Blackwork style literally means "black work". Any picture in blackwork is dense shading and a triumph of rich black.
Not every tattoo can be called a blackwork. Black patterns, realism or a lot of dots are not yet black, even if they sometimes dilute this style with them. But the famous “Square” by Malevich in the whole back is an absolute blackwork.
The style is specific, but also interesting: someone will be frightened by densely shaded areas of the body, someone will admire minimalism and simplicity. In the article we will tell you where blackwork came from and why only a professional can handle the application, show the creations of our masters and share interesting stories. Forward!
Blackwork tattoos came from polynesia, tribal and Maya tattoos, only in a broader sense - not patterns, but color come first. Some part of the body is covered with thick saturated black - for example, the entire arm or leg - or complex figures are drawn. Blackwork can both emphasize the anatomy and break the geometry of the body, in both cases it looks unusual and attracts attention.
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Often, black tattoos are slightly diluted with dotwork, white color or scarring to add a memorable accent or zest to the picture.
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Blackwork is mainly covered by some unsuccessful or boring work. Black color easily absorbs any drawings, lines, scars on the body, something rarely shines through under it, so this style is popular for overlapping.
“Any tattoo fades over the years, so that the picture remains juicy, correct it every 5-10 years”
- the master of the studio Kirill shares
In 2006, performance artist Lucky Diamond Rich was listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the most tattooed person in the world. Tattoos cover almost 100% of his body, including ears, mouth and private parts. He dreamed of such a way of self-expression since childhood and decided after the first tattoo. That's really really a performance so performance!
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Latvian model and video blogger Monami Frost is known for her incredible charm and numerous tattoos. In the video blog, the girl talks about her life and family, about food and travel, about makeup and tattoos. Recently, on the Russian channel, she devoted a whole video to her blackwork on her arm - she said that this style has always attracted, that it hides the very first tattoos and that it was difficult to decide.
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It seems that blackwork sketches are an easy job, and getting such a tattoo is easier than any other. This is wrong. Behind the external simplicity lies the professionalism of the master and long painstaking work.
Blackwork tattoo is a direction of tattoo, 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 a blackwork. This style involves large drawings or completely black body parts.
In addition to using the blackwork style in its purest form, modern masters often combine blackwork tattoo elements with other styles, for example, ornaments, ethno. Undoubtedly one of the most popular stylistic tandems is blackwork +.
The blackwork style is close to everyone who shares the views of futurist artists, and in particular cubists. 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 sung 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 forms and the dominance of black attract a lot of people.
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 the blackwork sleeve with small ones, you can create softer borders of the tattoo. The transition from solid coverage to air dots gives the effect of volume and does not look as sharp as a clear line of transition from tattoo to bare skin.
When we mention patterns in a tattoo, tattoos immediately come to mind. Indeed, the blackwork style will draw some elements of ethnic style. It is only worth emphasizing that in blackwork it is not the sacred meaning of patterns and their mystical meaning that is important, but their visual beauty and the correct geometric interlacing.
Many masters single out a separate direction that combines blackwork - neo-tribalism.
In the tattoo world overlapping one tattoo with another called a cover(from English cover - to cover, overlap). Some tattoos can only be corrected with a dense black blackwork paint. We can say that this moment slightly spoiled the reputation of the blackwork style and often large black tattoos are perceived as an extreme measure of hopelessness. 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 are advised to go for at least one tattoo removal session, and then cover it with black. In any case, you need to initially show the old tattoo to the master and get his advice.
If you decide to do blackwork sleeve then get ready for a few sessions. Blackwork takes time and patience just like any other voluminous tattoo. The specificity of the style is that the master does not need to change colors, work on gradients and contours. But there are some difficulties: for example, the paint should lay down evenly, tightly, without gaps. After restoration, the master once again examines the tattoo for gaps and completely corrects his work, if necessary.
Blackwork style tattoos in most cases are voluminous, requiring dense coverage. Therefore, during the entire tattoo session, repeated trauma to the same part of the body with a needle increases pain. But experienced masters are able to switch to different parts of the tattoo and thereby minimize pain.
Read more about and methods, read in our materials.
There are no cardinal differences between blackwork tattoos for men and women. This style is chosen by people free from prejudice and the influence of other people's opinions. As a rule, men are more likely to decide on larger voluminous tattoos, and girls prefer something. This is not applicable in blackwork. Black voluminous laconic tattoos are equally loved by both men and girls.
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. Just painting a hand in black is boring, there is no dynamics in this. The composition of color spots in blackwork, as in any painting, is based on conflict - dark-light, sharp-round. If everything is filled 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 - in a three-hour session, you can have time to paint over half a hand. The simpler the shape and the fewer angles, the faster the work goes - in fact, you just sit and monotonously paint over in black. But there are some nuances - you need to understand the specifics of the machine, the specifics of the skin. Well, experience - if you look at a working person from the outside, it seems that everything is simple - draw a line and paint over it. To be able to paint black so that it looks good is a certain skill, a certain skill. Understanding of physiology, technical moments.
The amazing world of tattoos offers such a huge selection of different tattoo styles that clients are simply at a loss for a choice. This is especially true for lovers of bright colors. With those who prefer only classic black, things are easier. Immersed in the Blackwork style, you can quickly find what you want.
Blackwork style involves applying black paint to 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 lovers of such large-scale tattoos, there are enough. The choice of this style is the choice of people who admire the minimalism and rigor of black.
Most often, masters combine the Blackwork tattoo style with other styles. Having done high-quality work, unique, beautiful tattoos. Blackwork is best in harmony with the Dotwork style. Thanks to the black background, the dot tattoo will have good contrast.
Many come to this style because of the not very pleasant experience of applying a tattoo in the past. To hide the unsuccessful work of the master, a new Blackwork style is applied over the old tattoo. 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 another style on top of the Blackwork style will only make matters worse. The tattoo will turn out to be of poor quality and muddy.
The most common blackwork style tattoos are:
There are other images, but most often perform the above.
Blackwork gives direction to such styles:
For a tattoo in the Blackwork style, good masters will ask for a large amount. A seemingly simple and unpretentious tattoo is actually the painstaking work of a master. Fulfill given style should be a person with extensive experience, beginners can not do this. The master must feel the working machine well and understand the specifics of human skin.
