This post has been written and re-written multiple times. It's been a shifting work in progress.

I've taken time to try to explain certain aspects of lining from my point of view. It was going to be a post I could look back on and use for information. A snapshot of sorts.

But things change.

Technique and motions are always developing and there is a consistency that strengthens with repetition, muscle memory, and a growing dexterity.

But things keep changing.

What seemed a normal pace (voltage wise) for almost two years suddenly didn't make sense anymore. My lines were more solid, but because I built them up accordingly. I never expect a single pass beauty every time, although some artists can nail it always. I simply wanted better quality. Well, two days ago I turned up my liner and the world was new.

My entire method of creating lines shifted because something clicked. The tiny dots of a soft hit, the blur of trailing ink, and the light vibration of stretched skin all spoke to me. It sounds silly, but I swear I just got it.

I continued to stretch and the vibration made more sense. It was a bit more solid. I knew (instantly) that the line would be solid two years from when it was created. All it took was shutting out what I knew to be comfortable. If we are working our selves, there's no reason we can't use those honed senses. As if listening to a familiar voice, there is an ebb and there is a flow to the relation of needle and skin.

Again. It sounds silly, but...

--

I remember, a year ago, Monte Agee talking with me about tattooing. His eyes lit up and he told me many things. But one quick comment stands out at this point.
He said, "David, shading, at times, is like sex."
I tilted my head back and laughed out loud. There was no way for me to understand, let alone fully understand. I just loved how it sounded.

--

But it makes sense to me now.

Every skin requires an altered relation. By listening to my senses, I can adjust in an instant. Maybe I'll turn up or down. I might need to rinse off plasma. A fade might require a quicker hand motion; or a stretch may require a different positioning.

Whatever the give, I'm learning to take. Then, when I find the motion of the skin, I've discovered what it takes... so I give in return. And so on.

--

All of which seems to form an even larger picture. I'm trying to dive into myself to be able to write this down, but when it happens - it just happens. There's no quick and obvious answer. Rather a road to be traveled; an experience to be had.

I got to work on the underwater scene leg piece and I wanted to show. Jason has been traveling up here time and again. His light skin seems to hold color really well.

And I love having pictures of the entire process...

Here's the first post.

I'll be tattooing the Chicago Tattoo Convention this year with Bluebird Tattoo on Nov 14-16. If you're around, feel free to come up and visit. I always love meeting readers, fellow students, and folks of distinction. Ha.

Also, I've a few spots available... david@allentattoo.com

I've thought about it and I'm going to be blogging my experience at the Chicago Tattoo Convention in a couple of weeks. I'll bring my Macbook and update randomly with thoughts and observations.

I was an apprentice during the my first convention. It was nerve wracking and I didn't even tattoo. I had little knowledge, but was thrown in figuring out how to set up a portable environment of cleanliness, comfort (kinda), and compromise. Honestly, it's always the best way to learn anyway...

My second experience was a few months ago. I'm used to packing gear every week to my guest spot at Insight. So I'm past the awkwardness of tattooing in another area. Every day at the convention was a lesson in flying off the cuff and realizing what I did and didn't need. You realize quickly what should have been brought and what was obviously superfluous.

This time I'll make a point to go over what I'm bringing and maybe even some of why. My experience with other artists... which, by the way, has been 99% positive. (I couldn't be more impressed with people and the camaraderie. Art is great, but good people are just as important to me.) How tattoos go. If people show up, I may even enter some tattoos in contests. We'll see.

Hopefully it'll be something to look back on and I'll have learned a few things.