Tattoos have been representing us for thousands and thousands of years, from Polynesian cultures to pirates and criminals. Nowadays there are A LOT of tattoo styles to choose from. We’ve done our best to incorporate the infinite world of tattooing within our Chirinkito tattoo styles guide.

Here’s a quick overview on the major tattoo styles of the contemporary tattoo scene around the world.

Traditional Tattoo Style (old school)

The traditional style, also called old school or American traditional, is known for its bold lines, bright colors, simple shading and iconic designs like roses, anchors, etc. This style of tattooing is one of the most well-known and beloved within the tattoo community, representing counterculture rebels and America’s tough-guy history. They’re gorgeous from the get go, age beautifully and are filled with the history of tattooing. You can’t really go wrong with a piece in this genre!

Realism or Realistic Tattoo Style

Realistic tattoos depict anything from people and animals to nature, scenery and objects exactly as you see them in the real world.

This style precisely and proportionately portray a person, place or things. Can be full colour, black & grey or both. Over time, this style has become more and more refined. A tattoo artist that specialises in realism has a critical eye for detail, taking as much time as necessary to accomplish the desired effect of engraving a photograph on your skin.

Watercolour Tattoo Style

The watercolour style is currently fashionable. It looks like as if rendered with a brush dabbled in watery pastels.

Tribal Tattoo Style

Tribal tattoos are the oldest in the world, dating back thousands of years. This style should actually be thought of as different styles or multiple traditions of tattooing from aboriginal communities all around the world. These diverse styles like Polynesian, Maori, Berber among others are frequently referred to under the generic term «tribal”. Although these styles are all unique, they are almost always done in black with elaborate patterns.

New School Tattoo Style

It gained recognition in the late ’80s and early ’90s, but lately it has diminished in popularity. The style is cartoonish and wacky, featuring caricatures and other exaggerated figures. It’s old school tattoos with a modern take.

Neo Traditional Tattoo Style

Neo traditional is an evolution of the traditional style. It features the core properties of its predecessor, like pronounced line-work and extremely vibrant colours, but it also has an illustrative quality to it. The main difference between traditional tattoos and neo traditional tattoos is that neo traditional tattoos often have a more extensive colour palette and a wider range of motifs. Pieces done in this style are known for their vibrant, decorative details as well as the use of natural illustrations such as flowers and animals.

Art nouveau and art deco combine in this style, bringing together strong curves, romanticised scenarios and lush details. New patriotic imagines, such as Native Americans, portraits and skulls, are found in this style. Like new school, neo-traditional pays tribute to old school with a modern and colourful approach. Unlike new school, which aims to blow out proportions and almost tease the strictness of old school, neo-traditional remains faithful to the art of tattoo aesthetics.

Japanese Tattoo Style

The traditional Japanese style, aka Irezumi, is a time-tested genre of body art rooted in folklore featuring heroes from the Suikoden and mythological. Think creatures of legend (dragons, kirins, phoenixes, etc.), lotus flowers, characters from the Japanese language, tsunami waves, and dramatic smoke. In short, every tattoo done in this style tells a story about Japans rich past. This is a genre well known for large pieces that cover the back, arms, legs, and even the torso. Nowadays Traditional Japanese tattoos are not just for the Yakuza, however, Irezumi was born from covering up tattoos that Japanese criminals received in prison – that’s real street cred.

Blackwork Tattoo Style

Blackwork applies to almost any body art that’s created using only black ink, of course a lot can be done with this versatile and striking colour. Originating from the bold, black lines of tribal tattoos, this postmodern genre includes imagery of geometric, negative space, thick lines, dotwork and more. As far as style goes, this is a very broad category of tattooing. Once tattooing became more widespread and acceptable, tattoos became less about spiritual meaning and more about appearance. The style includes blackout too. Blackout tattoos are solid black pieces, typically worn as cuffs on arms and legs, but can enclose entire body parts.

Blackwork pieces are created using solely black ink. However this tattoo style is far from simple. A lot can be achieved through the combination of different sized needles, various techniques and plenty of modern shapes, patterns and images. These are also a good option for covering up a tattoo, nevertheless keep in mind that it will be very difficult to cover up or remove a blackwork tattoo.

Chicano Tattoo Style

The Chicano style has so much cultural influence of things such as the Mexican Revolution, Los Angeles low-riders and Pachuco culture. Born in prisons, the aesthetic evolved from artists behind bars who used the few materials they had to beautifully capture what they loved and missed on the outside world. Usually fine line, black&grey and wrapped up in the Chicano culture, pieces represent a gangster’s paradise.

Black and Grey Tattoos (Modern Monochrome Tattoo Styles)

This tattoo style aims to bring the design to life, without overwhelming you with bright colours and bold statements. While it can indeed encapsulate a range of subject matter and genres, this style can portray anything and everything in shades of grey. Probably the most impressive form of black and grey tattoos is that of realism.

Trash Polka Tattoo style

A true trash polka tattoo is done in black and red, however there are variations often using blue instead. This is a sub-genre created by German tattoo artists Simone Pfaff and Volko Merschky. Its name implies that there are elements of photorealism and literal trash. It’s a collage-like structure including images of realistic photographs, print materials, hand-writing and typography, along with literal trash, smudges or splashes of red paint or ink. It’s a bold statement and you better have the attitude to back it up!

Biomechanical tattoos

This style adapts to your body shapes and mimic machinery replacing body parts. You can have entire areas of the body replaced with this replica style, from entire biomechanical arms and legs to shoulders, torsos and neck… think of the Terminator.

Mandala tattoos

The word ‘mandala’ is in fact Sanskrit for ‘circle’, although you’ll find oval and lotus shaped mandala tattoos as well. Mandalas have been around for hundreds of years, both as a form of meditation as well as art in the Hindu, Buddhist and Christian religions. Ancient monks would draw intricate mandalas on sand in temples, while in Hinduism, mandalas would be used in prayer rooms to help with focus. When you tattoo a mandala onto your body, you’re inviting peace, love, and mindfulness into your life. A beautiful and intricate pattern of geometrical fine lines, mandala tattoos are made of shapes and symbols that radiate from the centre outwards. Mandala tattoos are a reminder to live in balance and harmony.

The blooming, circular nature of a mandala can symbolise femininity, creation and rebirth. Due to their round shape, mandalas are well suited for forearm, chest or back tattoos. Each mandala should be as unique as the individual wearing it.

Geometric tattoos

This inmortal style is a combination of geometric elements (squares, triangles, hexagons, circles, etc.) along with an organic flow that hugs your body just right. The oldest tattoos, like those of Polynesian cultures, often follow geometric patterns to pay homage to nature’s math. What’s really great about a geometric piece, is that you can start small and expand, getting from a half sleeve to a full sleeve for instance.

Script tattooing

Script tattoos get your message across like no other. Being initials, a word or an entire quote, there’s no mistake of what your tattoo says. Custom lettering can be one of the most personal tattoos you can get. Popular tattoo styles include Latin letters, the Arabic alphabet, Cyrillic or Kanji, as well as Japanese, Chinese or other languages. Together with traditional tattoos, lettering and numbers are one of the oldest tattoo styles.

Minimalist tattoos

The Golden Rule: Less is More.

Simple, understated and typically small; these are the defining characteristics of minimalistic tattoo style. You can make big statements without elaborate designs. These tattoos are a great way to introduce yourself to the world of ink. They’re easy to choose, easy to hide and they’re over in minutes.

Flash tattoos

Flash tattoos are pre-designed tattoos often displayed in tattoo parlours, ready for clients to choose from and get tattooed with no customisation. These designs are often displayed on walls or in folders, serving as a quick and convenient way to select a tattoo without the need for a custom drawing and can be done in a flash.