I only have one tattoo (done in a 4-hour session), but I didn't mind the outline for it at all and complained a lot when the shading and coloring came. Maybe it's just because by that point I was tender. Tattoo outcomes depend substantially on the color involved; black and gray tattoos with shading may take longer than fully colored designs.
Nevertheless, experienced practitioners can achieve remarkable results in a short training period, and some can produce detailed portrait tattoos after just a few days of focused practice. Explore the pain of tattoo outlining vs shading in our in-depth guide. Learn what hurts more, why it varies, and tips to manage tattoo pain.
Get inked wisely! Tattoo Shading Unlike outlining, shading isn't necessary for every tattoo. Color and shading simply provide more dimension than line work. Contrary to what you might expect, many people report that the shading hurts significantly less than the outlining of the tattoo.
If you've already made it through your line work, pat yourself on the back. Tattoo pain is a large concern for beginners, who want to know if outlining or shading causes more pain. Find out what others have said about comparing the pain.
A tattoo with strong shading and tonal contrast can hold its structure over time, even as colors soften slightly with age. That's why we spend time building in shadows, layering color, and using light and dark strategically. Beginner tattoo shading techniques guide.
Learn how to whip shade, pendulm shade and pack solid black without it healing patchy or overworking the skin. Tattoo artists often use more than one machine - but why? Learn how different tools handle lines, shading, and color, and how it affects the final result. Tattoo Shading A tattoo doesn't necessarily need shading, unlike an outline.
The use of color and shading simply adds more dimension to a line drawing. Many people report that shading hurts significantly less than outlining the tattoo, contrary to what you might think. Pat yourself on the back if you have already completed your line work.
Today I'll be going in to make sure the outlining is done, do some shading, and perhaps some colouring as well. For a bit of context, it is a bold, japanese style, not too many different colours (black, white, red, blue). Does anyone roughly know which phases of the tattoo, generally speaking, take the longest?