead of making the perverbial "hamburgered" skin, you'll end up cutting them up. I tend to go very shallow with smaller tight groupings out of paranoia. I've seen people scarred up pretty badly due to careless lining technique.

Once again, these are just my guidelines. Things that I have observed and grown accustomed to doing. Your personal experience may differ from mine, that's fine. It's just like asking this forum about proper tattoo healing procedure. Ask 10 artists, expect 10 different answers.

RIco

p.s. It's another preference of mine but, I usually shade at 7-8 volts and line at 5-6. So, when I say "turn up the juice to make it run faster, I mean up to like 6 or 6.5 not 9 or 10. But you probably have a different setup than I do. Different coils, caps, gaps, and springs will necessitate different voltage settings. Just an observation.

[FORGIVEN]

i've never used a single needle liner ,,,so i cant share on it , but with a firm , steady stretch , im sure you can get the same effect with a tight 3 or even a tight five .....cant imagine what you would want to use a single for ??
let me know ...im up to learning something new

[voodoo]

I use 3's and 5's.Never had a reason to use a single,yet!

[draugr]

The tattoo was a celtic cross with lines in the vertical and horizontal parts.The person wanted the tat small so the single was neccessary.I lined it with a 3r.I am not fond of the single and will probably not use one again.luckily the tat was only about 3in by 1 1/2 in in size.It came out fine.

[the colorist]

i never cared for the single.the 3 tight can give you just as fine a line as a single,in my opinion its a cleaner, tighter line.speed, control, skin type and depth are the key

[black raven]

no doubt colorist, put a single needle in a less experienced hand = recipe for disaster. absolutely no need for a single needle with the super tight 3's that are available today. if you are going to try to tattoo something and your tight 3 is to wide, don't tattoo it!!! its only going to blow together in a very short time and look like shit. you have to leave room for the tattoo to settle in the skin over the long haul.

[tat2d2dope]

the only thing i've ever used a single needle for is finger nails.
the work awesome for tattooing finger nails but thats about it.
oh wait a minute i did alot of single needle work in prison.
LOL LOl

[tjh]

a little off topic, but i just done this out line tonight. its all single needle. i do alot of my outlining with single needle.

[tadt]

i also dont see the reason to use a single needle, the tight 3s(purchased from here) that i have make a fine enough line.

[the colorist]

a little off topic, but i just done this out line tonight. its all single needle. i do alot of my outlining with single needle.
photo isnt too clear,if you have success with them i applaud you,i just never could achieve the detail and finelining from them,they seemed too blunt for my taste

[EvilOfTheNeedle]

ahheeem... tattooing finger nails???? any pictures?

[witchqueen]

from what i know u can set the needles if u solder your own to one forward and two set back. this gives a really fine line. the two are only set back by a mm or so and the one sits pround. i think u can buy these now ready made but check out doing your own first, they're very good on small pieces like fairy wings etc and intricate celtic work. hope this helps mate.

[BigJon]

wow tjh i cant even see the image in your pic but it must have taken all night to line that with a single liner......

[tjh]

the out line took approximately 5 hours. hes got a very low pain tolerance,and we took a few smoke breaksto ease the whining.heres a couple other pics. one is the drawing and the other is the outline(it may not be that great a pic). i also solder my own needles as well,so im always certain of what kind of line im going to get from different groupings. have to do the shading this weekend. should be fun. tj

[xxxMDKxxx@Gmail.com]

the out line took approximately 5 hours. hes got a very low pain tolerance,and we took a few smoke breaksto ease the whining.heres a couple other pics. one is the drawing and the other is the outline(it may not be that great a pic). i also solder my own needles as well,so im always certain of what kind of line im going to get from different groupings. have to do the shading this weekend. should be fun. tj

Post up a nice clean pic after your done with the shading.

Also that flash peice was pretty slick.