What to Know About Text Tattoos

Text tattoos are very popular but there are several things to be aware of when planning your text tattoo. Due to the nature of tattoos and the way they age it's important to plan your text tattoo in a way that will age well and still be readable in years to come. Here are some guidelines to be aware of.

Text must be above a certain size

As tattoos age the colors expand. Lines get softer, colors fade, and gaps between lines fill in with ink. For that reason it's important to keep your text above a certain size to keep the counters (the space in the loops of the letters, like the middle of an "o" for instance) from filling in and making the text hard to read. There's not a specific size for all occasions; it will depend on the font and the design. But your artist will warn you if the text is getting too small for the design.

Text should be darker than the background

As your tattoo ages the edges of the ink will soften and spread and lines between colors will be less distinct. When that happens darker colors will win out over lighter colors and be more visible. That means light colored text may be eaten up by its darker background.

Darker colors will stay legible longer

All ink will fade as it ages. Some colors, especially yellows and whites, may disappear completely over time, as the body can't hold on to those pigments as easily. Text tattoos in white, yellow, orange, or red may be completely illegible in just a few years. It's safest to stick to darker colors like dark blues and purples, but the best of all is plain old black.