"It's something that I've gotten more into while spending my time around the new tattoo culture. I think tattoos made just for the sake of looking good on the body or to exhibit some sort of aesthetic is a very thoughtful and open-minded thing that's happening in the industry"
01
A blackwork tattoo is a tattoo that is done mostly in solid black. Instead of having intricate shades or colors, it will use fields of black to either describe the form of the subject or give shape to the tattoo
02
The healing process for blackwork tattoos can be one of the worst. Solid black needs to be "packed" in by the artist to ensure it heals a nice, smooth jet black; this can cause greater damage to the skin and lengthen the recovery. It's recommended to take the wrap or bandage off after wearing it overnight, and clean it a few times a day until it begins to dry out or scab. Once it's in its dry "peeling" phase, moisturize the tattoo regularly with an unscented body lotion to minimize scabbing and ink fallout
03
The cost of blackwork tattoos can vary greatly depending on the level of detail and amount of black in the tattoo, but since they are relatively simple and have no complex shading, even large pieces can come at an average cost. The tattoo on the cover of this article, even with some detail, was done by Kamisitra in downtown Phoenix for only $150, and the full back piece, being a simpler design, was done for $600 and only took about 6 hours
Explore more
