Blackwork tattoos are soaring high in popularity lately. The images of Blackwork tattoos are taking social media and the internet by storm. In this blog post, we will talk about this distinct style of tattooing and its history. We have also gathered over hundreds of very creative Blackwork tattoo images to inspire you for your next ink.
What Is A Blackwork Tattoo?
Blackwork tattoo style is a fascinating and unique approach to tattooing. The first impression of the tattoos looks like some old body paints. A lot of people often think of them as cover-up tattoos as they sometimes cover a large area of skin. It is not always the case.
The origin of Blackwork tattooing goes back millennia. The “black” actually refers to the material used in the history of tattooing of thousands of years. People have been using charcoal to make black pigments for more than 7000 years.
So basically, any tattoos that use only black ink for shading and line work are considered Blackwork tattoos. This style of tattoos are distinguished for their bold lines, dense black shading, and the perfect use of negative space.
The Origin Of Blackwork Tattoos
This tattooing style has always been around. Because of its current popularity, a lot of people interested in getting it. Have you ever noticed the similarities between Tribal and Blackwork tattoos? Even there are some significant differences, the origin of Blackwork tattooing lies within the tribal tattoos.
Polynesian tattoos such as Samoan and Maori tattoos are known for their abstract but meaningful patterns. These patterns and the black ink have a significant influence on the tattoos. The indigenous people around the world used to get tattoos for various purposes. The symbols they used for tattoos represented their life stories or legends. Polynesian people use tattoos to represent their lineage, beliefs, and tribe affiliations. Symbolizing victories in the battle with a permanent ink was common among the ancient warriors. Back then getting a tattoo was a ritual, and only the shamans and priests could give you a tattoo.
A lot of these aspects of the ancient cultures still have a great influence on modern Blackwork tattooing.
Are Blackwork Tattoos The Same As Tribal Tattoos?
Blackwork tattoos have evolved from the traditional tribal tattoos. That is why you will see many modern blackwork tattoo designs that use neo-tribal patterns and other sacred geometric patterns. All tribal tattoos are blackwork tattoos, but all blackwork tattoos are not tribal tattoos.
Style
The subject range for this tattoo style varies widely from neo-tribal to geometric patterns to animals to skulls and mandalas. Design-wise it can be really anything that you imagine. The tattooing style is not limited to specific shading, line thickness, shapes, or sizes. Dark, illustrative and graphic art, etching or engraving technique, and even lettering or calligraphic scripts are considered as Blackwork when they are done in black ink.
Tattoo Placement
The placement can be as important as the tattoo design in some cases. The size and the design of the tattoo are also the deciding factors when it comes to placements. End of the day, it is your body, and you can have it anywhere that you like. The most common places for these tattoos are arms, forearms, legs, upper chest, back, and shoulders.
Designing Blackwork Tattoos
The main goal of any tattoo is self-expression, and when it comes to the design, there are no limitations in blackwork. Most people often confuse blackwork tattoos with blackout tattoos. Blackout tattoos usually covers a large area of your skin with black ink. There are no designs or patterns involved. Great for covering up old tattoos. On the other hand, the designs of blackwork tattoos are inspired by skulls, tarot cards, reapers, swords, sigils, and demons, etc.
Another trendy blackwork design is sacred geometry. Sacred geometry represents sacred/holy universal patterns used in designing the universe, so these tattoos often consist of lots of lines, shapes, and dots.
With such a vast array of aesthetics and personal approaches included in the overall designs of Blackwork tattoos, the options are limitless. The ease of clarity in design and the clever use of negative space makes the black ink pops on any skin color. Also, the fact that blackwork tattoos age incredibly well, it makes this particular style of tattooing adaptable to any design or concept.
Does It Hurt More?
They hurt like just any other tattoos. If you are planning to cover up a large area with black ink, then expect long sessions. Depending on the body part and your tolerance of pain, the tattoo pain will vary.
