White Ink

[Ruby Doe]

I've been thinking about getting some white ink done on my neck. I'm a pretty fair skinned girl, though I tan up alright during the summer, I'm normally pretty pale during the winter. From what I hear there's less discoloration the more pale you are. qiU's sakura blossom is actually one of the first pictures that pops up when you search BME for white ink, and the have a few others I really liked.

What I'd like done is a spider web behind and below my left ear with a rose in the middle, maybe done in a celtic style. I'm pretty awful at drawing so the design will really have to be produced by the artist. I might like to get some black and blue ink added later but for now the idea of something really subtle is appealing to me. I love my neck, it looks like I just can't stop doing things to it XD

There's not a whole lot of literature on white ink, or a whole lot of people doing it. I read that some artists really shy away from it for one reason or another. What do you think about white ink tattoos?  

[Lance Castle]

I realy like white ink.

and I love your idea for your tatttoo.
I dont know if theres any biological or health differences but I say you go for it. But I want to see some pics! razz  

[Ruby Doe]

Lance Castle

I realy like white ink.

and I love your idea for your tatttoo.
I dont know if theres any biological or health differences but I say you go for it. But I want to see some pics! razz

But of course!

I'll either get it done before I leave for school, or at school. There's only one tattoo and piercing shop in the town I'm moving to, so it'd probably be a better idea to get it done here.  

[.Neon Glowsticks.]

white ink....that sounds awesome. hope it works for you!  

[Chojin9999]

DANIT! Now I wish I took a pic of my g/f's sister's neck. =X I took pics of her half sleeves, but she's also got a white star on the back of her neck. It's really nice looking, she's had it for almost a year now.  

[qiU]

Well, I would first find someone who is good in getting color in, I have to do my sakuras again for the third time now... It takes time for it to sink in.

I love the look (obviously) of white ink, looks like burning but not as brute. I would go for it, but drop the rose, just the webs are enough, don't do too many details in it, just go for a plain design...
I saw a few white tats before but I got mine on the spot... There was this kid (a kid if a friend of the guy who owns the studio I learned to pierce in and my best friend works in, he is also one of the best in Israel) who just wanted to see how you get tattooed so he asked me if I'm willing to get anything, I said go for it so his other worker "the dude" as we call him, which I really like his work said he'll do something, so I came up with white sakuras behind my ears, so you can see them through the tunnel and we went with it, was really fun... We added a spot of magenta to it as well, but what we learned from it is that you have to use needles that were soldered with led-less tin, the led leaves greyish color when you use only white.  

[5ki7713z]

I don't have a plain white tat, but I have white in some of my tats. Like on my penguin(Dude)'s belly.
- 5ki7713z  

[Ruby Doe]

qiU

Well, I would first find someone who is good in getting color in, I have to do my sakuras again for the third time now... It takes time for it to sink in.

I love the look (obviously) of white ink, looks like burning but not as brute. I would go for it, but drop the rose, just the webs are enough, don't do too many details in it, just go for a plain design...
I saw a few white tats before but I got mine on the spot... There was this kid (a kid if a friend of the guy who owns the studio I learned to pierce in and my best friend works in, he is also one of the best in Israel) who just wanted to see how you get tattooed so he asked me if I'm willing to get anything, I said go for it so his other worker "the dude" as we call him, which I really like his work said he'll do something, so I came up with white sakuras behind my ears, so you can see them through the tunnel and we went with it, was really fun... We added a spot of magenta to it as well, but what we learned from it is that you have to use needles that were soldered with led-less tin, the led leaves greyish color when you use only white.

I thought details would be harder to do in the white ink and I guess they probably wouldn't look as good.

I really like how your sakuras can be seen through the tunnels. I'll probably never have that option because I'm unlikely to ever stretch my ears that far but it looks really nice. I like the placement for me because it's subtle, and I'm at a time in my life where I can't have anything too obvious.

Is the led-less tin needle common knowledge for tattooers or should I bring it up with mine?  

[qiU]

Ruby Doe

qiU

Well, I would first find someone who is good in getting color in, I have to do my sakuras again for the third time now... It takes time for it to sink in.

I love the look (obviously) of white ink, looks like burning but not as brute. I would go for it, but drop the rose, just the webs are enough, don't do too many details in it, just go for a plain design...
I saw a few white tats before but I got mine on the spot... There was this kid (a kid if a friend of the guy who owns the studio I learned to pierce in and my best friend works in, he is also one of the best in Israel) who just wanted to see how you get tattooed so he asked me if I'm willing to get anything, I said go for it so his other worker "the dude" as we call him, which I really like his work said he'll do something, so I came up with white sakuras behind my ears, so you can see them through the tunnel and we went with it, was really fun... We added a spot of magenta to it as well, but what we learned from it is that you have to use needles that were soldered with led-less tin, the led leaves greyish color when you use only white.

I thought details would be harder to do in the white ink and I guess they probably wouldn't look as good.

I really like how your sakuras can be seen through the tunnels. I'll probably never have that option because I'm unlikely to ever stretch my ears that far but it looks really nice. I like the placement for me because it's subtle, and I'm at a time in my life where I can't have anything too obvious.

Is the led-less tin needle common knowledge for tattooers or should I bring it up with mine?

Yeah, didn't I say details wouldn't look good? Anyway, I don't think it's really too common for tattooists to know that, depends on what level they are and if they ever tried tattooing in white, if they have ask to see some pics, if they haven't do bring up the topic of led-less tin, that is if they make their own needles, some buy pre-made needles and I have no idea how they are made, you should ask them tho... I have some grayish parts in mine and it will take a few more times to get the white color right... I did see an AMAZING work on Eli from Clod Steel UK (she did my conches) of a spider web on her elbow... didn't have a bit of grayish color and looks just perfect. I should take some new pictures of it now so you can see how it looks after it heals...  

[Ruby Doe]

Well I talked to a couple artists at my favorite shop, and they all agreed that while it's a cool idea and would probably look great the first year or two, the design would have to be too small and too much bleeding of the ink would occur. They suggested I rethink the placement, and for that particular design I will because I'd still like to get it somewhere. The other thing one of the artists mentioned was the problem of contrast. Contrast is really what makes it so the observer knows what their seeing, and that's a serious problem for white ink. The design might just be too complex. I'd still really like something in white ink but having talked to some artists it's good to know about these concerns.

That's part of why I like this particular shop so much. A lot of places would have just slapped the design on me and taken my money, but even though they had the time to do it right then and there they talked me down because of honest concerns.  

[qiU]

Ruby Doe

Well I talked to a couple artists at my favorite shop, and they all agreed that while it's a cool idea and would probably look great the first year or two, the design would have to be too small and too much bleeding of the ink would occur. They suggested I rethink the placement, and for that particular design I will because I'd still like to get it somewhere. The other thing one of the artists mentioned was the problem of contrast. Contrast is really what makes it so the observer knows what their seeing, and that's a serious problem for white ink. The design might just be too complex. I'd still really like something in white ink but having talked to some artists it's good to know about these concerns.

That's part of why I like this particular shop so much. A lot of places would have just slapped the design on me and taken my money, but even though they had the time to do it right then and there they talked me down because of honest concerns.

Like I told you, it has to be a simple as posible, and not too small... I had to mention that part... If it's thick lines, done with a thick 8 liner and it's very simple it willl look great, as for contrast, hardly anyone sees my Sakura at all... I have to show it too them and then they also can hardly see it, unless there is lots of light and then it looks much better... Anyway, the reason most people don't get ink in white is just that, it looks kinda strange and is hard to see, I tho really love it and I never cared about what people see and if they see it...

Anyway, good luck with it and I would love to see it when it's done! biggrin  

[Ayamechan]

I really like the subtlety of white ink. You will post pictures if and when you have it done. ^_^  

[vafalla]

I have some white accents in my tattoo. I have an emerald in front of a sun on my upper back, and my artist used white to make it look like the emerald is reflecting the light of the sun. It looks amazing. White ink = good.  

[Stamm]

White usly fades out. If you get a lote of sun.  

[Brynn Darling]

Heeeyyy I already wrote about this in a different forum...

Mesic

The only thing I really know about them is that they can bleed more during tattooing? Something like the material used makes bloodflow more prominent? I sat with a friend who was getting a tattoo where most of the base design was white and grey ink, and it bled like crazy when he got it done. He didn't heal up his tattoo very well (washed the scab off) so I don't know what happened in the long run.

It looked cool, though... but he was rather swarthy. I'm so pale, it probably wouldn't do much. sad

Don't be silly. You can just see the blood more because it's a light color. You can't see blood against black. No ink makes you bleed more than any other.

They just don't hold up, all white tattoos. If you get like a cali lily or something then it'll look good, or a white tiger or something. All white tattoos have no 'support' (the way an outlined, shaded, defined tattoo would) and look bad. White is used as a highlight, an accent of sorts. sweatdrop

In the end, all white tattoos don't make good looking tattoos. They don't hold up over time, they discolor/fade (your skin turns it a yellowy/skin color), they don't stand out the way a good tattoo should on the body.

I don't recommend it. Most people who've come in with white tattoos are disappointed and get them covered up/fixed.

I'm not trying to sway you, but if you want a substantial tattoo, please avoid all white.