If you’re studying to be a doctor, there are many tools you must use. Even more importantly, know how each one functions. The same is true for many other professions, including tattoo artist. All tattoo artists had to start somewhere, and if poking people with needles is your chosen path, it’s probably best that you know exactly how and what each of those needle cartridges does.
It can be difficult to get a feel for which supplies you like best or what brand of ink to use. Which ink is best? We can go into a long diatribe about brands and their qualities, but since our topic is needles, let’s not get side tracked. As a tattoo artist, you'll be using use tattoo needles more often than any other item.
As we’ll discover, there are different groupings and sizes to choose from, so this guide will walk you through some needle features and what to look for when you're ready to purchase.
Round Tattoo Needles
Round needles are soldered around a central shaft in round patterns.
They can be further identified as: liners or shaders, depending on how close together they are placed.
Round liners are packed tightly, which makes them perfect for technical work, small lines and details.
You might also see loose round liners. The latter are used for thick, bold outlines like those found on Japanese-style tattoos. Round shaders are great for all-purpose color fill and basic shading.
Whenever you see RL or RS, you’ll know that you’re looking at Round Liner or Round Shader. You'll find this written with their number in front. Ex. 5RL.
The number lets the user know how many needles are used in the configuration, so a 5RL has 5 needles placed in a circle configuration.
If you're just starting out, you'll want to focus on round shaders in sizes 3, 5, 7, and 9 for some shading and filling in small areas.
Flat Tattoo Needles
Flat needles are needles are soldered in a straight line to a needle bar.
These needles are the most popular for lining because their shape is better for getting more ink into the skin. This means clearer, darker lines with just one stroke.
"FL," or less often, "FS" is how you’ll be able to identify these needles.
Just like round needles, these are written out with the number of pins in front, like 3FL or 7FS.
Magnum Tattoo Needles
Magnum sets have a longer taper that’s either the same or greater than the taper found on round shaders.
These needles are mostly used or well-known for their ease of use for shading work.
Magnums deliver a lot of ink, making them ideal for large areas of color. Because they allow so much ink through, you’ll need less passes which means they’ll do less damage to the skin during multiple passes. There are a few variations of magnum needles, but we’ll dive into that topic on another blog entry.
As with anything that is specialized, tattoo needles have a lot more uses and configurations than we’ve describe in this blog, but we’ll have to leave it as is for now. Remember to always check back here to see what new and insightful information we have for you and good luck on your way to becoming a bonafide tattoo artist.
