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.
If you are a supporter of simplicity and at the same time originality of a tattoo, pay attention to the Blackwork style. On the one hand, it resembles a tribal tattoo, ornamental or dotwork, and, on the other hand, it is very recognizable for its special color and style features. Even its very name speaks of the predominance of black or its halftones in the tattoo.
The history of these tattoos goes back to ancient times, when the Pacific islanders-Polynesians applied drawings to their bodies telling about their occupation, tribe size, goals, and the like. The stuffing of the tattoo turned into a real ritual with the participation of the priests of the tribe.
Blackwork was brought to the European and American continents by sailors who appreciated the beauty of aboriginal tattoos and adopted this fashion. Even at that time, it spread quite quickly, so Blackwork-style tattoos quickly won their adherents.
This style received another wave of popularity in the 80s of the last century, when tattoos, including Blackwork, re-entered mass fashion. As expected, they got a new start in the USA.
In the classic version, Blackwork-style tattoos are distinguished by symmetry and the correctness of the geometric shape of figures and patterns. You can also note their external restraint and, even, asceticism. The color scheme of tattoos is straight black and white. The drawing consists of geometric shapes, ornaments and fully shaded areas of the body. Moreover, as a rule, the shaded fragments are quite large.
One of the features of this type of tattoo is that it often solves the problem of covering the previous tattoo, which was either unsuccessfully made or became irrelevant for its owner. Also, Blackwork is an ideal tattoo for those who want to mask some kind of scar or skin defect.
This type of tattoo can be placed on any part of the body: on the arm, leg, neck or torso. It all depends on the pattern you choose. If you have your own idea, then you can offer it to the master, almost any drawing can be processed in the Blackwork style. By the way, he, far from always, looks rough, due to the shadows and gray tones, you can get a subtle and even elegant work.
The meaning of tattoos is also quite straightforward, there are no hidden meanings, everything is very technical. The main thing that carries a Blackwork tattoo is the shape and filling with color. In the process of choosing the drawing you like, the master can offer you not only abstract geometric images, but also plot paintings, for example, white stars in a black sky, plants, skulls, insects, or even entire landscapes.
By the way, among ornamental tattoos, Blackwork is one of the most expensive. This is due to the huge amount of work on shading large areas, and in the process of stuffing a tattoo, it is necessary to maintain a uniform color saturation.
It should be noted that Blackwork is very difficult, even almost impossible, to reduce, overlap or correct, so carefully choose both the drawing and the master who will make the tattoo.
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.
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 same roots of the tattoo (in ethnic for sure) are saturated mainly with black ink. Actively developing in a traditional environment, over many centuries, they have grown into something more than just a tribal tattoo. Nowadays, tribal tattoos have become widely known as blackwork tattoo or neo-tribal tattoo, which are gaining more and more popularity these days. Well friends, welcome to the monochrome realm...
Some may take blackwork tattoos as an extreme or lack of aesthetic taste, but the choice of true blackwork connoisseurs deserves great respect for their boldness! Blackwork shows dotwork (Dotwork tattoo) and linework (Linework tattoo) their impressive size clogged, more than completely, with black paint; its complex geometric and symmetrical patterns inherited from the Polynesian tattoo, as well as unsurpassed graphic art. Blackwork is focused on design, mostly ornamental, not on meaning or realism. From minimalist to extremely intricate, blackwork tattoos are varied. However, you can always add white ink to soften the black outline. Blackwork is also great for covering up old tattoos. There are a huge number of well-known tattoo artists in this style and even specialized tattoo parlors, so take the time to find a worthy artist if you want to hide in black...
Well, did anyone have a desire to dye themselves 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%...
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 cloudy.
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.
