Inside: Tattoo Background Shading Ideas + Info.
Becoming a well-respected and, most importantly, professional tattoo artist requires more than just a leap of faith. An essential ingredient in the equation is learning to nail down your shading techniques. No matter what your style of art is, tattoo background shading and shading, in general, are skills you should certainly invest your time in.
Hence, through this guide, we aim to introduce you to helpful tips and tricks to master the method.
Table of Contents
What Does it Take to Perfect Your Technique?
Whether it is background shading or shading within the lines, perfection is a far-fetched goal and shouldn’t be expected right in the beginning. However, to help you fasten the process, here are some basic insights into the matter.
- Shading isn’t possible with every needle. Some needles are specifically designed for it.
- Don’t start shading before you’re done lining and outlining.
- Always transition from the darkest to the lightest coloring.
- Wrong movements with the needles can cause your shading to appear blunt.
- Black ink always heals into a lighter shade. Hence, don’t attempt light shading as it won’t stay for long.
- Moving the needle too quickly can cause the healed shade to appear uneven or patchy.
Tattoo Background Shading Ideas
3. Cloudy Background Filler Shading
4. Tattoo Sleeve Background Shading
9. Pink Swirl Background Shading
5 Tattoo-Background Shading Tips
- Once you’re done outlining, take a break and not move on to the shading process instantly. Some tattoo artists also recommend coming for another session just for shading.
- Make sure to prepare your gray washes before the intended time of the session.
- Stay hygienic and wipe the client’s skin properly after working on it. Remove any additional ink.
- Keep the skin hydrated by using Vaseline when shading. This way, you’ll also be able to prevent the mixing of colors.
- Wipe the needles clean after every gradient, especially if you’re planning to use the same needle for a lighter shade.
Choose the Right Needles
Tattoo-background-shading requires skill as well as the right needles stroked perfectly. One of the most common types of needles used for shading is the Magnum needle for larger diameters. However, even if the diameter of the design is small, it is perfectly capable of refining small details. The longer your strokes, the more ink they will pack in. The shorter the strokes, the better the buildup of shading in layers.
Can You Make Your Personal Gray Wash?
What is a gray wash? One of the essential ingredients of a shading session is the dilution of standard black ink or gray wash. Not only does it help you achieve different shading gradients but is also extremely valuable for artists who use black ink. Here are the standard steps to create your own gray wash:
- Mix the black ink with witch hazel.
- While dilution is up to the artist, using 2/3 witch hazel with 1/3 black ink or half of each material is recommended if you want to get two particular gradients.
Remember that achieving the right gradient is extremely important because shading can be darkened later, but blacks cannot be lightened.
Practice, Practice, and Practice!
- Learning shading methods and practicing brush pressure is also possible with watercolors. In the same way, you can improve your stroke techniques by using charcoal pencils.
- Tattoo-background-shading isn’t something you can practice on real skin immediately. This is why using pig skin is often recommended. While it comes with a bit of smell, it’s most akin to human flesh and hence extremely helpful in your practice. You can also get your hands on artificial skin and nail down your shading and needle techniques before tattooing clients.
- Make use of complementary colors, especially if you’re working on a colored piece. This way, you’ll be able to achieve a smooth transition from the lining to the design.
- Learn about different light sources and how they assist in the development of shadows in imagery. Not only should your light source be consistent, but the shading or shadow should also remain the same for your entire piece.
- If you’re having trouble with shading, sometimes all you need to do is choose a new needle and make the process easier.
Tattoo background shading is somewhat underrated even though it is as important as the art of tattooing itself. It’s almost like learning two different forms of art within one.
Like every other skill, learning the art of shading also requires consistency, commitment, and practice. Every little detail needs consideration, from the weight distributed to the needle to the type of needle used, as it influences ink deposition in the skin.
Whether you’re a newbie in the tattoo industry or simply curious to learn about how shading works, make sure to utilize the right resources and learn more about the world of tattoos.
More Tattoo Ideas You’ll Love
If you like these shading ideas, then check out a few more of our favorite ideas.
- Half Sleeve Tattoo Ideas for Women – Tattoos have grown in popularity over the last decade but the half sleeve tattoos for women, in particular, have been growing rapidly. This tattoo begins either above the elbow to the shoulder or below the elbow to the wrist. This type of tattoo takes thought in creation, but it also takes thought in whether it works for each person, as it’s not as easy to cover up. Many questions arise and endless hours of research occur when looking for that perfect look. What is the statement I am trying to make? What will these tattoos represent? And the list could go on, and on, and on…
- Semicolon Tattoo Ideas – Each tattoo is unique and a representation of its wearer’s style, emotions, and life. The semicolon tattoo is a popular symbol of an internal and silent struggle. Here are 89 of the most inspiring Semicolon Tattoo ideas.
- Small Tattoo Ideas for Men – Small tattoos for men can be significant or just a whim of an idea. Maybe you already have a sleeve full of ink or your back is full of tattoos that you can’t show off and you want just something small to show off. This may be your one and only tattoo and you really want to make it count, but you are trying to figure out where to start.
I'm Victoria Hudgins, a seasoned professional in the field of home decor, which seamlessly complements my artistic passion for tattoos. With nearly a decade of experience as a tattoo stylist, having designed at some of the world's top tattoo studios, my dual expertise helps to fuel my creative inspiration.