Hands down black and grey tattoos have their charm and we can’t deny it. The details and elegance that a black and grey tattoo depicts are unparalleled. But sometimes we want to experiment on our canvas, our body.
And that means adding colors to black and grey tattoos. The transition from black and grey to colors opens new horizons of creativity. So today, we will talk about adding colors to black and grey tattoos. Let’s see!
| Publisher | Alex Martin |
|---|---|
| Focus | Mixing Black and Grey with Color Tattoos |
| Category | Tattoo styles & inspirations |
| Article Type | Informative Guides, Tips & Advice |
| Update Frequency | Monthly to reflect new insights and trends |
Can You Add Colors to black and grey tattoos?
Yes, you can certainly add colors. I saw many tattoos with black-grey hues and color inks. While some tattoos seem out of the world and amazing others are just rubbish.
Whenever you get a black grey and color combo you make sure the result will be good. In reality, if done right the colors can add more details and vibrancy to your black-grey tattoo design. And that looks stunning.
When you make strokes with black-grey and shade it with color it pours life into your tattoo. But again you need a super skilled tattoo artist to create magnificent pieces.
Mixing Black and Grey With Color Tattoos–How to do it?
Complementing a black tattoo with color is not an easy job. If you randomly pick a color you will end with a muddy tattoo. And you can put all the effort and time invested to waste. So make sure you consult a skilled tattoo artist who knows his job.
So to mix color with the B&W tattoo you should first make a base with black and grey color. It will outline the design better for you. And with color, you can do the shading and designing, etc.
however, one thing is important and that is the homogeneity of the design. Your tattoo should not look like a mess. The whole design should blend well with colors and patterns. You can discuss them with your tattoo artist and they will walk you through the whole design.
Below I’m mentioning some of the ways to mix colors to black and grey tattoos.
One Tattoo With Different Color Blending
This one is more feasible to add colors to B&W tattoos. Here you make a black and white tattoo as a base or main element and you can choose a different color to complement it.
Color Detailing
You can make the main element of the tattoo black and grey and choose a small colored element to complement it. For instance, you can make a snake and add a few colored stars around it.
Color Stroke
Here you can get a big black and grey tattoo and add a large color stroke on it.
Two Different Blended Tattoos
Another option is to get two tattoos,(one color and one black and white) and blend them. The idea is to get a colored background or something like that to blend the two. But make sure your tattoo doesn’t lose its homogeneity.
Pro Tips for Mixing Color with Black and Grey Tattoo
To get the best results from your combo tattoo you should do the following:
• The color transition must be smooth. In other words, you must use a light touch when adding colors to black and grey
• The ink brands matter a lot of the colored tattoos. And you must know which brand is best. Usually, it’s something that your tattoo artist has to look after but you should also know good and bad. Moreover, you should try different ink brands for mixing color and black-and-white tattoos
• Make sure your tattoo artist knows his job. A tattoo artist with immense experience in black and white ink works will be best in this regard.
• Once you get the ink work done make sure you know how to take care of it. Clean and moisturize your tattoo regularly and look out for infections
What to Know Before Mixing Black and Grey With Color Tattoos?
Since you will be playing with color when adding color to black and grey tattoos there are some points that you must consider:
Know your Colors:
Black and grey tattoos depict a classy look. And when you add color to them it changes the whole meaning of your tattoo. So be mindful of what colors you choose to depict the desired meaning of your tattoo. Before adding colors talk to your tattoo artist about your ideas.
Make sure your tattoo artist understands your tattoo expectations:
Whenever we get a tattoo we have a certain vision to portray. You have to find a balance between colors and black-and-white tattoos.
And for that, you and your tattoo artist need to be in the same boat. Make sure you thoroughly walk through your tattoo artist regarding your tattoo. If you think your tattoo artist can’t get you to find another one. But please don’t settle on anything less for a colored plus B&W tattoo for the least.
Color Fading Problem:
Black and grey tattoos are always in fashion and will remain one of the famous styles. But here is a catch. They fade a lot faster than other tattoo styles.
You don’t want to end up with a faded tattoo and to keep your tattoo fresh and vibrant you will need more tattoo studio visits. And things will look even more messy when you add colors to black and grey tattoos.
Since the colored tattoos don’t lose their charm soon unlike black and grey if you don’t do touchups it will be odd looking. And yes, you will need more sunscreen for such tattoos as well. Why? Because sunlight is a threat to your tattoo and exposing it to direct sunlight will ruin the entire look. So be ready to spend on self-care products.
Below, I’m mentioning some of the colors that blend in well with the black and grey tattoos:
Subtle shades:
Colors like red, blue, and purple complement the black tattoo and can better complement the tattoo. You can add detail and dimension to your tattoo with blue and red shades.
Warm tones:
Shades like yellow, orange, or gold bring all the craziness to your tattoo. Since these warm tones can better show the energy and cheerness of any tattoo the black and grey tattoos will get that too. For instance, if you have a sunflower tattoo, the yellow and gold will bring life to it.
Contrasting colors:
Colors like green or pink can also go well with black and white tattoos. Since green is a natural color you can add harmony to your tattoo design with it. Moreover, the pink color can also uplift the tattoo design with its vibrant nature.
Neutral colors:
Finally, the neutral color will be my last consideration for colored tattoos. Why? Because shades like white and silver will already be a part of my black and grey tattoo. Still, to add depth to tattoos, they work wonders.
Here is a video showing black and white tattoos vs. colors:
Why Should I not Mix Black and grey with color tattoos?
Although adding color to black and grey tattoos is an enticing idea it comes with s few downsides:
- The black and grey colors last a long time, and they don’t lose their vibrancy much. But for the colors, they will need to be touched up more often. And their color fades and changes over time.
- If your tattoo artist does not know his job, you will end up with a mess. Proper blending of colors is important for mixing black and grey elements.
- If you add extra color, it might destroy the whole idea of your tattoos. You will need a meticulous head towards the design to know it will look good.
- To maintain the vibrancy of your tattoo, you will need more touchups.
Conclusion
When adding colors to black and grey tattoos you should know that they need proper detailing. If you choose a random color, you will end up with a mess. Apart from that you should choose an artist that specializes in black and grey tattoos.
