If the concept of putting together different tattoo styles is your goal, then it will be sure that you get a touch of some cultures around the globe.
Most of those designs are embraced from specific historical styles, even some of them are decades or centuries old. Here are some of the classic tattoo styles, the ones you surely want to understand before you deciding to get into a tattoo design.
American Traditional
The traditional style started on the high seas in the 17th century, after sailors who sailed with Captain James Cook encountered first the indigenous areas with tattoos and, being inspired by the markings on their body.
After that, they decided to start collecting body art as souvenirs of their long journeys. On the other hand, during the 19th century, the style became more polished, taking on the brightly colored and the boldly lined aesthetic seen in the art of famous tattoo artist of the 1900’s like Sailor Jerry.
Traditional Japanese
Inspired by ancient Japanese “tebori” tattoo techniques, the traditional Japanese form was popularized in entire Japan by the Yakuza which are the Japanese underworld criminal.
Like the traditional American, this style is based on minimal shading and bold black outlines, but usually features portraits inspired by nature and Japanese art as well as characters and creatures from Japanese myths. More so, the Traditional Japanese symbolism usually consists of waves, lotus flowers, tigers, koi fish, and warriors.
Realism Tattoo
Although the classic realism has been a significant part of the fine art industry since back on the period of the Renaissance, it only got its way to the tattoo world recently, cropping up about the half of the 20th century.
Since that time, the style has become extremely popular and more refined. Today, you can find a jaw-dropping color as well as those black and grey images on some celebrities, also with a realistic illustration of nature and any sensible things, even the surreal.
Blackwork Style
Derived originally from the tribal tattoos, blackwork which is made of bold and thick black lines in a wide range of geometric shapes. Though, artists are taking this genre to higher levels, incorporating imagery and patterns derived from all types of sources into fascinating pieces waving in different forms throughout the body.
New School Tattoo Style
Don’t let the name trick you, this style isn’t a new style anymore. It rose to fame in the late 18th and early 19th century, but recently, it has decreased in popularity.
It’s because this style was very much of an output of its time, showcasing an extremely animated aesthetic that goes after the great entertainment from that era in American history. Besides, the design is wacky and cartoonish, featuring cartoons and other fantastic figures.
Biomechanical Tattoo
When the sci-fi thriller Alien hit the cinemas in back 1979, people were interested in the scary creatures and the world of fantasy they resided. In fact, the idea of the alien figures was so revolutionary that it inspired a new style of tattoo art which is biomechanical, where artists can draw images that mix realistic animal or human anatomy with the inner pieces of machines.
Tattoos in this form transform the body of the wearer into a hybrid between nature and technology, creating a hip or an arm to be a fusion of gears and metal pistons with muscles and ligaments. Indeed, it’s a perfect combination of fantasy and realism.
Script Art Tattoos
Script tattoos are one of the favorite designs since words are the way humans communicate, regardless of language. Meaningful lyrics, quotes, or even notable names if people or dates of special occasions are all highly emotional and personal themes for script styles.
The bold, feminine, or classic fonts can be drawn to emphasize the words and illustrate their meanings. In fact, script tattoos somewhat common and ideal tattoos for women, as well as perfect for any body part, depending on the compression and length or of the text themselves.
Final Word
Though not all tattoo has a purpose or meaning, most of them do. More so, other people are getting tattooed as a reminder for them to stay true to themselves while some get inked to commemorate the memory of someone they’ve lost, their achievements, or experiences.
Hence, if you’re one of the artistic people out there who wants to express their feelings through tattoos, make sure to get to know the different tattoo styles first so you can have a wide variety of choices.