As far as tattoo art is concerned, it’s always evolving. If you want to get a tattoo, of course, you want one that holds up well over time, quality-wise and design-wise. After all, you will be wearing it for a long time.
Many kinds of tattoo art are becoming more and more popular among tattoo enthusiasts of all ages, and with good reason. These amazing pieces echo that classic style and still age well, proving they are timeless.
1. American Traditional
Typically this style features bold lines and bright colors. This is a common tattoo style because of its timeless designs. Inspiration for this style comes from nautical images, female figures, wild animals, hearts, roses, and daggers.
The American Traditional tattoo art was popularized by Norman Collins, more popularly known as Sailor Jerry, a famous tattoo artist from Hawaii.
2. Irezumi
Irezumi is the Japanese term for tattoo. It evolved during the Tokugawa period (1603-1868), the period that brought 250 years of stability to Japan. This Japanese tattoo art has maintained its popularity over time. The classic masterpieces are still being recreated by tattoo artists both traditionally and in new ways.
A traditional Irezumi tattoo often shows traditional animals, samurai symbols, mythological creatures like dragons and phoenixes. This tattoo art is rich in history, and beyond its dramatic appearance, such is its significance in Japan.
3. Handpoked
Handpoked tattoo art is where the artist uses a single needle to create simple designs. A relatively recent trend, DIY tattoo-ers are now giving this art form a beautiful makeover, attaining thick and bold lines most often in simple black with small decorative patterns.
In this process, which is also called stick-and-poke, the tattoo artist inserts ink by fitting a tattoo needle to a rod-shaped element, like a pencil, making it a more intimate and painless process than tattooing with a machine.
4. Realism
This is a classic tattoo style that is ideal if you want to depict something or someone very specific. Whether in black and white or colored, realistic tattoos can illustrate anything from scenery or objects to animals or a person. To get a realistic-looking tattoo with an amazing visual impact, tattoo artists need decades of experience and skill.
In addition to realistic tattoos, pop culture references like movie scenes and character pictures are also very popular right now. Body tattoos often include scenes from movies or TV shows that can be painted completely onto the skin.
5. Blackwork
The tattoo style can be traced back to ancient tribal tattoo art. The design includes thick outlines, intense shading, and large black areas.
The category of blackwork encompasses many different tattoo types ranging from ancient sacred geometry tattoos to abstract ornamental designs to extremely intricate illustrative tattoos. Today’s contemporary works are as innovative as they come, and most of the tattoos are absolutely stunning.
6. Geometric
When designed properly, geometric tattoos can be both timeless and unique, consisting only of geometric elements or of both geometric and natural elements. Tattoos in this style stand out boldly due to the contrast between the precise, sharp lines and the curves of the human body.
Geometric tattoo art takes inspiration from a variety of tribal tattoos, including Maori, Polynesian, and Thai. It has its roots in religious practices throughout history among ancient tribes.
7. Biomechanical
This tattoo art aims for the cyborg-look, which is intended to disguise visible mechanical parts within the human body. Biomechanical tattoos are an excellent choice because they work well with just about any part of the body, even the intimate regions if one is brave and crazy enough.
There are several versions of this tattoo art. The most popular shows the body being ripped apart and showing everything from wires to joints to springs, as well as a full range of machine parts.
8. Fine Line
You can get a fine line tattoo if you don’t want an overpowering statement on your skin. This style of tattoo art is chic and minimal, yet still full of personality. Fine lines come in varied colors and styles, ranging from black ink to vivid hues, allowing you to create small tattoos that are just as striking as larger ones. Stunning fonts, mini classics, and endless choices are rapidly becoming the hottest way to create a distinctive style.
The classic fine line tattoo follows a single black line with a bold statement. This type of body art offers a simple yet elegant design that simplifies other complicated designs. That’s no surprise why this tattoo art has gained popularity in so little time.
9. Script
In contrast to other styles, script tattoo art requires no real rules or structures to achieve the look. The possibilities for script design are endless. The simple scripting on tattoos is an effective way to remind us of our sentiments, inspirations, and strength every day.
The main reason these styles have lasted so long is that they are universal. Most of the kinds of tattoo art mentioned above are all about adding certain modern elements to traditional ones. Other than that, they prove that there are many ways to create different kinds of tattoo art that never go out of style.