In order to aim for the dermis, the needle should be sticking out of the end of the tip between 1 and 2 mm – we call this the tattoo needle depth. At the start of your tattoo career, it’s best to have the needle out at precisely this length and measure with a ruler, as this prevents you from accidentally going too deep and hitting the hypodermis. Over time, you’ll be able to judge the distance by eye.
There’s no real difference between needle depth for lining and shading!