Realism is a tattoo style that faithfully reproduces a real image: a portrait, an animal, a plant or an object. The artist builds the illusion of depth and three dimensions with light, shadow and texture rather than outlines.
What kinds of realism are there?
- Black and grey realism, where shading is made from diluted black, for example with the grey wash technique.
- Colour realism, where the artist reproduces a full palette.
- Micro-realism, realistic motifs at a small scale that need a particularly careful choice of size.
What to prepare for a realistic tattoo
The basis is a good reference photo: sharp, well lit and with visible detail. The size has to allow the detail to be rendered. A portrait that is too small loses legibility over the years, so the artist may suggest a different crop or a larger scale.
We explain how to choose a photo and describe the framing in Realistic tattoos: reference photos, and how colour looks over time in Colour tattoos years later: a guide. To ask about your photo, use our booking form.
