Photoshop

So this tattoo style I will be talking about this week is the newest.. I just recently found out about this style (this week) and I don't have a lot of history on it or even how they come up with specific designs and techniques but the examples are interesting. In a nutshell, the Photoshop style employs a variety of elements – many taken from photographs and combined in a noir-ish literary format. These make the tattoos very unique and original to the artist and provide many avenues to explore combination of tattoos. These are very "cut and paste" tattoos which is different than a lot. I like these tattoos personally because I like the realistic style and the original design. Hope you enjoy these examples!

Fine Line

Happy Thanksgiving!! Fine Line Tattooing is one of the newer styles you’ll find in tattoo shops and has been achievable because of the improvements made with tattoo machines, inks, and needles. Artists today are able to add more detail and special effects to their artwork. Fine line is often used in portrait tattoos or to achieve a delicate look. These tattoos are usually black and grey and provide a dainty and elegant look. These are one of my favorite tattoo styles because artist can fit so much line detail into such a small space. Tattoo artist are challenged with making these fine line tattoos detailed but readable. I have provided some examples below, enjoy!

Tribal

This week I am talking about Tribal tattoos! One of the most common designs on the market, the true tribal dates back thousands of years and features very distinct and intricate line work and connected patterns. These tattoos are usually only done in black and are very flat images. Sometimes, 'pointillism' is used to create the same type of designs. It's called tribal because the designs stem back to pre-colonial times. This type of work was handed down from multiple cultures including Native American, Micronesia, and Polynesian. In ancient times, they would be represent one as an accessory to a certain tribe, also express puberty, a milestone in life or marriage. Many tribes used tattoos to show bravery. I have provided some examples below, enjoy!

Bio-mechanical

This week I'm going to blog about Bio-mechanical tattoos! A truly unique style, bio-mechanical tattoos feature robotic parts, working gears and 3D skin illusions. Bio-mechanical combines the attributes of a human and machine, incorporating it together. These tattoos make it seem like the skin is being ripped open and you can see the human as a machine underneath. Bio-mechanical represents the tubing and hoses as the arteries and they're attached to the hydraulics and gears to make up what we think mechanical represents. These tattoos are beyond interesting to look at and I hope you enjoy the examples I provide! Thanks for reading!

Lettering

Ok guys so this is a pretty basic blog post but this is one of the most fundamental tattoo styles tattoo artist should know, the art of lettering! You would be surprised how many people mess this up! The use of lettering and fonts has always been a popular ink choice. With so many different options out there, finding that perfect font is key in a unique tattoo. There are numerous different fonts you can use including: old English, constitutional type, handwritten lettering, paint splatters, etching, and even fonts that give the effect of incisions in the skin. Also, one of my favorite and super popular lettering are ambigrams. This is when you can incorporate two words together and composite in one tattoo. If you flip the tattoo, or look from a different angle, you can see the two different words. The example I inserted (the first picture) says saint one way and sinner the other! These are becoming increasingly popular! These lettering tattoos can be quotes, bible versus', notes of loved one who have past, anything.I hope you enjoy these examples! Thanks for reading guys!

Watercolor

Yet again, one of my favorite tattoo styles is what we will be talking about today! Watercolor tattooing is a fairly new technique, and one that literally reinvents an art form. Watercoloring creates a more vibrant, and even saturated coloring, compared to traditional tattooing. This watercolor effect is thought out and deliberate and not a chaotic process that someone may think comes with a watercolor TATTOO. This tattoo styles is all about deliberate fading, splashed, and spots. These tattoos tend to be more color than black and white, but you do see your occasional black and white watercolor tattoo. Another effect some watercolor tattoos have in them is this "painting outside the lines" look. The "watercolor" in the tattoo looks like it had bled over and it coming off the image (my favorite). I have included some examples below, I hope you enjoy :-) thanks for reading!

Trash Polka

This will be my favorite post I will write thus far. Trash Polka is one of my favorite tattoo styles to search and look at, as I plan for this to be my next piece. Haven't heard of Trash Polka? Well you aren't the only one.. Trash Polka is a relatively new style of tattoo that originates in Germany. The style resembles collages that combines realistic images with smears, smudges, and moving designs that generate a discordant, chaotic look to the piece. Trash Polka pieces are ONLY done in red or black ink. According to the original artist who came up with this style, Volko, said this style is a combination of “realism and trash; the nature and the abstract; technology and humanity; past, present, and future; opposites that they are trying to urge into a creative dance to harmony and rhythm in tune with the body”. These designs sometimes include words. To me, these are the most interesting tattoos out there right now since they are just now coming up in the United States. I have included some tattoos samples below, Thanks for reading!