Watercolor tattoos get their name from the painting technique that uses watered down paint in order to create paintings that spread out into the page like water smears on a lined page. Often the watercolor technique is used alongside bolder line work as a coloring technique that looks almost translucent.
Watercolor Tattoos: Do They Last?
Watercolor tattooing is a new kind of tattooing style that had only been in a style for about five years. But since it’s conception the style has been rife with heated debates within and outside of the tattoo community.
The argument boils down to whether watercolor tattoos are a good investment because without the bold black and heavily pigmented colors that characterize other tattoo styles, many tattooists expect these works to fade more easily. The issue is that since the style is so new we don’t have many examples of long-terms watercolor tattoos to use as evidence.
While we can see some forms of watercolor tattoos fading quickly with blurring, this may arguably be the fault of the artist themselves attempting a style they aren’t properly trained in. With watercolor tattoos being so popular, there are few truly great watercolor tattooists that fully understand the medium yet.
Where Does that Leave Us?
In the end, if you’re worried about getting a watercolor tattoo that won’t last you do have options!
Some tattooists say that the only way to safeguard a watercolor tattoo is to make sure it had a strong line work background or outline. This was if the lighter colors fade or blur your work is still recognisable and has less room in which to blur.
That doesn’t mean you need to outline your entire tattoo in thick black lines. Tattooing is an art form. Let your tattooist know about your fears and they should be able to work out an aesthetically pleasing way to alleviate any issues. Like Gene Coffrey’s technique of using lots of black to hold the image together.
Here are Some Tips to Keep in Mind!
Make sure your tattoo artist is experienced with watercolor tattooing specifically. Not all artists cross styles. Check their portfolio for specific examples.
Expect to need a touch-up eventually. This is necessary for almost all tattoos!
There goes, what do you think about watercolor tattoos? Do you have one? Let us know how it healed over time?
