Right I'm Gonna Do It

[barcode1973]

I have read the manual and practiced on grapefruites but I jus't won't be happy till i've inked myself I reckon.

I have 2 machines (one for lining one for shading it reckons) ones a basic looking thing and the others an arty farty skull type one (the shader)

I just want to do a star on my wrist. about 1.5 inches in a thick black outline what I want to know it the best needle to use?

Should I use a 3 a 5 or a 7 round liner do you reckon? I see different people advising different ones for starters?

Thanks in advance

 

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[tat2zoo]

Hi i have done a few stars for people and found a 7 or 9rl to be best any smaller and i find them a bit shakey
Wait till you start you will be shaking like a leaf 'lol'
Paul

 

[marfleet]

good luck pal
you will be ok post a pic once you have done it

 

[Pancho]

Good luck with it, like you I thought " just go for it" I must admit I was a bit shakey when I did my scorpion on my leg a week before Christmas, now I can't wait to finish it off with some tribal design around it

 

[Tattooz]

Good luck, but i would go for top of leg first. You are never going to get a stretch on your wrist. Which in my opinion a star probably needs more stretch than anything to get the points,

 

[barcode1973]

defo wrong spot!

Your right about the top of the leg! I started out fine then after a few wipes my outline had gone then I realised I couldn't turn my leg round to get the points then realised i'd kinda effed it right up.
Here is a pic of the shocker. Back to the drawing board for me. At least ive got the "got to ink me" out my system.

I wasn't going to upload the shame but I need to start somewhere luckily it's on me and now my girlfriend's not so sure she want me to do one for her!

DOH!

If you see the left point and top point all started off quite well. I was shaking like a sh**ing dog as well which doesn't seem to help

I shall come back and do it again then colour it in hopefully it might kust look a but pooh then

By the way I used this transfer paper

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFqI7OKOCVY&feature=player_embedded#!

 

[Tattooz]

mmm, not quite as easy as it looks is it. Another bit of advice. Dont do anything to it. Save that bit of skin to cover it at a later date when you get some more practice in. I will guarantee you will want to do something bigger over it, when you get the confidence.

 

[barcode1973]

Thanks for not being too brutal! I think i'll use dettol to do the transfer instead of water like in the instuctional vid off the paper supplier and ill have a good light source were my head isnt blocking the light. And something a bit curvier possibly. I'm a bit annoyed as ive done it perfect on numerous grapefruits and my practice skin. Grrr

 

[barcode1973]

Just got back from Morrisons

Just got proper loads of pig skin say about 10 practice skins worth for *£3.30 let the serious practicing commence!

 

[MrSpoon]

i find the best thing to stop me shaking is to not tense up and to breath properly! have a nasty habbit of holding my breath when i go to do a line but i do it without realising

 

[barcode1973]

Pig skin practice

Again I know these are shocking and I'm still going no where near humans but I did a playboy bunny and a skull and crossbones and a quick freehand garfield then tried to colour some of them in (well i say colour I mean black) without reading any instructions on colouring and using a 7 mag (stop tutting) so it's hoop but I was slightly happier with the outlines and they literally took under 5 minutes for the lot (outlines)

So now I need to

1) slow the f**k down and breathe (thanks MrSpoon for the line breathing advice and for the kitchen roll / masking tape piggy arm rest idea)
2) start tattoos at the bottom so I don't wipe the transfer off
3) practice for about another 5 years maybe.

I still think some wobbles are due to my macihine and not me. I slightly bend my needles before setup should I use 1 or 2 bands and should I double them?
What's the best tip for easier outlinig and if I can barely see my needle till its in am I too shallow , I know its 2mm but that seems like nothing? When you see em all on telly it looks twice that? I know you don't want people slicing people up carring them but I think it looks easier having more needle out but not going in as far with it? I don't know why i'm asking as I know the answer really.
Finally should there be that much ink when I wipe can you dip too often?

Thanks in advance for any help I must say I did trawl the net looking for tat sites and this one is by far the most friendly non closed forum I have seen.

Laterz