Tattoo Glossary — O
Outline
The defining lines of a tattoo design, applied before shading and colour. Bold outlines are the structural foundation of Traditional and Japanese styles.
See also
Linework
The outlines and structural lines of a tattoo. Clean, consistent linework is foundational to most tattoo styles and a key marker of technical skill.
Liner (needle)
A needle configuration used for drawing lines. Round liner (RL) needles are tightly grouped in a circular formation. Single needle (1RL) creates the finest possible lines; 9RL creates bolder linework.
Freehand
Drawing a tattoo design directly onto the skin with a marker pen before tattooing, without a printed stencil. Allows compositions to be customised to the body's contours in real time.