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Tattoo designs

tattoo designs

Selecting a design for your new tattoo

Getting a tattoo is a serious decision. Choosing a fantastic design for your new tattoo can often bring a lot of stress. With so many great styles and designs at your disposal, you could feel overwhelmed.

Whether it’s your first tattoo or the number one hundred, you have to spend time deciding whether to get something small or something that takes up a good portion of your skin. We need to be satisfied with the end result. So no matter what others suggest or think, having your tattoo look great is important so that it is in line with yourself and your vision.

That said, it is also helpful to know a little about the history of this art form and its different styles to find the right design .

You can ask your tattoo artist to make a design for you, create your own, or work together to redefine it. In one way or another, becoming familiar with tattoo styles in the past and present can give you more information and help you make a decision with complete confidence.

By publishing this article, we hope to share some ideas on how to choose a design. We want to inform you so that you can make the right decision when you are ready for it.

Old School Versus New School: What I Should Know

Broadly speaking, the art of tattooing is divided into two eras: the old school and the new school. Although evidence shows that tattoos have been around for thousands of years, many choose to define styles based on the history of modern Western tattooing.

Traditional tattoo design style

This traditional period of tattoo art began around the beginning of the 20th century and is marked by the emergence of artists such as Norman Keith Collins, known as Sailor Jerry, Amund Dietzel, known as the “Master in Milwaukee,” and Bert Grimm. It is also frequently associated with traditional Japanese tattooing, a practice that still exists today.

Western tattoos are characterized by simple, yet suggestive designs, with bold black outlines and solid colors from a limited palette. Some of the technology we have today was not that advanced or did not exist, so tattoo artists back then created designs that were within their ability to be executed effectively.

Old school tattoo artists preferred designs like mermaids, pin-up girls, anchors, and hearts, among others. This simplicity of old-school tattoos is due in part to the stigma that surrounded this art and its contemporary association with sailors, criminals, and lower-class people.

This stigma surely put off some great artists who were gifted and interested in experimenting with the medium. Fewer artists meant less experimentation, and tattoo art slowed down.

 

tattoo designs

The old school style

Old school design styles are still used in modern tattoos. Many people choose the aesthetic style for its association with tradition, patriarchy, freedom, faith, and love. The style has become iconic and can carry deep meaning, making it a popular choice in our times.

Don’t think you are limited to designs created a century ago in this style. If you like simplicity and minimalism, you can take a look at old school designs as an inspiration to express your idea.

 

New School Tattoo Design

While the old school style is aesthetically conservative, the new school tattoo designs represent a bold departure from tradition. Such designs can be complex and multifaceted shapes that combine colors and make use of gradients.

As the stigma around tattoos faded over time and experimentation was encouraged, the industry began to experience great innovation. This evolution came hand in hand with a higher level of realism, as technology allowed artists to create designs that visually represent the world around them.

Some of the techniques that characterise the new school of tattoos are shading, contrast, abstract interpretation, and less use of bold and definitive contours. The style encourages novelty and self-expression.

If you love to experiment and have an eye for detail, this style can be a good way to represent your idea. You might even consider mixing elements of the two styles.

Traditional meets modern

Although there is no specific movement that merges the two aesthetic styles, there is nothing that prevents you from expressing your idea with an aesthetic combination that merges different styles in a single design.

Depending on the idea, you can play with combinations of thick and bold outlines typical of the old school and the combined or gradient colors of the new school. Keep looking for inspiration and examples of neo-traditional tattoos, and you will soon find the right design for you.

Fantastic Tattoo Designs

Before putting a design on the skin, tattoo artists make a sketch for the client to see, especially if it is a custom design.

In addition, there are also templates with predesigned tattoo drawings, which the person can observe to choose the one they like the most and based on that, make a special design or directly capture the chosen to draw on the skin without any modification.

If you are thinking of getting a tattoo but still have no idea what type of design you are going to choose, these images may serve as inspiration.

Let’s see them.
Black and white tattoo drawings

We will start by presenting some tattoo drawings made in black ink.

You’ll see how beautiful they look.
Rose tattoo

In this first image, we have the drawing of a rose tattoo, quite simple and delicate.

It is an ideal design if you want something discreet.

You can easily place a tattoo like this on almost any part of the body, you can wear it on the wrist, forearm or thigh, among many other possibilities.

rose tattoo designs
rose tattoo designs

Triangle and rose tattoo

In the photo that follows, we present a beautiful rose design framed by a triangle.

As we mentioned in another of our posts, triangle tattoos have many possible meanings.

Animal tattoos in tribal style

Next we are going to present a template in which several animals appear designed in tribal style.

You know, this style is characterised by its black lines and curves, which shape countless tattoos.

In the image below you will see a butterfly, a dragon, a phoenix and a bat.

Wolf tattoo sketch and tribal design

I love this drawing, it is so well done!

Look at the details, without a doubt whoever made it has great talent.

The design combines the image of a wolf with some tribal lines.

Looks great, look at the drawing:

tattoo designs
tattoo designs

Owl tattoo

In the photo that follows you will see another beautiful drawing for a tattoo.

It is a large owl standing on a branch, with its wings spread, ready to fly.

Two pretty roses appear behind her.

The design is beautiful, take a look and let us know what you think.

Anchor and lighthouse tattoo

If you like marine motifs, this could be the ideal design for you.

In this tattoo drawing, there is a large lighthouse, a ribbon that surrounds it showing a phrase, and an anchor.

Anchors often represent a guide, what keeps you in your place, the fixed point that supports you, and also good luck and the longing to return home and see your loved ones.

Anyway, look at the photo and see how cute this design is.

Treble clef and musical notes tattoo

The ideal tattoo for those who love music: a treble clef, with a ribbon and several musical notes.

I think this tattoo design in watercolor style would look wonderful.

Tattoo drawings in colors

Now we are going to present and comment on a few drawings of tattoos in colors.

We hope you enjoy our selection.
White rose tattoo with purple details

This is a New School style design, with thin black lines for the outlines and bold colors inside.

It is a very attractive drawing, look at the image:

rose tattoo designs

Koi fish tattoo

Koi fish tattoos are a true classic in the world of Japanese tattoos.

Did you know that the different colors of Koi fish have different meanings?

In the drawing that follows, you will see a beautiful golden Koi fish, which represents wealth and prosperity.

In general, all tattoos of this type of fish symbolise good luck, success, longevity and perseverance, among other things.

Old School Roses Tattoo

This design is also a classic among old school tattoos.

Red roses are very popular around the world, as they represent passion, love, and beauty.

Look how beautiful this drawing looks

Koi fish tattoo design

Sun and moon drawing

In the image that follows you will see a tender drawing of the moon and the sun together, they look so in love!

Well, I got a little cheesy … but that does not detract from the beauty of the drawing.

Trash Polka Style Tattoo Sketch

Although I have already seen thousands of tattoos of this type, I never tire of admiring their wonderful aesthetics.

The Trash Polka style was born in Germany, within the Buena Vista Tattoo Club.

The style uses the colors black and red and combines points, straight lines, geometric figures, names, phrases, and symbols, all in apparent chaos, but in reality, it has an impressive aesthetic.

In the example below appears the symbol of the Ohm, Don Quixote de la Mancha, the number 22, an old movie camera, and many other elements combined.

Look at the drawing and tell us what you think.

Tattoo Drawings: Trash Polka Style
We have many tattoo drawings to share with you, please join us until the end of our selection