If you have experience with tattoos then it is highly likely that you have at least heard of dotwork tattoos, even if you’re not sure what they are. Dotwork tattoos are a style of tattoo known for their high levels of intricacy and detail. In fact, when the shades are done well this type of tattoo will almost have a three-dimensional look and feel to it. If you are looking forward to showing off a design that you believe in, then dotwork tattoos are a great way to show it to the world.
How it’s Done
Since this type of tattoo is known for its details, the tattoo artist has to be both skilled and patient. This is not the kind of tattoo you can show up and get in one afternoon, and this goes for even smaller designs. As the name implies, dotwork tattoos are done with small dots. Whether it is a simple design or a complex one, each image consists of tiny dots, similar to pixels on a computer screen. For those of you who think this is a new style of tattoo, this is not the case. In fact, dotwork tattoos have been around for hundreds of years in Asia and Africa.
Of course, the technique used to create it was different in the old days. Today they use machines as opposed to the hand poke method used before. However, the interesting thing is that the hand poke method is slowly making a comeback. One theory behind this trend is that the tattoos have a more “authentic” look to them. However, this is more a matter of personal taste than anything else.
Dotwork Designs
Dotwork tattoos are usually done with black and gray ink. The two will be mixed to manipulate the necessary shades. Sometimes red ink will also be used, depending on the design. The most popular designs done with this tattoo technique are geometric designs. Some artist will swear that the dotwork technique is the best to accomplish geometric shapes such as triangles, circles, and others. This may be the reason why dotwork tattoos are a popular way of doing religious tattoos. Not only that, dotwork tattoos can also be used to cover up embarrassing scar tissue. Some of the most popular figures include mandalas, animals such as cats, wolves, dogs, butterflies, and religious symbols like the cross, pyramid, skulls, and thorns.
Good Things Take Time
Anyone who is considering a tattoo and would like it to have a unique look needs to take a closer look at the dotwork method. Even though it takes longer to finish, especially with the hand poke method, the wait is well worth it. After all, this is something that will exist on the body for a long time to come. So, might as well spend a few extra hours to get a breath-taking tattoo, as opposed to just a nice tattoo.
If you’d like more information about dotwork tattoos, contact the San Marcos Tattoo Emporium, located in San Marcos, TX.
