Popular Tattoo Styles

Popular Tattoo Styles

It’s common to have a general idea for a tattoo you want, but maybe you’re unsure of how you want to execute it. Maybe you know you want something to honor a family member, but you’re not sure what. Maybe, you love a certain animal, but you can’t decide what kind of style to get. Tattooing is an art, and like all art, there is a range of different styles and methods. Check out some of these popular styles and see if any of them fit what you’ve been dreaming of for your tattoo San Diego.

Traditional

This is one of the most well-known and popular styles out there, and chances are you’ve seen a lot of these kinds of tattoos. It’s known for bold lines and a color palette that is bold with bright colors. These are crisp, two-dimensional images that will age beautifully. Some iconic designs common to this style include hearts, daggers, roses, and anchors.

Realism

While realism style tattoos are relatively new, they have become increasingly popular as of late. The style is notable for portraits in color or black and white. However, there are some other designs popular to this style as well, like images from nature.

Tribal

This style of tattooing originated from Polynesian cultures. This style is the oldest in the world and dates back thousands of years. These tattoos are almost always done in black and make use of geometric patterns and symbols evoking unique meanings and often covering large segments of the body.

Japanese (Irezumi)

The Japanese style of tattoo known as Irezumi is very old and notable for its large size and colorful details. Each of these tattoos tells a specific story, oftentimes rooted in tales from Japan’s past. While the style has been growing among westerners, it’s traditional roots still follow specific rules. For instance certain placements depending on the image and pairing certain animals with certain flowers.

Watercolor

Watercolor style tattoos are incredibly popular at the moment and with good reason. Not only is this style aesthetically pleasing, but it stands out against older styles of tattooing. The beauty of this style comes from the appearance that the tattoo was done with a brush rather than a tattoo needle. The style does not adhere to black outlining, unlike many other styles and instead features blended colors as though the tattoo were on canvas rather than human skin. This style is still relatively new and has only started to appear over the last decade or so which means this innovative style will likely continue to change and adapt over time as it cements its place among other styles.

Dotwork

This style of tattooing is reserved for only the most disciplined of tattoo artists as it requires a lot of time and patience. These intricate designs are created by carefully placed tiny dots that when seen together create a beautiful image. Often times this look is achieved by using the poke and stick style of tattooing. This style is common to geometric tattoos as well as spiritual pieces. While these tattoos can look amazing, it’s important for the recipient to be ready to sit through this lengthy and painful process.

* This article was originally published here