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Half hannya mask and half lady face tattooed on the outer

Hannya and Lady Face Tattoo

Joined two halves down the centre for this blackwork piece. On one side, a horned hannya mask with dense black fill and an aggressive shape, on the other a serene lady face with finer line work running through her hair and lashes. The contrast does the heavy lifting, mask against portrait, dark against open, jagged against soft.

It sits next to some existing mandala line work, so I built the new piece tonally darker. That way it pushes forward and lets the older work recede. A dual-image composition needs natural curvature to follow, and I sat the join line along the most generous plane of skin available.

For a booking in Wellington, reach out through @pokestaytattoo or pokestaytattoo@gmail.com.

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

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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.