Needle Depth

Category: art

The distance the needle protrudes from the machine and penetrates into the skin.

Needle depth is the most important technical variable for an artist. Too shallow, and the ink falls out; too deep, and it causes a blowout or scarring. Artists constantly adjust their grip to achieve the exact depth required for lining or shading.

Common Examples

• Adjusting the needle depth is essential as you transition from the thick skin of the back to the thinner skin of the ribs.
• The mark of a master tattooist is their intuitive ability to feel the perfect needle depth for every inch of the human body.