How to Choose Tattoo Needles as a Beginner?

Quick tips for choosing tattoo needles

First you may need to know how to read the size.

Such as 1203RL means there are 3 #12-diameter needles grouped together.

#04 =0.18 mm

#06 =0.2 mm

#08 =0.25 mm

#10 =0.30 mm

#12 =0.35 mm



Choosing the size of a needle is depend on what kind of tattoo you’re doing.

• Round liner are for detailed lines and small tattoos.
• Round shader are for thick lines
• Magnum are versatile. It is the best for coloring.
• Curved Magnum are great for portraits and highly detailed color work.
• Flat shaders are best for areas that require curvature, such as hair

Choosing count and diameter in tattoo needles

Count is the number of needles. The diameter refers to the diameter of each needle.

Smaller needles are better for detailed works. Bigger ones are more effective and faster. The thicker tattoo needle will cover more area at one time.

Here are some details if you would like to know more about tattoo needles. There are different kinds of needles, each with its own purpose, advantages and disadvantages. Actually each needle is composed of many small needles, which are tied together in different shapes and different tightness.

1. Liner
Lining needles are Suit for highly complex detailed work. Once the ink is immersed in your cartridge, only a small amount of ink will flow out and then injected into the skin. If too much ink was let out, lining may a bit messy! When choosing a Lining needle, it is best to choose more sharpened needle. Because the more compact needle tips will make sure there be no bifurcation when lining.

2. Shaders
Shaders are used to fill larger areas, usually with several pins in loose groups. There are several types of shaders. These can come straight or curved, in one or two rows. For filling in a large area that only needs to be of a single color, a regular rather than a double-stacked magnum is a perfect choice.

1) Round Shader
Round shaders are very similar to round liners except the pins are not placed as close together. Meaning, for as well as doing thicker lines, they can also be used for colour filling and basic shading.

2) Magnum Shader
Magnum shader is suit for almost all shading jobs. The magnum can hold and deliver large amounts of ink, so it is perfect for large areas of colour packing and shading.

3) Round Magnum Shader
Round magnum shaders arch at the centre. The edges of the needle run along the skin with more conformity, allowing for better dispersal of ink and a more consistent line. It’s also less damaging to the skin and helps with soft shading.

4) Double Stack Magnum Shader
This one is best for for solid colouring (Tribal), shading or colour blending. The pins on double stack magnums are packed much more tightly together. This helps for any intricate shading or colour work where you still want it to perform as a magnum with many pins but not as spread out.

5) Flat Shader
Flat Shader is good for intricate shading such as in geometric patterns and some mandala work. The needles are arranged side-by-side in a row. They deliver more ink quickly with just one pass. Tattoo Flat needles have a very tight soldering and almost freely penetrate into the skin due to it's sharpening and the elongated type. Please keep in mind that moving flat shaders in a circular motion will rip skin and cause serious scarring.

The size of different brands of cartridges may be different. This article lists most of the needle sizes on the market, for reference only.

Written at the end, different tattoo artists have different personal operating habits, and the choice of cartridge size also depends on each artist's personal habits.Thank you.

If you’d like more guidance on tattoo needle buying or other tattoo related problems, welcome to Contact Us.