Fine Line

Fine line work builds a delicate image out of thin strokes laid with fine needles — from minimal designs to florals and lettering, sitting naturally along the curve of the body. With black and grey, it is what Studio Goun works in most.

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• Thin lines : the defining feature is stroke weight. Thinner reads as more delicate, and also leaves more room to soften over the years.

• Small and simple : it suits minimal designs, lettering and plants — the rose on the back of the hand, fine line lettering, the small bird.

• Understated : thin strokes are hard to read from a distance, which is why it is often chosen as a first tattoo by people who would rather it were not obvious.

• Placement : wrists, collarbones and the inner arm — thin, flat skin — are the safe choices. Fingers spread often enough that we tend to advise against them.

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Why fine line keeps getting chosen

• Longevity : fine lines can fade and soften with time. If a studio tells you their fine line work never spreads, be careful.

• So the stroke weight is chosen to survive, and the work is planned on the understanding that a touch-up may be wanted later.

• Judge by healed photographs rather than fresh ones. Worked in a private studio in Hongdae, strictly by appointment.