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Why I Mix My Own Tattoo Ink Colors
Walking into a tattoo supply store is a lot like stepping into an art store: there are hundreds of beautiful colors available from brands like Eternal Ink and Radiant Colors. It’s tempting to grab them all—but the truth is, mixing your own tattoo colors gives you much more control over the final result and saves you money in the long run.
Mixing ink yourself doesn’t just broaden your palette. It allows you to create shades that perfectly suit each piece, each skin tone, and each client. Here's a guide to understanding color theory in tattooing and how you can start mixing your own hues.
Primary Colors Aren’t Always “Primary”
Tattoo inks, like paint, aren’t true primary colors. They’re made with pigments that often lean warm or cool. That’s why having more than one red, yellow, and blue is key. A warm red (like Eternal Apex Meridian Red) and a cool red (like Radiant Madrid Red ) will behave very differently when mixed.
To mix a full spectrum of tattoo colors, you’ll want:
Warm and Cool Tattoo Inks
Think of warm colors: red, orange, yellow. Cool colors : blue, green, purple.
Even within one color, tone matters:
Choosing the right temperature of ink affects whether your final shade looks muddy or vibrant.
The Tattoo Ink Color Wheel
The same rules apply from classic color theory:
Understanding this wheel is critical for tattooing complex pieces, especially large-scale works with gradients and shadows.
Complementary Tattoo Colors
Complementary colors sit opposite each other on the color wheel:
Mixing complements creates muted tones: browns, greys, or even soft blacks—perfect for shadows and realism.
Example:
Shadow, Grey, and Black Mixing
You don’t always need a black ink to make shadows or outlines. Mix complementary colors (red+green, blue+orange) to get custom light blacks and browns with depth.
Recommended black combos:
These mixes create blacks with warm or cool undertones that match your palette naturally—great for realism.
Custom Tattoo Ink Mixing Chart
Create your own reference chart by mixing your warm and cool versions of each color:
Don’t just rely on pre-mixed tubes—custom colors are more efficient, more unique, and more professional.
Radiant Evolved Liverpool Gray 30 ml from the Radiant Colors Evolved range...
Amsterdam White from the Radiant Colors Evolved range, compliant with EU RE...
Reliquary Brown from the Eternal Ink Apex collection.
Eternal Eminence Magenta 30 ml
Elemental Brown from the Eternal Ink Apex collection.
Eternal Dystopia Magenta 30 ml
Arcane Brown from the Eternal Ink Apex collection.
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