Best Watercolor Tattoos

When you think of tattoos, you tend to think about strong, dark outlines and expert shading; however, one design style that’s risen significantly in popularity within the last few years is watercolor tattoos.

What Is a Watercolor Tattoo?

A watercolor tattoo is a bright, vivid marking made up of a number of subtle color gradients and techniques that create a more gradual color fade-out. This effect is intended to mimic the characteristics of a classic watercolor painting, which is where the style gets its name.

Because the style of watercolor tattoos is more delicate and fluid than “traditional” tattoos, it’s easy to think that they’re created with different equipment. However, watercolor tattoos are actually created in the same way and don’t require any different set-up. The only difference is that an artist must learn a number of techniques including blurs, bleeds, fades, and runs to achieve a watercolor look, which is why it’s important to find an experienced and trained artist.

Of course, just as every tattoo is personalized to the person receiving it, there’s really no “correct” design for a watercolor tattoo. Due to it being based on a watercolor painting, a majority of watercolor tattoos have no outline or, if they do, the colors tend to extend outside of the lines to give off a dripping and drying water effect. Some, though, are unique in how they use the watercolor effect to enhance a design. Keep scrolling to see 20 unique and beautiful watercolor tattoos.