Colour blending.

[evlink2006]

imho bug pins are bad for color work. The hole they poke isnt large enough to allow the pigment particles to fully settle into the skin so you then have to work the skin more to get the same saturation as you would with say a #12. Textured #12s are even better for color saturation.

As for blending there are two ways to get smooth blends. You can double dip, meaning you start with color A then dip into color B and just keep dipping color B until you are pure color B. I hope that makes sense. The other is the technique I use most of the time and it stems from printing theory. If you look at a magazine picture thru a magnifying glass you will notice there are only 4 colors printed in dots. How those dots overlap and cluster is what determines the color your eye sees. So apply that same idea to tattooing by packing solid color then when you get to the spot you want to start the blend, whip it out like you would in a traditional or black and gray. The take your next color and work it over the top of that whipped area and slightly into the solid pack. wa la insta blend.

[skinmech]

I agree with using Bugs for B&G, simply because the thin viscosity of washes are easier to put into the skin than "thicker" coloured inks..Also, because washes are so thin, the small "holes" than Bugs make, means the blends will be smoother....Providing you take your time,,,,,

[asA]

Id say buy as many of the tattoo dvds from all the crazy color layering guys and take a few thinga from them.. the nate beavers one with the photo real skull and tradional snake and roses has a ton of good info in it. From machines to needles to pigmens.. all those dvds are good stuff.

[tattood]

I agree with using Bugs for B&G, simply because the thin viscosity of washes are easier to put into the skin than "thicker" coloured inks..Also, because washes are so thin, the small "holes" than Bugs make, means the blends will be smoother....Providing you take your time,,,,,

Are u referrring to all bugpins, or the #8's for b&g, whats your take on # 10's, the reason I ask is all i have been using are # 10's for just about everything, I like how they are a bit smaller than the #12's and im able to get in tight spots easier. On the other hand the #8's seem to small unless your using a 15.lol.. I was using #8 5rl for small script but changed back to #12 3rl to tight lines

[Eturnus]

id just keep the bugpins for grey wash because its a whole lot thinner than regular pigment.

[chris-in-cali]

bugpins are ok....but long taper mags seem to do the job just as well and without so many passes (t-tech long taper mags are fucking awesome)
if you are working with a fast hand speed, i would say go with a faster rpm motor....the spektra is perfect for faster hand speeds and thinner ink. (electric)
you get high rpm's at low volts and with the give option you are able to get 3-4 passes in there....it's fucking nice

[DrewsJumpingShip]

I've been using Curved Textured Mags and instead of tight to loose circle motions I tend to go with the stacking technique. To me it seems like with stacking you get a more consistent level of saturation which helps get those smooth blends for. Sometimes I'll do a quick pass over at the end with the circle motion to smooth everything out.

[zack_fa1r]

niveck the textured needles were powerline pin up brand.

hey evilink i do a mixture of the two types you said, i dip and also whip the colour out so you dont see the obvious colour change, i do only dip one alot of the time then wash out the tip then go straight into the second colour, do you circle with your blends or whip out only, been looking at tanane whitfields work and i can see it looks like he whips from what i can make out on his blends (i can see some tracks but very faint).

asa i have capobiancos dvd and its so good to watch, i also have my hand done by him and got to watch that but was a little star struck to remember much apart from he went SUPER DEEP and it hurt so fucking bad.

do long taper mags put in more ink than the medium taper?, are they easier and less traumatic??
ive just got me some killerink size 12' mags and they not long taper like the pin up ones ive been using forever.

so much info here guys really appreaciate it, loads.

[megas]

try dipping your tip to water to make the color work like a wash..if u are doing circular motions for color try the wipping technique like u would do for black and gray...sorry for my bad english.hope u understood what i meant

[evlink2006]

Because my hand speed is so fast it tends to be a modified whip scrub combo thing. LOL