The Best Tattoos - Texture

Texture is one of my favorite elements of a tattoo. Adding texture to a tattoo is the ability to make a smooth flat surface look more 3 dimensional. When done properly, texture gives the illusion that appeals to our sense of touch. It gives us the sense that we can feel the surface of the tattoo.

There are several different types of texture that can be used, and it is one of the defining elements of the best tattoos. Texture can range from smooth metallic look to a rough gritty look. For this particular post I will be focusing more on the different ranges of textures.

This Zombie tattoo is a perfect example of a highly textured tattoo. The use of different tones and shadows creates a sense that you can visually see a 3D representation of what this zombie would feel like to the touch. The varying degree of bumps, pits, and tears gives this tattoo a diverse range of texture.

This full back tattoo shows a full range of texture. The texture of the water gives the appearance of violent splashing. The tentacle of the kraken, although heavily textured, show a different appearance than the water. The ship has some wood grain texture, flowing up to some soft smooth shading in the sails and background of the pirate ship.

This black and grey skull tattoo shows a great use of high contrasting texture. The different highlights in this tattoo show pits and bumps. The shadows in the eye sockets and nose of this skull tattoo show depth and dimension that give this tattoo a unique look and feel.

This biomechanical tattoo inspired by the artwork of H.R. Giger shows a massive range of different textures. Giger's work gained fame with his film design for the movie franchise Alien.

This incredible color portrait tattoo of Freddy Kruger showcases the ability of the tattoo artist to capture multiple textures with color. From the melting texture of the face, to the rough surface of the leather gloves, to the metallic blades, this tattoo has it all!

Another type of texture is fur. It took a lot of skill to pull off the different textures in this lion tattoo. If you look closely at the tattoo, you can see the difference in the type of texture in the lion's fur. Notice the difference between the short strands of hair on the lions face compared to the long somewhat matted hair in the lions mane. Animal portrait tattoos can be very complex and require maximum attention to details.

This Friday the 13th Jason portrait tattoo by Joe Riley is filled with texture. From the rough surface of the mask to the smooth metallic shine on the buttons, this tattoo has it all!

This lotus flower tattoo has more subtle texture. The petals of the lotus flower are soft and delicate, but you can still see the grain of the petals. The reflection of the water is smooth and flowing. The background of this lotus tattoo has a blurry out of focus affect to bring more attention to the crisp details of the lotus flower.

We hope you enjoyed the latest installment of the elements that make up some of the best tattoos. If you have any tattoo related questions or would like to set up a free consultation you can follow this link! Thanks, we look forward to working with you on your next masterpiece!