Black and grey tattoos are known for smooth soft shading and fine line details along with a full range of black, skin, and many shades of grays. Classic subject matters range from portraits and realism to religious, geometric, horror, and more.

Typically, Black and Gray tattoos are executed with a single needle and varying shades of black, with white used for intense highlights and contrast. The black ink is diluted with distilled water to create an almost faded, washed out look which can be built upon by layering the ink. Depth and texture are achieved by building on the saturation of the black ink, aiding the artist in creating a 3-dimensional image and is an especially helpful technique when creating life like portraits. Black and Gray tattoos are known to stand the test of time, having a crisper look for longer and are less subjected to fading in comparison to color tattoos.