Importance of black outlines on tattoos?

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Monday July 21st, 2008 @ 5:15 PM

Filed under: Tattoos

i was wondering how important it is to have a black outline on your tattoo? If there is a black outline will it age better then one without a black outline? im getting a tattoo soon of a flower and i wasnt sure if it was important to get an outline in black. thanks so much!

This will depend upon the artist who does your tattoo.

There are artists who absolutely insist on a black outline for every tattoo. There are artists who will happily do tattoos without black outlines. There are also artists who prefer to put black outlines on tattoos, but if you don’t want one, they won’t make you get one.

I’ve worked in a few shops over the years, and most of the artists I’ve worked with have been of the “a black outline is a must” philosophy. The theory/belief is that black will tend to soften/blur less than man other colors. As a result, your tattoo will look “crisper” for longer with a black outline.

In my experience, most of the tattoos I’ve seen without black outlines do tend to look a little “fuzzy” at the edges if they don’t have a black outline. I’m talking about tattoos done by experienced, talented artists…not some hack. At the same time, if you’re aware of that ahead of time, and it’s a “risk” you’re willing to take, not having a black outline certainly isn’t the end of the world.

If you feel that a black outline is going to really not jive with the aesthetic of your design, you definitely need to fine an artists who isn’t insistent upon putting a black outline on it. Those artists are out there..they may just be a little harder to find.

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