There are many brands of paper tissues, all are not satisfactory for use in tattooing. Some will just pull apart as soon as you start wiping ink with them, others are very dusty and this is where your big problem starts, especially with outliners. Small unseen paper dust particles will be picked up off the skin between the outliner needles. At once, your outline will change from a solid line to one that looks like two lines and with a very scratchy appearance. Also, the line will be starving for ink because of the paper tissue dust packed in between the needles. To remedy this problem, take a single needle and carefully pick out the paper particles from between the needles, after that, a few seconds in the ultrasonic cleaner and your outline needles will work like new.
When outlining, just like the rest of tattooing, close attention must be paid to what one is doing. Check needles frequently to make sure they are not hanging up. If the needles continuously hang up, they are probably sticking out of the tube too far and need adjustment, this usually happens only with a round tip tube. The needle tips should be just outside the tube tip so they can barely be felt with the machine off.
Unless the machine is running too fast, those needles aren’t going in as deep as they appear to be, but if it’s running too slow, you will lack depth. Don’t run the machine faster than what you can keep pace with and always work as shallow as possible.
What would be a good speed for single needle would be too slow with more than one needle. Also, using more needles reduces that tingling sensation that most people say they feel. By reducing the number of needles all the way down to one, they will feel less tingling. For back work, use a three or five needle outliner, as opposed to a single needle for a thicker, flowing line.
There are two ways of working an outliner. Use very short strokes and have only enough needle showing below tip to be visible when machine is resting. Move machine along so tip is in contact with skin. Otherwise, use longer strokes, set tube a little higher in the jaws and have a little more needle showing below the tip. When doing this, work off the needle exclusively, don’t try touching the skin with the tip of tube. A good system is to use the former for large body pieces (the skin must be very taut), and the latter for small intricate work.
The tattoo outline should be sharp, solid and definite. As the machine is being held and bridged, the needles should be just skimming the skin surface. A tattooist doesn’t have to dig it in. Don’t use brute force, the machine will do the work. The tattooist’s job is to guide the course of the needles so they puncture holes in the skin where the design calls for them. The ink, flowing along the needles, enters the holes by the way of gravity.
The main causes of bad lines are: Damaged points, (check frequently) side to side needle quiver, not enough ink flowing at the tip, in too big a hurry, too much pressure of the machine, digging into the skin and tattooing loose skin not stretched tight. If all these errors are avoided, few problems will occur and good sharp outlines will be consistent.

Posted on September 1st, 2008 by admin
Tags: angelina jolie tattoos, tattoo art, tattoos

Filed under: Outlining