The application of white ink introduces a stunning contrast, transforming a once-dominant black tattoo into a complex tonal interplay. Here, the black serves as a shadow, highlighting the ethereal quality of white ink and creating depth where there was none.
Can you tattoo white ink on a black tattoo? Yes, once the foundation of the black ink is tattooed and healed, white ink can be added. Tattoo artist David explains why white on black is a good idea.
Colour correcting your tattoos follows the same ground rules as concealing blemishes on the face. The trick is to cancel out the tints in your tattoos with complementary colours. Use a peach corrector for black/blue ink, a green corrector to cover up red, and yellow correctors for purple hues and vice versa.
Color Choice: Darker colors, such as deep blues, greens, or reds, can often cover black tattoos more effectively than lighter colors. However, lighter colors may be used if they are applied with sufficient opacity and layering.
It gives it contrasts, depth that a 3D image. Also white on dark skin makes the tattoo vibrant and visible. On the downside white majority of the time fades away because it is not as effective as black ink on the skin.
White ink can discolor, over the years we have seen white tattoos that have gone yellow, green and grey. The chemical composition of White ink is different to black ink, which means it spreads in the skin a lot more than black ink, which means delicate and detailed designs will spread and look blurry.
While it's nearly impossible to put in white ink on top of a black tattoo without it looking at least a little bit grey, you can still make the white lines bolder by: Using ink with a thicker pigment.
Typically, a white tattoo on dark skin may last anywhere from 1 to 5 years, but it can fade more quickly depending on how well it's cared for.
Hydrogen Peroxide and Exfoliation - Exfoliation paired with hydrogen peroxide can do wonders to gradually fade tattoo ink naturally. This is because exfoliation removes dead skin while hydrogen peroxide is a skin lightening agent that has bleaching properties.
The American Academy of Dermatology says petroleum-based products can cause ink to fade. They recommend using water-based moisturizers on new tattoos instead. But why? Products like Vaseline and super thick ointments may trap moisture and bacteria on top of a new tattoo, increasing your risk of developing an infection.
When the available means for a dark tattoo cover up won't give you the results you want, then the tattoo artist might recommend fading the design with laser removal. This will lighten it and create more negative space for the design.
Artists often use white ink over dark tattoos to create the light/glare effect, it does however take more passes to get the white to show up.
They should be no more raised on the skin than any other ink. They may appear to be more raised as the white ink makes the scar tissue above it more noticeable while darker inks conceal it. Many artists capitalize on this effect to make their designs look 3D or more realistic.
Any tattoo can be covered up, although it may need to be faded with laser tattoo removal first (usually only 2-3 sessions required). Even if you have a large, solid black tattoo, a good cover-up tattoo artist will work with you to create a strategy for covering it with a new design you can get excited about.
The process to get a blackout tattoo depends upon the size, shape and location, but it can take multiple visits to the tattoo parlor, with each session lasting several hours. The one below, a blackout sleeve, seems to have taken about a dozen sessions of two to three hours.
Out of the three prescribed procedures, surgical removal is the cheapest at $150 to $350. Next is the laser tattoo removal at a national average of $463, according to the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. Dermabrasion is a bit expensive – it can cost up to several thousands of dollars.
Saline tattoo removal is a procedure that uses a saline solution to draw tattoo ink or pigment out of the skin.
Will Nair™ affect my tattoo? Nope. Nair™ hair removal creams will not affect tattoos.
Tattoo artists who specialize in color corrections are familiar with the technique of overlaying black tattoos. The application of white ink introduces a stunning contrast, transforming a once-dominant black tattoo into a complex tonal interplay.
The author has, however, covered many tattoos on her left arm, including a gray-and-black rose design. For years, Von D had traditional-style roses across her upper arm, a portrait of her sister Karoline on her forearm, and a 1942 Varga girl on her left bicep. All have seemingly been covered by Von D's blackout tattoo.
The process of tattooing involves puncturing the skin, which naturally leads to some level of pain. However, when it comes to white ink, the repeated passes over an already tattooed area and the potential for deeper penetration can irritate the nerve endings more intensely.
The key to covering up a black tattoo is to choose a color that will contrast well with the black ink. For example, lighter colors such as white, yellow, or light green will stand out against the darkness of the black ink. Darker colors, such as dark green or blue, can also work well for covering up a black tattoo.
So is white ink tattoo removal even possible? Board-certified plastic surgeons and medical aestheticians agree that white ink tattoo removal can be done but it will be very difficult. Based on what has been observed so far, white ink laser tattoo removal takes more sessions and leads to less predictable results.