

The myth of the lead pencil, however, persisted. However, as time passed and people became aware of the toxicity of lead, they replaced pencil tips with graphite, a minimally-toxic and bountiful material. This usually stems from the fact that earlier pencils, like the ones from the early 20 th century. One of the common misconceptions about graphite tattoos is that it is dangerous. Nowadays, pencils are made from a combination of graphite and clay, and is generally non-toxic, even if ingested (although that’s not recommended either!). Most ‘graphite tattoos’ are the result of a pencil tip piercing the skin.

Some graphite tattoos are colored black, while others have a medium to light grey. The same can be said about a graphite tattoo: the harder it was pressed into your skin, the darker it will. On paper, graphite has a slight sheen to it, with a grey color that intensifies into black depending on the amount of pressure you use to draw or write with. However, if it enters your skin, it leaves behind a dull, greyish color that fades over time but doesn’t completely disappear. In its natural form, it is both metallic and opaque. Graphite ranges from a medium-grey to jet-black. It was only recently, however, when people on social media started bringing it up and found out that thousands of other people share the same mark. These aren’t exactly formal terms despite its commonality, many people thought that their graphite tattoo is unique, which is why no one ever thought of giving it a name.
#Common pencil tattoo drawings skin
What is a Graphite Tattoo?Ī graphite tattoo is a result of a graphite-tipped pencil (most, if not all, pencils are now made from graphite and clay) getting under the skin and leaving a mark. It also sticks to surface better than charcoal and, because it is non-reactive, can be mixed in with other pigments to create colored graphite. This also gives it structure, and is usually less prone to turning into dust. Graphite, on the other hand, has a Mohs Scale of Hardness level of 1 or 2, which makes it quite soft. However, they have key differences.Ĭharcoal is usually very brittle, flaky, fragile, and doesn’t adhere to paper as well as graphite.

Most people ask this because they encounter both materials in the same room, due to the fact that both graphite and charcoal are used for art projects and can be used to write with. Graphite, on the other hand, is a naturally occurring mineral that’s found in rocks. Charcoal is usually made from burnt-up pieces of natural matter, usually wood. It is used in a variety of industrial processes, from acting as a dry lubricant in heavy machinery and acting as moderators in nuclear reactors, to its most common form: pencil tip. Graphite is a crystalline form of carbon mineral. Do Graphite Tattoos Pose a Long-Term Health Threat?.What Health Risks Are Associated With Graphite Tattoos?.
