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! 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. You've likely conquered the most painful part already.
You can do this! The outline of a color tattoo is the worst because it is on fresh skin and you are feeling it wherever the artist goes. Linework, shading, or color packing are the most painful parts of the tattoo, but usually it hurts at the end from being raw. White ink tends to be thicker, requiring extra effort to get the ink in and a lining needle, which also generally hurts more.
The coloring needles penetrate even deeper past the outline into the mid-dermis where those sensitive pain nerve endings are abundant. This is what causes the coloring to be frequently reported as more painful than the outline. The coloring needles also deposit larger ink droplets and move over the skin more slowly to fill in the design.
This slower, deeper penetration amplifies the pain you. 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 outlining doesn't necessarily need shading, as it adds more dimension to a line drawing. Many people report that shading hurts significantly less than outlining, as the shader makes more passes on the same area of skin over and over, while a liner makes a single pass on a section of skin. Some people find shading more painful, as the pain depends on where you get tattooed.
A tattoo doesn't necessarily need shading, as color and shading simply add more dimension to a line drawing. Many people report that shading hurts significantly less than outlining, depending on where you get tattooed. Outlining can be more painful initially, but it gets easier after hour 5.
Shading, on the other hand, is generally duller and less painful. Some people find outlining more. Tattoo outlining is the initial step in the tattoo process, where an artist draws your design onto the skin using a needle.
The pain of tattoo outlining vs shading varies depending on the person's tolerance and perspective of pain. Color and shading add more dimension to a line drawing, and many people report that shading hurts significantly less than outlining the tattoo. To manage tattoo pain, it is important to start with a small tattoo and gradually increase the amount of shading or color applied.
The pain level depends on the location of the tattoo, with larger outlines causing more pain. Curious if color tattoos hurt more? Uncover the truth about tattoo pain and learn what factors really influence your experience.