Lining Advice

Jay90 · 19 Aug 2017

Hi all

Has anybody got any advice on keeping your hand steady doing line work, I'm fine when doing curved lines thing like that, but when doing straight lines my hand seems to shake a little

I don't know if I'm holding my hand at a bad angle or something like that but just wondering if anyone has advice on how to steady up

Goldwingdaz · 19 Aug 2017

You are probably doing several things, do you pull the long lines from your shoulder and elbow and keep your wrist still? (best way for most), do you hold the machine too tight? (relax and let it do the work), do you ride your hand on the surface you are tattooing by slipping some vaseline on the back of the little finger of your machine hand? (This is great for pulling lines) Any of these are possible factors, just to mention a few.

Jay90 · 19 Aug 2017

Yes I try to line with movement between the elbow and shoulder

Originally I tried lining with a 3RL I think it was and I didn't like the outcome, so I switched to using a 5RS and it's got a lot better just keeping that hand steady is annoying

Goldwingdaz · 19 Aug 2017

a round shader gives a stronger line and a little more forgiveness than a round liner, the steady hand is most likely down to not riding it on the skin, or trying to finish the line with the wrist (i did that too until recently) but above all, try to relax, think like a pencil, not a needle, if you are thinking about keeping steady, your brain will make it hard, if you just concentrate on the line speed and quality instead of not shaking, the hand will be more steady

Jay90 · 19 Aug 2017

I shall give it a go man
Doesn't help that I'm riding the tube as well havnt learnt depth yet haha

As far as speed goes how fast are you supposed to do line work? I've heard some people say slow some say quickly

Goldwingdaz · 19 Aug 2017

speed simply depends on the machine and the skins ability to take ink, the best way to find your speed is, run a line slightly faster than you think, see if it has gaps, then slow and do another, once you have no gaps, and the line is solid, thats the speed that suits you and your machine. there is no set timer unfortunately, its all down to individuals.
My mentor taught me, you should get your line right within the first 3 runs at the most, depth, speed, and strength.
Gaps, = slow down
too thin in parts, = not deep enough all time.
blotches (blowouts) = too deep.
the latter is the most important to avoid. better too shallow and add to it than too deep. you cant take it back out if you make a mistake too deep.

Hope this helps.
you need to be hitting around 1mm deep on practice until you can go by sight and sound of the machine, so set the needles to stick out 1mm at full shove forward, you can get off the tube tip later, no rush

Goldwingdaz · 19 Aug 2017

worth watching.

how to make lines, particularly watch his speed how it remains constant etc, start there and find your own from that point.

more lining technique

Patch72 · 20 Aug 2017

Relax on it mate and try putting a bit of vasoline on your machine hand glove,it helps going across skin

Jay90 · 22 Aug 2017

I had a go yesterday and I must admit my lining has gotten a lot better thanks for the info guys

Kris · 23 Aug 2017

This what I trying hold and keep distance but with middle finger works fine for me

nixievly · 26 Aug 2017

I'm still working on this but today I as I lined something I was thinking about a tattooer who told me he chats customers up simply so he can be distracted enough to not screw his lines up by thinking about them! Someone else taught me to trace line in the air first, figuring out if you're positioned right to make the complete like, and then take a deep breath and exhale while making the line. Feels a little like yoga or martial arts and a little like a distraction technique.

MalligaMallan · 26 Aug 2017

That's about how I do it when drawing - and about what I do now when practicing lines. Helps me. Trace line in air (or in head rather) and deep breath/exhaling that is.

NOT the talking. HATE talking when working. That was a challenge when doing my first tattoos on human skin. The object talked!

Goldwingdaz · 26 Aug 2017

MalligaMallan said:
The object talked!

That would have messed with my head too, much more scary than the client talking...

Sorry Malin, i couldnt resist that one

MalligaMallan · 26 Aug 2017

Of course you couldn't

Dennis36 · 19 Feb 2021

So i got a question what u all think is the best line ink i got allegory blk and trpl black dynamic also have blk

Dennis36 · 19 Feb 2021

Jay90 i agree with these guys im just starting out also so im with ya i got the prob back dragging to so i can see my lines but lube on ur tat gun hand helps alot on my steadyness of hand

Cyberthrasher · 22 Feb 2021

Dennis36 said:
So i got a question what u all think is the best line ink i got allegory blk and trpl black dynamic also have blk

Hey man, you should actually start your own threads. I've noticed you have a lot of questions you're coming up with but you're reviving threads that have been dead for several years in order to ask them. Most of the people in these threads aren't even really active anymore so you'll probably get better responses with a new question.

To answer this question - everyone will have a different preference.

Dennis36 · 22 Feb 2021

Thanks. My bad.

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