How to Self-Tattoo : Gray Wash Depth in Self-Tattoo

Gray washes of tattoo ink add shading and depth, many tattoo artists often practice the techniques on their own skin. Watch a tattoo artist add depth with gray wash in this free self-tattoo video.

Expert: Brian Franc
Contact: www.myspace.com/beazelbrain
Bio: Brian Franc is a professional tattoo artist with 21 years experience and has his own studio in Land O Lakes, Florida.
Filmmaker: Christopher Rokosz

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• tattoos
• art
• ink
• work
• tat
• needle
• self tattoo

[Websomniac]

That is NOT grey wash... it is grey (white and black mixed together) Grey wash is black ink watered down.. You can tell because when he's tattooing the ink looks light milky grey... as opposed to grey wash that looks like it's black (when it's going in) even when it's a light grey mixture. There is too much misinformation about tattoos on youtube. Don't think you're learning anything from this, aspiring tattooers!

[teck4201]

I'm an artist and my specialty as always been lining and shading. I've recently taken an interest in tattooing and I admit that it has a whole different process on its own and almost all tattoo artists I've met have their own terminology which clashes with other artists but my main concern in this video is the quality of the tattoo itself.  Bad composition, color choice, shading, and bad lining. I would be insulted if that quality of work was put on my body.

[waitingonheaven]

this is the worst terrible and nastiest work ive ever seen. and this is not gray wash..super gross!

[waitingonheaven]

this is the worst terrible and nastiest work ive ever seen. and this is not gray wash..super gross!

[Headshothorror4488]

And he uses a gage loll See. Grey system is good,learn it. Even a little added on top of wash looks nice. Newbs hating when they know nothing loll

[Nextrapper787]

why do people with tatoos look awesome

[fattasticvoyage]

@teck4201 if you know how to tune a machine properly and get it RIGHT tattooing is easier than drawing,or I think it is.The needle do alot of the work,and the weight actually makes for a more stable pencil...lol.My machine works just like my pencils to me,but ive spenttime getting my tensions and setting just right for that to happen.basically press harder for darker nd lgihten up to fade it out

[fattasticvoyage]

@Websomniac Personally I think your answer is wrong,the greywash I still use is just witch and kuro,but still if you break it down the grey is what color you acheive and the wash is that its diluted.So maybe he is using greywash in that terminology.ANd if you wanna broaden dem horizons add some white with your regular wash and watch the magic,I personally ove it with shadow,more dimensional than plain ol wash...but again his is really milky

[fattasticvoyage]

@770hooch it looks reddish because the skin was irittated by all those needles.it usually goes away almost instantly like within a few minutes of you final wipe,if not the area was traumatized more than needed,or the area was hit too many times.i usually take photos of my work right after and then if they are still arund in ten minutes again as the redness sually goes away by then.Best thing is lather on oinment as soon as done it will tend to pull out alot of the plasma and blood an reduce red

[megaflyinbrian]

people think tattooing looks easy, a monkey could do it . thats usually the case ,until they put a machine in their hand!!

[megaflyinbrian]

@Websomniac you are absolutely right! where dose youtube come up with these guys??!!