Tattoo Designs & Styles; an intro to the different types of Tattoos

Tattooing is a form of art. With any form of art, there are bound to be different designs and styles. With such a large variety of styles, with their own designs, it's easy to get them confused. With that, we'll explain the different styles of tattoos out there in the world, what makes them unique, and the kinds of designs included in them.

What makes up a tattoo style?

Tattoo styles have their own characteristics, which can include the colors used, the type of imagery used, and even the way they are portrayed. These elements can make up a tattooing style. Most modern tattooing styles are inspired by modern art styles. Some tattoo styles remain true to their traditional roots dating back hundreds of years. A majority of tattooing styles can even have their own niche styles. We'll start with the more well-known tattooing styles you might come across online or in real life.

Realism / Realistic Tattoos

Realism tattoos are a popular choice of tattoo style with many of today's biggest tattoo artists tattooing in this style. Common designs with realism tattoos can include:

• Portraits of people and animals.

• Statues and other objects.

• Landscapes and architecture.

Realism tattoos have gotten popular as tattooing techniques and technology have improved to allow extremely accurate images to be tattooed.

Traditional / Old School Tattoos

When talking about old school or traditional tattoos, what is usually meant is the style of tattooing made popular from the 1940s to 1970s in the United States. The tattooing style during that era consisted of designs with bold lines, minimal black shading, and solid colors. The usual imagery in that era included:

• Animal heads

• Roses

• Pin-ups

• Ships

• Military-related designs

These designs have remained popular well past their era because of their aesthetic, and also how the tattoos can stand the test of time on someone's skin.

Neo-Traditional / New-School Tattoos

Neo-traditional tattoos are inspired directly by designs and stylings of old-school tattoos. They combine the solid lines, colors, and general aesthetic of old-school tattoos, with the techniques and newer imagery of modern tattoos. By using gradual color shading, and more detailed, modern compositions for their designs. They give a modern twist to traditional images and ideas. Neo-traditional tattoos can also mix elements from different styles to create unique designs.

Blackwork

Blackwork tattoos are straightforward as they only use black ink in their designs. The tattoos are designed in such a way that only black ink is used to tattoo the designs. The designs generally used black lines, solid blocks, and negative space to make the image. Blackwork tattoos have remained popular due to their straightforward designs making them less complicated to tattoo, and black ink is the least affected by sun exposure. Popular blackwork designs include:

• Font and script.

• Flowers and leaves

• Objects such as knives, lighters, and chains.

• Simplified portraits of people.

• Cartoon characters.

The popularity of blackwork tattoos has even made their designs show up in temporary tattoos as well. As their straightforward designs make them much easier to re-create with temporary tattoo methods, and also appear like real blackwork tattoos.

Mandala Geometric Tattoos

Mandala & geometric tattoos are made up of lines, shapes and that make up a repeating pattern. These designs can vary with different types of shapes and patterns used. Some designs utilize different types of shading to make them unique. Common geometric designs include:

• Shapes such as circles, squares, and diamonds.

• 3D shapes such as cubes and pyramids.

• Mandala-inspired patterns and designs

• Symbols such as the flower of life.

These shapes and symbols can even be combined with other objects. Even some tattoos are hybrids that can incorporate other styles such as realism into them.

Japanese Oriental & Traditional Tattoos

Japanese-style tattoos are widely known for their use of color, large pieces, and bold designs. With Japanese-style tattoos, it must be noted that there are two types of Japanese-style tattooing, Traditional, and Oriental. Traditional tattoos use bold and flat colors in their designs to be as close to the original traditional tattoos. Oriental designs use shading and modern techniques to create dimension and give designs a more modern appearance while still remaining true to their roots. Japanese tattoos follow the designs, motifs, and aesthetics of traditional wood-block prints of Japanese culture. These motifs can include:

• Waves, and flora.

• Mythical creatures such as dragons, kitsune, phoenixes, etc.

• Folklore figures, Buddhist deities, famous samurai, etc.

• Animals such as koi fish, tigers, snakes, and koi fish.

Japanese tattoos were previously done in a fashion of a body suit that would include the whole back, arms, legs, and shoulders. A middle strip going down the front of the torso is left clear for a kimono. Although modern designs can include the whole body or be set to specific limbs.

Tribal Tattoos

Originating from the various tribes and cultures around the world. Tribal tattoos are the earliest forms and styles of tattoos. Different tribal styles have varied meanings, motifs, and designs. Ranging from the solid black flora and fauna-shaped designs of Dayak tattoos to the bold lines of Maori and Polynesian designs. There's plenty to find with tribal tattoos. When hearing tribal tattoos, some might think of the mid to late 90s tattoos that used modern designs with solid black elements of tribal tattoos. While the 90s tribal has faded in popularity, tribal designs have remained popular. Tribal designs can include:

• Maori & Polynesian

• Iban floral designs

• Filipino Mambabatok

• Celtic Crosses & Knots

• Egyptian Eye of Horus

• Thai Sak Yant

Tribal tattoos come with a lot of meaning and symbolism. While it might be appealing to get one for looks, this shouldn't just be the case. As the tattoos themselves carry a lot of cultural significance and it should be kept in mind when committing yourself to one of these pieces.

Sub-Styles of Tattoos

With the major styles covered, you'll find sub-styles that have branched from and/or been influenced by the popular styles of tattooing. While there are many sub-styles of tattooing out there, we'll run through some of the more popular ones.

Anime / Cartoon Tattoos

With pop culture being a big inspiration for tattoos, it's now being more common to see artists tattooing designs from popular animes and cartoons. These tattoos are based on characters and/or scenes from the shows. They can vary in their use of colors or even styles. This style of tattooing can be called a sub-style of traditional / neo-traditional tattooing. Mainly due to their use of colors and linework, in creating their designs.

Trash-Polka

Trash-Polka tattoos stand out, due to their bold patterns, heavy brush strokes, and nearly chaotic style. Their color scheme utilizing black and red ink makes them instantly recognizable. 

Fine Line

Fine Line tattoos take advantage of the modern advances of tattoo equipment to make extremely fine lines. These tattoos may seem simple at first glance, although they require a steady hand a plenty of exprience to execute them properly. Designs can range from font to drawings.

Micro Tattoos

Micro tattoos are another modern example of the improvements in tattooing equipment and techniques, with the capability to make tiny designs that can pack a lot of details. Micro tattoos generally refer to their size, being small in nature.

Watercolor

Watercolor tattoos are an extension of color tattoos, making them unique is the use of color to mimic watercolor paint on a traditional canvas. Water colors can be used in a variety of pieces with different styles.

Darkside

Darkside tattoos, or horror tattoos are generally remain in a darker black and grey theme. The subjects of the tattoo horror-themed from ean artist's own creation, or horror characters in pop culture mixed in.

Surrealism

Surrealism takes the surrealist concepts of bending reality into something that isn't real. Whether its an existing surrealism piece turned into a tattoo, or an artist's own creation. You won't find them in real life.

UV Tattoos

UV tattoos, use a specific type of ink that is only visible under ultraviolet light. These tattoos while niche, had found some traction before. Tattooing them requires an artist to have a blacklight in order to make them.

Dotwork

Dotwork tattoos refer to the style of shading that utilizes dots, or pointilism in order to create the shading or image of the tattoo. These tattoos can be more time consuming considering the need to make individual dots to make up a while design.

Conclusion

This is an introduction to the various styles of tattoos that you can come across. Want to learn more about about tattoos? Check out more of our blog articles! Inspired by any of them? Want to get one for your own? Contact us and we’ll find a suitable artist for your desired style!