Glossary
Original editorial content, made for people who want to understand before they buy.
Pigmentation
Pigmentation indicates how much colouring matter an ink contains compared with the liquid that carries it. It is not a standard value reported uniformly: manufacturers describe it in words or through colour rendering.
Viscosity
Viscosity describes how fluid or thick an ink is, that is, how easily it flows. It depends on the formulation and can change with temperature. In product sheets it usually appears as a description («fluid», «thick») rather than as a measured value.
Opacity
Opacity indicates an ink's ability to cover what lies beneath without letting it show through. It is a concept tied to the colour's appearance, not a standardised measure, and manufacturers describe it in different ways.
Saturation
Saturation describes the intensity and purity of a colour: a highly saturated colour looks vivid, a less saturated one looks more muted or greyish. It is a colour-theory concept and does not indicate how much pigment the ink contains.
Mixing
Mixing is the blending of inks, or the dilution of an ink, to obtain a shade or gradation different from the original. Some manufacturers provide guidance on compatibility between their own products.
Grey Wash
Grey wash is a series of grey gradations obtained by diluting black with a compatible liquid, or a set of ready-made greys in different intensities. The dilution ratio and the products to use are indicated by the manufacturer.
Blackwork
Blackwork is a style that uses black as its main element, with solid lines and surfaces, often without colour gradients. In product language the term also indicates black inks described as suited to this type of work.
Carrier
The carrier is the liquid that carries the pigment in the ink. Its composition varies from manufacturer to manufacturer and is not always declared in detail. It influences the ink's viscosity and behaviour.
REACH
REACH is the European regulation on chemical substances. For tattoo inks it restricts, from 2022, the use of certain substances in products sold in the European Union. «REACH compliant» in product sheets means the manufacturer declares compliance with the requirements.