Depth indicators while tattooing

[janohon]

Hi, beginner tattoo artist here

so ive been tattooing for the past couple of months but i still find my needle depth very inconsistent. most of my lines, while not looking bad, dont look exactly the same and i have to redo a lot

so my question is, are there indicators you experience while tattooing to know that you’re putting the ink in at the right depht?

ive heard thinks like: pay attention to the sound of the machine, or :youre deep enough if the skin around the tat starts vibrating
but i find it hard to apply those things every time

so any help regarding this would be greatly appreciated

cheers

 

[DKJ]

Sorry for my reply which may not give you a lead, but needle depht hasn't been a very precious element in my journey (20 tattoos to this day).

As much as you don't want to go too deep, there are too many factors at play which can derail any depht theory.

In my practice and experience, i've been going progressivly from not enough depht to enough depht. My advice therefore would be to go soft at the beginning and watch all your lines and check if they look solid or not after a wipe.
If not, go deeper, just a little bit, on the next one.

While my skills are raising slowly, i know after 5 minutes what is the correct depht. It's more my hand speed, needle speed and angles which count now, to get solid lining.

Peace,

DKJ

 

[MirandM]

...
ive heard thinks like: pay attention to the sound of the machine, or :youre deep enough if the skin around the tat starts vibrating
but i find it hard to apply those things every time
...

Sorry for my reply which may not give you a lead, but needle depht hasn't been a very precious element in my journey (20 tattoos to this day).

As much as you don't want to go too deep, there are too many factors at play which can derail any depht theory.

In my practice and experience, i've been going progressivly from not enough depht to enough depht. My advice therefore would be to go soft at the beginning and watch all your lines and check if they look solid or not after a wipe.
If not, go deeper, just a little bit, on the next one.

While my skills are raising slowly, i know after 5 minutes what is the correct depht. It's more my hand speed, needle speed and angles which count now, to get solid lining.

Peace,

DKJ

I agree with DKJ, there's no real general rule for this.
I'm also in the process of still learning more but I do hear the difference in sound of my machine when it gets at the right depth.
It's subtle but it's there and of course it depends highly on your machine and said factors.
This is very personal and I think the only way to find out what's your "trick" is just practice.
Just yesterday I did a small tattoo with my left hand (I'm right handed) on my right arm, tricky because I don't have any experience doing it like that and obviously far less sensitivity, but I did find the right depth because of the sound.
Miranda.

 

[DKJ]

I should add that your depht can vary for multiple reasons:
- not enough stretch, the skin will vibrate and 'jump' more, letting your needle deposit ink on different dephts,

- different needle angle, if you don't keep a consistent angle your lines will end up on various layers/depht and won't have the same aspect,

- different skin types, when inking an area you can find different skin types, from very thin to very strong. You have to adapt to keep the ink flow and depht to the Skin types.

- ink deposit, if your hand is too slow you may get too much ink in the skin (even with the perfect depht) so this ink will have to find space and may end up any place it shouldn't be.


Peace,

DKJ

 

[Burt]

Personally there is a definite vibration in the skin like you said, feel it in your stretching hand. But nothing that can be explained other than look out for how things feel and sound when you know your at the right depth then try to replicate that feeling or/and sound. It's something that comes naturally with practice

 

[KyleBl4ck]

If the lines split, you're going too deep.
Faded lines or not completed? Too light of a pass or too fast.

If the mag snags, you're going too deep.
Mag looks scratchy? Too fast or too light.

 

[envy6454]

Ok so everyone starts w this problem. Here is Just how i learned. It made me feel better to hear that, by design, pushing too hard or deep isn't gonna happen if your needle is where it should be (1mm or 2mm). That's how riding the tube is possible. They are basically sticking it in as far as possible and new people tend to start that way because it feels safer with not knowing if depth is enough. The worst your gonna do is have ink spread under skin which can look like a shadow so if your not doing persision work, and you should be focused on that now, its ok anyway. Another thing is , its not like your gonna inflict some insane pain. Tattoo pain is what it is and its only 1mm or 2mm of needle, max. Now i like my needle out far because i want to see where it hits. But its not going all the way in...so im a floater, rather then a rider (says my husband, haa). I use the width of a pencil tip to be my understanding of what 1mm looks like btw. So that's my start. Then stretch so needle isnt all bouncing and that helps depth and retain ink, a ton...like i have tattooed myself in spots i couldn't stretch good and forget it. Its just dotted marks. Then, they say to listen to sound because before you ink up, if u notice it sounds weird when u run the machine. Like something isnt working right. Ink makes it better but its still an annoying hum. When you put it to skin, its not just the sound but the skin gives a resistance. Then the machine starts to sound like its not working so strong anymore...so your machine is also resisting. Then, your feeling it in the hand you have laid to stretch skin. So you pull back on the resistants. I heard, but idk if its correct, thats what they call the trinity of the holy bog...lol. im always confused. The best actual example (because that's all i searched for when i started), Id say its comparable to a the push of writing w a pencil but not as hard. Its between pencil writing and shading . The trick to start easy and going over until you wipe and see solid, thats the best because you might cause minimal abrasions but with a light hand to begin with. Your not taking up actual, Precious, passes that are tearing into skin because you know, your not trying to do that more then a few times a line. But the best way is have no fear. Start on pig skin...screw fake skin. its nothing at all like the real thing so whats the point to learn it different? Do them on u and friends who dont mind whatever and just do. Ur not gonna do anything crazy. I knew skin from medical background. That's how i got this quickly so trust me...be clean!!!! With ur stuff and everything near and far (i even turn off a ceiling fan if its looking a lil dusty) and in an OR, they take out organs and dig all in there and people are fine. Ur gonna be fine.

not deep enough