Glossary15 January 2026 · 1 min read

Black and Grey

Black and grey uses only black and shades of grey, generally obtained by diluting black, with no colours. It is widely used in realism, portraits and religious or urban subjects, and has its origin in Chicano culture.

Why it matters: It is one of the styles that depend most on grey wash and on gradient management. It should not be confused with blackwork, which uses solid black.

Related: Realism, Grey Wash, Shading, Blackwork.

Guide4 min readReading a style: six elements for looking at a tattooStyle labels help find one's way around, but they say little on their own: two tattoos called the same thing can be very different, and a work can sit between two styles. This guide proposes a method for looking at a tattoo by observing six concrete elements: line, colour, contrast, composition, depth and subject. With these elements the families of styles can be recognised, what is seen can be described, and one can understand from which traditions and influences they come. The styles mentioned have a glossary entry; here the interest is in how to look at them.

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Black and Grey

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