Many different inks exist for shading tattoos.
Tattoos have been a global art form for thousands of years. Once considered taboo in the West, tattoos have since grown in popularity and have begun to lose the stigma attached to them. Tattoo artists have elevated the art form by using detailed shading in their designs, taking a tattoo from flat to dynamic. A number of different tattoo inks are specifically made for shading, which helps make a tattoo come to life.
Gray Wash Inks
Tribal tattoos demonstrate what a quality black ink can produce.
Gray wash inks are some of the most commonly used inks for shading tattoos. These inks range from dark black to very light gray and can be water-based. A quality black or gray shade ink will leave a silky, clear line, allowing for rich shadows to be tattooed easily onto the skin. Gray wash inks are well-suited for tattoo portraits, tribal designs, lettering, animals and landscapes.
Color Inks
Adding colored shading can bring a tattoo to life.
Colored inks are also used for tattoo shading. Nearly every color imaginable is available to be used for shading. Shading in color is often used in conjunction with gray wash inks to help a tattoo pop. There are also colored washes available for ink shading. Blue-green washes are made of a gray wash mixed with blue and green shades. This wash is often used to accomplish the look of metal and life-like portraits. Blood wash is a gray wash mixed with a red color, resulting in a burgundy color that can range in darkness. For all colored inks and washes, the color must be added in a certain order to prevent bleeding: dark purples, blues, greens, light purples, browns, reds, oranges, yellows and then cremes and whites.
Ultraviolet Inks
Ultraviolet tattoos glow under a black light, but appear normal in regular light.
A new kind of ink that literally brightens the artwork is being used for shading. Ultraviolet inks have become popular for their unique effects, and they come in many colors. The ink appears as normal in in regular light, but it glows under a black or ultraviolet light. Ultraviolet inks aren't typically used for full shadings but, instead, are used to highlight and outline bigger tattoos or to shade portions of a tattoo.
Unaccessable Inks
Because of toxic properties, metallic and glitter tattoo inks are not available.
Unfortunately, there are some kinds of inks that cannot be used for shading because they're too dangerous or not practical. Metallic and glittery inks, for example, are extremely rare because of their potentially toxic properties. Typically, a tattoo requiring a metallic or sparkling look can be achieved through gray wash or color shading inks. Also, while ultraviolet inks do exist, there are no glow-in-the-dark or phosphorescent inks.
