Definition
What is shading?
Shading is the process of adding tonal variation to a tattoo to create depth, volume and realism. It is done by varying needle pressure, ink dilution and speed to build soft or contrasted gradients.
Different styles rely on different shading techniques: smooth black-and-grey shading for realism, whip-shading for traditional tattoos, or stippling for soft illustrative shading.
Examples
- Black-and-grey portraits with photo-realistic skin tones
- Whip-shading around old-school motifs
- Soft watercolour-style gradients