Best size needles

What is the best size needle to use when coloring a tattoo? Ive asked this before and I simply want some of your opinions on this.

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You have a good idea asking questions like that.Maybe i will go on a dentist forum and ask how to pull teeth and what tools to work with.I guess the hell with going to school and learning what to do. I dont no, would that make me out of line? Or is tattooing not a real job.You no anyone can just buy machines and go on the internet and learn.Fuck the people that were piss boys and girls for years to learn how to put there art on skin.Anyway the answer to your question is it does not even matter.Every artists is different and must figure out what works for them.If you mean what will not rip somebody up fast? Bigger magnums are your answer.Now please get an apprenticship and do your time like every one else.

I was just asking for an opinion..im praticing on skins so why dont you shut the hell up...not all of us can afford to be someones lap dog..see thats the problem god fobid we ask you "almighty people" who are already in the trade and have more experience then us for some damn opinions or advice..isnt that what this board is about..if you dont have advice or an opinion of importance to what Im asking than dont bother saying shit!! Thank you very much!!

This board is not for that what you say,You are saying you can not be a lap dog.Everyone else had to do it.What makes you so mighty I had 3 jobs to get threw my apprenticship.You want info for nothing.Why are you so great that you cant do the work and learn.Every proffession its the same carpenter,doctor,plumber.and every one else all have to do apprenticships do you even understand that? Or are you just to great to do what we all had to do.I think your tattooing more than just practice skins.How would red heal and turn to pink on a practice pad.

I dont want info for nothing I was asking for opinions...your the one who thinks your almighty to give advice or opinion...again unfourtanetly I havent been in this area long and I live in an area where Katrina hit hard and the only place i knew of called Jack and Dianes is well sitting in the ocean...yes I have been practicing on skins before I decided to touch anyone for real..im pretty smart and level headed to know that last thing I want to do is damage or do something wrong on something that is there for the rest of your life. I did my husbands tattoo, and it came out great other than the color it turned after healing. It was a design he drew up himself and had always wanted. I dont think Im better than anyone my point was I was simply asking for peoples opinions. Yeah know what for a matter of fact I am a medical assistant and well I learned that all on my own..i didnt have anyone guiding me or showing me the ropes. I read from a book and took classes over the internet..so dont tell me everyone has to go through the same damn process..i would actually love to go observe in a tattoo shop and learn things that I dont know....but i dont really have that options so back off

Not trying to be a prick here, but once again, the best way to learn is through an apprenticeship. This is not the place to learn, no matter how bad someone wants to learn about tattooing from the seat in front of their computer. Please, just do the world a favor and learn the proper way. I really apoligize if I come off sounding rude here, but the past week has been a ton of people just trying to take the easy way out without any effort other than asking questions on a forum that anyone can publicly log into and give WRONG information which would no doubt end up getting used by someone and causing harm.

again im not able to do an apprenticeship here..but i was just asking for people who are professionals there opinion. I actually just want to try some new techniques with my practice skins and was wondering what size would be the best to do coloring. I also would like to know exactly what a mag. is and what exactly its used for. You know what I will post for an apprenticeship but i doubt ill get any type of reply because of where i live..thanks anyway its to bad that people who actually want to get in the field and dont want to do anything wrong cant get the advice or opinion from a professional. In fact if there is one out there that wouldnt mind giving me some advice or opinions on the matter my email is [email removed]

Opinions are usually shared by professionals, and advice was indeed given to you. I'm sorry if there is not one single place in the Southeast that is offering apprenticeships (but I think with some effort one can be found at a reputable shop) but many people in many fields of careers actually travel to get trained and educated in their potential career, it's not all that different in tattooing. If it really is your destiny than you will find the way, but you really can't get all that upset if you don't hear the answer you want to hear. Is it easier for some people to get apprenticeships? Absolutely, but life in general ain't fair so dont' get too down on professional tattoo artists just because information isn't being handed to you on a platter.

#12's

thank you very much old wise one..i will have to use that on my skins and see how that works out..i appreciate the answer...to the comment before I dont have the means to travel outside of my area I am a mother of three and a military wife and I have to work around thier schedule...again all I asked was for opinions..and i highly doubt every single artist had apprenticeships.

To me it all depands on the person... for instance some might not beable to do color or shanding with 1's or 3's round but some do..some use magnums some suck with magnums thats my opinion...

Oh heres a good one!!!...shading with 1s and 3s??????? What the fuck are ya tattooin...miniature pygmys from planet Xargon? You need to write more posts...we all need a good laugh!...Taz

Just read what i wrote in the topic Re-using needles Pt 2 I dun feel like typing it up again... and in addition, if you have all that, why are you trying to tattoo? you won't be able to anyway. HA, irony. Maybe i will just come teach at your kid's school, without a degree, cuz i dun have the means or the schedule to accomidate learning in school from people who are knowledgeable about it, and i dun want to spend the money, so your kids will just have to suffer bad teaching.

You know, try them all and use whatever works for you, 'cause thats all that really matters anyway. Anyway thats what they all did and just won't admit to it.

I find it works best if I line everything with a loose 9, and shade everything in with a tight 3.

This is a post from a while ago and I appreciate everyone for thier suggestions. Im just trying to see what works best for me. I want a crisp looking tattoo where the color comes out perfect. Im trying to perfect my use of mags and im doing the best I can with the advice that people have given me. Ive been into the tattoo shop watching and I swear it just makes you want to get one. So im trying to think about what I want real hard. Like I said I like the Japenese stuff and ended up spending about 200.00 on books from some reputable artist to get some ideas. Id like to get a whole back piece but not sure how much it would cost. Does anyone know what the going rate is, ive heard that most either charge by the square inch or the hour?? Im thinking maybe instead of the back piece doing one side of my body a japanese theme and the other the whole 50's/60's area with the girls and the jukebox and car. And doing it as I can afford it. I dont know I got so many ideas floating around in my head I just want something that twenty years down the wrong im going to like!! Sorry for the rant..lol

Sounds like you need to get your priorities straight. First off, if you want to see what works best for you in terms of shading needles, why ask everyone else? Find what works for you! I say this because people shade with everything from singles up to 45 and 49 mags. There are rounds in there, flats, and bugpins. Do you know anything about these yet? I'm not calling you out, i'm just saying that theres a lot out there and lots for you to try. Everyones got an individual style. But if you want a hint, try magnums. Talk to your mentor or something. Watching pros work and saying that it 'just makes you want to get one' is a bad excuse. Theres no real good way to get something down (in tattooing) other than watching it being done first, asking questions (to the person you saw do it) then trying it out yourself. Right now it sounds like you need to figure out whether or not you want to tattoo or focus on your own big ass collection. Practice restraint. Hell, there are plenty of artists out there who would probably love to get tattooed everyday. They work in shops next to other talented artists. But they have their priorites in order, they're focusing on perfecting their craft. Getting tattooed is a good way to learn and all but dont let it get in the way of what you're trying to do. And be prepared to spend more than $200 on books. Many tattooists i know have spent enough on books and magazines they use as references.You're just hitting the tip of the iceberg right now, especially if you want to learn the Japanese style. I've been tattooing for 3 years so i'm not trying to be all high and mighty. You're not doing anything wrong by asking questions but as was stated before to you, you cant take offense to everything people say. Take it in stride and move on. You're still practicing right? Now is not the time to get all mad and try to strike back at people who have made it. From what i've seen, it'll only come back at you harder. Live & learn

First im trying to mend my ways here and repect the people that are in the buisness and not be so offensive and lash back I admit that I was wrong in that sense. Like i stated this was a post from a while ago and was just thanking people that were nice enough to throw out some advice. I am trying different things from rounds, mags, and flats and finding what works well for me. There are people out there who throw out some advice on what works best for them and what techniques they find useful. I was told that "one" of the ways to learn is by getting one yourself and by watching what goes on in the shop. I myself would like to perfect one technique before i move on to the other or ill get way over my head and right now im trying to get my coloring and shading to work out and finding the proper way to use a mag. I have a passion to tattoo and I also have a passion to get tattooed myself I dont think that is an issue. People who tattoo most likely get tattooed from time to time. Even though a person may do tattoo's themself I think it would be a honor to have another artist whos work you love to tattoo you. I dont think its wrong for me to say that being in a shop watching makes me want to get a tattoo myself. That is just how I feel and I have a right to feel how ever i want and that needs to be respected just like i respect and understand where your coming from, but dont doubt my passion or intelligence. Yes I realize ive hit just the iceberg of the art and I have a long ways to go but im passionate about it, i have respect for it and have all the time and patience in the world to learn Im only 28. Im sure ive spent more than 200.00 in books but thats not really important. Im trying to be honest and do things the right way. Yes i probably need to focus on one thing which is learning to tattoo but I want to follow some advice I was given and I would like to have a tattoo that I really like and has a meaning on my body not some flash off the wall. The things Ive mentioned in my post are options that im throwing out and have running through my head about what I would like to do over time. Having a piece down of my own and done by an awesome tattooist.

By the way I will admit and have to say I have no idea what a bugpin is and ive never heard of it!! I'll have to do some research on that one.

No worries, i'm not tellin ya to choose between the two. Simply suggesting that it might be hard to focus that hard on your collection and what you're learning to do. This is a crucial time in your career where you need to decide if you want to devote yourself to being a tattooist or not. I can say this because i was there not too long ago. Unfortunately i've seen what can happen to people who pick up a machine and are real casual about it. Things get in the way of what they're trying to accomplish and their art never really progresses. Just one little example: I have a big chest piece i want to get some time soon. I'm really excited about it but if i'm wandering around the shop dreaming about how big i want it, what colors i'm going to use or who's going to do it all day, i might not get much done. My boss might even be kickin my ass because my heads not in the right place! That makes a little sense right..?!?! -Mario

Yes, makes all the sense in the world. I just got to focus on what thing "learning" then thinking about the rest when the time is right.

These kinda topics should only be disscussed in a professional only forum, deffently not for the fucking public eye to view, very dissapointing. DLB.

Oh bullshit!....Nobody is giving any real technical info out here ...If so I would be the first to say something...this is a TATTOO forum ...what are we supposed to talk about? THe rising gas prices?.....Come on lets give em a bit of a break and be reasonable Taz

I was going to say how about we change the name of the thread that way "some" people arent offended..seeing we (or I personally) have already come to the conclusion that its really about what works best for the person behind the machine..