On Depth

The right depth for my needles to reach seems to be different for everyone. So how do I know?

Well, lately I'm realizing that with experience... you just seem to know. Sometimes the sound of the machine will vary; not quite bogged down, but certainly running with friction - as opposed to running above the skin. Other times my left hand feels a more exact and steady vibration. It tells me I'm at the right spot, so keep on.

And, to be perfectly honest, there are times I see a tiny bit of ink connect to either a capillary or the fatty layer and extend lightly past the desired spot. It's like a plant soaking up food coloring into its leaves. Instantly I know the depth was too far and I pull back ever so slightly. When that happens, I chalk that up as an initial test. You know, so I fully understand my boundaries.

Today I tried to visualize. I saw the needle grouping going in, but can never actually see the depth: it's the unaccounted for dimension. So once the needles were in, I tried to visualize the depth, movement and fly close as if I was zoomed in with a macro lens. For whatever reason, it seemed to help. I'm up for whatever it takes to develop effective muscle memory. If my confidence can mix with what I see in my head, I'll keep growing.

* Most of what I'm referring to above is outlining, but the more and more I see how depth effects the consistency of a smooth gradient fade. I've still much to learn and experiment with regarding shading and depth, but I'm eager to keep at it.