Blackwork is one of the most popular tattoo styles. The name itself means that there are large spots of black color (tone or mid-tone) in the sketch and the rest of the colors are reduced to zero. Sometimes there are blotches of red or white elements. These tattoos have no gender and are ideal for both men and women. Sometimes it's just a beautiful image, and sometimes it's a whole story on the body, a comic strip, a secret sign for its owner.

The Internet is replete with photos of works by different masters in this style. On many tattoo sites, you will find entire sections of blackwork artwork. For drawing, choose a variety of places: on the arm, leg, neck. It all depends on the sketch that you choose and your desire.

Blackwork tattoos are often used to cover skin imperfections. This is one of the most convenient designs for reworking "old" tattoos, closing scars. Thanks to the large dark areas in the work and the graphic lines, such a sketch will best hide the scars.

Virtually any drawing can be stylized and processed in this style. If the drawing is not very difficult, you can do it yourself. For more complex and creative types of work, it is better to make a sketch to order.

Tattooing is a new way of expressing yourself. This is the art of our time, the response of the era. Why don't you try to plunge into this bright world of body drawing and painting. Blackwork isn't necessarily a rough, stylized sketch. It may well have volume and shadow parties. Often they are solved not with the help of shadows, but with the help of point work. For an accurate representation, of course, it is better to look at the photos of the works.

The complexity and cost of work can be completely different. It all depends on the subtlety of the work and the amount of material spent. Blackwork can easily be attributed to one of the most popular styles. It can easily combine animalistic drawings, inscriptions, and even. A classic example of such work is the black square. Many now apply themselves simply geometric shapes filled with black paint.

Some of the classic blackwork designs are reminiscent of the Polynesian style. They are similar due to their subject matter and technique. Such work takes quite a long time due to its complex geometric structure. Therefore, immediately calculate the time so as not to rush the master. There are many specialists who concentrate their work in this particular area. It is enough to search the Internet and you will find many similar ones.

Blackwork tattoo is a tattoo direction, which is characterized by large areas covered with black pigment, simple geometric shapes and color density. Not any tattoo made only in black can be called blackwork. This style involves large drawings or completely black body parts.

In addition to using the pure blackwork style, modern masters often combine elements of blackwork tattoo with other styles, for example, with ornaments, ethno. Undoubtedly one of the most popular stylistic tandems is blackwork +.

Popular Plots in Blackwork Tattoo:

1. Blackwork - Geometry

The blackwork style is close to everyone who shares the views of futurist artists, and in particular cubists. Let us recall the famous "Black Square" by Kazimir Malevich. For art lovers, the perfect geometric shape completely covered in black is the standard of perfection, complete nothing and absolute everything. The idea of ​​Suprematism in painting gave rise to the development of modern design. The simplicity of forms, harmony and purity of lines are praised in the works of many artists, architects and designers.

Blackwork tattoo, as a direction that has a direct connection with all types of fine arts, did not stand aside. Geometry and purity of lines, simple shapes and the dominance of black n attracts many people.

2. Blackwork - Full coverage

A separate example of a blackwork tattoo is the complete coverage of any part of the body with black pigment. For example, arms, legs or necks. If you connect a blackwork sleeve with small ones, you can create a softer border of the tattoo. The transition from solid coverage to air dots gives an effect of volume and does not look as sharp as a clear line of transition from tattoo to clear skin.

3. Blackwork - Patterns

When we mention patterns in a tattoo, tattoos come to mind. Indeed, the blackwork style draws on some elements of the ethnic style. It is only worth emphasizing that in blackwork it is not the sacred meaning of the patterns and their mystical meaning that is important, but their visual beauty and the correct geometric interweaving.

Many masters identify a separate direction that combines blackwork in itself - neotribalism.

Using Blackwork Style to Overlap Another Tattoo

In the world of tattoo overlapping one tattoo with another called a cover(from the English cover - to cover, overlap). Some tattoos can only be corrected with a dense black dye of blackwork. We can say that this moment spoiled the reputation of the blackwork style a little and often large black tattoos are perceived as an extreme measure of despair. This is partly true, but does not reflect reality.

If the previous tattoo has too thick outlines, then they will still protrude from under the layer of black paint. Therefore, sometimes masters advise to go to at least one tattoo removal session, and then cover it with black. In any case, you need to initially show the old tattoo artist and get his advice.

How long does it take to get a Blackwork Tattoo?

If you decide to do blackwork sleeve then get ready for a few sessions. Blackwork takes time and patience like any other volumetric tattoo. The specificity of the style is that the master does not need to change colors, work on gradients and outlines. But there are some difficulties: for example, the paint should go evenly, tightly, without gaps. After restoration, the master once again examines the tattoo for gaps and completely corrects his work, if necessary.

Is It Painful To Get A Blackwork Tattoo?

Blackwork style tattoos are in most cases voluminous, requiring dense coverage. Therefore, during the entire tattoo session, multiple needle trauma to the same area of ​​the body increases the pain. But experienced masters know how to switch to different parts of the tattoo and thereby minimize pain.

Read more about and methods in our materials.

Tattoo Blackwork Sketches for Men and Women

There are no cardinal differences between blackwork tattoos for men and women. This style is chosen by people free from prejudices and the influence of other people's opinions. As a rule, men are more likely to decide on larger volumetric tattoos, and girls prefer something. This does not apply to blackwork. Black volumetric laconic tattoos are equally loved by both men and girls.

The amazing world of tattoos offers such a huge selection of different styles of tattooing that clients are simply at a loss for a choice. This is especially true for fans of bright colors. For those who prefer only the classic black color, things are easier. Immersed in the Blackwork style, you can quickly find what you want.

Blackwork style involves the application of black paint over large areas of the body. An ordinary tattoo made in black does not have the right to be called Blackwork, but drawing, for example, a black square on the body is undoubtedly Blackwork style. In this style, not everyone is ready to transform their body, but to the surprise of fans of such large-scale tattoos, there are enough. The choice of this style is the choice of people who admire the minimalism and austerity of black.

Combining Blackwork with other styles

Most often, masters combine the Blackwork tattoo style with other styles. Having done quality work, unique, beautiful tattoos appear on the body. Blackwork works best with the Dotwork style. Thanks to the black background, the executed dot tattoo will have good contrast.

Many people come to this style because of the not very pleasant experience of tattooing in the past. To hide the unsuccessful work of the master, a new one is applied over the old tattoo in the Blackwork style. This technique works well and saves many from disappointment on their bodies.

Those who decide to apply a tattoo in this style, the master is simply obliged to warn that this type of work cannot be corrected in the future. Applying a different style on top of the Blackwork style will only make matters worse. The tattoo will turn out to be of poor quality and cloudy.

The most common Blackwork style tattoos are:

• geometric figures,
• areas of the body completely filled with black paint,
• patterns.

There are still other images, but most often the ones listed above are performed.

Blackwork gives direction to these styles:

• Neotribalism.
• Art Brut.
• Ethnic tattoos.
• Buddhist / Thai tattoos.

For the execution of a Blackwork tattoo, good masters will ask for a large amount. A seemingly simple and unpretentious tattoo is actually a painstaking work of a master. This style should be performed by a person with extensive experience; beginners cannot do this. The master must have a good feel for a working machine and understand the specifics of human skin.

As a rule, tattoo lovers are divided into two camps and distinguish for themselves, respectively, two types of tattoos: colored or black and gray (Black and gray tattoo). The very roots of the tattoo (in ethnic terms exactly) are saturated mainly with black ink. Actively developing in the traditional environment, over the centuries, they have grown into something more than just a tribal tattoo. Nowadays, tribal tattoos have become widely known as the Blackwork tattoo or Neo-tribal tattoo, which are gaining more and more popularity today. Well friends, welcome to the monochrome kingdom ...

Some may mistake blackwork tattoos for the extreme or lack of aesthetic taste, but the choice of true connoisseurs of blackwork deserves a lot of respect for their boldness! Blackwork shows Dotwork tattoo and Linework tattoo their impressive dimensions, more than completely filled with black paint; its intricate geometric and symmetrical patterns inherited from Polynesian tattoos, as well as unsurpassed graphic art. Blackwork is geared towards design, mostly ornamental, not sense or realism. From minimalism to extremely sophisticated, Blackwork tattoos are varied. However, you can always add white ink to soften the black outline. Blackwork is also great for overlapping old tattoos. There are a huge number of well-known tattoo artists of this style and even specialized tattoo parlors, so take the time to find a tattoo artist worthy if you want to hide in black ...

Well, did anyone have a desire to dye black?: D Let's now explore the possibilities of blackwork in more detail on this selection of black tattoos covering the body from 1% to 90% ...

For blackwork, most often come those who are going to paint over old drawings. However, now it has become more mainstream - I have clients who like minimalism and large painted areas on clean skin.

Blackwork began to appear in the form in which it is now in Russia, three or four years ago. This is such a primitive and minimalism using the volume and dynamics of the body. It's boring to just paint over the hand with black, there is no dynamics in it. The composition of spots of color in blackwork, as in any painting, is based on conflict - dark-light, sharp-round. If everything is flooded with black, then the eye does not cling to anything.

Blackwork is such a primitive and minimalism using lines and body dynamics. It can be done quickly with a certain skill - for a session of three hours, you can have time to paint over half a hand. The simpler the shape and the fewer the angles, the faster the work goes - in fact, you just sit and paint monotonously in black. But there are also some nuances - you need to understand the specifics of the machine, the specifics of the skin. Well, and experience - if you look at a working person from the outside, it seems that everything is simple - draw a line and paint over. To be able to paint with black so that it looks good is a certain skill, a certain skill. Understanding of physiology, technical issues.