White Ink

[Papa Gee]

Ok, whats the deal with white? I've been looking at tattoos done by James Kern and Guy Atcheson and several other famous tattoo artists.

Somehow they have managed to get white ink to show up on peoples skin. I'm using Starbright bright white and can barely tell its there after using it.

Are these guys laying down a light colored base color to cover over? Or are they just really laying it in strong? I tattoo mostly on caucasion (white people) skin and all my other colors seem to go in nicely. But white is just weak. If anyone knows this secret please share it!!!!

[olboys]

i think kerns uses lexan tubes,but i don't think that really makes a diffirents.i my self don't do any thing diffirent.

[Madd Chef]

the white I put in my leg is sweet and can see it. Ive noticed some people reject or don't take White so well same as yellows.

[sundance4725]

try to scoop your white ink machin not running goopy at tip lil bit deeper power white is the besi iv found but still touchy stuff

[sundance4725]

try to scoop your white ink machin not running goopy at tip lil bit deeper power white is the besi iv found but still touchy stuff

[krow]

The few peices ive done with white fill, you couldnt even really see the white in it untill it started to heal,I guess thats becuase it mixes with the blood and turns a pinkish color.i was also at the time useing prizm inks which suck some royal ass,but whats kinda funny is white was the best color i used by prizm.......... :roll:

[XHAZE]

I try to avoid large areas of white for the same reasons. Mostly I will only use it for highlighting to give dimension. I work slowly with very small strokes at an angle. The strokes are more like a firm pushing in the direction of the needles but as stated very short pushes and dipping the white every couple of pushes. The theory is that I am working as much white as i can into the skin with as I can with the least contact therefore avoiding the weeping. Its always the last colour and Ill apply pressure to the areas with an absorbant pad for a minute after completing.

I have done a mendi design in black and a tribal black with small pearls around it. On these 2 I used white to fill the mendi and in the pearls using the technique above but with a hook upward at the end of each short push.This sounds barbaric but the white held and healed well and the skin is raised in the white pearls which is a really cool contrast to the black and the tattoo is actually 2 dimensional. Tattoo/scarring.

This is not a recommendation for anyone as you could do some damage if don't have enough experience, but this has worked for me for a few years now.

[Papa Gee]

Thanks for the replies. Lately I've been using white as a highlight with some success. The StarBright is way better than the Kaplans ink I had used in the past.

Right now I'm doing an ocean scene sleeve on a friend and used white as a highlight on a sea turtle that came out fantastic. Just a brushed area on the leading edge of the fins and on top of the shell. Really makes that turtle pop. It's definitly something I'll incorporate in as many tattoos as I can. Really adds a demension to it.

[Anonymous]

another reason u keep seeing bright ass colors is because u are seeing them in magazines. People only submit there best ink to magazines...look at some of guys peices a year after they are healed ...Im sure there not all picture perfect ...

[MedusaQueen]

Touch ups are a way to maintain good looking peices. It's one of the responsibilities of having tattoos, if you ask me. Tats are going to fade, no matter how well you take care of them. People have to understand that if they want that peice looking nice for life (otherwise, why'd you get it?), getting it touched up down the road is an important part of keeping it that way. White is one of those colors that may require touching up sooner because it is so light it will fade quicker. If someone is willing to have it touched up often, white is a beautiful color in the skin, and can be used as widely as any other color. Most customers though just want to come in get a peice and leave without ever worrying about it again, a lot of them are not willing to keep coming back to get it re-worked, so white is wiser in smaller amounts, i.e. highlights and such.


One thing about white, any brand; dip your needle often, work it in hard and deep (but do not over-work, of course), and remember. If you have white on your needle but all you see is blood when you put it in, the white IS in there, but may not show up until it starts to heal. A lot of artists will assume none got in the skin, so they dip again, rework, dip again rework, and that doesn't put more color in, it just chews the skin into scar tissue that may reject it even more. The only way to see exactly how the white came out is after it is healed.

[voodoo]

i used white on my wifes foot and had good resuts.
its a small flower with blue and white petals.

[stealthninjamark]

i was working with white for the first time yesterday while coloring in small bones. i chose to try it out because i only had a small area to do. i waited till last to do the white becasue i was scared that other ink i wipe away could contaminate the white.
just wondering if thats possible.
like....as long as its in the skin the other colors wont penetrate somehow?

[XHAZE]

Yes they will discolour the white. Always try to work the darkest to lightest sequence. As a rule of thumb, try black,brown,green,purple,blue,red,orange,yellow,wh ite.
in that sort of order and you should have a good result.

[Preacher]

Hello,
any lighter color can be mixed on the skin with a darker color giving you mud. You should always start from darkest to lightest. White will get contaminated with any other color even blood so keep the tube clean. I personally use a cup in my ultra sonic cleaner seperate from my other standerd color rinse cup. white can look really awsome when done right. :D

[stealthninjamark]

what is this "mud" you speak of?
i havnt heard this term yet.

[imported_NeedleJack]

Hi Papa: A lot of answers about what works for each artist but the truth of the matter is pretty simple. Fair complexions are always going to take white with amazing results. Ie RedHeads etc. Let's takes blacks or mexicans as an example. You would not in a million years attempt to put white in this type of skin because the natural pigment in our body would drown out the white and in theory muddy it up. Bottom line, use your sales techniques when a customer is insistant on doing something that goes against your better judgement.

Also, you also can pack color over time if the person is not so fair complected. My two cents. PS, Hope all is well.

[Papa Gee]

Thanks Chris, you're absoloutly right as usual. I have a neighbor who is Mexican with a fairly dark complexion. I did a reaper on his arm that has the moon in the background. After about 5 sittings the white in the moon is showing up pretty well.

[Rattus]

For years I have used Nationals white, but now I just mix my own.
I completely go against the rule of thumb and will skip around with colors.
Always lay a thin layer of lube to protect the others colors. I have never had a incident of healed contaminated lighter colors.
Use a slow long stoke machine when doing white. take is slow not to over work the skin and get a good saturation.


and Jacks got it right with ethnicities...but not all white folks be white.
The skin undertones play a role on how the pigments look once healed.
This takes time to learn and can be a real bitch.

[XHAZE]

For years I have mixed my white and now I buy homogenised. If i leave colours too long they will cake.Maybe it's hotter in Australia You must do small tattoos Rattus if you can "skip around" I thought the idea of this forum was to give advice to "newbies" There are some "rules". I'll stick with that colour sequence. Outlines are always black,white is not the next choice if using colours.
Thanks to forum people (oz tattoo - love your work) for comments on the album before mad hacker got in there.

[Rattus]

For years I have mixed my white and now I buy homogenised. If i leave colours too long they will cake.Maybe it's hotter in Australia You must do small tattoos Rattus if you can "skip around" I thought the idea of this forum was to give advice to "newbies" There are some "rules". I'll stick with that colour sequence. Outlines are always black,white is not the next choice if using colours.
Thanks to forum people (oz tattoo - love your work) for comments on the album before mad hacker got in there.

Let me reiterate; What I said is what I can do now. People starting out should follow the dark to light rule, until they are comfortable with there skills and willing to try something else. And for the record, for me white is usually the last put in but I will go let say, a dark red or purple to a light blue or green and come back to a dark color if needed.
This is just me. To each their own on what works for them.

Once again, newbies should follow the basic "Rules". Learn the ground work first.

[XHAZE]

Rattus
I go back sometimes too but I try not to mix the cold colours (blue and black) over warm colours (red and yellow). I only have seven colours that I keep and I'll mix them to any colour I need.

Forum
When buying ink, think about buying the "strong colours"(cold) like the darkest blue, green, magenta, and purple but you must buy white for mixing as the darkest pigments will not "take" if they are not cut with white. This will save you money as you don't have to have 5 different blues or purples and the shades of colour when mixing with white will suprise you. Each time white is added it will change the "colour". Purple=Lilac. Don't add white to any warm colours though.[red]. Like Rattus said, slow on the needles will put the white in. White ink should be the consistency of "thick cream". If it is too thick it will ride up the needle bar of your machine. If it is too thin the tattoo will appear blotchy and uneven.


From Mr Knowitall

[Rattus]

Rattus
I go back sometimes too but I try not to mix the cold colours (blue and black) over warm colours (red and yellow). I only have seven colours that I keep and I'll mix them to any colour I need.

Forum
When buying ink, think about buying the "strong colours"(cold) like the darkest blue, green, magenta, and purple but you must buy white for mixing as the darkest pigments will not "take" if they are not cut with white. This will save you money as you don't have to have 5 different blues or purples and the shades of colour when mixing with white will suprise you. Each time white is added it will change the "colour". Purple=Lilac. Don't add white to any warm colours though.[red]. Like Rattus said, slow on the needles will put the white in. White ink should be the consistency of "thick cream". If it is too thick it will ride up the needle bar of your machine. If it is too thin the tattoo will appear blotchy and uneven.


From Mr Knowitall


Great advice there for the general populous of this forum. I like my white and other colors to be like soft serve ice cream, but I also will have the same color thinner. This way, now this is just me, but if the thicker is a tad to thick or maybe starting to cake from a long session, I'll dip in the thinner to balance out the consistency, while still maintaining a pigment packed punch.

Also, buying the concentrates is excellent advice, IMO.
A little can go a long way when mixed right with another color. e.g. white, yellow.

If your a bit puzzled about mixing up your own shades, now this is even in the caps, I'm not really saying mixing your stock pigments from scratch. Go out and buy a really good color mixing / theory book for reference. Also invest in a good Color Wheel if you don't have one. There are some basic ones and some good color mixing ones.

Here's a few examples on books and a color wheel:


Color Mixing Bible (http://cmgconceptions.com/cgi-bin/apf4/amazon_products_feed.cgi?Operation=ItemLookup&ItemId=0823007235&locale=us)
Color Theory Made Easy (http://cmgconceptions.com/cgi-bin/apf4/amazon_products_feed.cgi?Operation=ItemLookup&ItemId=0823007545&locale=us)
Color Mixing Swatch Book (http://cmgconceptions.com/cgi-bin/apf4/amazon_products_feed.cgi?Operation=ItemLookup&ItemId=0967962854&locale=us)

Artist's Color Wheel (http://www.dickblick.com/zz049/15/)

I know we strayed of the "White" Topic but, white is just one pigment and it's one that is a valuable element in your arsenal.

[blackcat supply]

Outlines are always black,

no there not. nore should they be, black has no magical property making it invincible to other colors, black just makes the inner color stand out more.

[XHAZE]

Colour Cat - Ok you got me. Negative tribals. Theres heaps of tattoos that have been done with no outline black or shade. Outline red and block it red. White with no outline is "funky" too. Black,it's not magical but it is invincible. History is built on it.