Colour vs grey tattoos? 6 things you need to know before choosing

Tattoo artist answers 6 very important questions. Check them out before you get your next tattoo.

Tattoo holds different meanings for everyone; for some, it is a self-expression, a fashion statement, while for others, it's more symbolic, in remembrance of someone or something. Regardless of the reason, choosing the right style, whether colour or grey-toned, defines the mood of the tattoo, how it ages, and even the aftercare procedure. We have curated some celeb tattoo looks for your visual reference. HT Lifestyle also reached out to a tattoo artist, asking 6 important questions regarding colour vs grey-toned tattoos.

Find out which one is better colour or a grey tattoo. (Picture credit: Unsplash)

Celeb tattoo references

Ed Sheeran in colourful tattoos, while Lady Gaga chose subtle grey grey-toned tattoo designs. (Picture credit: Pinterest)

Hollywood celebrities are great sources for tattoo inspiration, helping you choose the aesthetic you might be drawn to. British singer Ed Sheeran's tattoos are predominantly colourful, covering his arms, chest and back. They are very vivid, featuring a giant lion on the chest. The pastel tattoos were all interconnected, with each section containing other elements such as teddy, roses, shark, rolling tongue, and quotes.

In contrast, Lady Gaga's tattoos aren't connected, but rather are separate elements, whether it is the grey thorny leaf stem as a spine tattoo or a clawed hand on her back. The change in tone is apparent, as Ed's tattoos appeared more vibrant, almost whimsical, while Gaga's were stark, edgy and abstract.

Ruby Rose with colourful tattoo sleeves, Hailey Bieber's minimal designs and Miley Cyrus' pop of colour tattoo amid the grey-toned ones. (Picture credit: Pinterest)

For the next batch of inspiration, we have Australian actor Ruby Rose, Hailey Bieber and Miley Cyrus. Ruby Rose is another celebrity with eye-catching colours in her tattoo sleeves, with shades like green, yellow, red and blue. Colour tattoos are more lively because of the multiple bright colours.

But if your style is to keep it minimalist, then Hailey Bieber is your inspiration as she has a collection of delicate, minimalist designs on her wrist, fingers and knuckles, which are all in grey-tone.

Miley Cyrus's tattoos are expressive, bold and very artistic. Among all her tattoos, she has a coloured avocado tattoo on her upper left arm. It goes to show that you don't need to follow any one colour scheme as you can mix and match or experiment freely.

So if you are thinking about getting inked anytime soon, you may have several questions, whether to go for colourful tattoos, which are vibrant but less common or the regular grey-toned ones?

Common tattoo doubts answered

Tattoo artist Pallavi from Devil’z Tattooz answered six important questions for us, clarifying the doubts that may arise.

1. What is the difference between colour and black-grey tattoos?

Answer: Colour tattoos are ones which use colour gradients to fill the design, whereas black and grey tattoos use only shades of black

2. Which one has more longevity? Colour or greytone?

Answer: Black and Grey tattoos tend to look more saturated over a period of time, as black provides the most stark contrast against south asian skin.

3. Which one hurts more?

Answer: Pain is very subjective; all tattoos hurt to some degree, depending on the pain threshold of the person getting the tattoo.

4. What should a client keep in mind before choosing colour/grey tattoos?

Answer: Colour tattoos should be of considerable size, especially on deeper skin tones, to show well. Same for fineline tattoos. If the aesthetic you prefer is dark and bold, black and grey might be the way to go. Colour tattoos have a softer look to them.

5. Which type of designs work for colour/grey tattoos?

Answer: There’s no specification in terms of design; this is a personal preference of the client and the style of work by the artist.

6. Which one requires more touch-ups?

Answer: Colour tattoos may need a touch-up within 5 years of getting the tattoo, whereas black and grey tattoos rarely ever require a touch-up.