color and color gradient help

Ash_11 · 1 Jun 2021

I need to know how to color pack white and yellow. I've noticed the color barely shows on my skin and is more difficult for me to color pack at all. My leg is very pasty white so I figured this shouldn't be too much of a problem at least for yellow. Also I'm struggling to make grey washes show up on my skin as well :/ help please

MirandM · 1 Jun 2021

Keep in mind that if it's in direct sunlight the first color to go is... yellow.
I had a multicolor tattoo (yellow, orange, green, blue, brown and black) on my left arm and yellow was definitely fading after only two years.
If it's covered by clothing most of the time (or at least outdoors) then no problem.

P$ Productions · 1 Jun 2021

I attempted to pack yellow the other day and I found i got a really nice saturation when I went very slow in small circles.

Are you mixing your own Greywash? It might just need more layers or a bit more black to get it going.

TexasPT · 1 Jun 2021

stretch...and trust.

light colors don't always look like they are going in and people tend to overwork them...or underwork them because they think they are chewing up their skin due to being able to see the discoloration/blood of the skin.

can you pack other colors? Do the same thing...and trust. (sound weird, I know)

Ash_11 · 1 Jun 2021

P$ Productions said:
I attempted to pack yellow the other day and I found i got a really nice saturation when I went very slow in small circles.

Are you mixing your own Greywash? It might just need more layers or a bit more black to get it going.

yeah i am. is it better to mix or should i go with premade?

Ash_11 · 1 Jun 2021

TexasPT said:
stretch...and trust.

light colors don't always look like they are going in and people tend to overwork them...or underwork them because they think they are chewing up their skin due to being able to see the discoloration/blood of the skin.

can you pack other colors? Do the same thing...and trust. (sound weird, I know)

okay cool because i can pack other colors and you're right the blood and discoloration keeps throwing me off

TexasPT · 1 Jun 2021

Ash_11 said:
yeah i am. is it better to mix or should i go with premade

just throwing this out there...if you are struggling a bit on putting in lighter colors why are you trying to put in washes? My opinion, take it for what it's worth (not much) is that you need to build off a foundation. My biggest challenge when I was learning was that I wanted to do EVERYTHING tattooers with years more experience than I had were doing.

learn to line...sink single pass lines with confidence.
learn to pack solid with little to no trauma
learn to whip out solid black to create a gradient
learn to smooth shade black to create gradients
learn to transition from one color to another shade of the same color using the knowledge you gained on becoming proficient with gradients.
Learn to transition from one color to another color...
learn to use washes because if you can't smooth shade color you're going to flounder on washes

we all try to jump ahead, then run out of talent mid-tattoo. Myself included. build a foundation from the fundamentals...when you can line, pack and shade you can really do anything.

My .02

KyleBl4ck · 1 Jun 2021

TexasPT said:
stretch...and trust.

Ohhhhh I was gonna say stretch the skin, go slow and pray lol.

Ash_11 · 1 Jun 2021

TexasPT said:
just throwing this out there...if you are struggling a bit on putting in lighter colors why are you trying to put in washes? My opinion, take it for what it's worth (not much) is that you need to build off a foundation. My biggest challenge when I was learning was that I wanted to do EVERYTHING tattooers with years more experience than I had were doing.

learn to line...sink single pass lines with confidence.
learn to pack solid with little to no trauma
learn to whip out solid black to create a gradient
learn to smooth shade black to create gradients
learn to transition from one color to another shade of the same color using the knowledge you gained on becoming proficient with gradients.
Learn to transition from one color to another color...
learn to use washes because if you can't smooth shade color you're going to flounder on washes

we all try to jump ahead, then run out of talent mid-tattoo. Myself included. build a foundation from the fundamentals...when you can line, pack and shade you can really do anything.

My .02

This might sound weird, but I'm able to shade and pack decently with virtually any other color than white and yellow and grey wash. I found the problem with my gray wash earlier because of a guy up above but i do fear overworking my skin. also yellow and white don't show up on my skin initially so it threw me off. I guess the answer to that though is to stretch and trust like people are saying, do you have any tips on making it appear better or is it just a skin/ink thing? Are there brands that show up better?

MirandM · 1 Jun 2021

TexasPT said:
just throwing this out there...if you are struggling a bit on putting in lighter colors why are you trying to put in washes? My opinion, take it for what it's worth (not much) is that you need to build off a foundation. My biggest challenge when I was learning was that I wanted to do EVERYTHING tattooers with years more experience than I had were doing.

learn to line...sink single pass lines with confidence.
learn to pack solid with little to no trauma
learn to whip out solid black to create a gradient
learn to smooth shade black to create gradients
learn to transition from one color to another shade of the same color using the knowledge you gained on becoming proficient with gradients.
Learn to transition from one color to another color...
learn to use washes because if you can't smooth shade color you're going to flounder on washes

we all try to jump ahead, then run out of talent mid-tattoo. Myself included. build a foundation from the fundamentals...when you can line, pack and shade you can really do anything.

My .02

That advice should be pinned as a post somewhere for first steps in tattooing. Totally true and exactly what I'm doing right now, taking things one step at a time, not rushing anything. Haste is our mayor enemy, I think.

TexasPT · 1 Jun 2021

Ash_11 you can add a drop of white to some lighter colors and it helps them...

not sure why I'd every pack white. it doesn't last and you run the risk of it looking like a burn wound. Better to put skin breaks next to darker colors to give the illusion in my opinion.

color and color gradient help

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