If you don’t understand your needles, you’re tattooing blind.
Every apprentice wants to jump straight into machines, ink, and styles — but nothing matters more than mastering the tool that actually enters the skin:
your needle configuration.
Knowing the difference between liners, shaders, mags, bugpins, tapers, and diameters isn’t trivia.
It determines:
• depth
• trauma
• ink flow
• line crispness
• shading softness
• color saturation
• how your tattoo heals
Here’s the no-fluff breakdown every beginner needs.
1. Needle Diameter: 08, 10, 12 — What It Means
Diameter = how thick the individual needles are.
0.25 mm → “08” → Bugpin
• super fine
• holds less ink
• great for soft shading, small lines, and detail
• heals smoother but needs more passes
0.30 mm → “10” → Standard Fine
• cleaner lines without being too thin
• perfect for detail lining and soft shading
0.35 mm → “12” → Traditional
• bold lines, strong saturation
• holds more ink
• great for traditional, bold styles, color packing
Rule of thumb:
Smaller diameter = softer results
Larger diameter = bolder results
2. Taper Length: How Sharp the Needle Tip Is
Taper = how long the sharpened tip is.
Short Taper
• deposits a lot of ink quickly
• bolder, heavier application
• ideal for packing color or bold lining
Long Taper
• finer, slower ink delivery
• more control
• perfect for detailed lines or soft gradients
Extra-Long Taper
• ultra-sharp
• precise detail work
• less trauma when used correctly
• great for micro-line, delicate shading, and little flourishes
3. Basic Needle Groupings (What They Actually Do)
RL — Round Liner
Needles grouped in a tight circle.
Best for:
• outlines
• detail lines
• crisp edges
• small flourishes
• script
• precision work
Use a tighter configuration (like Fire Cartridges) for cleaner, consistent lines.
RS — Round Shader
Needles grouped in a looser circle.
Best for:
• small fills
• soft shading in tight areas
• stippling
• traditional shading in small sections
These are basically a softer RL.
MG — Magnum
Two rows of needles, stacked like bricks.
Best for:
• shading
• color packing
• blending large areas
• gradients
Magnums are your workhorses for anything bigger than a quarter.
CM / Curved Magnum
The rows are slightly curved/rounded.
Best for:
• ultra-smooth blends
• soft black-and-grey
• gentle transitions
• large, even gradients
Curved mags reduce track marks and are easier for beginners to handle.
Bugpin Mags (08 or 10)
Small-diameter magnums.
Best for:
• super soft black & grey
• portraits
• realism
• smoked-out shading
Requires a gentle hand — less ink flow means more control but more passes.
4. What the Groupings Feel Like in Skin
Understanding the theory is one thing — feeling it is everything.
Liners (RL)
Crisp, direct, precise.
You’ll feel every vibration.
Round Shaders (RS)
Softer than RL but not as smooth as mags.
Magnums (MG)
Glide across the skin.
Great for consistent motion.
Curved Mags (CM)
Feel like “floating.”
They naturally avoid digging edges in.
5. Choosing the Right Grouping for the Right Job
Small tattoos: 3RL, 5RL
Bold traditional: 9RL or 11RL + 11MG
Fine line work: 3RL (10 or 08), long taper
Color packing: 9MG, 11MG, 13MG
Soft shading: 7CM or 9CM (bugpin)
Black & grey realism: bugpin curved mags all day
A pro knows not just what needle to use — but why.
6. Common Beginner Mistakes
Let’s save you some pain:
❌ Using the wrong grouping for the wrong style
You can’t pack color with an RL.
You can’t line with a mag.
❌ Ignoring skin type
Older/thin skin needs gentler tapers and softer mags.
Thicker skin handles bolder groupings.
❌ Assuming all cartridges are the same
Quality affects stability, ink flow, and trauma.
(High-stability cartridges like Fire give beginners smoother control and cleaner consistency.)
❌ Using bugpins without understanding ink flow
Bugpins require more passes and a lighter touch.
7. Your Needles Define Your Style
Every tattooer eventually develops a “default kit” — the needle groupings they use for 90% of their work.
That’s not random.
It’s the result of learning:
• how you move
• how deep you tattoo
• the speed you’re comfortable with
• the styles you love
• how different skin reacts to your technique
The sooner you understand your tools, the sooner you develop your style.
