imported_canvasyou

Help is always helpful here.
Welcome.

Best not to wear watches or rings when you tattoo…
unless your gloves cover them or you are wearing disposable plastic sleeve covers.
its a sanitation issue

Some A-bars on tattoo machines are bit larger on the nipple than others. Using paper – all you have to do is rip a small piece of paper towel and fold it – usually 2 folds works – but sometimes I will use 3 or 4 folds.
Either way, Once I used paper towel – I really liked the snugness – seems to have less movement in the needle as I am tattooing……[Read more]

Stick with practice skins and oranges for a few months –
Then try to get an apprenticeship in a real shop – once your drawing portfolio is up there.

When you are first starting out – utilize the tube. Have needle sticking out not more than a dime (while it is running it will peek out a bit more). Then as you get an idea for the acceptable depth – you can work your way up to useing no tube.

I still will rely on the tube when I am doing long single pass curved lines.

The rest of the time – I…[Read more]

This is why an apprenticeship is very important!
You have to touch the machines of a pro that are working well – so you can feel it.
You have to see pigment go in perfect – and then ask the questions of your mentor.

You can only describe so much over the internet.
Hope that makes sense!

If you are an apprentice – you will get tattooing a lot…[Read more]

streaking (needle marks) in line work in tattooing…
there might be a few causes.
1.) your grouping is too loose – check out what type of needles you are using
2.) your gauge of needle is too small or thin – check the gauge of needle (try not to outline w/ bugpin, ect)
3.) You are moving your hand too fast during the lines
4.) or possibly its the…[Read more]

I think paper towel is more snug!
But also a lot of people will pull the needle off the machine – and inadvertently touch the gromett

Cheap stuff is fine – if coils are over heating then check out that you are running a good duty cycle – stronger coils will not heat up as much…
the better in tune the machine is – typically the cooler it will stay…
also certain metals dissipate the heat better than others!
Best of luck!

More videos coming! I am in Afghanistan… and it is difficult to get them uploaded. I apologize! I am working on it though. There is no such thing as a good “how to” video you just have to apprentice to learn this stuff…
If you have direct questions – or want to see something specific – let me know – I will try to explain or make a video or mp3…[Read more]

i dont have much experience with the fake skin! sorry!!

I will def have to post my old flash! Its not possible from Afghan though – internet way too slow take me like 10 mins just to load a page on this forum!
: )

Usually thinner pigments will go in easier – thicker not so much. It depends on your style of tattooing though –
Thickness will do a lot with the speed you can tattoo and the control you want with the way it flows out of the tube.
Sometimes I like thick – sometimes I like thin.
Just depends on your style – and what you are trying to accomplish in…[Read more]

Super Bugs come to mind…
You can not tattoo these ways. You must use Blood Born Pathogen Cross contamination rules – always.

You want to start tattooing? You must get an apprenticeship. You must learn to be clean before you can even pick up a tattoo machine.

I hope people realize this – the client is just as much to blame as the dumb artist…[Read more]

First of all:
“The American Social Health Association reported estimates that about 75-80% of sexually active Americans will be infected with HPV at some point in their lifetime”
Just google “HPV”

Second of all:
Why would you put your machine in a baggie after a client?

Third of all:
I think it is safe to say you don’t work in a tattoo studio!
:…[Read more]

@jayboogink wrote:

thanks that’s kinda what I thought too. I feel like you would need a really strong hitting machine to be able to use it too. Would it be harder to run than the large mag or about the same?

Depends what you are trying to achieve. If you are trying to get solid fill (ie tribal) then you pretty much want a harder hitting machine.…[Read more]

@coatl wrote:

Hey I posted this somewhere else but this seems a better place. What’s the advantage/disadvantage of curved mags as opposed to regular mags. Are they particularly useful in certain applications?

Curved mags will give you softer edges when you are shading. You can work faster and blend easier (my opinion) than w/ flat ones.

Flat…[Read more]

@KitchenWizard wrote:

@canvasyou wrote:

What you have stated about coils is NOT true.

I was not trying to state the above as accurate facts, but what I had been told and read on various forums, so could you explain to me what is correct, please?

I use the same coils on my liner as the shader. You want strong coils. The stronger the better. Adjust…[Read more]

I have found that most superior machines use plastic insulated coil bobbins – best have a paint or tape insulator. Gives more punch – a little heavier wrap wire helps as well.. Coil quality is something that you dont want to skimp on!
With tattoo machines.

Google: Sterilization versus Sanitation
Autoclave or Barrier bag is only way.
Dispose of anything w/ blood on it after the tattoo – unless you sanitize and then sterilize.
Bottom line –
Tattoo does not have short cuts when it comes to this stuff.
please try not to give tattoo artists a bad name!
: )