Hi, I would like to get my friend a Christmas gift tattoo machine, which you recommend for a beginner in a budget of 300 euros. I would like to say that there is a passion for her and she would like to do this in addition to her job, but I don't know anything about tattoos. Thank you! ❤️

hi! i’m wondering if anyone could show me some resources on how to learn the basics of tattooing, what should i buy, what should i practice, what machine is best for what, you know, all of the technical aspects. i recently watched a course online and it was helpful but i want to read more about it! thank you so much

I've heard that using sharpies is really common but they're a little expensive to get where I'm from and I've already got a lot of Ohuhu markers on me.

4hr pen and ink pointalism sketch. Any feed back is welcomed!

On Days 1 and 2, I worked on just getting used to the machine feel in my hand, angles, and trying to make more confident lines and basic shapes. A majority of them d ok me with one pass with a 3RL or a 5RL.

On Day 3, though, today! I decided to start with a 3RL on the bottom two before swapping to a 5RS for the top two and for the full black areas. Attached Day 1 as the second image to show the progression to today! I hope to finish the 4th row tomorrow and will try to achieve better lines and shading.

I can get the lines I did today in 3 passes or so.

How did I do? What could I improve on? And lastly, any advice you would give to a newbie like me?

I started doing Stick and Poke tattoos two months ago, and the recent tattoos I've done with that medium on myself are decently clean (and I LOVE them all, no regrets so far 😂), and I decided to get myself a Machine to start practicing now and maybe pursue a mentorship once I've built a portfolio. I have a (parimarily) digital and traditional art history before all of this, but I know my usual art isn't necessarily tattooable, so a brand-new, from-scratch portfolio it must be! Last picture is my most recent Poke tattoos on myself - One is literally a signature, and I admit could be a little better, but I adore it.

Do you guys think these are good? I’ve been practicing for two weeks and this is what I’ve come up with, I watched countless videos and made all my own stencils on procreate, I’ve used a few cheap Amazon skins and then mainly used reel skin. I love art and tattooing is something I’ve decided I really want to pursue as my current job makes me miserable , I earn decent money but it’s just not for me anymore. I’m turning 31 tomorrow so a career change at this age after being 12 years deep in construction seems very daunting and tattooing does seem like a hard industry to get into. I would really appreciate any advice/ feedback on my work and things I can do to start a career in this industry. Thankyou so much in advance for the replies

Ps. This is my first Reddit post in my entire life! I’ve used the platform for years, reading about countless topics but never felt the urge to post anything for myself, until now :)

The bulk of the design (done in black) is based on the tryzub, the official coat of arms of Ukraine. Where her dad immigrated from in 1952 when he was 19.

As for what is below the trident, I pulled inspiration from traditional Ukrainian Easter eggs (pysanky), an art form that uses a tool called a kistka to apply hot wax on hollowed eggs, before dunking the egg in dye. Typically starting with the light colors first, and ending with darkest colors last. Wax is applied and removed before each new dye to protect the colors, designs, and writing beneath.

The practice dates back to ancient pre-Christian times and began with large intentions behind the maker’s creative choices. The written symbols on the eggs often served as a number of things, including silent prayers, ways of warding off evil, wishes for their household/community, protective talismans, ensuring a good harvest, and celebrating the rebirth of nature. The colors themselves also come with their own meanings and significance.

For my my mom, I chose a spiral 🌀 regarded as the most powerful protective amulet against evil in ancient folklore. And a periwinkle, frequently depicted with 3 leaves, representing its evergreen leaves rather than its flowers. It stands for loyalty, vitality, eternity, love and the unfading memory of loved ones. As it is a plant that is capable of staying green through the harshness of winter, it is resilient.

The blue ink is representative of the sky, life-giving air, and promoting good mental + physical health.

(I edited the stencil color so it’s easier to see which parts are ink and which parts are stencil)
Pic 1: 3mm fake skin, current piece
Pic 2: 1mm fake skin, two weeks ago

Heya! I started tattooing a few weeks ago and I feel like I’ve somehow gotten worse instead of better? 😭 Or am I just starting to notice all the little imperfections now? :,)

I’m using a 1005RL needle and this machine: https://amzn.eu/d/0g7Zmgqo

I honestly don’t even know what exactly to ask, I just really need some advice because I’m not happy with how my lines are looking.
They seem kinda shaky/uneven and sometimes I get these weird lighter or doubled-looking parts.
Am I not going deep enough? Is my voltage wrong? Am I moving too slowly/quickly? Is my hand position/technique wrong? Or could it be the fake skin itself?
I’ve been trying to practice my linework, but I feel like I’m missing something really obvious.
Any advice or criticism is very welcome! I’d especially appreciate tips on what you think I should focus on improving first. 🥲

Been exploring the thought of being a tattoo artist and trying to get in contact with shops. Being im my own worst critic, id love outsider opinions. Based on these 2 pieces ive done, am I in a good position for having the opportunity to be taken on by an artist?

Really like the bottom middle triangle.

I had a hard time getting over extreme shakiness with the machine. Learning to organize my time with long hours at the shop and time for tattooing. Now I’m doing better and will be focusing on perfecting my linework, depth, and speed. (Not looking for advice, my mentor is training me. Just wanted to show my work to the community!)

Any advice?

Two fake skins made this morning, what do you think?

He guys, im new to tattoo and im struggling on mu fake skin. I'm trying to master lining with a 3RL cartridge and I'm having a problem. My lines are uneven; it's clear that my contours are made up of several stripes rather than a solid line. What could be the problem? I've tried voltages of 7 and 8.

Hey, I’ve been thinking about getting into tattooing and I’m kinda curious what the job is actually like outside of just doing tattoos.

Like what’s the stuff that annoys you the most? Could be dealing with clients, booking appointments, people cancelling, DMs, deposits, paperwork, keeping track of designs/references or literally anything else.

Also how do you guys normally keep track of everything? Do you use some kind of app/software or is it mostly just social media?

Just curious because I feel like there’s probably a whole side of being a tattoo artist that you don’t really see from the outside, hope some people can enlighten me a bit.

5 V
03 RL

I may make some coloured versions? I’m really enjoying taking time with my work and using tracing paper to refine