Mayduna

Fineline

Fineline techniques at a glance:
from 05 Round Liner to single needling

The art of tattooing, once fraught with prejudice by society, is now much more recognised and seen as more of a body adornment. The fact that only the bodies of sailors were tattooed is long off the table; nowadays a large part of the population has at least one tattoo to record – on average, about every fifth person in Germany.

Besides the probably most popular tattoo trend of the 90s – the pelvic tribal, also known as "tramp stamp“, which in combination with the comeback of the hipster re-generates a lot of attention, many different trends emerged over time. Chinese characters, swallow tattoos or squiggly lettering also once enjoyed great popularity. But especially in recent years, one aesthetic has become increasingly popular: we're talking about fineline tattoos.

Fineline tattos – they look delicate, are precisely engraved and bring a certain elegance. Whether small motifs and gentle lettering or a fineline artwork over large areas – it’s a style that is more than just filigree work. The origin of the fineline technique can be found in the subculture of prison and gang tattoos. The style, which originated in the USA in the 80s, became increasingly popular in Germany during the 90s. The fineline tattoo technique has been perfected and is tatooed professionally nowadays – it is considered the antithesis of traditional styles, which are tattooed much more concisely and with thicker lines, as is the case with the traditional technique, for example.

What is meant by fineline tattoos?

Fineline tattoos use a tattooing technique that is determined by certain needle sizes and outlines. The motifs are usually engraved with 03 or 05 Round Liners. This means that the needle is provided with three or five needle heads respectively. The final result looks very minimalistic and delicate on the skin. In addition, this method is often combined with other styles such as Black & Grey and Realistic.

The Single Needle Technique

While many stick to the fineline technique with 03 or 05 Round Liners, others prefer the single needle method. It’s a tattoo that is done with only a single needle tip. Single needling is not to be understood as a separate style, it belongs to the genre of fineline tattoos. In contrast to other tattoo work, the single needle variant is much gentler, since fewer needle heads injure the skin: for customers, this means on the one hand less pain, because the skin bleeds less during the process, and on the other hand, scabs are rarely formed during the healing process.

Since fineline tattoos sometimes need to be touched up to maintain the intensity of the dark colour long term, there is a high demand for single needle tattoos in particular – depending on the position, skin conditions and aftercare of the tattoo. Re-stitching is done once the tattoo is fully healed, approximately three to five weeks after the initial appointment. The single needle method is especially suitable for small tattoos with great detail, as little ink remains in the needle and needs to be reapplied frequently.

How much time should I allow for a single-needle tattoo? How long a tattoo takes, cannot be answered across the board. However, one thing is clear: a single needle tattoo usually takes a little longer than other tattoo types. This is in part due to the fact that the technique creates as fine and thin lines as possible. This precision, accuracy and attention to detail, of course, takes time. After complete healing, however, the result then also captivates with finesse and elegance.

A little outlook on expected tattoo trends 2023

Whether single needling, other fineline techniques or even other styles, the question is: what trends await us in 2023? A new year means a new tattoo? Whether you are about to get inked for the first time or the collection on your skin should be expanded – getting a tattoo at the beginning of the new year certainly is good timing.

There are always new tattoo trends; more and more you see tattoo artists using different art styles: surrealism, realism, impressionism, abstract art, pop art as well as charcoal drawings and oil painting. Besides Ignorant Style tattoos, which are wildly mixed, mismatched, hand-drawn and often weird little tattoos, Hand Poked tattoos, i.e. hand-poked tattoos in a charming homemade style, are also very popular.

But also geometric fineline tattoos still stand out. What is their significance? Based on geometric shapes and patterns such as rectangles, circles, clean lines and simple points, a tattoo style is created that works in any size and whose desire for it again brings in many dates in 2023. Geometric representations have existed since ancient times and are derived from mathematical patterns. Thus, they reflect the forms hidden in nature. At the same time, the meanings are complex and often linked to spiritual beliefs. In geometric fineline tattoos, motifs are often represented in an abstract way or are completed with the help of these main features.

Also important to know: the smaller the geometry, the finer the tattoo needles should be – and here we are again with the single needle tattoo.