Colour Realism

Colour Realism 

                                                                                                  - YouTube Video Included Below

Color realism is currently one of the most popular styles in tattooing, and I can understand why, it looks brilliant. However, it's something that not many people know much about and is frequently misunderstood. Unlike Traditional Tattoo styles where outlines and colours are bold and distinct, Colour Realism is the seamless blend of a variety of colours in order to create the desired image.

No solid black outline/Transition from shade to shade

The placement and creation of a Colour Realism Tattoo is also vastly different to the Traditional way. For instance, when stenciling a Colour Realism Tattoo (the process of accurately transferring a design from paper to your skin), contour lines that outline areas of shade and highlights like a topographic map, are incorporated to help the artist make the tattoo 'Real'.

Notice the level of detail in the stencil

You can therefore imagine that with this level of detail comes a risk. That risk being that Colour Realism Tattoos can fade quite drastically. Pair that with sagging skin and the hot sun when on holiday and you've got a faded tattoo.

Furthermore, there are specific techniques that make a realism tattoo look true to life, but these same traits make them susceptible to fading. Realistic-looking tattoos are created with minimal line work and a lot of gradual shading to create the desired life-likeness and achieve the effects of light and shade. So often they look brilliant when first done, but gradually as it heals the ink doesn't stick.

    Exhibit A

Exhibit B

Some artists are however better than others at bringing an image to life, so be careful with the artists you go to. Unlike Traditional Tattoos, the margin for error is very small. 

Good

Not so Good

Despite all this, don't be discouraged to get a Colour Realism Tattoo, artists can easily touch up the ink in places it may not be holding. You'll just have to fork out a few more $$$. 

Check out this video on Colour Realism by Inked

 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUawTc053Ms&feature=emb_title

Some of my favourite Colour Realism Tattoos