Fine-line or blackwork: choosing a style that ages well

Every tattoo spreads a little over the years. Ink settles in the skin, and lines that sat a millimetre apart on the day can drift towards each other. This is not a fault in the work; it is how skin behaves. What matters is choosing a style and size that can take it.

Fine-line tattoos use a single needle and look crisp and delicate when fresh. They age well when the design is open, the lines are spaced generously and the tattoo is not too small. A tiny word on the side of a finger or a detailed portrait the size of a coin will blur sooner. We usually suggest going a little larger than you first imagined, and keeping fine-line work off hands and feet, where skin renews fastest.

Blackwork uses bold lines and solid black areas. It holds its shape for a long time and reads clearly from across a room, which is why it suits forearms, calves and larger pieces. Dotwork sits between the two: shading built from dots, softer than solid black but sturdier than thin grey wash.

If you cannot decide, think about where the tattoo will go and how you will see it. Something you want to read up close, on an inner wrist, can be fine-line. Something you want people to see from a distance, on a shoulder, often works better in blackwork. Your artist will show you both at the consultation.