There are a lot of decisions to make when choosing a tattoo—artist, design, size, location, etc. But one of the most important ones will be determining whether your tattoo should be in gray, color, or black ink. And while we love spontaneity as much as the next person, giving a bit of forethought to your ink color will make the whole process smoother. Not sure where to start? We talked to professional tattoo artists Dillon Forte and Nick the Tailor to get all the info on what to consider. Read on to learn more about your color options and which is best for you.
Meet the Expert
Dillon Forte is a tattoo artist that counts folks like Kehlani, Usher, and Chris Hemsworth among his clients. He specializes in black and white geometric pattern work at Sri Yantra Tattoo in Oakland, California.
If you want a tattoo as bright as your personality, then color is the way to go. Several tattoo styles naturally embody colorwork: Old School Traditional, New School, Watercolor, Japanese, and Illustrative are all styles that lend themselves well to color. Some tattoo artists specialize in colorwork, or a particular style of tattoo, which is why checking out portfolios is so important.
"When choosing an artist, one should look at their portfolios and pick someone who they are most in alignment with, and let them do their job and trust the process," says Forte. Be sure to check out photos with healed tattoos instead of fresh work; a healed tattoo will look different without the swelling, irritation, and possible bleeding from a brand-new piece.
Set on color for your new ink? Also consider the size of your piece. "Colorwork has brightness and hue as well as value to consider," says Nick, "so you have more options, but at a small scale, many of the colors will visually blend and become muddy." Your artist may suggest changing your piece's size to maintain color integrity or simplifying the color palette to avoid a dirty-looking result.
Do you have questions, doubts, or concerns about the tattoo process, or have you changed your mind on some aspects of your piece? Don't be afraid to speak up! "If there’s something about the design or placement that you would like to change, please say something," says Nick. "Tattoo shops can be an intimidating place—but it’s best for everyone if you express your feelings."
The Benefits of Black and Gray Tattoos
Looking for a bold, stark contrast, or intricate patterns? Black and gray tattoos might just be what you're looking for. Realism, Tribal, and Blackwork are all styles of tattoo that are well suited to this simple but never boring palette. But wait—there are variations of monochromatic tattoos. "There are three types of black and gray tattoos," says Nick. "First is blackwork, which is only black ink and skin tone, with no gradation. The second is black and gray, which uses black ink mixed with water to create lighter and darker tones. Lastly is ‘opaque gray’ tattoos, which use black ink mixed with white ink to create the color gray." Peruse examples of these three categories to determine which will be the best fit for you.
Trends like teeny finger tattoos, small scripts, and delicate designs can all be executed beautifully in black and gray. "Tighter, more detailed [designs] tends to work better in black and gray," says Nick. "With black and gray, the most important consideration is value. Light vs. dark tones. This lends itself to readability, even on a small scale."
The Appointment and Aftercare
The length of your appointments and how many you will need to complete your design vary widely from artist to artist and client to client. "A general rule of thumb is scale and intricacy increase time," says Forte. "So if [the tattoo is] large and intricate, it will take a lot of time." Communication with your artist during the process is key to ensuring you both stay comfortable and get the best result.
Byrdie Tip
Eat a healthy breakfast before you head out to get inked. "Do not come to the appointment hungry, as this can cause a drop in blood sugar," warns Nick. You might consider bringing some snacks with you if you've got a long session planned.
Tattoo aftercare—regardless of if you choose a full rainbow palette or more film noir—is crucial. Washing your ink frequently with gentle soap keeps it clean during the healing process. Keeping the skin moisturized will help take the edge off the extreme itching as your tattoo heals. And lastly, slathering on a hearty SPF whenever you're headed outside will keep your design as crisp and bright as it was on day one.
The Final Takeaway
If you do your research, communicate with your artist, and commit to proper care, your personal piece of artwork will stay bold and vibrant for years to come.
Black and grey tattoos are also less likely to fade than color tattoos, so you won't need to worry about touch-ups as often. The downside of black and grey tattoos is that they can be harder to heal than color tattoos, so if you have sensitive skin, this might not be the best option for you.
They Require More Maintenance: Black and grey tattoos require more maintenance than color tattoos because the ink fades faster. You'll need to touch up your tattoo more often to keep it looking fresh. 3. They Can Be Boring: Some people find black and grey tattoos to be boring because they lack color.
The longevity of great black and grey tattoo work is generally agreed to be superior to the colorwork of a color tattoo because the best black and grey tattoos can last a lifetime, and most go 15 years without any sign of fading.
Typically, colored tattoo ink fades more quicker than black and gray ink. Red ink tends to keep its color more than other ink colors, but as a whole, colored ink doesn't always hold its vibrancy. It's more common for ink allergies to appear in colored ink as well.
Red ink is still the most likely color to cause skin problems. Why? Red tattoo inks are the most likely to cause health complications, including rashes and pseudolymphomas, both symptoms of an allergic reaction.
Black and grey inks tend to be more stable and less likely to fade than colored inks. However, factors such as the quality of the ink, the skill of the tattoo artist, and the individual's skin type and healing process can also affect how well a tattoo holds up over time.
Bolder, deeper and darker linework looks better with age. Tattoos done in black or grey ink tend to hold up over time and are the least likely to fade when regularly protected and treated with care.
But in the ancient Middle East, the writers of the Hebrew Bible forbade tattooing. Per Leviticus 19:28, “You shall not make gashes in your flesh for the dead, or incise any marks on yourselves.” Historically, scholars have often understood this as a warning against pagan practices of mourning.
Overall, black and gray tattoos are faster, cheaper, and classier than colored tattoos. They last much longer without any significant fading than colored tattoos.
Black ink tends to outlast any other color because it is super pigmented. Other darker colors like dark blue, dark green, gray, and dark purple will have a similar lifespan to black ink. Lighter inks like yellows, reds, oranges, whites, and any pastel tones tend to fade a bit more quickly than darker inks.
The longest-lasting tattoo ink color is black. Not only will this saturated tone stand out, but black ink molecules are also larger than colored ones. As a result, there is less chance that the ink will break down over time.
They will look more vibrant for a longer amount of time. This is especially true if the color tattoo is light or watercolor. White ink will fade the fastest. While black & grey might look less faded over time, again all tattoos will most likely fade at least a little at some point.
Red: Red pigment often causes the most skin reactions and is considered the most dangerous because it contains cadmium, mercury or iron oxide. Choose a red ink with naphthol instead.
However, as the skin ages, color ink may completely degrade in areas of fine detailing. Tattoo styles frequently suffer detail loss, are color script, intricate patterning, and watercolor. Blurring – Skin stretches, creases, and wrinkles over time. This natural factor of aging can cause ink migration.
The color of your ink will make your tattoo age a whole lot better. Darker colors, especially black, fade much less than brighter colors, especially red.
If you're looking for a tattoo that has a classic look, black and grey is the way to go. Black and grey tattoos are also less likely to fade than color tattoos, so you won't need to worry about touch-ups as often.
Black and gray: Black and gray inks are the boldest and most dense; thus, they are the most fade-resistant colors. These are suitable for any skin tone, especially with tan or black skin. With proper aftercare, black and gray colors last for up to 10 years or longer before requiring a retouch.
Generally, we see that black ink is the most resistant to fading. It's important to note, though, that there are many factors that affect tattoo fading. The location of the tattoo is a big factor because those exposed to the sun and elements are more likely to fade more quickly.
Additionally, black and grey tattoos are often more versatile than color tattoos. Because they don't rely on specific colors to make an impact, they can be incorporated into a wide range of designs and styles.
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