WHITE INK TATTOOS
A white ink tattoo is a tattoo that will be permanently etched on one’s body, completely in white ink. White ink tattoos have been a popular trend in permanent body art designs for quiet sometime now. It’s a great example of how body arts are becoming more popular and interesting. These unique tattoos are much different than your traditional tattoos. In most cases, white ink tattoos are mistaken for scars or sometimes mistaken for brandings. If you are wishing to get a white ink tattoo, you have to make a good research on it, as these tattoos can go very, very wrong sometimes. A white ink tattoo can look distinctive, depending on the skill of the artist and the complexion of the customer.
In normal tattooing, the artist apply stencil to the area and pushes black ink into the dermis layer of the skin to give the outline. Then the rest part is shaded or colored. After a period of healing, a pattern is left behind. Without the black outline the image will not look normal or sharply defined. For years, tattoo artists were unwilling to tattoo without black outline. Now things are changing.
White ink tattoos do not follow the usual procedure of stenciling and outlining with black ink. Instead, the whole tattoo is done completely in white ink leaving a pattern with a lighter color than your skin which looks quite different from a traditional tattoo. The white ink used for white ink tattoos is not the same ink that you might have seen used for mixing shades in a color tattoo. Instead it’s a thicker ink, especially made for this purpose. You can make several passes over the area with the white ink to make sure that the ink sinks completely into the skin. White is not likely to be absorbed by your skin as black or colored inks.
Most of the tattoo artists who do white ink tattoos say that it looks best on pale skin and it will be better if they do the tattoo in a place that is not much exposed to sunlight. Excessive sunlight may fade the tattoo, causing it to disappear and sometimes it will create a strange tint of yellow or brown on your skin.
The main advantages of white ink tattoos are that they are extremely subtle, allowing people to conceal it easily than a black inked or colored tattoo. It will be a good alternative for a person who really wants a tattoo, but cannot have an obvious body art in his work environment.
Even though, white ink tattoos are gaining popularity, there are still problems which most people consider before going for this particular form of body art. One of the major disadvantages of this form of tattooing is that it is prone to fading and discoloration. Many people, especially dark skinned cannot absorb the white ink properly and appears duller on their skin. Some people may have reactions to the white ink unlike black or other colored inks. There are cases in which the area swells, itches and sometimes even oozes out from the tattoo. This happens because the skin is rejecting the ink and the result will be that you’ll have no tattoo in that area at last. Another problem with white ink tattoos is that you should avoid tattooing the area which will be frequently exposed to sunlight. The sunlight fades and dulls the tattoo. So it will be ideal to get white ink tattoos on areas that will be covered while outdoors such as your chest, back, legs etc.
While selecting the designs for white ink tattoos, try to select something simple and small. It will be easier to ink and is less likely to have complications. Small hearts, tribal designs, little Celtic patterns etc are some good ideas for white ink tattoos.
White ink tattoos are indeed unique and interesting. But make sure that it’s the right thing for you before getting it done.
