Blackwork tattoo ideas & designs

Blackwork is the boldest way to wear a photo: the subject becomes a solid black silhouette that reads from across a room and holds its shape for years.

What it is: blackwork is a tattoo style built from solid black ink: filled shapes, heavy contrast and negative space instead of grey shading or colour.

Defining traits

• Large areas of saturated black, with the skin itself used as the highlight.
• Bold outlines and silhouettes rather than fine detail.
• No colour and little or no grey wash.
• Geometric, botanical, ornamental and silhouette subjects all fit the style.

Best placements

• Forearm and upper arm: flat, visible, and wide enough for solid fill (8–18 cm).
• Calf and thigh: large canvases for bold silhouettes.
• Shoulder blade and back: ideal for big ornamental or landscape pieces.
• Hands and feet fade fastest; keep blackwork there simple and bold.

Examples from our own example photos

Each example above is one of our sample photos converted to a blackwork treatment.

Blackwork ideas by subject

• Pets: a head silhouette with fur cut out in negative space. See pet memorial ideas.
• Landscapes: mountains or a skyline inside a circle or band.
• Botanical: ferns, leaves and flowers with filled shapes.
• Geometric: bands, mandalas and patterns of solid triangles and dots.
• Objects: bikes, cars, instruments: anything with a strong outline.

Turn your photo into blackwork

1. Pick a photo with a clear outline against a plain background.
2. Upload it and choose the blackwork style.
3. Compare it with fine line, minimal and traditional.
4. Choose a width with the size guide and download the true-size PDF.

Frequently asked