Blackwork style literally means "black work". Any picture in blackwork is dense shading and a triumph of rich black.
Not every tattoo can be called a blackwork. Black patterns, realism or a lot of dots are not yet black, even if they sometimes dilute this style with them. But the famous “Square” by Malevich in the whole back is an absolute blackwork.
The style is specific, but also interesting: someone will be frightened by densely shaded areas of the body, someone will admire minimalism and simplicity. In the article we will tell you where blackwork came from and why only a professional can handle the application, show the creations of our masters and share interesting stories. Forward!
Style history
Blackwork tattoos came from polynesia, tribal and Maya tattoos, only in a broader sense - not patterns, but color come first. Some part of the body is covered with thick saturated black - for example, the entire arm or leg - or complex figures are drawn. Blackwork can both emphasize the anatomy and break the geometry of the body, in both cases it looks unusual and attracts attention.
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Often, black tattoos are slightly diluted with dotwork, white color or scarring to add a memorable accent or zest to the picture.
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Blackwork is mainly covered by some unsuccessful or boring work. Black color easily absorbs any drawings, lines, scars on the body, something rarely shines through under it, so this style is popular for overlapping.
“Any tattoo fades over the years, so that the picture remains juicy, correct it every 5-10 years”
- the master of the studio Kirill shares
Interesting: people with tattoos in this style
Lucky Diamond Rich
In 2006, performance artist Lucky Diamond Rich was listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the most tattooed person in the world. Tattoos cover almost 100% of his body, including ears, mouth and private parts. He dreamed of such a way of self-expression since childhood and decided after the first tattoo. That's really really a performance so performance!
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Monami Frost
Latvian model and video blogger Monami Frost is known for her incredible charm and numerous tattoos. In the video blog, the girl talks about her life and family, about food and travel, about makeup and tattoos. Recently, on the Russian channel, she devoted a whole video to her blackwork on her arm - she said that this style has always attracted, that it hides the very first tattoos and that it was difficult to decide.
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Features of style and work in it
It seems that blackwork sketches are an easy job, and getting such a tattoo is easier than any other. This is wrong. Behind the external simplicity lies the professionalism of the master and long painstaking work.
It is important that the master
As a rule, tattoo lovers are divided into two camps and distinguish for themselves, respectively, two types of tattoos: colored or black and gray (Black and gray tattoo). The very same roots of the tattoo (in ethnic for sure) are saturated mainly with black ink. Actively developing in a traditional environment, over many centuries, they have grown into something more than just a tribal tattoo. Nowadays, tribal tattoos have become widely known as blackwork tattoo or neo-tribal tattoo, which are gaining more and more popularity these days. Well friends, welcome to the monochrome realm...
Some may take blackwork tattoos as an extreme or lack of aesthetic taste, but the choice of true blackwork connoisseurs deserves great respect for their boldness! Blackwork shows dotwork (Dotwork tattoo) and linework (Linework tattoo) their impressive size clogged, more than completely, with black paint; its complex geometric and symmetrical patterns inherited from the Polynesian tattoo, as well as unsurpassed graphic art. Blackwork is focused on design, mostly ornamental, not on meaning or realism. From minimalist to extremely intricate, blackwork tattoos are varied. However, you can always add white ink to soften the black outline. Blackwork is also great for covering up old tattoos. There are a huge number of well-known tattoo artists in this style and even specialized tattoo parlors, so take the time to find a worthy artist if you want to hide in black...
Well, did anyone have a desire to dye themselves black? :D Let's now explore the possibilities of blackwork in more detail on this selection of black tattoos covering the body from 1% to 90%...
If you are a supporter of simplicity and at the same time originality of a tattoo, pay attention to the Blackwork style. On the one hand, it resembles a tribal tattoo, ornamental or dotwork, and, on the other hand, it is very recognizable for its special color and style features. Even its very name speaks of the predominance of black or its halftones in the tattoo.
Blackwork tattoo style history
The history of these tattoos goes back to ancient times, when the Pacific islanders-Polynesians applied drawings to their bodies telling about their occupation, tribe size, goals, and the like. The stuffing of the tattoo turned into a real ritual with the participation of the priests of the tribe.
Blackwork was brought to the European and American continents by sailors who appreciated the beauty of aboriginal tattoos and adopted this fashion. Even at that time, it spread quite quickly, so Blackwork-style tattoos quickly won their adherents.
This style received another wave of popularity in the 80s of the last century, when tattoos, including Blackwork, re-entered mass fashion. As expected, they got a new start in the USA.
Features and differences of Blackwork tattoos
In the classic version, Blackwork-style tattoos are distinguished by symmetry and the correctness of the geometric shape of figures and patterns. You can also note their external restraint and, even, asceticism. The color scheme of tattoos is straight black and white. The drawing consists of geometric figures, ornaments and completely shaded areas of the body. Moreover, as a rule, the shaded fragments are quite large.
One of the features of this type of tattoo is that it often solves the problem of covering the previous tattoo, which was either unsuccessfully made or became irrelevant for its owner. Also, Blackwork is an ideal tattoo for those who want to mask some kind of scar or skin defect.
This type of tattoo can be placed on any part of the body: on the arm, leg, neck or torso. It all depends on the pattern you choose. If you have your own idea, then you can offer it to the master, almost any drawing can be processed in the Blackwork style. By the way, he, far from always, looks rough, due to the shadows and gray tones, you can get a subtle and even elegant work.
Blackwork tattoo meaning
The meaning of tattoos is also quite straightforward, there are no hidden meanings, everything is very technical. The main thing that carries a Blackwork tattoo is the shape and filling with color. In the process of choosing the drawing you like, the master can offer you not only abstract geometric images, but also plot paintings, for example, white stars in a black sky, plants, skulls, insects, or even entire landscapes.
By the way, among ornamental tattoos, Blackwork is one of the most expensive. This is due to the huge amount of work on shading large areas, and in the process of stuffing a tattoo, it is necessary to maintain a uniform color saturation.
It should be noted that Blackwork is very difficult, even almost impossible, to reduce, overlap or correct, so carefully choose both the drawing and the master who will make the tattoo.
Blackwork in translation from English means "dirty work". Tattoos made in this style are fully consistent with their name.
The work is done in rich black color, painting mainly significant areas of the body. Buddhist ritual tattoos were taken as the basis of this style, as they were also performed in black colors. This direction completely excludes other shades that are possible in this art, revealing to us all the mystery and mysticism of darkness.
If you are a lover of black and respect a tattoo of a significant size, you will like the blackwork style. Of course, sketches can be different, you can depict anything in this style.
Men love drawings in the form of clear geometric shapes, which give a special brutality and showiness. A blackwork forest tattoo is considered popular - this is an image of a mysterious black forest on white skin. Other details are added to the drawing, if desired, for example, birds flying over the tops of trees. The picture captivates with its mystery and gloom. You don’t want to hide such work under layers of clothing, so it is depicted on the sleeve.
The strength of this direction is the rejection of fashion trends. Even if the whole world decorates their bodies with colorful paints, blackwork tattoos do not lose their relevance and are considered true classics that cannot disappear or become obsolete.
Often, unsuccessful tattoos, the so-called "portaki", are painted over with blackwork. Any flaw in the skin or portak will be hidden under a layer of black pigment. But it should be understood that this style pigments the skin "tightly", so it will most likely be impossible to remove a blackwork tattoo.
