Old school/Traditional
Featuring artwork and art styles found in 1700’s.
This is defined by bold outlines and the use of similar colours and imagery. Uses a simple black outline and a basic colour selection of red, blue, yellow, green and orange.
They’re closely tied to the ocean, nautical imagery, pinup figures, fierce predatory animals, or combinations of hearts, roses, and daggers.
New School
As tattooing has evolved, so have the art styles. New school is filled with colour and often involves fun artwork with a cartoonish style.
New school designs are bubbly and cartoonish. They often have very bright colours and coloured light sources to create designs which pop off the page. The images often include monkeys, space ships, rockets, and girls who are proportioned liked Jessica Rabbit. Most designs can be made new school.
Neo Traditional
Neo is a compromise between Old School and New School.
As the name implies, is an evolution of the traditional style. It takes a lot of influence from traditional tattoos; however, it adds some twists. This includes fine lines being used to accentuate body parts or add detail to the design.
Neo traditional artists are highly influenced by Art Nouveau and Art Deco aesthetics. The main difference between traditional tattoos and neo traditional tattoos is that they often have a broader colour palette and a broader range of motifs. Pieces done in this style are known for their decorative details as well as the use of natural imagery such as florals and animals.
Realism
Portraits and any designs that look almost photographic in quality are realism. They are exact copies of an object or photos on the skin. Realism is challenging and most artists cannot do it which is why realistic tattoos often cost more.
Hyper-Realism falls under this category but isn’t quite the same. The difference between realism and hyper realism is the “look” of the tattoo. Hyper realism commonly uses blurring around the edges and big swooshes of abstract area, while only a small area is actually “in focus”.
Hyperrealism
Hyper realistic tattoos are a type of realistic tattoo style that looks extremely true to life. It’s like a photograph or a painting transferred onto the skin.
The subject matter can be anything. Hyper realistic colour portraits of loved ones and celebrities are very popular. Detailed portraits of birds, animals and flowers all work well.
Surrealism
The art genre of surrealism gives artists loads of material to work with. The artistic style can change, the subject can change, but as long as the viewer comes out of the experience with that feeling of sublime fantasy, the artist has achieved their purpose.
Portraiture
Realistic renderings of imagery. Without the black outlines of some of the more classic styles, artists are able to achieve accurate renditions of people both in colour and black and grey.
Illustrative
There are so many techniques and art movements that inspired it! From etching and engraving, to abstract expressionism, and even fine line calligraphy, this tattoo style is extremely versatile. Many artists who work in this style will blend their own aesthetic with it to create a whole new style of their own…but as long as their tattoos look like they could belong on a piece of paper or a canvas hanging up in gallery, you know it’s Illustrative!
Abstract
Abstract tattoos are just like abstract art, it does not attempt to represent external reality. These Abstract tattoos use different shapes, forms, and colours to achieve the style. Any subject can be tattooed in the Abstract tattoo style, and they are a great way to differentiate even the simplest tattoo design.
Watercolour
Definitely one of the most recent additions to the tattoo world, watercolour tattoos take a lot of skill as they mimic the art style achieved on paper or canvas.
Wood carving
A specific type of illusion, a wood carving tattoo, looks like your body is made of solid wood, into which a design has been carved. This look is achieved through careful use of shading and highlighting.
Biomechanical
Typically free-handed, Biomechanical tattoos adapt to the unique flow of a person’s body, meant to mimic machinery that could be hidden within the skin.
Anatomical
Anatomical tattoos are as realistic to human anatomy as it gets, though you don’t to be in the medical profession to enjoy them.
Patch work
Patchwork tattoos aren’t a single tattoo, they are a collection of tattoos put on the body in a “patchwork” style. They can be done in almost any tattoo style, but they are usually done in a traditional tattoo style. Patchwork tattoos can also be done in colour or blackwork.
Patch/Embroidered
Not to be confused with Patch Work style. The tattoo looks like an embroidered patch on the skin.
Japanese
There are centuries of history for the art tattooing all over the world. One that has maintained its popularity is the Japanese style Irezumi. Tattoo artists still create both traditional and new takes on these classic masterpieces. The genre is particularly known for large images that cover the back, arms, and legs.
These tattoos are great for telling stories in ink. They have a distinct look and use symbolism to show their meaning. Japanese tattoos have a distinctive look that can be dated back to the Edo period. They are often filled with orange and blue colours.
Black & Grey
Black and grey images aren’t as limited by subject matter, depicting anything and everything realistically in shades of grey, originally done by watering down black ink to create a spectrum of shades.
Dot work
In practical terms, all tattoos are a set of dots, inked with pigments that, together, create a bigger picture. The artist has the ability to harmoniously use dots of different sizes to create sensations of depth, contrast, and continuity.
This is done by coordinating quantity, distance, position and the size of the dots per opposition to the traditional needle strokes which is used to create solid areas or lines.
Silhouette
The beauty of this style is in its simplicity. While colour can be added for some striking results, most are done in all black.
Blackwork
This is any tattoo where the main focus and only colour used during the tattoo process is black.
Blackwork is a tattoo style originally derived from the original tribal tattoos, made of thick and bold black lines in a variety of geometric shapes. Artists continue to take this genre to new levels, incorporating patterns and imagery derived from all sorts of sources into mesmerizing pieces swirling in different forms around the body.
Blackwork tattoos can range from very simple tattoos to something very complex. Blackwork is a great style if you want a tattoo that will stand out.
Geometric
They can either feature geometric elements only or have a combination of geometric and organic often floral or natural elements. The contrast between the exact, sharp lines of this tattoo style and the curves of the body makes them stands out in a bold way.
Tribal
This tattoo style is one of the oldest in the world as it links back to tribes such as those in aboriginal communities. Dark in colour and often featuring elaborate patterns, tribal tattoos are a bold statement.
Polynesian
Polynesian tattoos are a type of tattoo that originates from the Polynesian islands. They are one of the oldest forms of tattoo and the origins from which other tattoo styles came.They often feature geometric shapes and patterns. The shapes and patterns are meant to represent different aspects of nature, such as the sun, waves, or birds.
Mayan
The Mayans were known for their art, which features intricate designs honouring their myths and culture.
Polynesian / Maori / Hawaiian
One of the more popular styles, tribal tattoos pay homage to our ancestors. A tribal tattoo features bold designs based on the artwork of tribal civilizations. Many cultures can be represented, but frequently, designs are based on Maori, Indonesian, or Hawaiian motifs
Ornamental
Ornamental tattoo designs tend to be freestyle decorative pieces involving flowing patters, lines, spirals, and repetitive motifs. They often take their inspiration from the ancient arts as well as Buddhist, Polynesian and Celtic cultures.
Celtic
Celtic tattoos aren’t just about ancient history. They’re also about modern culture and tradition. And like many other cultures, there’s no shortage of symbols associated with the Celts. From birds and animals to flowers and geometric shapes, there are countless ways to incorporate Celtic symbolism into your body art.
Norse
These tattoos often feature different Norse gods and goddesses, such as Thor, Odin, Loki, Freyja, and Tyr. They can also feature other elements from Norse mythology, such as dragons, wolves, ravens, and eagles. Norse tattoos are usually very detailed and can be quite large
Chicano
This style has so much cultural influence that it has gone on to influence other styles as well. Steeped in the history of things such as the Mexican Revolution, Los Angeles low-riders and Pachuco culture. Born behind bars, the aesthetic evolved from artists in prison who used what few materials they had to beautifully capture what they loved and missed on the outside. Usually fine line, black and grey, and wrapped up in the Chicano culture.
Fineline
Fine line tattoos have a very delicate look for a tattoo style. And, the Fine Line Tattoo Style has seen a surge in popularity from those who are looking to get their first tattoos because they are easier to hide. Still, some get fine line tattoos because they a simply very aesthetically pleasing.
Continuous Line contour
In the Continuous Line Contour Tattoo Style, the artist tattoos the outermost edges of a form, as well as any dramatic changes within the form. Put simply, a continuous line contour tattoo looks like an “outline drawing,” that uses no shading, and it appears that the tattoo machine never lifts from the skin.
Floral
They have a range of meanings depending on the type of blossom you get. On the other hand, floral tattoos could also be purely aesthetic, as flowers are a common love and tend to feel dainty in tattoo form. With any design elements from vivid colours to heavy black outlines. There is no real limit to what florals you can get inked.
Ignorant
The Ignorant Tattoo Style is a fairly new tattoo style. The hallmarks of the Ignorant Tattoo Style are simple tattoos that look like a child could have drawn it. They are usually mostly line work and a wonky look to them.
Micro
Micro Tattoos are the smallest of the tattoo styles. They are tattoos that are very small, hence the name micro. However, some of these Micro Tattoos are very detailed.
Glitch
Glitch style tattoos are a new and unique tattoo style. They feature images that have been distorted or broken up into digital pieces. Like a malfunctioning TV set or digital image. It’s linked with punk subcultures.
Glitch style tattoos are perfect for people who want a tattoo that is different and unique and a bit edgy. It’s also a great choice if you’re looking for a tattoo that has a modern or futuristic look.
Sketch
Sketch tattoo are usually black like a pencil. But they can also be done in colour like a coloured pencil. The Sketch Tattoo Style is a great tattoo style choice for almost any tattoo subject, and gives a not too clean, very authentic look to any type of tattoo.
Anime
The Anime Tattoo Style is very popular. As the name suggests, the Anime tattoo style is inspired by Anime movies, shows, and comics. Many artists also tattoo common things in the anime style.
Kawaii
Kawaii is the Japanese word for “cute.” It’s a popular style of art that includes cartoon-like images. Kawaii tattoos are often small and feature adorable creatures, such as animals or characters. They can also include flowers, hearts, rainbows, and other cute objects.
Stick and poke
Single needle is used to create simple designs. Characterized by thick and bold lines most often in simple black with small decorative patterns.
Realistic Trash Polka
Instantly recognizable for its collage-like structure, intricate and sampling from printed materials—from photography to hand-writing, paint splashes to type-writing.
This tattoo style is usually only black and red but can use other colours depending on the tattoo. The Trash Polka tattoo style has gained more popularity recently for its ability to mix these elements and create amazing works of art.
Negative space
A negative space tattoo is one where the skin serves as the outline for the design rather than having ink applied to form the shape.
The artist draws around certain elements of the design, like facial features or body parts while leaving the rest of the skin un-inked. In some cases, the artist fills in the blank spaces with colour or patterns. On others, they leave those areas blank, allowing the skin to show through.
Minimalist
This style uses thin crisp black or coloured lines, negative space, and sparse colour palettes, rather than shading that conveys a design that is both clean and simple.
White ink
White ink tattoos are a beautiful and subtle way to express yourself. They can be very delicate and dainty, or they can be bold and dramatic.
However, many tattooists won’t do fully white tattoos. This is because they don’t last. White ink fades away after a few months. If it is done in larger areas, it also can discolour and look more yellow stain like.
Psychedelic
This style can feature anything from fractals to mushrooms, to aliens, to third eyes, and seeks to capture a hallucinatory state of mind where anything can be seen and felt.
Cartoon style
The cartoon tattoo style is done in the style of your favourite cartoons. They can be actual cartoon characters or just anything reimagined in the cartoon tattoo style.
3D
3D tattoos are a unique tattoo style. They can be very simple or intricate tattoos, but all 3D tattoos have one thing in common, the 3D red and blue lines. The tattoos are done this way so when you put on 3D glasses the tattoo becomes 3D.