If you are new to tattooing, you may be confused by the different needle options available. What is the difference between a bugpin round liner needle and a regular round liner? What are magnum needles used for? How do you make sense of the numbers on the boxes? We break it all down for you in this post.
If you’re just getting started with tattoo art, you might be a little perplexed by the many different sorts of tattoo needles available. What does each code stand for? What’s the difference between a round liner tattoo needle and a magnum or bugpin tattoo needle? How do you know which type of needle to use?
When you’re looking at a list like this—with more than 100 distinct types of tattoo needles, 2/3 of which are variations on the same size needle—tattoo needles aren’t as difficult as they appear.
Although the variety of choices appears to be huge, they ultimately boil down to a few distinct kinds of needles, just in varying sizes, quantities, and sets. Let’s start with tattoo needle codes and what they imply.
TATTOO NEEDLE CODES
Tattoo needles are often labeled with codes–such as the 1204RL one shown in the image above–or names that include particular pieces of information. For example, tattoo needle #12 4-Round Liner Needles may also be known as “1204RL”. Regardless of the way in which a tattoo needle is defined, each code or name part refers to a distinct aspect of the needle: tattoo needlesize, needle count, and clustering configuration.
TATTOO NEEDLE DIAMETERS
As for tattoo supply companies, whether they utilize a design like 1204RL or simply a 2-digit number at the start of a tattoo needle product name (ex. #12 Standard Round Liner Premade Tattoo Needles on Bar – Box of 50), the highest number always refers to the size of the needle. 1204RL tattoo needles have a diameter of approximately .35mm, which means they are medium-sized. The most frequently used needle size is #12, which has a diameter of approximately .35mm. The size tattoo artists like to use when lining work is #10, or 0.30mm. You may also get bigger #13 needles with a diameter of 0.40mm, smaller #8 needles with a diameter of 0.25mm, or really fine-diameter #6 tattoo needles with a diameter of 0.20mm.
The diameter of a tattoo needle affects how much ink flows. The smaller the needle’s diameter, the finer and more controlled the ink stream that emerges. That is why #10 tattoo needles are so popular for line work; the ink flow is finer and more controlled than with a #12 or #13, but not as restricted as with a #8 or #6 tattoo needle.
TATTOO NEEDLE COUNTS & GROUPINGS
The second two digits of a code such as 1204RL indicate the number of needles in the combination. In our example, 04 indicates that there are 4 #12-diameter needles grouped together. The letters at the end of the code determine how they’re grouped. RL = Round Liner, which indicates tattoo needles for lining work that are organized in a circle.
The most popular tattoo needle groupings are shown below. Within each category, you’ll typically get a variety of needle sizes; for example, if you buy 1204RL tattoo needles, you may choose a 8-needle grouping (as in the first image below), or choose a 7-needle cluster by purchasing 1207RL tattoo needles.
NEEDLE TAPERS/POINTS
Although the taper of a needle isn’t mentioned in tattoo needle codes, and is merely occasionally mentioned in product names, it is yet another feature of tattoo needles that artists consider. There are numerous types of taper to choose from, including short, long, extra long, and even super long taper tattoo needles. The taper down to the point begins higher up on the shaft of a needle with a longer point. A longer, finer taper will allow you greater control over ink flow than a short taper, but it may result in slower ink flow–a trade-off that works well for filling but not necessarily for line work. In other words, long tapers are better for precise work that you want to do carefully for an optimal conclusion.
WHAT NEEDLE GROUPS ARE USED FOR WHICH TATTOOING TECHNIQUES?
So, now that you know how to measure tattoo needle diameters, counts, and groupings, what can you do with this new knowledge? Which groupings are used for which tattooing methods and which combinations are ideal for you? The latter is frequently a process of trial and error, practice and experience.
Round liner tattoo needles and round shader tattoo needles are named for their functions: round liners are used to line, and round shaders are used to shade. Lining super-fine lines with super-tight liners is what they’re good for. What about the other types of tattoo needle configurations? What should you do with flats, magnums, and bugpins? Bugpin tattoo needles are popular among tattoo artists for creating smooth gradients; they’re especially useful when doing portrait work. Flat tattoo needles can be used to shade geometric regions or even a Trash Polka-style tattoo in an avant-garde style. Magnums are commonly used for filling in large areas, mixing and shading. Consider a curved magnum if you want to achieve the same effect as a magnum without causing as much discomfort to the skin.
It’s not easy to make a decision on the best tattoo needle types. Some artists might argue about the options listed above, and they would be correct. Finding the ideal collection of tattoo needles isn’t much different from choosing between painting, filling, and outlining with a paintbrush. This might be due to a variety of reasons, such as differences in the hardness of the paint or different types of paint being used. You’ll have to experiment with a range of needles until you figure out which ones give you the best results. All we ask is that you conduct your research on practice skin, fruit, yourself, or willing friends/family who are fine with being guinea pigs for your artistic growth. Experiment freely and find out what works best for you, but keep the Hippocratic Oath in mind while doing so, and do no harm.
PRECISION NEEDLES: THE PERFECT TATTOO NEEDLES FOR YOU
Precision is a Painful Pleasures-brand of medical, piercing, and tattooing equipment that caters to both amateur and professional tattoo artists while maintaining high standards. We’ve also just updated our Precision Tattoo Needles labeling to make it easier for tattoo artists to understand the features that are most important to them.
We obtain everything you will need to practice your trade: precise information, precisely the correct instruments.
STILL HAVE QUESTIONS?
If you want to learn more about your tattoo cartridge needle, we have additional resources for you. You’ll discover information in our Wholesale Tattoo Needles Store area that will help you choose which tubes/tips go with which needles, such as this guide to determining which tubes/tips work with which needles. We also have a Tattoo Needles article in our Info Center that you might find helpful. This tattoo needle PDF, in addition to discussing each kind of tattoo needle available to you, also has information on how they work and the different types of tattoos they’re best suited for.
WHAT NEEDLE GROUPINGS ARE USED FOR WHICH TATTOOING TECHNIQUES?
So, now that you know how to measure tattoo needle diameters, counts, and groupings, what can you do with this new knowledge? Which groupings are used for which tattooing methods and which combinations are ideal for you? The latter is frequently a process of trial and error, practice and experience.
Round liner tattoo needles and round shader tattoo needles are named for their functions: round liners are used to line, and round shaders are used to shade. Lining super-fine lines with super-tight liners is what they’re good for. What about the other types of tattoo needle configurations? What should you do with flats, magnums, and bugpins? Bugpin tattoo needles are popular among tattoo artists for creating smooth gradients; they’re especially useful when doing portrait work. Flat tattoo needles can be used to shade geometric regions or even a Trash Polka-style tattoo in an avant-garde style. Magnums are commonly used for filling in large areas, mixing and shading. Consider a curved magnum if you want to achieve the same effect as a magnum without causing as much discomfort to the skin.
It’s not easy to make a decision on the best tattoo needle types. Some artists might argue about the options listed above, and they would be correct. Finding the ideal collection of tattoo needles isn’t much different from choosing between painting, filling, and outlining with a paintbrush. This might be due to a variety of reasons, such as differences in the hardness of the paint or different types of paint being used. You’ll have to experiment with a range of needles until you figure out which ones give you the best results. All we ask is that you conduct your research on practice skin, fruit, yourself, or willing friends/family who are fine with being guinea pigs for your artistic growth. Experiment freely and find out what works best for you, but keep the Hippocratic Oath in mind while doing so, and do no harm.
PRECISION NEEDLES: PRECISELY THE RIGHT TATTOO NEEDLES FOR YOU
Precision is a Painful Pleasures-brand of medical, piercing, and tattooing equipment that caters to both amateur and professional tattoo artists while maintaining high standards. We’ve also just updated our Precision Tattoo Needles labeling to make it easier for tattoo artists to understand the features that are most important to them.
We obtain everything you will need to practice your trade: precise information, precisely the correct instruments.
STILL HAVE QUESTIONS?
If you want to learn more about your tattoo cartridge needle, we have additional resources for you. You’ll discover information in our Wholesale Tattoo Needles Store area that will help you choose which tubes/tips go with which needles, such as this guide to determining which tubes/tips work with which needles. We also have a Tattoo Needles article in our Info Center that you might find helpful. This tattoo needle PDF, in addition to discussing each kind of tattoo needle available to you, also has information on how they work and the different types of tattoos they’re best suited for.
