Color Realism Tattoos
What is a realism tattoo?
The realism category has a little bit of wiggle room to it because you can make it as realistic or as abstract as you want. All realism projects are based on photos (AKA things that already exist). However, with the advancement in technology (AI, graphic design programs, brushes, stamps, and photo editing software), the category has grown significantly. Realism tattoos generally do not have any linework to them (unless it's very thin and crisp to hold a piece together). However, it is also very possible for you to achieve a realistic looking piece inside of black or colored linework. The realistic aspect of the tattoos really come down to the detail involved in them. Fur texture, wrinkles, freckles, highlights and shadows, smooth shading and gradients, and precise replication of details will make a realism piece stand apart from other tattoo categories.
What are common tattoos done in this style?
If you have a photo, it can be replicated. That's what makes realism so unique and diverse. All realism can be done in either black and grey, color, or color fusion (black and grey base with pops of color). Here are some general ideas of what people get tattooed in the realism category:
- Handprints, footprints, paw prints (these are best captured using inkless hand and footprint kits, sold on Amazon)
- Pet portraits (dogs, cats, horses)
- Flowers, berries, leaves, plants (botanical illustrations), trees
- Animals (lions, tigers, bears, wolves, owls, snakes, birds)
- Insects (beetles, butterflies, bees)
- Under water (coral reef, fish, octopus, sharks)
- Portrait work (family members, celebrities, movie/film characters)
- Replications of famous paintings
- Outer space and galaxy
- Skulls, bones, and skeletons
- Landscapes (mountains, beaches, sunsets, sunrises)
- Movie/film/book references or scenes
- Clocks, compasses, and hourglass
Why are realism tattoos so expensive?
Realism tattoos take time, skill, and attention to detail. That's why good realism artists aren't cheap. A lot of realism artists use layered techniques, meaning the tattoo you are getting is a multi-session piece. While some artists may work to completion one section at a time, others may start with the outside and work in, or vice versa (inside out). Every artist works differently to accomplish the same goal: making the piece look as close to the photo reference as possible.
I heard color realism fades poorly... Is that true?
All tattoos fade differently depending on the artist, the technique, the style, the colors used, the location of the tattoo, if you took care of it during your aftercare, how frequently you're out in the sun... The list goes on and on. There are a wide variety of caveats and things to blame when it comes to tattoo aging. However, as a whole, color shows its fading much more than black and grey shading. That is ultimately because lighter pigments (yellows, oranges, pinks, whites, tans, light purple, light green, light blue, aqua) blend in more with your skin as time goes on. These pigments give the appearance of fading faster because these colors often do not use a black base in the shaded tones. Darker tattoo pigments (maroon, indigo, dark green, cobalt blue, dark purple) often still have a layer of black shading underneath them to hold the piece together. Therefore, those sections of the tattoo will always appear darker than the lighter areas. Color tattoos often have a quicker refresh turn around than their black and grey counterparts, but don't let that deter you from getting an amazing color piece!
