The popularity of black color tattoos is always high. Black tattoos are timeless, they were popular and trendy a few hundred years ago and still are in the modern time. You don’t have to hesitate to get one as black tattoos can be worn by anyone regardless of their age, gender, and skin color. You may have heard that a black tattoo does not go so well with black skin, which is completely false. A good tattoo artist can make great art using black tattoo ink on any skin. There is nothing wrong with black tattoos but you may wonder, can you add color to a black tattoo or not?
Black is considered an enigmatic color. But for some black tattoos may come as a bit boring. And to make things interesting or make the tattoo pop even more some may want to add color to a black tattoo. In your imagination it may look cool but in reality, can you even add color to a black tattoo? Will it look good or make it worse? I shall discuss the matter in detail below.
Key Takeaways
- You can add color to a black tattoo.
- Pastel or light colors fade faster so try not to add these colors to a black tattoo.
- Adding color to a tattoo that you will get has more benefits and adding color to an existing black tattoo has some limitations.
- You may choose to add color to a black tattoo to make the design pop, make it look more lively, and vibrant, or just try out a new look.
- Before you add color make sure to choose a professional tattoo artist who specializes in color tattoos, choose the right colors, etc.
- Make sure not to drink alcohol, and do not take any blood thinners before adding color to a black tattoo.
- After adding color to a black tattoo make sure you wash the tattoo twice a day, avoid direct sunlight and moisturize the area.
Adding Color to A Black Tattoo
Yes, you can add color to a black tattoo. Adding color over a black tattoo can be difficult and at times it might be impossible to do. But you can add various colors around the black tattoo to make it pop out.
I compare adding color to a black tattoo to adding chili pepper to a dish. Too much chili can make the dish too spicy to eat and too little chilies can make the dish too bland to eat. And adding the right amount of chili would enhance the taste of the dish. A similar thing happens when it comes to adding color to a black tattoo. When you add color to a black tattoo, too much color may ruin the appearance of your black tattoo. On the other hand, adding too little color to a black tattoo might become hard to notice. That is why it is crucial to add an adequate amount of color to a black tattoo to get a fine outcome.
Not all colors will go well with a black tattoo or a particular black tattoo design. And some colors tend to fade faster which can change how your tattoo looks after a few years. You have to consider a lot of things before adding color to an existing black tattoo or while getting a new one. Feel free to do your own research and then discuss your idea with your tattoo artist. Your artist would know better and could suggest to you how to proceed with adding color to a black tattoo.
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Color That You Should Not Choose to Add to A Black Tattoo
You have to take into consideration the fact that tattoo ink fades over time. But not all ink will fade maintaining the same time length. Some ink will fade faster and some ink will stay vibrant for longer and will fade after a decade or two. Black ink is one of those inks that do not fade easily. So if you add color to your black tattoo that fades faster than black ink then after a while your tattoo would look different because of the fading of added color. There are two types of colors that fade much faster than other colors. Which are:
- White
- Pastel colors
White is crucial for shading on black tattoos, so you may need to do a retouch every few years to keep the tattoo crisp. Pastel colors or any light colors will fade much faster so avoid using them for a back tattoo. Even if you do make sure to get a touchup whenever you notice it’s fading.
Adding Color to an Existing Black Tattoo Vs Adding Color While Making a Black Tattoo
You may wonder which is better: adding color to an existing tattoo or adding color while making a black tattoo. Let’s take a deeper look into the matter.
Adding Color to an Existing Black Tattoo
Adding color over the black tattoo to change its color can be difficult. But if you have a black tattoo and want to change how it looks you can easily add color to it. But there are a few limitations when it comes to adding color to an existing black tattoo. A few limitations are:
- Limited design: You won’t be removing the black tattoo, you will add color to your black tattoo to make it more colorful and add more design depth to it. But because the back tattoo design already exists, you will be limited to how much design you can add to it by adding color.
- Size of the tattoo: When adding color, there is no way to reduce the size of the existing tattoo. You will be making the black tattoo bigger in size. If you are unhappy with the big-size black tattoo you have then share it with your artist instead of directly going for adding color to it.
Adding Color While Making a Black Tattoo
Deciding that you want to add color before you get the black tattoo gives you more options to work with.
A few benefits you will get if you decide to add color beforehand are:
- Unlimited design to choose from: Because you haven’t got a black tattoo yet, you can discuss with your artist to choose any sort of black tattoo design that will look great by adding color to it.
- Size of the tattoo: You can decide the size of the tattoo and how much space it would take after adding color to it. This way you can get a smaller-sized tattoo if you want.
After looking at the comparison above I think it’s safe to say that adding color while making a black tattoo is better as it gives you more benefits than adding color later.
4 Reasons to Add Color to A Black Tattoo
Black tattoos are great on their own but adding color can make them look greater.
Here are a few reasons why you may want to add color to a back tattoo.
- To make the design pop
Black tattoos sometimes can be subtle and people around you may not notice the design or its depth. Adding another color to it can make it pop and more visible. Who would not want their tattoo to pop, right? - More depth
If not done incorrectly a black tattoo may not have depth to it. To fix it or to just give a black tattoo more depth you can add color and more shade to it. - New look
After a while your black tattoo may look boring to you or you may want to tweak the design a bit. You can do so by adding color to the black tattoo. This way you are not losing your old tattoo yet giving it a new look. - Shading
Shading is very crucial for black tattoos. You can say that shading can make or break a black tattoo. You can use white tattoo ink to get a finer shade on your black tattoo.
5 Things to Do Before Adding Color to A Black Tattoo
There are a few things you can do before adding color to a black tattoo:
- Choosing the color
Instead of choosing a random color, discuss with your artist to choose a color or multiple colors before adding to a black tattoo. White color is the most popular color when it comes to adding color to a black tattoo. And then comes brown, deep blue, red, etc. - Plan ahead
Let’s say you are getting yourself a black tattoo and may choose to add color to it later on. You should let your tattoo artist know that beforehand. This way he can make adjustments to his technique to leave enough room and space so that you don’t face difficulty in the future if you decide to add color to the black tattoo. - Choose a color tattoo artist
Instead of going for any random tattoo artist, you should choose a professional tattoo artist who specializes in colored tattoos. An artist who specializes in colored tattoos can provide you with great advice and do a better job compared to other artists. - Avoid drinking alcohol
Adding new color is not adding paint on the skin, it follows the same tattooing method. So avoid drinking alcohol before adding color or you may bleed excessively during the procedure. - Avoid blood thinners
Blood thinners make your blood thin. So avoid taking any blood thinners before adding color to a black tattoo as it can lead to excessive bleeding. If you have a certain health condition and can’t do without blood thinners, then let your doctor and tattoo artist know beforehand to find a solution.
4 Things to Do After Adding Color to A Black Tattoo
Don’t forget adding color to a tattoo is not painting over the skin. Adding color requires you to go through a proper tattooing process. So you will have a tattoo won’t after you add color to a black tattoo. That is why it is necessary to follow an aftercare routine.
I have listed a few crucial steps below that you can follow:
- Wash the tattoo
You should wash the tattoo with gentle soap twice a day after adding color to it. Just use your finger and don’t use any washing cloth when you wash the tattoo. After washing use a paper towel to soak the area dry instead of using a regular tower. Because regular towels may contain germs and cause tattoo infections. - Apply moisturize
Keeping the newly color-added tattoo mildly moist can speed up the healing process. So make sure to apply moisturizer daily. - Eat a balanced diet & stay hydrated
A hydrated body and eating a balanced diet can ensure a faster healing period. And it will also help you prevent any possible tattoo infection. - Avoid direct sunlight
Sunlight can fade your tattoo color. So avoid direct sunlight or apply sunscreen when you go out in the sun.
FAQs
Can you add color to a black-and-white tattoo?
Yes, you can add color to a black-and-white tattoo.
Can I add color to a black tattoo while I get it?
Yes, you can add color to a black tattoo while you get the tattoo.
Can I add color to an existing black tattoo?
Yes, you can add color to an existing black tattoo.
Final Thoughts
Black tattoos are always cool no matter who wears them or in which time period as black tattoos are timeless. But you can make it more vibrant, lively and pop out more by adding color to it. Adding color to a black tattoo is possible and there is nothing wrong with it. You can choose to add color to an existing black tattoo or add color while you get a black tattoo. Make sure to choose a professional tattoo artist who specializes in color tattoos. Discuss your idea with the artist first, this will help you make a better decision. Try not to use any light color or pastel color as they fade faster compared to other color ink. As a result, the tattoo will look old or not so great after a few years. That said, you can use any color to add to a black tattoo, just make sure to get a touchup whenever you notice any fading.
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