Saturation
The density and vibrancy of ink in a tattooed area. Fully saturated areas are rich and opaque; under-saturated areas appear thin or patchy.
In detail
Achieving good saturation requires multiple passes, appropriate needle selection, and correct machine settings. Some skin types saturate more easily than others. Over-saturation can lead to ink spreading or skin trauma.
See also
Packing
The process of building dense, saturated ink coverage in a solid fill area. Packing requires multiple passes and consistent technique to achieve even colour density.
Opacity
The degree to which tattoo ink covers the skin. Fully opaque ink shows the colour completely; diluted ink creates translucent washes used in watercolour and grey shading.
Ink (tattoo)
Pigmented fluid injected into the dermis during tattooing. Modern tattoo inks use synthetic pigments suspended in a carrier solution. Single-use ink caps are standard practice.