Insert the appropriate needles into the end of your tattoo gun and dip the tips of the needles into the colored ink.
Hold the gun at a slight angle and apply pressure to start the machine.
Brush the needles across the skin to achieve a shading effect, applying more pressure to the areas you want darker and less to the areas you want lighter. For a bold monotone throughout the entire design, apply the same amount of pressure with each stroke and work the needles into tight concentric circles across. For hatch marks, apply an equal amount of pressure throughout but work the needles in tight, jagged intersecting lines instead of circles.
Tattoo in short bursts and wipe away any blood and excess ink in between each burst with a clean paper towel that has been doused in an alcohol solution.
Continue tattooing, changing colors and needles when necessary until the entire design is complete.