wrist tattoo advice

Hello!
I've been tattooing for almost two years now, I'm self taught but I really want to get better.
So, a friend asked me to tattoo a piece on his wrist but I've never tried tattooing on this area before. I've spent hours on research but I still have some questions about the depth of the needle (I'm scared I admit), the size I should use etc. It's just some black lining.

Thank you!

The depth never technically changes, just the amount of resistance to get there. People will argue that with me, but the thickness of your skin doesn't really change, only how tight it is. "Thicker" skin actually just has more cushion behind it giving it more give before the needles penetrate - like a trampoline. When the skin has give, you need more power/force to drive the needle through and more perceived needle going in because a large portion of your depth is just the needle pushing the skin down, like a body pushing down a trampoline.

So, that said, tattooing a wrist is no different then any other tight location like a calf or ribs. Turn your force down (whether that's stroke on a rotary or volts on a coil), mind your depth (don't push in at all), and take it slow. Use the minimum effort required to get the job done. I use coils exclusively. If I'm doing a bony structure I'll grab my small needle liner and often turn the voltage down to the point it's barely got enough power to push the needle out of the tube. If I make a small line and the ink goes in solid, I leave it. If it's too light, I'll bump up a couple tenth's of a volt (remember, coils with voltage controlling force and not speed).

If you're using a rotary without adjustable stroke, get yourself one.
Since that's far fetched, keep your speed low and be super light handed so that every mark is as deliberate as possible.

Cyberthrasher said:

The depth never technically changes, just the amount of resistance to get there. People will argue that with me, but the thickness of your skin doesn't really change, only how tight it is. "Thicker" skin actually just has more cushion behind it giving it more give before the needles penetrate - like a trampoline. When the skin has give, you need more power/force to drive the needle through and more perceived needle going in because a large portion of your depth is just the needle pushing the skin down, like a body pushing down a trampoline.

So, that said, tattooing a wrist is no different then any other tight location like a calf or ribs. Turn your force down (whether that's stroke on a rotary or volts on a coil), mind your depth (don't push in at all), and take it slow. Use the minimum effort required to get the job done. I use coils exclusively. If I'm doing a bony structure I'll grab my small needle liner and often turn the voltage down to the point it's barely got enough power to push the needle out of the tube. If I make a small line and the ink goes in solid, I leave it. If it's too light, I'll bump up a couple tenth's of a volt (remember, coils with voltage controlling force and not speed).

If you're using a rotary without adjustable stroke, get yourself one.
Since that's far fetched, keep your speed low and be super light handed so that every mark is as deliberate as possible.

Click to expand...

Thank you, that really helped.

I've done a tattoo on a friend's bicep and it was really hard for me, even when it healed most of it faded away. The skin there is kind of the same with the wrist's and that's why I was confused. I use a coil machine and I thought the volts were the case, but I've noticed that when I use bigger needles everything turns out fine. Could it be the needle size too or is it just the pressure I'm putting?

I take the slower and lighter approach. Slowing the hand down tends to give me good saturation at a slightly shallower depth.

I can't imagine anybody's bicep being like a "typical" wrist.
If you're running bigger needles the same voltage as the smaller needles, then your big needle configuration will hit softer (more power required to drive the heavier needles). Is the bigger grouping better on the same areas that you're losing ink with a small grouping? I can see where a bicep, which is often pretty soft and flabby, would heal lightly if not saturated well. You've got to get a really good stretch on it and that can be hard to do on a lot of people.

Here's a finger piece I did (can't find any good wrist ones right now) that shows saturation levels. That machine will normally run at about 5.5 to 6 on places like a bicep with a 5RL, sometimes up to 6.5 if I'm really struggling to stretch. If I'm running it on fingers like this (everything but the dagger details) I set it closer to 5, maybe less. My small liner, which I used with a 3rl on the dagger details here, will run at about 4.5 on fingers/wrist bones. Anywhere there's not a lot of meat behind the skin. I've had people walk up and ask if my machine's even on.

Do realize that every machine runs at different voltage. These liners are tuned to run fast and hit hard in the 6V range. I have others that won't even begin to move a 3RL until they hit 7V. I only mention the specific volts to show how much lower I set them based on the area I'm working. But if it's not a one pass solid line, I'm either stretching harder or bumping the volts up a little.

cel1ophane said:

Hello!
I've been tattooing for almost two years now, I'm self taught but I really want to get better.
So, a friend asked me to tattoo a piece on his wrist but I've never tried tattooing on this area before. I've spent hours on research but I still have some questions about the depth of the needle (I'm scared I admit), the size I should use etc. It's just some black lining.

Thank you!

Click to expand...

Big question : are you using a rotary or a coil?

I don't have anything to add or contradict in Cybo's explanations.
I'm using a rotary and i've been getting better results on wrist by going soft at the beginning, to avoid blowouts. Once i found the correct depht/handspeed/machine speed, i'm good.
I only used 9, 7 and 3RL so it may be different with other needle groups.

Do know that many peeps can be jumpy as there's a nerves channel just there going to the hand. So be quick, cautious and consistent, it'll help both your client and yourself.

Have fun

Peace,

DKJ

cel1ophane said:

Hello!
I've been tattooing for almost two years now, I'm self taught but I really want to get better.
So, a friend asked me to tattoo a piece on his wrist but I've never tried tattooing on this area before. I've spent hours on research but I still have some questions about the depth of the needle (I'm scared I admit), the size I should use etc. It's just some black lining.

Thank you!

Click to expand...

Hi! It's only normal to be nervous about tattooing on a new area even after 2 years of tattooing. Don't get discouraged. Depth will be 1.5mm approximately, wouldn't suggest any deeper. In worst case scenario you can touch it up after few weeks on your friend. Better to go light on a wrist than too deep/ too thick and it will turn into blob. Go steady, you can do it