The History Of Black And Grey Tattooing

Black and grey tattooing is a well known style that utilizes black ink in varying tones and shades. A varying mix of needle groupings are used to achieve the even tones associated with the unique style.

The history of the black and grey style is believed to have originated from the prisons in the 1970’s and the 1980’s. The style was later made popular as it slowly and gradually entered the general population, by the early tattoo parlors. It’s sometimes referred to as the “jailhouse” style and is thought to have originated when the inmates had limited access to materials. That led the inmates to repurpose guitar strings for their needles, and used cigarette ashes or pen ink to create their pigments. The inmates were also rather commonly known to build makeshift tattoo machines. The machines were frequently powered by using small repurposed motors from electronics, such as tape players, to create a power source. As the prisons generally tend to prohibit the inmates from tattooing, they likely practiced in private.

The Growth And Progression:

During the late 70’s and the early 80’s, the jailhouse style became popularized in the tattoo parlors outside of the prisons. It was within the parlors that the “jailhouse style” was renamed and reimagined as our beloved black and grey style. Typically, the style is achieved by diluting the black ink with distilled water in gradual mixtures. This creates a “wash” effect that results in the lighter shades. Another method in which the gray shades are achieved is by mixing a ratio of black and white ink. The method produces a thicker, yet brighter result. The mixture of the pigments also requires a slower application. Shading is typically an important factor for these types of tattoos. The black and grey style will fade over a period of years without strong black tones, which provide necessary contrast. The contrast will also help the tattoo to stand out more on the skin.

Anyone can apply a black and grey style tattoo to the skin. It’s the quality of the application that sets particular artists miles above all the rest. The black and grey style tends to vary drastically from one artist to the next. But subtle blends of shading in a black and grey style piece are considered to require a high level of skill. Achieving such results portrays clear professionalism in the industry. Despite the secretive start, the black and grey style has grown to hold love and support from all sides of the industry.

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Information sourced from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_tattooing