What is better – a color or monochrome tattoo? There is no clear answer to this question. In the first case, color comes to the fore, allowing you to enjoy a riot of colors or subtle transitions of shades. In black and white, color ceases to be a distracting factor, and the emphasis shifts to the idea of the sketch.
The history of color tattoos. Colored tattoos are not a new phenomenon. They owe their popularity to Japan, where already in the 18th century tattoo artists had a fairly rich palette natural dyes. Traditional tattoos in the form of dragons, tigers, carps, cherry blossoms decorated the arms, legs and backs of the inhabitants of the Land of the Rising Sun. And for members of the Yakuza mafia, the tattoo became a distinctive sign - it was literally applied from head to toe. In the 19th century, oriental tattoos became widespread in Europe.
Today, modern permanent dyes are used for tattoos, and the use of color is implied in such styles as old school, new school, watercolor, realism, trash polka, etc.
How to choose a place for a color tattoo? A color tattoo looks beautiful when it has small details and hence is done over a large area. So on the leg, stomach, back, shoulder, you can create real masterpieces! Drawings that have a smooth transition to another part of the body look impressive. For example, a tattoo on the leg can be continued on the back, side or stomach.
Colored tattoo attracts attention increased attention. Thus, patterns on the leg (thigh, ankle, foot) are popular among girls, designed to emphasize the attractiveness of their owner. Men also get tattoos on their legs (usually in the calf area), thereby emphasizing the relief of the muscles. Two tattoos on the legs look interesting, together forming a complete picture.
Using the same example of a tattoo on the leg, we will analyze another practical point - the ability to hide the pattern from prying eyes and from the negative effects of ultraviolet radiation. This way, the pattern on the leg can be easily hidden under trousers during the working day and protected from sunlight that destroys the color pigment. In addition to a tattoo on the leg, tattoos on the back, side, stomach and shoulder meet all the above requirements.
Pros and cons of color tattoos.
The use of color in a tattoo opens up a lot of possibilities for the artist: using a combination of shades and artistic techniques he can create very bright, stylish, “live” works. But color tattoos have disadvantages: - higher cost; - higher level of complexity; - inability to remove some shades (beige, white) using a laser. The same as It is advisable to update a monochrome, color tattoo as necessary (approximately every 5 years) to restore the brightness and fresh look of the design.
Colors, shades, shadows - this is what makes the image “alive”, realistic. Thus, the appearance of the first color photograph in 1861 was a real breakthrough, because before that all photographs were black and white. When it comes to tattoos, color is of enormous importance here too. It is colored tattoos for girls that attract maximum attention. Especially the average and great work, with high-quality contours and equally high-quality color filling. Of course, doing detailed and voluminous work in shades of gray is a high art, but the most original tattoos for girls still remain colored.
Original tattoos for girls
It is known that the tattoos of the Mayan, Maori, and Aztec Indians were not colored. These were complex, unique patterns, mostly black. In modern interpretations there may be different colors, but originally they were not there. An exception is Inca tattoos, which traditionally feature red.
The situation changed dramatically as soon as tattoos became famous in Europe. Traditional was born, and color became an integral component of this style. What do we have today? Tattooing has evolved into a separate layer of culture and is winning more and more fans. Moreover, women have been especially successful in popularizing small tattoos. Small tattoos for girls on the foot (foot), wrist, neck, and stomach are quite common. Miniatures are often executed in color, but the palette remains modest for obvious reasons.
White and black tattoos for girls
So - black tattoos for girls: bracelets, inscriptions, patterns, wings, flowers... They look laconic and at the same time sophisticated. Just remember the well-known “girl with the dragon tattoo” - she wore exclusively black tattoos, which incredibly suited her image.
Another famous owner of black tattoos is Angelina Jolie. Moreover, the choice of sketches is very peculiar - geographical coordinates of the birthplaces of the actress’s relatives and adopted children, a quote from a song, an ancient Cambodian amulet, a tiger made in Bangkok, a cross and an inscription in Latin. Please note - not a single color tattoo.
We can't help but mention Kat Von Di ( Kat Von D) is an American style icon for the tattooed community, a striking brunette with numerous and mostly black tattoos. Little black stars even decorate Kat's face.
White tattoos for girls are another extravagant way to decorate your body. However, they will not stand out too much on the skin. White“readable” in contrast - in combination with a black outline and dark colors. By itself, it is barely noticeable, especially after the tattoo has healed. The place of application does not play a decisive role here - both on the foot and on the forearm, a white tattoo for girls will behave the same.
Want to customize your design and colors to match your style? Experienced craftsmen and artists of the Pro Tattoo studio will readily come to the rescue - they will develop and bring to life original idea for tattoo.
Choosing a color for a tattoo is a very important and important point, since the wrong combination of colors or colors inappropriate for a tattoo can turn a potential work of art into a real nightmare, which will later be very difficult to adjust or correct. Colored tattoos, photos of which can be seen on the Internet and which we admire, are the painstaking work of a tattoo artist, he must think through every little detail, plot or image. Below we will talk about which tattoos are best done in color, and which ones should be left black, only slightly shading them with white ink.
What size is better to choose a tattoo in color
The most advantageous option for a tattoo in color is, of course, large works. However, small small tattoos can also look very cute and appropriate. For example, a small image of a flower on back side hands made in color, or a butterfly shimmering with all the colors of the rainbow, can become great idea For small tattoo. However, try to avoid colors that fade quickly, such as orange, beige, yellow or pink.
I thought for a long time whether I should get a large and colored tattoo: it seemed to me that doing such work would be much more difficult and longer than a simple black and white one. I was right, it took a lot of time to work, but the result was definitely worth it! I gave myself a biomechanical tattoo, and now I can hardly imagine what it would look like in black and white. I am very grateful to my master that he managed to persuade me to the color version. If you decide to get a tattoo, be sure to ask the opinion of the person who will do it for you, and listen to him! Often masters advise us useful things and dissuade us from mistakes. And my tattoo turned out stunning!
Valentina, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky
Colored portrait tattoo on shoulder
Tattoos in color for men
A colored tattoo, the meaning of which is attached to the strong half of humanity, can be either simple or very complex. Large color works are very costly both in time and money, however, the result is completely worth it. Colored tattoos look best in style
I have a lot of color tattoos and only one black and white, the very first and smallest: and that’s because it’s an inscription. If I were forced to choose, I would definitely vote in favor of colored tattoos, they look much more advantageous than black and white ones. For example, I am a big fan of the old school theme; I have 12 tattoos on my body, 11 of which are made in this style. I can't imagine how it would be possible to get by in this case no color! Swallows, roses, images of mermaids and inscriptions on ribbons, everything should be bright, but consistent in a single color scheme, without flashy colors. Then this will be a really cool tattoo!
Alexey, Moscow
Colored memory tattoo - portrait of a child
Which tattoos are best left in black and white?
There are also images that are best left in black and white, only slightly shaded with white or gray, sometimes sepia. For example, tattoos of inscriptions are rarely made in color; they look better in a classic, black and white solution. Or tattoos in the black work style - there is no place for any color, not even white or black. The dot work technique also prefers only conservative shades of white or, at most, gray: in this technique, drawings are made with small dots, from which a beautiful ornament or figure is formed, and due to the absence of clear lines, the drawing seems a little blurry.
Yellow rose - color of tattoos
Advice: if you are in doubt about whether to get a tattoo in color or not, consult with the artist. At the beginning of applying any tattoo to the body, an outline is made, after which in most cases it becomes clear whether it should be painted over with different colors, or left black and white and simply complemented and shaded.
Skull and red flower - sleeve tattoo
I don’t know why, but I always wanted a color inscription: black and white seemed boring and lifeless to me, while I imagined that a bright one would look much better. But I was wrong: in my head everything looked definitely different than what they actually did for me: the color tattoo looked unfinished, blurry, and after some time I still made myself a cover up and painted over my inscription with black. Now it looks better and complete. So sometimes black and white tattoos really win over colored ones! Classics should remain classics, and black and white lettering is a prime example of this)))
Angelika, Birobidzhan
Video: the process of applying a color tattoo to the body
Colored tattoos appeared in Europe at the end of the 19th century, and came from Japan. At this time, European fashion attacked everything eastern. The main characters of Japanese tattoos gained popularity then, and remain so to this day. These are dragons, tigers, flowers and fish. Tattoos of different colors were applied to the arms, neck, legs, and sometimes to the entire body, which looks quite beautiful, albeit extravagant. Mainly prefers colored tattoos fair half. Color tattoos, just like black and white ones, begin with a sketch. But for a color tattoo, unlike black and white, there are a number of subtleties and features that must be taken into account by the artist.
We are talking about the relationship between the size of the area and the tattoo where it will be applied. Namely, whether the size of the picture matches the selected color scheme. If the hand is chosen for application, then at arm’s length the image should be clearly visible. Colored tattoos also have their own characteristics when choosing a color. The outline of such tattoos is usually done with black or gray paint, and the design itself is done with yellow, blue, light red or orange paint.
Saturated and dark colors are rarely used and in small quantities, since such colors are associated with blood and it does not look aesthetically pleasing. Colored tattoos are applied exclusively with inks that have passed strict control. Pigment Purity high degree, combined with its oxygen treatment, leads to rapid healing in the treatment area. For a colored tattoo, ink is used, consisting of a thinner and pigment. The pigment is evenly distributed in the skin by the diluent. Distilled water, ethyl alcohol, Listerine, and propylene lycol are most often used as a diluent. Allergic reactions are generally extremely rare for colored tattoos.
Colored tattoos are applied to the body with needles. When applying the contour, special needles are used. They are called ones. These are three needles placed tightly together. They apply a very thin and clear outline. To paint the background, a bunch of seven to eight needles, called background needles, is used. Black paint is used for the outline. But in the case when the artist’s plan requires a different color scheme, the black paint is diluted with white to achieve the effect of transparency and a grayish color. Sometimes the outline is also applied with colored paints.
Colored tattoos have only one disadvantage compared to black and white ones. The problem is that such a tattoo will fade over time. As a rule, this occurs five to six years after application. A faded tattoo needs to be updated by coloring it again or adding new elements to the old design. But the time it takes for a tattoo to fade depends on your skin type and can vary. In some cases, the tattoo lasts well for ten years. But you can not update the tattoo, but leave it as it is.
Today, colored tattoos are very popular. Actors, singers, athletes and other celebrities apply them to their bodies. If a tattoo is done correctly, then it emphasizes the advantages of the part of the body in which it was made, and sometimes improves it. But we must remember that you should choose the design very carefully, since later you can regretfully understand that the meaning of the tattoo is very different from what was originally intended. And you need to think carefully about applying the tattoo itself, since removing it later will be expensive and very painful.
Color is an important part of a tattoo. After all, it is by color that we can learn a little about a person. What color he chooses and how he perceives it is shaped by early childhood. Different nations perceive colors in their own way, everyone has their own parallels. For example, we perceive them like this: pink – love, green – nature, blue – sadness, yellow – joy, red – anger, etc.
People don’t get tattoos for fun – they try to tell a little about themselves, to reveal a piece of their soul. Of course, if a person gets a tattoo of the wrong color, this will not become a problem, because everything depends not only on color preferences, but also on the type of tattoo itself. Of course, this article will help you with choosing a color, but still you should not take what is said very seriously. It all depends on your desire: the tattoo can be black and white or color, or it can consist only of outlines. Therefore, take everything easier.
