Layering Colors

“Guy Aitchison mentioned something once when I was listening to him talk about how to think of packing color over color… it’s not like you set a color on top of another color…”
- Jake Meeks

A common misunderstanding when we’re putting one color on top of another is that it’s being layered on top of the old one. In reality, rather than just overlapping it’s being blended into the existing tattoo pigments. The two colors both remain in the skin, mix, and alter the color you're putting in. The same goes for tattooing over black as well. Any color you add will blend with the black tattoo pigments and be shaded respectively.

Using Multiple Shades of a Color

“Whenever I move to the backside of the sleeve here, I change the temperature of green. I went to a more seafoam green…”
- Jake Meeks

Another tip that may not seem that important is using a variety of the same color in your piece. Instead of just tinting the color darker or lighter with black, try muting the color with it’s complementary or changing its temperature to slightly warmer or cooler. These small changes will greatly affect the entire outcome of the piece and make a noticeable difference in creating depth.

Watch the full episode:

How to Get Smooth Color Blends | Fireside Technique | EP 16