Different tattoo styles
For someone looking to get a new tattoo, or expand on tattoos that they already have, a very important consideration must be decided upon. There are hundreds of common styles of tattoo work being done around the world and each one of them brings something special to the industry. When it comes time to make your choice about what kind of art you want to have on your skin, the style that will be used is almost more important than the idea, object, person, number, or word that you have in mind.
Let’s try to break the world of tattoo styles down into easily manageable categories.
Classic Tattoos
Tattoos have been around for a very long time, but they have only been as popular as they are now in the western world for the past century or so. Two of the most popular classic styles are the American and Japanese classic styles. While they both share some similar attributes, such as thick outlines and simple colour fill-ins, they do not look anything like each other. The themes and subject matter found in the Japanese style are much more intricate and detailed than that of the American Classic style.
Realism
This is another very popular choice for many people. The idea that you can preserve a specific point in time, or catch an image to be remembered later, captures many people’s imaginations. Portraits, landscapes, objects, and animals are common subjects of realist tattoo art.
Illustrative
The illustrative style is becoming very commonplace. This style basically encompasses any art that looks like an illustration. Some look like caricatures with exaggerated features, while others look like cartoon characters straight from the pages of comic books.
Tribal
Almost everybody has seen a tribal tattoo. At one time it seemed like that was the go-to style for anybody who wanted a tattoo but did not know exactly what to get. The style has matured since then, however, and there are now many different types of Tribal style tattoos that are interesting and unique.
The styles listed here represent only a very small piece of the whole pie. There are new styles being created all the time by creative artists, and if you are lucky, you will find one that suits the idea that you have in mind for your own tattoo.