Blackwork is the most direct of tattoo styles: black ink only, as bold fields, lines and patterns. Its roots are in old tribal tattooing, but modern blackwork borrows just as much from graphic art, geometry and illustration.
What kind of style is blackwork?
A solid black field is blackwork's signature, but the style covers a lot of ground: geometric patterns, dotwork shading, ornamental work and graphic figures. The contrast against skin is strong, which is exactly what makes the style read from a distance.
Blackwork works in small graphic pieces and large compositions alike. We cover the neighboring styles in our tribal tattoo and geometric tattoo guides.
How does blackwork hold up?
Black pigment is among the most durable tattoo inks, and blackwork tends to age gracefully. Large solid fields demand an even hand and good technique so the surface heals uniformly, and they need careful aftercare while healing. Over the years the deep black softens subtly, but the pattern stays.
