Watercolor Tattoo: 100 photos of the best tattoo artists in Brazil

The art of tattooing is accompanied by different factors such as the line, shape, and color. These factors help to differentiate and, in a certain way, personalize a drawing to a certain person’s taste, making the tattoo lighter, heavier, simple, or elaborate.

One of the filling techniques that has been gaining space among tattoo admirers is the watercolor effect, due to its unique and fluid result.

“The watercolor tattoo is a reproduction of effects such as light stains, splashes, and fusion of colors to suggest an image,” explains the expert tattoo artist in the technique, Victor Octaviano. Besides giving life to the drawings by means of color, watercolor also gives the possibility of creating movement and fluidity in the strokes.

Learn more about the technique, see the tattoo artist Victor Octaviano’s tips about the theme and check ideas and inspirations to adopt the effect in your tattoo.

10 tattoo ideas that look great with the technique

See some suggestions for designs that look great with watercolor filler and get ideas for your tattoo.

1. Birds

The bird tattoo is an option to get a watercolor covering, after all this tattoo is linked to freedom and the watercolor effect can help reinforce this idea, giving more movement and fluidity to the design.

2. Dream Feathers and Filters

Feather or dream filter tattoos are also designs accompanied by movement and a certain lightness. With this in mind, filling in your tattoo with the watercolor technique can be a good way to achieve a light and well finished tattoo.

3. Geometric

Unlike tattoos related to freedom and fluidity, geometric tattoos match the watercolor effect precisely because they establish a contrast between the line and the filler, the result is a balanced tattoo that combines “the best of both worlds.

4. Wild Animals

Again, the contrast effect is a way to highlight and achieve balance in the final result of the tattoo. In this case, the combination is not in the stroke, but in the design applied. Wild animals such as deer, elephants, and lions look great filled in watercolor, gaining a touch of color and subtlety.

5. Music

Returning to the more delicate ideas, music-related tattoos go very well with the watercolor technique, because movement and lightness are present in both the theme and the filling style.

6. Lotus flower

Linked to spiritual meanings, the lotus flower is also a good choice when it comes to watercolor tattoos. The flower design in detail added to the colorful touch of watercolor can yield enchanting tattoos.

7. Balloons

In the case of balloon tattoos (hot air or bladder type), the subject is, once again, fluidity and freedom. Drawings connected to the air (feathers, balloons, birds, butterflies, dandelions), will always be good options to watercolor, because the effect reinforces the idea of movement already present in the drawing.

8. Marine elements

Just as in the designs linked to the air element, the marine elements also speak very well with the watercolor filling, so waves, boats, shells, and fish are some tattoo ideas to bet on the watercolor style.

9. Maps

Map tattoos are, in most cases, the idea of traveling and knowing the world. With that in mind, the idea of freedom is inserted and the fluidity of the watercolor effect can help create a well finished tattoo. Also, since this is a tattoo usually done in outline only, adding some “splashes” of color can be a good idea to personalize your tattoo.

10. Portraits and characters

Going to a more realistic side, the watercolor effect also works very well in creating tattoos of characters or portraits, because it gives a touch of lightness to the drawing and at the same time makes it more impactful by working with shadows and color combination.

20 tattoo artists to follow on Instagram

Check out a selection of artists who work with watercolor tattoos and create eye-popping designs for you to follow on Instagram and get inspired.

• @victoroctaviano
• @zanotto2da
• @felipebernardestattoo
• @tavarestattoo
• @jamesjim1989
• @laystattoo
• @skazxim
• @diego_tattooo
• @johndois
• @rodrigotas
• @victormontaghini
• @cassiomagne
• @pissaro_tattoo
• @rodferod
• @tavcitattoo
• @jessicadamasceno.art
• @carballocandelaria
• @inktracetattoo
• @tattoosbycata
• @adrianbascur

Is there a difference between watercolor filler and regular filler?

According to the tattoo artist, the difference in the effect in relation to the “traditional” filling is in the way of drawing and not in the tattoo technique.

“There is no difference when applying the tattoo, the procedure is the same and, contrary to what some people may think, the ink is not diluted to achieve the watercolor effects, the only difference is the drawing style”, explains Victor.

Despite this, it’s important to always remember that the choice of professional is important, because he contributes directly to the final result of your tattoo, so it’s worth looking for references and choose a specialized tattooist who has a similar line to what you want.

In the case of watercolor tattoos, it’s important that the tattoo artist knows how to deal with the style and know something about color theory, after all the stains and touches of watercolor are much more freely created than reproduced from a model.

Watercolor tattoos to inspire you

Get inspired by the images selected with the help of those who understand the subject, the folks at Tattoo2me. They are authorial photos, of amazing watercolor tattoos and different styles.