Flash tattoos are the simple stock designs that tattoo shops often have posted on their walls or in their books. A client can walk in, point to a flash and get it done, usually in a couple of hours. These are designs that the artist has normally done hundreds of time, and so can finish quickly.
Traditional American Tattoo
This style of tattooing is thought to have originated on American military bases in the 30s or 40s, but has become more associated with sailors than with military.
Black and Gray Tattoo
Any tattoo can be completed in black and gray, but as a style in and of itself, there are two specific branches of black and gray. The first has come to be known as prison or biker tats. It’s easy to assume that the reason for the naming is that because the style is only worn by prison inmates or members of biker gangs, but as with all forms of tattoos, prison/biker tats have gone mainstream.
Tribal Tattoo
There is no debate that there is a style of tattooing that is tribal. However, lumping all tribal tattoos in one category is nearly blasphemous, as different tribes on different continents have used different designs to represent different meanings.
Asian Tattoo
Asian tattooing is often considered a style in and of itself, but I have a hard time lumping the biggest continent in the world’s tattoos into a single category, so I’m splitting it into three, and even then, when I talk about Asian, allow me to be clear that I’m referring to Oriental-styles, not expanding to all of Asia proper or the subcontinent which have their own tattoo cultures.
- Traditional Asian Tattoo
It is thought that the Japanese might be the first people to have ever practice tattooing or irezumi (insertion of ink under the skin). Some believe the practice goes back to 10,000 BC, where the tattoos had spiritual or purely decorative uses, but what we recognize today as Asian tattoos started probably closer to 1600, when woodblock tattooing became fashionable – mainly among the lower classes.
- Modern Asian Tattoo
Modern Asian tattoos are a mix of the style of traditional Asian tattoos and the American style of tattooing. The subject of the tattoos remain the staples of Japanese and Chinese mythology, featuring dragons, koi fish, phoenixes, fu dogs, etc. However, the style borrows more from the style of comic-books and manga, rather than the traditional look of woodblock tattoos.
- Kanji and Lettering Tattoo
Chinese and Japanese lettering are so intricate, that writing in these logographic scripts is an art form in and of itself. The combination of the beauty of the script and the ability to associate a meaning to the symbol (because it’s actually a word) have made these very popular flash tattoos.
Photorealistic Tattoo
Realistic tattoos are a relatively recent phenomenon in tattooing for two reasons. First, as the tattooing has become more popular, the skill level of artists has increased. Second, the technology of the inks and guns has progressed to a point where doing fine levels of detail have become increasingly possible. Realistic tattoos are often portraits, but wildlife is another common subject.
Celtic Tattoo
Celtic tattoos are composed of large black lines, and are generally only done by experienced Celtic tattoo artists, because of their complexity. Celtic tattoos originated as a form of war paint. The subjects of a celtic tattoo are often Celtic symbols, such as the Celtic knot, and animals. Another common, but more recent addition to the list of subjects of Celtic artists are trees.
Biomechanical Tattoo
Believe it or not, but the history of this style of tattooing is normally traced back to a single movie: Alien. Whether or not the Alien movies were the source of biomechanical tattoos, the imagery can’t help but make one think of them. For the hardcore sci-fi fanatics, the biomechanical tattoos generally portray some combination of human and robotic parts intertwined. Tattoos that mimic ripped flesh exposing mechanical parts underneath are the most common variety, and are normally placed on muscular parts of the body like the arms or legs.
Caricatures Tattoo
As caricature artists are to portrait artists, so too are tattoo caricatures to… well, every other kind of tattoo. Caricatures require their own special kind of skill, quite different from the skill to create photorealistic tattoos. Colours are usually used in loud, flash patterns, and features of an otherwise recognizable piece are exaggerated for a comical effect. It’s a safe bet that people who choose to ink themselves with a caricature piece have a good sense of humour.
Polynesian Tattoo
The Polynesian tattoo symbols of spear heads can be found in almost every Polynesian tattoo design. It’s designed to express courage and fight. It’s also used to represent warrior, sharp items, and sting of animals and rays. Spear heads are usually used in combination with other symbols to express certain meanings. For example, one line of spear heads and one line of enatas upside down along its side can express the meaning of defeating enemies. Like the picture above, it has many variations with arrows repeating.
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