Tattoo needles come in a variety of configurations, each of which has a unique impact on the tattoo coloring process. Understanding the different needle configurations can help a tattoo artist choose the best needle for the desired outcome. Magnum tattoo needles are known for their ease of use for shading work, delivering a lot of ink, making them ideal for large areas of color.
They require less passes, resulting in less skin damage during multiple passes. For solid color, 7 or 9RS is best, while 12 gauge needles have a faster flow of ink, making them suitable for shading and coloring. Tattoo needles come in different sizes and configurations like liners, shaders, and mags.
Each type of needle places ink in the skin differently, so you need the right tattoo needle to make sure your designs come out correctly. This visual guide will make sure you understand everything you need to know, which will help you do better tattoos with less effort. If you want to color a tattoo, you basically have to choose between three different types of needles: round tattoo needles, flat tattoo needles, and magnum tattoo needles.
Moreover, the needle to use for coloring a tattoo will depend entirely on the type and the design of the tattoo you are drawing. Enjoy our tattoo needles 101 below with our tattoo needle sizes and uses chart, and try not to get overwhelmed by the different sizes and gauges. There is a lot to learn on the road to becoming one of the best tattoo artists.
Tattoo Needle Sizes and Uses Chart Round Liner Needles These have a round pattern and are good for clean lines. TL;DR: Tattoo needles come in various types and groupings like round liners, shaders, and magnums, each serving a specific purpose. Understanding diameters, tapers, and configurations helps artists choose the best needle for fine lines, shading, coloring, or packing.
Color packing is a tattooing technique that is used for saturating color into the skin. It is a common technique used while shading or filling in a tattoo. It is also used for blackout tattoos, or for covering up old tattoos.
For color packing, a tattoo artist needs to use a specific type of needles, because, without it, it will take a long time. As claimed by many professional tattoo artists, CHEYENNE craft needles are best for coloring. They are very simple to work with, apply tattoo ink well on the skin, and make the tattoo thick, dense, and saturated at go.
Discover tattoo needle types, uses, and pro tips in this 2025 guide. Perfect for beginners and pros looking to improve linework, shading, and technique. Learn how to choose tattoo needles based on the affect of needle size, configuration, and even texture on depositing ink for techniques like color packing.