Tattoo Style Guide

There are many personal interpretations of tattooing style depending on artist and client wishes, but there are a handful of major tattooing styles that all work can generally fall under.

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Polynesian

Coined with the common term “tribal,” these pieces are reflective of the cultures like the Maori, Samoans, and many more. These tattoos and patterns are meant to be completely unique to the one wearing it and are characterized by bold, black patterns.

Japanese

Centuries ago tattoos were looked down upon by Japanese high-culture, but the art was embraced by the low-culture, who wore intricate pieces all over their bodies meant to emulate the decorative silk kimonos worn by the high-culture. Today this elaborate style hosts traditional Japanese symbols (tigers, dragons, koi, etc).

American Traditional

This style encompasses the aesthetic defined by the work of Sailor Jerry and the embrace of most nautical and military imagery, though other images became iconic within this style. Primary colors give these tattoos high contrast, and bold outlines highlight their simplicity.

Realism

This category strives to create the most lifelike tattoo possible; all colors, proportions, and shading are intended to be as accurate as possible. There is a strong black and gray realism subcategory of this style that involves no color. Portraiture also falls under this category.

Neo Traditional

This style hosts aspects of traditional style and influence, but with untraditional subject matter and colors. Neo traditional is very illustrative in style and offers a greater visual depth than American traditional subjects.

New School

This style is very animated that often portrays subject matters with exaggerated proportions and unusual colors. New school pieces usually carry heavy line weights that add high visual contrast.

Blackwork

This style is characterized by complete use of black in and usually entails impeccably clean line work. Geometric works, mandalas, and pointillism tattoos fall under this style.

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The above listed are the main schools of style, though there are many subcategories that encompass a wide variety of adaptations. There are currently tattoo fads like watercolor, that sit in a style of its own; other categories like biomechanics, trash polka, sketch art, geometric or horror, can fall under several classifications.