Book Tattoo
Blackwork woman face surrounded by tongues of solid black flame cap

Blackwork Flaming Woman Face Tattoo

A woman's face emerging from a tight wreath of solid black flame, executed in heavy blackwork. I made the fire the frame here, not just decoration around the portrait. Whitework picks out the eyes, the lips, and a single beauty mark left in negative space inside the otherwise dense black fill.

I sized the piece so the rounded silhouette of the flame matches the natural curve of the muscle underneath. That match between design shape and body shape is what keeps the tattoo from feeling stuck on. Black-only work like this holds its silhouette as the decades pass, where softer line work would have started to drift, which is why I leaned on shape rather than internal detail.

Wellington bookings via @pokestaytattoo or pokestaytattoo@gmail.com.

Book Similar PieceSee All Blackwork

By Rhys Thomas at Whitetail Tattoo, Level 3, 41–47 Dixon Street, Te Aro, Wellington, New Zealand

Similar Tattoos

See All
Freshly tattooed solid black meeting an existing finely tattooed at
Solid black blackout coverup tattoo over existing work
Solid black tattoo with koru spirals in negative space and silhouetted fern fronds reaching
Solid black wolf head with bared teeth tattooed across the centre of

Common Questions About Blackwork in Wellington

Does blackwork hold up better than colour?
Generally yes. Solid black ink stays denser and more legible over decades than colour, which can soften and shift. If you want something that still reads clearly in twenty years, blackwork is the safest long-term bet.
How long does a blackwork piece take?
Small blackwork pieces run one to two hours. A palm-sized graphic piece is usually a single sitting of two to three hours. Larger panels (forearm, calf, back placements) are typically booked across multiple sessions.
Can blackwork cover an old tattoo?
Often yes. Bold blackwork is one of the strongest cover-up languages going, especially over faded line work. Send me a clear photo of the existing piece in your DM and I can plan around it.