THE MOST POPULAR TATTOO STYLES AT A GLANCE.
the style of traditional tattoos is also called “old school” or “american” and tattoos are also called “sailor tattoos”. as the name suggests, traditional tattoos are closely associated with the history of tattooing in the west. this style is mainly rooted in sailing. at that time, sailors were engraved with symbols that showed their experience or location. therefore, the following motifs belong to the classic traditional repertoire: swallows, boats, anchors, panthers, eagles, skulls, dragons, boats, and snakes.
the style is characterized by simplicity, bold lines, two-dimensional images, and bright colors. tattoos were and are designed to last as long as possible.
DIE TATTOOSTYLES…TO BE CONTINUED
tribal tattoos, maori tattoos und andere stammestätowierungen
fineline tattoos und single line tattoos
tattoo letterings oder schriftzug tattoos
TRADITIONAL TATTOOS
the style of traditional tattoos is also called “old school” or “american” and tattoos are also called “sailor tattoos”. as the name suggests, traditional tattoos are closely associated with the history of tattooing in the west. this style is mainly rooted in sailing. at that time, sailors were engraved with symbols that showed their experience or location. therefore, the following motifs belong to the classic traditional repertoire: swallows, boats, anchors, panthers, eagles, skulls, dragons, boats and snakes.
the style is characterized by simplicity, bold lines, two-dimensional images and bright colors. tattoos were and are designed to last as long as possible.
NEO TRADITIONAL TATTOOS
neo-traditional tattoos are extensions of traditional styles. while traditional tattoo styles are very flashy and two-dimensional, neo-traditional patterns have more details and visual depth. more colors, flowing gradients and shadows are used here. on the other hand, new school tattoos are more colorful than neo-traditional tattoos.
the tattoo was stitched by neo-traditional artist hannah.flowers.
TRIBAL TATTOOS, MAORI TATTOOS AND OTHER TRIBAL TATTOOS
the word “tribe” includes the english term “tribe”, which means “tribe”. more precisely, “tribe”. this is where the tribal tattoos originated. from which ethnic group the tribe came, can not be clearly determined. however, it is certain that this style refers to the ancient islanders (maori, polynesians or samoans). the various theories have one thing in common: a tribe is a sign of belonging to a tribe.
with seafarers then came impressive body jewelry to europe – it is still the basis of tattoos today. at the same time, however, it is more of a fashion accessory than a sign of tribal affiliation and thus has less cultural significance.
tribal tattoos are great for defining the body with curves – for example, they make biceps appear larger. in general, tribes convey images of power and strength.
maori tattoos have a greater meaning than just body decoration. they originated in new zealand, where the indigenous people – the maori – adorned themselves with tribal tattoos. the meaning of individual maori tattoos varies greatly, as small motifs are often incorporated into elaborate designs. for example, sea symbols: such as waves, turtles and even shark teeth. in most cases, outsiders will not immediately understand the meaning of the tattoo. but that’s what makes it so special.
TRASH POLKA TATTOOS
grunge polka style is also known as “buena vista style”. it was invented in 1998 by tattoo artists and musicians simone pfaff and volker merschky in the buena vista tattoo club of the same name. today, this style is known internationally and has been inherited by many artists. style palettes are mostly limited to black and red.
trash polka is still relatively young, both realistic and graphic, minimalist elements. usually photo-like portraits are combined with fonts, dots, splashes of color or other geometric aspects.
the style paved the way for many modern tattoo styles and laid the foundation for custom tattoos, where the customer gives the tattoo artist free rein.
WATERCOLOR TATTOOS
watercolor tattoos are basically like watercolors applied to the skin. hardly hard surfaces and contours, but lots of bright colors. the tattoo should look like it was drawn with watercolor or ink. therefore, there are soft gradients and color gradients in the motif. watercolor elements are often used in combination with elements of other tattoo styles.
the tattoo is from bekka she tattooed not only in watercolor style, but in different tattoo styles here you can find the work.
GEOMETRIC TATTOOS
geometric tattoos are characterized by straight lines and perfect shapes, especially symmetry. whether triangles, circles or more fancy patterns – every little detail contributes to the overall result.
BLACKWORK TATTOOS
the name says it all: a blackwork tattoo is completely black. many dark areas and hardly any shadows are the characteristics of this style. but the term “black work” also includes a variety of different features – from ornaments to geometric elements to illustrations, everything can be grouped under it.
DOTWORK TATTOOS
tattoos usually consist of a single line. this is not the case with dotwork patterns – here many small dots are joined together to form an overall image. from further distances, the human eye is deceived and the dots look like lines or shading. dotworks are mostly black (then they fall into the category of “blackwork”), but they can also be colored. a popular pattern in the dotwork style is the mandala.
REALISTIC TATTOOS
in the realistic style, motifs are as close as possible to their real-life models. therefore, a photo is often used as a template, such as that of a loved one or an animal. texture and shadows create the most realistic 3d impression possible. realistic tattoos can be black and white as well as color.
the tattoo pictured here was stitched by samurai standorff,
FINELINE TATTOOS UND SINGLE LINE TATTOOS
fine line tattoos consist of very fine lines. usually the pattern is quite small and contains a lot of details. for fine line tattoos it is recommended to choose a particularly experienced artist – if a fine line tattoo is not well done, it tends to run or fade faster. mimi and julia aka @muse_tattoo are masters of the fine line style.
single line tattoos are a subspecies of fine line style. a minimalist pattern in just one line!
TATTOO LETTERINGS OR LETTERING TATTOOS
as the translation of the term implies, tattoo letters are writing. this can be a whole sentence or a single word, name or letter. fonts should adapt to any part of the body, and when it comes to fonts, you should avoid free typography on the internet. they are designed for 2d use – the human body is three-dimensional!
tattoo letterings are characterized by a creative use of letters to create a coherent overall image.
IGNORANT TATTOOS
the ignorant tattoo trend is a deliberate departure from “meaningful” tattoos. dry humor is a hallmark of this style – it’s not about perfectly stitched tattoos, but about deliberately insignificant symbolism. the themes are mostly comic-inspired, one-dimensional, simple and childishly implemented.
