tattooing on dark skin tones
i offer complimentary colour consultations and colour test tattoos for people with melanated skin, free with any colour tattoo.
colour tattoos can feel inaccessible for clients with dark skin tones, and racist views within the culture of tattooing have influenced what people believe it is possible to tattoo. you might be quite pleasantly surprised by what we can achieve, and i’d love to work with you to pick the best colours and make a really beautiful tattoo for you!
the layer of melanin in the skin heals on top of the tattoo ink, which is deposited into the lower layers of the skin. it’s similar to applying a filter to a photograph, which will mute certain colours. so if you have a lighter skin tone, you have a bit more flexibility in terms of lighter colours, pastels, yellows etc. dark skin tones require more consideration as to how visible the colours will be, and the light/dark contrast of the overall design.
what is a colour test?
we can either do an in-person/email consult in advance of the tattoo, where we chat about colours suited to your skin tone and look at examples. this is ideal for if you already have some colour tattoos and have an idea of what works with your skin.
or, we can do a small colour tattoo 3 weeks before your tattoo appointment, using the colours that you hope to have present in your final tattoo. this is ideal if you haven't had a colour tattoo before, or if you want to try a colour you don't already have. 3 weeks later at your actual tattoo appointment, we can we evaluate how the colours have healed in your skin, and choose which colours we use for your tattoo. this can also alert you to any ink allergies and tell us which colours to avoid.
you shouldn’t have to get a tattoo of a bunch of lines and dots that you might not want! so i have designed my colour test flash to be cute and intentional, and you’re welcome to suggest your own small design. here’s some examples of the kinds of designs we can do for a colour test.
