Tattoo Needles & Cartridges Explained: A Guide for Tattoo Apprentices

By Noémi Kovács – Tattoo Artist & Mentor at Bern Tattoo Studio

Whether you’re starting your tattoo apprenticeship or just want to understand your tools better, this guide is here to help. As a tattoo artist, mastering your needle and cartridge setup is just as important as designing the perfect piece. It affects the line quality, shading smoothness, and how clean and consistent your tattoos will be.

Let’s break it all down in a clear and practical way.

What Are Tattoo Cartridges?

Tattoo cartridges are modern, disposable modules that contain pre-assembled needle groupings. They’re super easy to use, hygienic, and allow fast switching between needle types during the tattoo process.

Advantages of Cartridges:

• Sterile and single-use
• Quick to change (perfect for multitasking)
• Compatible with rotary machines
• Offer various configurations for different effects

Tattoo Needle Groupings (Configurations)

Each cartridge holds needles in specific formations, designed for certain techniques. Here’s a breakdown:

1. Round Liners (RL)

• Needles grouped in a tight circle
• Use: Outlining, precise lines, scripts, dotwork
• Example: 3RL (thin outlines), 9RL (bold outlines)

2. Round Shaders (RS)

• Looser circular grouping
• Use: Soft shading, small fills, textured dot shading
• Example: 7RS for blending ornamental designs

3. Magnum (MG)

• Two stacked rows of needles, straight or curved
• Use: Color packing, large shading areas
• Types:
  • Standard Magnum (MG): Flat ends
  • Curved Magnum (CM/Soft Edge): Slight curve for smoother blending
• Example: 13CM for soft gradients in realism

4. Flat Needles (F)

• Single straight row
• Use: Thick lines, geometric work, strong color fills
• Less commonly used today but still great for bold styles

Needle Count & Thickness

Needle Count (Size)

This refers to how many needles are in the configuration.

• 3RL: 3 round liner needles
• 7MG: 7 needles in a magnum
• 11RS: 11 round shader needles

More needles = wider coverage or bolder lines.

Needle Thickness (Diameter)

Measured in millimeters. The most common:

• 0.25 mm (Bugpin) – Fine lines and smooth shading
• 0.30 mm – Balanced, smooth lines and shading
• 0.35 mm (Standard) – Stronger lines and faster packing

Needle Taper Length

Taper is how long the needle sharpens to a point. It affects ink flow and skin trauma.

Visual learners: Check out the diagram above showing each taper type.

How to Choose the Right Setup

Choosing your needles depends on the style, skin type, and design you’re working on.

Let’s Keep Learning

Tattooing is both art and science. Understanding your needle setup helps your designs look better, heal faster, and last longer.

If you’re apprenticing at Bern Tattoo Studio – or hoping to – you’ll get hands-on training and personalized feedback. Keep asking, keep experimenting, and remember: great tattoos start with great tools and even better knowledge.

See you at the studio!

– Noémi

Noémi Kovács

I am Noémi Kovács, a creative tattoo artist. I have the ability to follow the directions of my clients, combine with my own designs and the skills to do professional artwork to ensure they are completely happy with the finished work.

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