Do you have the perfect tattoo style in mind but don’t know the exact terminology for it? Knowing the terms for classic tattoo styles may help you out when trying to communicate the style you want with tattoo artists.

A lot of the popular tattoo styles are adapted designs from classic styles. Some of these designs are decades or even centuries old. Having a specific style in mind can help your tattoo artist narrow down how your tattoo will look.

Here are some of the classic tattoo styles you need to know:

Classic Americana

These are old-school-style tattoos defined by bold outlines and the use of similar colors and imagery. These are closely tied to the ocean, nautical imagery, female pinup figures, fierce predatory animals, and a combination of hearts, roses, and daggers. 

New School

These tattoos depict fabulously imagined worlds filled with chaos and often caricatured animals in vivid color. These give off the feeling of a crazy comic book on your body.

Japanese

Traditional Japanese art styles have maintained their popularity, covering the back, arms, and legs. These often include traditional animal, floral, and samurai imagery that sometimes include modern takes on the classic style.

Black and Grey

These tattoos are not limited by subject matter. They can depict anything and everything realistically in shades of grey.

Realism

These can depict anything from scenery or objects to animals and people. These are hard to get perfectly right, and take a skilled tattoo artist or designer to create a realistic-looking work with amazing visual impact.

Portraiture

This is a subset of the realism genre which involved eerily accurate renditions of people both in color and black and grey.

Stick and Poke

This makes use of a single needle to create simple designs. Although this was recently popularized by DIY tattoo-ers, this style can reach beautiful levels at the hands of a professional. This is characterized by thick and bold lines, most often in simple black with small decorative patterns.

Blackwork

This style is derived from the original tribal tattoos made of thick and bold black lines in a variety of geometric shapes. 

Geometric

This style is popular for its timeless look when done right. They can either feature geometric elements only or a combination of geometric and organic elements such as flowers or nature. The contrast of the exact, sharp lines of this style and the curves of the body makes them stand out.

Surrealism

This style comes with a variety of source material, subjects, and creativity. It is all summed up by a feeling of sublime fantasy.

Biochemical

Usually freehand, this style adapts to the unique flow of a person’s body. It is meant to mimic machinery that could be hidden within the skin. 

Realistic Trash Polka

This style is recognizable for its collage-like structure and intricate sampling from printed materials. This can include converting photography, handwriting, paint splashes, and typewriting.

Conclusion

Many popular tattoo designs are now adapted from classic styles, often decades or centuries old. Knowing these classic tattoo styles can help your tattoo artist get a grasp of what your tattoo is supposed to look like. It also helps to go to certified tattoo studios with tattoo artists experienced in the style you want to ensure that your tattoos turn out the way you want them to.

Are you looking for the best tattoo artist in Denver to give you the style you want? Head on over to Certified Tattoo! We have tattoo artists experienced in realism, watercolor, black and grey, geometric, and other tattoo styles. Head on to our website for a free consultation today!