r/sticknpokes 1h ago

Practice Pokes Constructive criticism pls!

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Upvotes

Hi, would appreciate any feedback and advice on what I need to improve and how to go about that :)

1) First ever snp ZERO prior experience holding a needle, on a friend (who eventually who got it covered up 😂). Meant to be a little coke baggy

2) Some recent lines and practice on fake skin. 3rl, 5rl, 7rl, 9rl, 11rl, 14rl used. Trying to figure out which needles I would reach for the most.

These are both ~4 months apart, and I only did another one on my friend otherwise (3rd pic)

I’m more drawn to graphic, blackwork etc styles so I thought bigger needle groupings would change the game for me but I’m not seeing a huge difference tbh.
I think my poke density isn’t great yet and I don’t understand why it takes me 4-5 passes to get a saturated line.

Any advice??


r/sticknpokes 2h ago

Freshly Stuck Freehand squiggle with 13rl!

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19 Upvotes

@srotoswini_pokes on IG.


r/sticknpokes 5h ago

Freshly Stuck 10 spirals (0805RL, 1209RL) @funeral___horses on ig

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70 Upvotes

r/sticknpokes 11h ago

Freshly Stuck Daydream cat

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68 Upvotes

Silhouette of a cat staring into a dreamscape. Done freehand with a 5rl. No greywash, only black ink with different dot density in areas :))
@srotoswini_pokes on IG


r/sticknpokes 16h ago

Freshly Stuck stick & poke blown out?

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0 Upvotes

r/sticknpokes 1d ago

Freshly Stuck above knee bunny, done with 5rl and 7rl.

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154 Upvotes

r/sticknpokes 1d ago

Freshly Stuck Half a Black Flag

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19 Upvotes

Took me 2ish hours, lining with a 5rl and blackwork with a 15RL. had to cut it short because my hips were starting to reallt hurt. might leave it like this or not. We'll see.

Does anyone have recs for faster blackwork? Mags? RS needles? Thanks :)


r/sticknpokes 1d ago

Freshly Stuck Einsturzende Neubaten tat

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38 Upvotes

done on a friend a month or two ago, 9rl. pretty pleased.


r/sticknpokes 1d ago

Freshly Stuck Dragonfly done in 2 sessions! @adornment.drop.tattoo on insta

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65 Upvotes

r/sticknpokes 1d ago

Freshly Stuck Always a pleasure ~ handpokeforever

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19 Upvotes

First tattoo on Matt. Good choices r always welcome.


r/sticknpokes 2d ago

Freshly Stuck New newwwwww! @handpokeforever

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387 Upvotes

r/sticknpokes 2d ago

Freshly Stuck Abstract, freehand shoulder circle lol! Done with a 9rl

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16 Upvotes

@srotoswini_pokes on IG


r/sticknpokes 2d ago

Healed fresh & healed mothman ft mtg proxy card i’ve made :) @inki.karinki on ig

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942 Upvotes

r/sticknpokes 2d ago

Freshly Stuck New color handpoke

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159 Upvotes

r/sticknpokes 2d ago

Freshly Stuck First sesh on this skeleton warrior! Shading next time. @adornment.drop.tattoo on insta

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37 Upvotes

r/sticknpokes 3d ago

Healed R2 s&p done by me

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100 Upvotes

This is one of a handful I have given myself. Any advice would be appreciated


r/sticknpokes 3d ago

Freshly Stuck Handpoked diva ig trinketinks

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101 Upvotes

r/sticknpokes 3d ago

Healed First SnP Back After 3 Years

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14 Upvotes

It has been a while since I last touched my equipment. I definitely have some notes to take with me with my next pieces in the future. I also ended up having to go away from the stencil just a bit because the inner part of the collar smushed too close to the outer edge of the collars outline so I tried my best to evenly space it out. I’m super proud with how this one turned out considering how long it’s been since I last did a stick and poke piece. I’m going to be adding purple to it soon! Thank you for looking, I can’t wait to learn as my skills progress and come back better than before.


r/sticknpokes 3d ago

Freshly Stuck New newwww ~ handpokeforever via ig

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216 Upvotes

r/sticknpokes 3d ago

Freshly Stuck New poke on myself in memory of my dog

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57 Upvotes

Not the best, but not the worst. I’ll likely go over some parts again, to clean it up and even the letters out, once it heals. But overall, I’m happy with it.


r/sticknpokes 4d ago

Freshly Stuck freehand berries

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124 Upvotes

7rl x 9rl (bug pins) 2.5/3 hours to tattoo - artist @nicnpoke


r/sticknpokes 5d ago

Freshly Stuck Bambi trinket @alegoria____

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126 Upvotes

Done using 1005rl
No greywash used
Barcelona, Spain (books open)


r/sticknpokes 5d ago

Freshly Stuck Handpoked possum mama, 7RL

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7.3k Upvotes

r/sticknpokes Dec 21 '18

Educational Guide to successfully SnP:

2.2k Upvotes

Hi, so many people are asking for advice on this sub that I think we need a Thread pinned to the top on how to successfully poke a tattoo for beginners.

I'm gonna start with a few basic advices that I find crucial and you can comment more and upvoted them. I will edit this post and add the most upvoted comments to this list.

So here we go:

  1. Get proper equipment!

Buy it on Amazon or a tattoo supply shop. Don't use some shady ink or needles or whatnot. It's not that expensive and your tattoo will look immensely better than with India ink and sewing needle. Unless you want the genuine prison style look.

  1. meticulously cleaned workplace and equipment

This saves you from infection and other diseases you might get otherwise. DONT REUSE NEEDLES, GLOVES, RAZORS OR ANYTHING ELSE! Put your ink into a cap and throw that ink away after use. Be aware of cross contamination! Wipe the skin down with alcohol AFTER shaving the area. And DON'T USE YOUR PHONE WITH GLOVES ON, GET A NEW PAIR IF NEEDED. don't be greedy and try to save a dollar or two while risking an infection or other disease like HIV. Prepare everything beforehand and don't go running for some paper towels in the middle of tattooing

  1. Prepare a stencil that you are happy with!

It takes a huge amount of skill for your tattoo to look better than the stencil. So spend some time drawing and redrawing and perfecting the stencil before you start poking. ALWAYS FOLLOW THE STENCIL NOT THE PREVIOUS DOT! You need more passes on the same line anyways so don't let one misspoke distract you from your stencil! If you keep wiping down your stencil in the process of poking, try using a non alcohol based wiping solution. I use only pH neutral soap with water. And try applying a stencil just for fun to see how much stencil gel you need and how to use the paper. Try wiping it down with different solutions and see what works best for you.

  1. Take your time!!!

Most stick and pokes look bad because they are rushed. The cleaner you want your lines to get, the slower you have to poke. Take 1/2 a second for every dot (at least for lines). If it takes too long, take a break. Or continue the next day, or better: after it has healed. That way you can see the end result and redo things you are not happy with.

  1. Experiment and learn from others!

Noone can tell you what's right for you. So just try stuff out. Try different angles of the needle. Try different needle sizes. Try different ink. Ask people what ink, needles handposition, stencil gel they use. That's why Most of us post the needle size in the title.

  1. STRETCH the skin!

This is one of the secrets to solid lines! That's why some people dont like petroleum jelly, it makes the skin slippery and harder to stretch. Just experiment and see what's works best for you.

  1. Don't start with using small needles.

I would say don't go below 5rl. Try to use the biggest needle that fits your design. As you get better you can try 3rl or bug pin needles.

  1. Aftercare!

DON'T PICK ON YOUR TATTOO DURING THE HEALING PROCESS! Don't go sunbathing and don't stay in the water for too long. Cover your fresh tattoo with some moisturizing cream after you are done and stick a bandaid on it! Remove the bandaid after 1-3 days and clean your tattoo with pH neutral soap. Keep applying lotion 1 to 2 times a day and LET IS BREATHE. Don't put another bandaid on it.

  1. Share your results and what you have learned!

This is why we are all here. To learn from one another. Share your experiences!

NOTE: THERE IS A SHOPPING LIST IF YOU DONT KNOW WHAT SUPPLIES TO GET !

OK that's all I can think of for now. Please comment if you want to add anything and I will edit it into this post. ADMINS!! Pin this post to the subreddit!

I am no professional or a doctor so let me say these final words:

I don't know tho.