There are times when things may not go according to plan, and your tattoo may end up looking darker than expected. That being said, it is up to you and the tattoo artist to talk it out and reach a few resolutions that may lighten the tattoo job along the way. The thing is, just because a tattoo is permanent doesn't mean that it can no longer be fixed.

The following are just a few approaches that your tattoo artist may do in order to lighten it up.

Darkening the Surrounding Skin

This strategy is similar to the one of highlighting and shading. If the skin looks dark, it would usually be due to the contrast between the skin’s dark pigment and the tattoo's color. A tattoo artist may lighten a tattoo by making the skin light. This can be done by using a white base color, then applying a layer of pale, neutral color, and finally, applying a layer of skin tone color. This way, the tattoo won't look as dark anymore.

Using a White Base

If the tattoo is inked with a dark color, the tattoo artist may lighten it by using a white base. Again, this is not just a plain white, but a white with other colors added to it. This way, the tattoo will seem to lighten up by using a lighter base.

Using White Ink

White ink may be used to lighten the tattoo. However, this may only apply to a single-colored tattoo. For example, if your tattoo has black ink, it is impossible to lighten it with pure white. The black ink will still appear as black in the tattoo, even if the white ink is used. Due to this fact, a combination of white and black ink may be used to lighten a tattoo.

The white ink is applied to the surface of the tattoo before the black ink is used. This way, the white pigment will be covered. Once it is covered, the black ink is applied on top of the white pigment. This will make the black ink look brighter because it has a layer of white pigment underneath it.

A Color That Is Lighter than the Tattoo

A colored tattoo can be lightened by using a lighter color. Like the first method, this can be done by applying a white base, then applying a slightly brighter color, and, finally, applying a colored layer. This way, all the colors can be seen, and the tattoo will appear lighter than before.

Using a Color That Is the Same as the Tattoo

This is also done by applying a white base like the first method. In this case, however, the white base color may be the same as the tattoo's color. However, since the tattoo is already done in black, the skin may appear too dark.

You can still lighten the tattoo by applying a white base and then again applying another lighter layer of the same color. This way, the tattoo will look a bit lighter than before because the skin has a layer of white.

Conclusion

Overall, the best way to lighten a tattoo is by using a white base layer and applying a lighter color layer. However, you may also do it by applying darker colors and a white layer. In this case, the white layer has to be darker than the colored layer. As long as you know how to do it, any of these ways will do the trick in making your tattoo look lighter. 

No matter what happens, there is always a way to fix it. It all depends on your preferences and the preference of the artist.

If you are looking for a studio that offers tattoo cover-up services in Denver, CO, to remedy your dark tattoo, look no further than our expertise here at Certified Tattoo Studio. We are Colorado's premier tattoo destination, and we offer a wide range of services suited to your body art needs. Call us today to book your tattoo session!