Tattoos hold different meanings for everyone; For some, it is a self-expression, a fashion statement, while for others, it is more symbolic in commemorating a person or thing. Whatever the reason, choosing the right style, whether color or grey-tone, defines the mood of the tattoo, how it ages and even the aftercare process. We have prepared some celeb tattoo looks for your visual reference. HT Lifestyle also got in touch with a tattoo artist and asked 6 important questions regarding colored vs grey-toned tattoos.
Also read: Going to get inked? Dermatologist explains skin allergies to consider before getting a tattoo
celeb tattoo references
Hollywood celebrities are great sources of tattoo inspiration, helping you choose an aesthetic you might be attracted to. British singer Ed Sheeran’s tattoos are mainly colorful, covering his arms, chest and back. They are very bright, featuring a huge lion on the chest. The pastel tattoos were all interconnected, with each section incorporating other elements such as teddies, roses, sharks, rolling tongues and quotes.
In contrast, Lady Gaga’s tattoos are not connected, but rather have separate elements, whether it’s a gray thorny leaf stem as a spine tattoo or a clawed hand on her back. The change in tone is obvious, as Ed’s tattoos appeared more vibrant, almost whimsical, while Gaga’s tattoos were bold, girly, and abstract.
For the next batch of inspiration, we have Australian actors Ruby Rose, Hailey Bieber and Miley Cyrus. Ruby Rose is another celebrity whose tattoo sleeves have attractive colors like green, yellow, red and blue. Colorful tattoos are more vibrant because of the many bright colors.
But if your style is to keep it minimal, then Hailey Bieber is your inspiration as she has a collection of delicate, minimalist designs on her wrists, fingers and knuckles, all in grey-tone.
Miley Cyrus’ tattoos are expressive, bold and very artistic. Among all her tattoos, she has a colorful avocado tattoo on her upper left arm. This shows that you don’t need to stick to any one color scheme as you can freely mix and match or experiment.
So if you are thinking about getting a tattoo soon, you may have several questions in mind, should you choose colorful tattoos, which are vibrant but less common, or regular grey-toned tattoos?
Common tattoo questions answered
Tattoo artist Pallavi of Devilz Tattoos answered six important questions for us, clarifying the doubts that may arise.
1. What is the difference between colored and black-and-brown tattoos?
Answer: Colorful tattoos are those that use color gradients to fill the design, while black and gray tattoos use only black colors.
2. Who is older? Color or graytone?
Answer: Black and brown tattoos tend to look more saturated over time, as black provides the most contrast compared to South Asian skin.
3. Which hurts more?
Answer: Pain is very subjective; All tattoos hurt to some degree, depending on the pain threshold of the person getting the tattoo.
4. What should a customer keep in mind before choosing a color/grey tattoo?
Answer: Colored tattoos should be of sufficient size, especially on darker skin, so that they show up well. The same is true for fineline tattoos. If the aesthetic you prefer is dark and bold, black and gray might be an option. Colorful tattoos have a softer look.
5. What types of designs work for colored/gray tattoos?
Answer: There are no specifications in terms of design; This is the personal preference of the customer and the artist’s working style.
6. What needs more touch-ups?
Answer: Colored tattoos may require touch-ups within 5 years of getting the tattoo, while black and gray tattoos rarely require touch-ups.
