Tattooing is an amazing, creative, and enjoyable profession. But if your studio does not have proper lighting or is inadequately lit, it can lead to some issues. You may get face eye-straining, headaches, etc. And as a result of inadequate light, you won’t be able to provide your client with the finest art. This may ultimately lead to the downfall of your tattoo career. That is why choosing proper lighting for tattooing is so crucial. A popular type of light you have probably seen or heard of is ring lights. So can you use these trendy ring lights for tattooing?
Ring lights are not something new, they just popped into the trend in recent years. These lights are getting more and more popular among YouTubers, photographers, beauticians, and Tiktokers. Ring lights are not only bright but it also reduces the appearance of shadows which makes them perfect for professional use. That said, are ring lights good for tattooing? I will elaborate on the matter below.
Key Takeaways
- Ring lights can be a great choice for tattooing.
- Ring light was created by Lester A. Dine in the year of 1952.
- A tattoo artist can benefit from ring lights as they produce bright soft light, consumes less power, reduces shadow, etc.
- Factors you should consider before getting a ring light is its power source, temperature adjustability, connectivity technology, etc.
Ring Lights for Tattooing
Yes, the ring lights are good for tattooing. You will see many professional tattoo artist uses ring lights because of the benefits it provides. Ring lights fall into some of the best lightings for tattooing.
New tattoo artist pays a lot of attention to getting the best tattoo ink, tattoo gun, etc. Because they know good tools can make an artist become better and bad tools can do the opposite. One crucial part they forget is lighting. Only professional artists or artists who have been working for a decent amount of time know how crucial lighting is for tattooing. You cannot just go for any random lighting for tattooing. The lighting for tattooing should have some quality such as:
- Bright light
- Reduces shadow
- Creates less heat
- For long use
- Easy on the eye
And quality ring lights fulfill pretty much all the requirements I have mentioned above. So obviously ring lights are a good choice for tattooing. On top of that ring lights are very economical. As they are budget-friendly, have a long life, and consume less energy.
Ring Light: Origin and More
Thanks to video content creators this ring light came into trend and now many professionals use it. But that does not make it a relatively new type of light. It has been around for quite a while now. Lester A. Dine developed the ring light in 1952. It was made to take detailed photographs of dental patent teeth. At first, the light contained fluorescent bulbs but because of its lack of power later LED became of popular replacement for it in ring lights. After including LED in ring lights people started to use it for other purposes because of the prolonged life and detailed focused light it provides.
Ring lights are a source of light that has a shape of a ring. This light source may contain a lot of connected LED light to create that ring shape or just one circular fluorescent bulb. Because of its round shape, it can provide sunlight-like light for photoshoots, filming, tattooing, etc. It can give focused light for detailed vision and also reduces the appearance of shadows.
While tattooing or other things you can fit a camera in the middle of the ring light to record your work. You will see many video content creators using this light to create videos.
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12 Benefits of Using Ring Lights for Tattooing
There are many benefits of using ring lights for tattooing. Here am giving the list of the top 12 benefits a tattoo artist can get from using ring lights for tattooing.
- Soft illumination
A light source that gives hard light is not suitable for tattooing as it creates shadows that hinder the vision of the tattoo artist. Light falling from the ring is soft so it is perfect for tattooing. - Easy on the eyes
Fluorescent light or incandescent light can cause eye strain and headaches. Modern ring lights use LED as a light source which is easy on the eyes. You can do longer tattoo sessions with ring lights without facing any eye strain or headache issues. - Reduces internal shadows
Any shadow on the surface can hinder the vision of the tattoo artist. Ring lights reduce internal shadow that helps tattoo artist to make quality art. - Evenly distributed light
The ring shape helps to distribute light evenly so the tattoo artist will get even light on the area he is working on. - Longer life
Modern ring light uses an LED light source which has a longer life span. So one purchase can last a long time. It can be greatly beneficial if you are just starting out as a tattoo artist and do not have a big budget. - Consumes less power
LED lights are known to consume less power compared to other light sources. So a LED ring light is an economical choice for tattoo artists.
- Budget friendly
Considering all the benefit ring light provides, the price of these lights are relatively low. So you can get ring light even if you have a small budget and just starting out your tattooing career. - High availability
Regardless of which part of the country you live in, you can get yourself a ring light very easily as they are easily available. - Easy to use
Does not matter if you are a professional tattoo artist or someone who is just started tattooing, you can use ring lights without any learning curve as they are easy to use. - Less heat
LED ring lights create less hit which is great for both the tattoo artist and the client. You can adjust the temperature to 5500k which is perfect for tattooing. - Amazing tattoo photos
Clients tend to ask for tattoo photos after getting a tattoo. With the help of ring lights a tattoo artist can provide amazing photos to the client. - Multipurpose
When you are done tattooing you can use the ring light for other purposes such as taking photographs, creating videos, etc.
7 Things to Consider Before Buying Ring Lights for Tattooing
Ring lights are great for tattooing but that does not mean any right light will get the job done. So you should consider the following aspect before getting a ring light.
- Brand
Brand matters. Even if it costs a few bucks more I always suggest going with a renowned brand when it comes to tattoo-related equipment. - Connectivity technology
In this modern day and age getting a ring light that has USB connectivity technology is a must. - Adjustable color temperature
For tattooing you will need to adjust the color temperature. So make sure the lighting has an adjustable temperature that ranges from 3200k to 5600k at least. The perfect temperature for tattooing is 5500k. - Adjustable Brightness
You will also need to adjust the brightness for tattooing. So the ring light should come with 1-100% brightness adjustability. - Durable & long lasting
You do not want to change the light every few weeks or months. So make sure you get a ring light that is durable and long-lasting. - Light source
Instead of a fluorescent light source, you should go with an LED light source for ring lights. LED has a longer life, brighter, and consumes less energy. - Multiple features
Multiple features make it more adjustable and save time for a tattoo artist. Features such as adjustable height, adjustable angle, etc.
FAQs
Can ring light reduce shadow for tattooing?
Yes, ring lights can reduce shadows for tattooing.
Are ring lights harmful to the eye?
No, ring lights are not harmful to the eye.
Is longer tattoo session possible using ring lights?
Longer tattoo sessions are easier with ring lights as it is easy on the eye.
Final Thoughts
Lighting is very crucial when it comes to tattooing. Bad lighting can cause headaches and eye strain. It can prevent tattoo artists from doing longer tattoo sessions. And it prevents artists from doing precise art. That is why good lighting such as ring light is crucial for tattooing. Ring lights are affordable, create less heat, consume less power, and provide bright soft light that is easy on the eye. You can easily adjust the ring light to your liking and make precise tattoos. Doing longer tattoo sessions is easy with ring lights and afterword, you can provide your client with amazing photos because ring lights are great for taking photos too.
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