The Most Popular Tattoo Styles
When it comes to tattoos, there is so much diversity in what each person wants in their tattoo design. The beauty of a tattoo is that it’s a work of art—it’s unique to the tattoo artist who does the tattoo, and the person who is going to wear that tattoo for the rest of their life. Tattoos mean different things to different people, and that’s what makes them so incredible.
One of the things that make tattoos so diverse and unique is that there are numerous tattoo styles in which different tattooed designs can be done. Just because your tattoo has the same imagery as another tattoo doesn’t mean that the two tattoos will look anything alike because they can be done in completely different styles. You might, for example, see two tattoos that feature birds in some way, but one might be done in a black and white portrait style while one is done in watercolor, making for two one-of-a-kind tattoos! With so many tattoo art styles to choose from, it can be difficult to decide which style you’d like to choose from, but that’s what can make the tattoo process more interesting!
Given that there are so many different tattoo styles out there, you might be wondering which style, or styles, are the most popular. At Certified Tattoo Studios, our artists specialize in over eight different styles of tattoo, and while each style is incredibly popular in its own right, there are certainly some styles that have withstood the test of time and continue to be requested over and over again. Here are some of the most popular tattoo styles:
Traditional/Old School
Traditional tattoos continue to be one of the most popular styles out there. When you think of tattoos that you’ve seen and admired over the years, you likely are thinking of at least one tattoo done in the traditional tattoo style. This style of tattoo emerged in the 1960s and is still incredibly popular today. Traditional style tattoos first rose to prominence amongst the captains and crews of sailing ships. Much of the symbolism used in traditional-style tattoos can be traced back to imagery believed to provide protection for sailors while they were out on the treacherous seas. By getting these symbols tattooed onto their skin, many sailors believed they could protect themselves and their ships from harm—it was a way to always have a good luck charm or good omen near at hand. Names of loved ones and children were also popular adornments for sailors as a way to commemorate their loved ones back home. Because of the transcontinental nature of a sailor’s job, this style of tattoo spread in popularity around the world and is one of the most easily recognizable tattoo styles out there.
Geometric/Ornamental
This style of tattoo is classic—they often feature Native American and tribal-influenced designs from around the world. Geometric and ornamental tattoos are styles of tattoo that are rooted in mystery, religious symbolism, and ancient patterns. These styles focus heavily on lines and patterns to create mesmerizing tattoos that can have a hypnotic quality on viewers as they examine the patterns your tattoo creates. Some examples of these styles of tattooing are geometric shapes, ornamental tattoos, mandala tattoos, and sacred geometry tattoos. This tattoo art style takes an immense amount of attention to detail and skill due to the nature of the straight lines and detailed patterns. At Certified Tattoo Studios, our artists who specialize in geometric and ornamental designs have honed their craft with a steady hand and loads of experience, meaning your tattoo will come out just the way you envisioned.
Script
Script tattoos have been popular for quite some time, and continue to be increasingly well-liked by those getting their first tattoo and those getting their twelfth tattoo alike! Lettering tattoos are one of the oldest forms of tattoos and have been popular pretty much since tattooing started. Lettering and script tattoos are popular because the style allows you to get words that are meaningful to you inked onto your skin as a permanent fixture. The only real limit to this style is the room on your body for words to be tattooed, but there are a neverending array of possibilities when it comes to the style of lettering or script tattoo you choose. This style is a great one to add to your tattoo collection and can even serve as a beautiful accent to another tattoo design—though lettering and script tattoos make a beautiful statement all on their own!
Watercolor
This style of tattoo is one of the newer types out there but has continued to climb in popularity over the years. Like many of the tattoo styles our artists specialize in, watercolor tattoos bring museum-quality watercolor artwork to life on your skin! This style of tattooing tends to ignore the lines, boundaries, and borders of more traditional tattoo styles, instead favoring blurred edges and bright colors that fade into one another in a tie-dye type effect. If you’ve ever seen an awe-inducing work of watercolor art on canvas or in a museum, you know the type of effect we’re talking about! Transferring this amazing type of artwork onto the skin via a tattoo takes a high level of skill and expertise, and our artists who specialize in this style have honed their craft for years to become the best in the business.
Watercolor tattoos work best for colorful, abstract tattoos. If you know what type of imagery you’re looking for in your next tattoo—like a beautiful floral piece or a geometric design—but want to add a pop of color and soften the overall look of your tattoo, then a watercolor tattoo might be just what you’re looking for. Watercolor tattoo artists rely on a more fluid, delicate technique when creating their works of art.
While almost every style of tattoo out there is well-loved and admired by many, many tattoo enthusiasts, these are some of the more popular styles today. With so many styles to choose from, including styles we didn’t even mention in the blog, it can be hard to choose which style might be best for your design. If you’re wondering which style would be best for you, contact us today for a free consultation with one of our expert tattoo artists. They’ll be able to help you figure out how to best showcase your design and style in a brand new tattoo!