Lining, also shading sometimes. Not sure what I’m doing wrong.

[Echoenchontus]

I’ve been licensed for about 3 years now and we have quite a busy shop so I’ve done tons of tattoos! Most of which I think turn out fine. Lately I just been feeling kind of down about myself, especially in the last week 3 people have come in asking for touch ups. Like parts of the lining faded or is inconsistent (thick and thin) or they had something filled in completely black and now that it has healed it is patchy and inconsistent. I feel so embarrassed and I don’t know what I’m doing wrong. I use a Cheyenne hawk thunder and I’m still exploring cartridge brands (so if you know any that you think work best please let me know!) I switched to the Cheyenne 6 months ago and I had this problem before I switched so it can not be my machine. I’m just doubting that I’ll ever get better. I just want tips and some advice when it comes to lining... anything helps. Also a lot of the touch ups are small Pinterest tattoos I did or just stuff that was really simple. Idk if that matters but it seems to always be stuff like that.

 

[troub1edsou1z]

It sounds like it may just be that you need more stretch and/or you aren't keeping your planted... don't beat yourself to bad, it could also be partial blame on the clients aftercare habits

 

[Echoenchontus]

Thanks for the reply! It may be a stretch issue but sometimes I feel like maybe I’m just not buff enough to stretch like a real tattooer... because I do stretch the best I can. What do you mean about the planted part? A lot of these tattoos I was sure looked fine when they left the shop.. but it’s kind of a reoccurring thing so It can’t be the clients I would think.

 

[fylfot]

just wondering, if you are in a busy shop how comes you can't ask the other artists in the shop for help and advice?

 

[Echoenchontus]

I do sometimes but I also get embarrassed once I ask things too many times and lots of people ask stuff on here instead of artists they know, I see nothing wrong with privately posting my concerns on a forum.

 

[marked 4 life]

It is probably stretch and depth, do you ride the tube or the tips of the needles, non consistent thin/thick lines are usually depth and stretch, im not a fan of rotaries for lining, just does not work for me regardless of direct drive, linear, hybrid, ive tried loads and went back to coils in the end for lining, i use a direct drive for colour packing but i dont use carts.

Are you running your machine fast enough?

 

[fylfot]

I do sometimes but I also get embarrassed once I ask things too many times and lots of people ask stuff on here instead of artists they know, I see nothing wrong with privately posting my concerns on a forum.

There's nothing wrong with asking on here at all and like you say it's not uncommon for people who work in shops to do so. I was just trying to understand the dynamic in your shop where by customers return asking for touch ups and your mentors don't don't address your concerns satisfactorily, after all if customers have to come back to the shop it's gonna reflect badly on them too? Hope you find the answers you're looking for.

 

[Echoenchontus]

There's nothing wrong with asking on here at all and like you say it's not uncommon for people who work in shops to do so. I was just trying to understand the dynamic in your shop where by customers return asking for touch ups and your mentors don't don't address your concerns satisfactorily, after all if customers have to come back to the shop it's gonna reflect badly on them too? Hope you find the answers you're looking for.

I guess I would understand how that could look bad for the shop but it’s More of a private studio type setting. Both my coworkers book out for a year consistently so their clients aren’t really concerned about my reputation, but they also never see these ppl who come back for touch ups because we each have a private space...I know it sounds like maybe they are just too good or stuck up but they are both super nice.. they are just very talented and honestly they are so bad at explaining things to me when I ask questions. Idk maybe my questions are just too basic lmao. Thank you guys for the replies! I hope it’s just my stretching because I really love the convenience of the Cheyenne.

 

[Echoenchontus]

It is probably stretch and depth, do you ride the tube or the tips of the needles, non consistent thin/thick lines are usually depth and stretch, im not a fan of rotaries for lining, just does not work for me regardless of direct drive, linear, hybrid, ive tried loads and went back to coils in the end for lining, i use a direct drive for colour packing but i dont use carts.

Are you running your machine fast enough?

I adjust it accordingly.. so I go between 7v-9v depending on the client and that may sound high but I’ve actually read it’s ok and you kinda have to run the Cheyenne at 7-9v if it’s not the Cheyenne power supply. From personal experience I think it works best at like 8v. And I draw pretty quick so I hope that it is still up to speed with my hand (although I do try to slow down when I’m not zoning out) I hang my needle out pretty far but not like a dangerous amount (needle cardriges won’t let me go too far) I wondered if it could be the inconsistency since I do hang my needle out instead of using the tip of the tube. I noticed only on older tattoos I did with my coils that (if you look extremely close) to my lines they are just dots in a row, like I went to fast.. my mentor/teacher was dreadful and taught me nothing but how to be insecure and to complain.. so it’s not like I could blame myself for not knowing what I’m doing.

 

[Echoenchontus]

One more thing is that one of coworkers mentioned this site when I was asking him stuff. Said it helped him a lot.. so I figured I’d give it a try and ask on here like he did.

 

[Dazza]

I have found Cheyenne cartridges are the best for me and a good friend of mine rates them as the best he has used,he runs his Thunder at 8.5 -9 ,9 mostly,I find that a bit slow for me ,Im more 10-10.5 , as mentioned different line weight is caused by inconsistent depth do you think that might be the problem?

 

[Echoenchontus]

I have found Cheyenne cartridges are the best for me and a good friend of mine rates them as the best he has used,he runs his Thunder at 8.5 -9 ,9 mostly,I find that a bit slow for me ,Im more 10-10.5 , as mentioned different line weight is caused by inconsistent depth do you think that might be the problem?

Yes, it has to be I can’t think of anything else I might be doing wrong.

 

[MalligaMallan]

One more thing is that one of coworkers mentioned this site when I was asking him stuff. Said it helped him a lot.. so I figured I’d give it a try and ask on here like he did.

........... and now we're all very curious of who that is?? ???

 

[fylfot]

is there anything the 3 people who come back have in common? like were their tattoos all in a tricky skin area or were they all tattooed in the same week when you might have been using a new ink or brand of needle etc?

 

[troub1edsou1z]

Thanks for the reply! It may be a stretch issue but sometimes I feel like maybe I’m just not buff enough to stretch like a real tattooer... because I do stretch the best I can. What do you mean about the planted part? A lot of these tattoos I was sure looked fine when they left the shop.. but it’s kind of a reoccurring thing so It can’t be the clients I would think.

Keeping the outter palm of your hand planted against the skin while lining or packing color helps to maintain constant depth. If you're making your movements from your fingers your depth will be inconsistent

 

[Echoenchontus]

is there anything the 3 people who come back have in common? like were their tattoos all in a tricky skin area or were they all tattooed in the same week when you might have been using a new ink or brand of needle etc?

I may have been rushing things because for a couple days I was having a rough time halfway through my tattoo. I’m 6 months pregnant and sometimes bending over for a long time can hurt my abdomen and back since I’m more sensitive right now. But two of that tattoos were little ones like dainty Pinterest tattoos and one was sorta tribal so it was supposed to be solid black and it came back really patchy.

 

[fylfot]

sounds like it could be that, if you haven't changed anything in your set-up, ie needles, settings, ink etc and you have done other tattoos without problems, then it can only be down to your technique that may have been compromised by your discomfort and led you to rush a little. It's always disappointing and a confidence knocker when someone asks for a touch up, but i'm sure your future ones will be fine.

 

[BlackBuddha]

Sounds like needle depth and handspeed problem to me. Some peobles skin is thicker .. plus .. have you asked about their aftercare? We had clients that swore they cared for their tattoos perfectly .. and where seen at the beach drunk .. half naked .. in dirty water the same day they got their tattoo.