Style

Watercolor

Watercolor tattoos replicate the loose, flowing quality of watercolor paintings: soft color washes, visible brushstroke edges, splatter, bleed, and the feeling of pigment spreading through wet paper. The style often omits or minimizes black outlining, which creates an airy, abstract quality unlike any other tattoo form. Critics of the style note that without solid black anchoring the design, watercolor tattoos can fade more noticeably over time than other styles — the debate about longevity is ongoing in the industry. When fresh, watercolor work is among the most visually striking tattoos possible.