Glossary15 January 2026 · 1 min read

Realism

Realism is the style that reproduces subjects with a high degree of visual fidelity through gradients, contrast and detail. It divides into black-and-grey and colour realism, with subjects ranging from portraits to nature.

Why it matters: It is a style that relies heavily on shading and tone management: that is why it appears in descriptions of needles and inks for gradients.

Related: Black and Grey, Color Realism, Portrait, Shading.

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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Realism

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