Grey wash is a shading technique in which black ink is diluted into several shades of grey. It lets the artist create smooth transitions from deep black to light, almost transparent areas.
Where is grey wash used?
The technique is the foundation of black and grey tattoos, especially in the realistic style. It renders light, shadow and texture: the skin on a portrait, an animal's fur or the softness of a petal. This kind of shading usually uses needles with a wider footprint, such as round shaders or magnums.
What should you keep in mind?
The lightest shades of grey can look softer once healed than on a fresh tattoo. Good grey wash has clear contrast between the darkest and lightest areas. When planning, look at photos of healed work, not just fresh tattoos.
We explain how to choose a photo for a realistic tattoo and describe the framing in Realistic tattoos: reference photos.