HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
Let’s talk about alternative line work inks and pigments. Traditionally, Tattoos are lined and shaded with black ink. This is an ancient technique, a cornerstone of tattooing, and typically it is non-negotiable. In the last decade or so, tattooing has become more of an art rather than just a craft. There are many styles of tattooing that bend the rules of blackwork like color realism, watercolor, and even black and grey realism which can rely more heavily on grey washes (diluted solutions of black ink) than solid black.
Recently there has been a trend emerging of linework only tattoos executed in just pigment(usually red) or white. Sounds cool right? Experimental! But this Pinterest trend has it's drawbacks. Tattoos are made to last, and without black or grey lines a tattoo will not last. White is hardly visible upon application (this is especially true for melanated skin) if not accompanied by other inks and pigments. It then fades easily, yellows over time (especially with sun exposure), and migrates/blurs much faster than ink. Some of this is also true of red linework. Also, white or red tattoos once healed can appear to be scars, rashes, or unhealed wounds from a short distance and in photos.
So if you're looking to get an all red or white linework dragon on your back because it looked cool in a perfectly lit photo on the internet, just know that it will most definitely not look good from 5 feet away, or in 5 years. However I think there are intentions other than style at play. In some cases, the intention for white tattoos is to have something ephemeral, only semi-permanent or ultra-personal that may be only you know about and only you can see. Though I can empathize with the meaning there, and appreciate the metaphor, there is an alternative! Grey solutions that are 80% or less black ink can be just as subtle or delicate (especially when paired with a single line technique), fade and migrate slower over time, and stay sharp and mostly legible for years if properly cared for. Pre-made solutions typically come as light as 20%. If you do ultimately decide to work with an artist who will use grey wash instead of black ink, consider that the lighter greys will work better for lighter skin, while darker greys will work better for darker skin.
To illustrate these experimental techniques I TATTOOED MYSELF!
The main quote is in black. I hypothesize that this portion of the tattoo will migrate second fastest, fade the slowest, and remain legible the longest.
The first “It will” is in 40% grey wash. I hypothesize that this portion of the tattoo will migrate slower than the white, and solid black, but faster than the 20% grey. This portion of the tattoo, I suspect, will fade faster than the black, but much slower than the 20% grey.
The next "It will" is 20% grey wash. I hypothesize that this portion of the tattoo will migrate the slowest, remaining crispest over time with the fewest blurred edges. However, this portion will also fade the fastest of the black solutions.
The last line is in white. I hypothesize that this portion of the tattoo will migrate the fastest, fade the fastest, and remain legible for about two years maximum.
*Note that with proper care and sunscreen use, each tattoo should take at least a year to begin to show signs of fading or migration.
I did this so I’d always have an example for my clients of how differently black ink, grey wash, and white all appear in the skin. I made a tiny red heart to show how that ages as well.
HERE ARE THE FRESH TATTOOS
I will be updating this blog once this tattoo is fully healed, and again a few times in the future once its settled.
( i also want to acknowledge that this is not the cleanest text I’ve ever made. That is because I had to sit in a very painful position to do this tattoo on myself and therefore wasn’t able to hold my face close enough to see all that well. Tattooing yourself is fun, but it’s not always easy lol)
THANKS FOR READING! Please enjoy this bonus photo of my pirate costume from today.
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