Different Styles of Tattooing

Different Styles of Tattooing

• Different styles of lettering
• Most predominant styles
• Popular quickies
• Creating your own

For the first 100 years of modern tattooing, not too many significant innovations in tattoo design occurred. Not to say that there weren’t any—there were—but due to the low number of tattooists working and the lack of communication between them, it was difficult for any form of group brain­storming to develop. Tattooists became very secretive and very competitive.

 Sharing secrets was unheard of. With the connections of correspondences between tat­tooists such as Sailor Jerry Collins, Mike Malone, Kazuo Oguri, and Ed Hardy, the silence began to talk.

 More connections and friendships began to be made. Tattoo who drew them. conventions opened things up even further. Tattooists from Europe and America started to work together more often.

 The ’70s saw a new era of tattoo design innovation. The more people began to tattoo from different artistic backgrounds such as comic books or graffiti in the late ’80s, the more different styles of tat­tooing began to appear. Tattooists sold their designs to other tattooists, which further spread different concepts. More and more new ideas were avail­able for reference. 

What is  Flash?

In order for a tattoo shop to get as many tattoos done as possible per day, it needs to have tattoo designs ready to go. People who want to get tattooed also need a variety of designs to choose from. This is where flash comes in. Flash is the collection of designs for tattoos in a tattoo shop. Any design that is made so that many people can get it tattooed is considered flash.

Flash, in the United States, is traditionally printed on 14” x 11” pieces of paper. These pieces of paper are displayed throughout the tattoo shop so you will have a variety of designs to choose from. You can also use the designs to get an idea of what you want to have tattooed, as flash can be used for really good reference material.

As previously stated, having flash designs enables a tattooist to do many tattoos in one day. Just using flash keeps the tattooist from having to draw each tattoo from scratch, which can take hours to do. Many different people choose the same design over and over.

It is not uncommon for a tattooist working in a street shop to do the same design more than twice in one day. The whole tat­too process is faster with flash, so you won’t have to wait around as long. Also, if you choose a flash design, you can basically see beforehand what the tattoo will look like when it’s done.

Lettering

Lettering is very important in the tattoo business. There are so many reasons why people get lettering tattooed on them. It can be the most direct and obvious way to express yourself. Often letter­ing is used as a memorial of a lost loved one such as a relative or friend. Lettering is often used to show a person’s past, origin, or group affiliation such as with a gang (as we learned in Chapter 2).

In many tattoo designs, lettering is used to enhance the design. Many people will actually base the image from a quote or a popular saying, such as “Born to Lose” or “Love Thy Neighbor.” Lyrics from songs as well as text from the Bible are often used in tattoos.

Lettering can be very decorative, large, and creative or it can be small, plain, and basic. It all depends on personal taste or just what you want to say. Let’s take a look at the different kinds of lettering most often used or asked for in tattooing.

Script

Script lettering, or cursive handwriting, is one of the most popular lettering used in tattooing. It can be quick and simple or highly decorative. Many people will get their name or a name of a loved one in script, as it can be quick and not so expensive depending on the amount of detail. A word written in a good script can really enhance a tattoo design by making it more decorative and intricate.

Historically, script lettering was developed and came to popular­ity in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. It was created because there was a need for a faster form of legible standardized writing. Writing a word in one single stroke is much faster than printing each individual letter. One example of script can be seen in the American Declaration of Independence. The advent of the typewriter and then the computer has taken away the impor­tance of script, leaving it to be more of an art form than a way of communication.

Script is now a necessary tool in the tattooist’s arsenal. The skill of good script lettering is necessary in being a great tattooist. Many tattooists will practice script for hours to make sure they get it right.

Old English

Old English is actually a language and not a form of lettering. Blackletter is the actual term for what we think of as “Old English” lettering. Blackletter was created around 1150 C.E. and used until 1500 C.E. Old English the language was pretty much out of use by 1150 C.E. The Old English language was originally written with a runic alphabet before the introduction of the Latin alphabet around 600 A.D.

Just as script was used to improve the efficiency of handwriting, Blackletter was created to replace Carolingian Minuscule, which was used to reproduce religious texts. As more and more secular books needed to be reproduced, and all books were made by hand in this era because it was before the invention of the printing press, a faster and more modern lettering was needed. Blackletter was the answer. Its popularity ended in the sixteenth century with the exception of Germany, where it was used up until the twentieth century. It was then relabeled “Gothic Script,” Gothic meaning barbaric, by Renaissance Humanists who thought the lettering was old-fashioned and out of style, linked to the medieval period.

Other than script, Old English lettering is the most-used form of lettering in the tattoo industry. It is very bold yet slightly decora­tive. As we learned in Chapter 2, Old English lettering is used for tattoo designs by almost every gang around. The popularity of it in mainstream America was broadened by the various bands and rap groups who had the lettering tattooed on them. Before that, it was popular with rockers, who preferred large lettering across the stomach or across the upper back. The smallest you can go with Old English lettering is about three quarters of an inch. If you want the lettering

Graffiti

Modern graffiti started in Philadelphia and quickly moved to New York City in the late 1960s. JULIO 204 is credited with its begin­ning as the first writer; TAKI 183 was the center of an article in the New York Times in 1971. Since then, modern graffiti has expanded all over the world and has become intertwined with many different industries.

Modern graffiti lettering has become popular in tattooing in the last 15 years. Many graffiti artists have picked up the tattoo machine like MED or SEEN from the Bronx. Oftentimes, tattooists with a

graffiti background are able to create the best lettering for tattooing in any style, whether it’s script or graffiti. If you want to get a tattoo with graffiti- style lettering, go to a good graffiti artist-turned-tattooist or just have a graffiti artist draw it for you. Only someone who is trained in that style can execute it properly.

Computer Fonts

There are so many fonts out there to choose from. Some people just want something quick and fairly basic. Many shops will have a book of computer fonts to choose from and many people just get some form of computer font instead of something custom like script. Often Old English lettering is just printed from the computer.

Using a computer font is a very efficient way to get lettering tat­tooed. The tattooist can simply manipulate the lettering on a computer; if you want the lettering on a curve or printed verti­cally, it just takes a few clicks of a mouse. The size can also be changed very easily on the computer.

Small, Basic Lettering

Many people like to get very small tattoos. As we know, that is perfectly fine as long as the design is simple and not too small. For lettering to be small, it has to be very basic in order to be leg­ible and not to turn into a blob in 10 years.

Many tattoo designs have banners in them, which are used as space for lettering. Many times the banners will be too small for any fancy lettering such as script to fit inside them legibly. This is when you will want to use basic lettering. It will look much better and will be easier to read than trying to cram fancy lettering into a design.

Traditional Thick and Thin

Traditional thick and thin lettering is standard in tattoos. It is bold, simple, and will age well. It also allows for some color to be added in the thick parts. This style of lettering can be found in many Sailor Jerry designs.

Traditional thick and thin lettering can be tattooed relatively small, making it good for banners. It is a little fancier than basic lettering so it can add some decoration to your tattoo without becoming overbearing. It is often used for finger tattoos due to its bold simplicity.

Drop Shadows

Drop shadows are lines or shading added to lettering to make the lettering a little more decorative. A shadow or line is placed next to the lettering, usually down and to the right, to make it appear more three-dimensional or just to make the lettering more dynamic. Drop shadows can be in any direction or even be done to a one-point perspective (when the perspective comes from one fixed position). It’s all a matter of personal taste. They can be done in black or color, but are usually done in gray.

Other Languages

It is very popular to have a tattoo done in a language that is not based on the English alphabet. Words written in Chinese or Japanese are popular tattoos. The classical Indian language of Sanskrit is popular as well. These are all well and good to have tattooed, but you must remember that most tattooists do not understand how these languages are written or put together. They may not know how to correctly calligraph the design if it is not already calligraphied. If you want to get a foreign language tattooed, come with the design prepared so it won’t be tattooed incorrectly.

Many shops will have some words in a foreign language ready to go. If they don’t have what you are looking for, you can always go to a restaurant advertising the country whose language you want tattooed and ask them to write the word or phrase out for you. Just make sure they do it cleanly and calligraph it for you, or else it won’t work. If it is possible, go to a different restaurant advertis­ing the same country and ask them to read it back to you to make sure you haven’t been tricked.

The Internet has many translating websites that make getting a foreign-language tattoo much easier. Be aware, with Chinese and Japanese, putting certain characters next to each other may change the meaning. Also, if you want to get your name tattooed in a foreign language, it may not be possible. Remember that most people in China aren’t named Charlie or Vanessa. Your name will not exist in their language. You must also remember that their language is not based on the ABCs, so you can’t have your name spelled out. It just isn’t possible. The Japanese language does have a set of characters designed for foreign languages. You may be able to have your name written in that.

Images

Most tattoos will consist of some form, image, or design like a tiger or a rose. Many themes are repeated over and over. They are translated by each tattooist and developed into something new over time. As we will see in Chapter 8, each tattooist has his or her own style of drawing. This is also true with flash designs. You may see many tigers on the wall but they will look different, depending on

There are a few basic styles that have developed over the years to become the staples of what you will find in the flash racks. These are major styles that have become most popular. Let’s go over them so you will know what you are looking at as you search through the flash for your design.

Tribal

As we learned in Chapter 1, tribal tattooing is mainly based on designs from the South Pacific. There are many tattooists who carry on the tradition today and still tattoo the original designs or very similar variations of them. It was Leo Zulueta who pioneered modern tribal tattoo designs in the early 1980s in California.

Most of the tribal designs you see in tattoo shops come from Leo Zulueta’s innovations.

Tribal is generally tattooed with all-black ink, which makes it great for the aging process. You can have color or gray incorpo­rated into the design depending on personal taste. When looking for a good tribal design, it is important to remember that the neg­ative space around the design is as important as the tattooed part of the design. It’s the balance or play between the two that makes for a good tribal design.

With most modern tribal tattoos, you must realize that there is no meaning to them and that they are just designs. You can always have a custom tribal design drawn that will have meaning to you, but there is no hidden language to speak of. Some designs may be in the shape of an animal or mythological beast like a shark or a dragon. Some of the most popular tattoo designs are a tribal arm­band or a tribal tattoo placed on the lower back of a woman.

Portraits/Realistic

Portraits and realistic tattooing can be one of the most difficult styles to tattoo. A tattooist must be very good at drawing and be very experienced with the medium to do this kind of tattooing. If you want to get a tattoo like this, find an expert or you may end up with an unfixable mess.

When getting a portrait-style tattoo of a loved one, such as a family member, there are a few things you will need, and need to know.

1.    Bring a very clear photograph, preferably professionally done. Snapshots may not work and Polaroids are out of the question.

2.    To get the correct amount of detail, the face must be around 3 inches, if not larger, when tattooed. Some very skilled tat- tooists can do it a little smaller.

3.    The tattoo will look like the photo. Use a photo that is char­acteristic of the person you want a tattoo of.

4.    Using black and gray is the easiest way to have the portrait tattooed but some tattooists can do an amazing job in color.

For realistic tattoos of subjects other than someone you know personally, like a musician, character in a movie, or some kind of animal, the same rules apply as with portraits. Usually you will be able to find the photo or image you are looking for on the Internet. Magazines such as Rolling Stone or National Geographic are good sources also. Just remember, the tattoo will look like the image you bring to the tattooist.

Biomechanical

Biomechanical tattoos are based on the artistic style of H. R. Giger. An example of this style can be seen in the design of the movie series Alien. The style combines organic and natural design with industrial design. It was Aaron Cain who made the style pop­ular with tattooing in the 1990s. Biomechanical is a good design style for covering old tattoos. There is a lot of detail, which will help camouflage the older tattoo, and it is a style that can be quite dark and still look good.

Traditional

Traditional tattooing was originally developed by the sailors who brought back tattooing from the South Pacific. It is character­ized as having thick bold lines, plenty of black shading, stiff or static drawing, and a very simplified and flat appearance. Often the designs will have few colors, usually consisting of red, yel­low, orange, and olive green. Traditional tattoos are very good at standing the test of time. Sailor Jerry Collins was known for his style and is a huge influence on traditional tattooists today.

Traditional tattoos have had a huge revival in the last decade. Many tattooists specialize in this style. They use designs from the early twentieth century. A good example of this can be seen in the book Revisited: A Tribute to Flash from the Past by Steve Boltz and Bert Krak. In the book, different tattooists from around the world redrew old flash from the early twentieth century.

New School

The New School style came into existence around the end of the 1980s and the beginning of the 1990s from tattooists like MarcusPacheco. New School tattoo designs combine traditional and Japanese themes with a modern graffiti style. They allow for more dimensional shading with the use of one or more light sources. The lines of New School tattoos will often be calligraphied. The style allows for very bright colors and animated drawings.

Japanese

Japanese-style tattoos have been around for over 200 years. They are characterized by relatively large images of Japanese folklore or traditions in the foreground, such as a hanya mask or a dragon surrounded by a stylized black and gray background of clouds or water. The designs are elegant, and they fit to the body well. One Japanese tattoo style, which is called a body suit, can cover your entire body. Only a master of this style such as Horiyoshi III or Horitoshi will be able to create tattoos of this caliber.

Today, many tattooists from around the world work in this style such as Filip Leu and Alex Reinke. It takes many years to learn the style of Japanese tattooing and requires a study of Japanese culture. Many tattooists combine the Japanese style with other elements or themes of tattooing.

Fine-Line Black and Gray

Fine-line black and gray tattooing became very popular in the 1970s in Southern California. The style uses thin lines made with a single pin needle or a three-pin needle, and has very smooth and dimensional black and gray shading. The designs are often accom­panied with fancy script-style lettering. Often religious themes such as a sacred heart or the Virgin Mary will be used. Tattooist Jack Rudy, who has been seen tattooing Jesse James on Monster Garage, is one of the artists who made innovations in this style and helped to popularize it in the late 1970s.

Quick Little Ones

Most people are happy with little tattoos. Often tattoo shops located in or near a tourist destination will be bombarded with people who just want small little collectables. There are a few designs that seem to be the most popular for this situation. Let’s take a look at what they are and what they mean.

The Nautical Star

A very popular tattoo is the nautical star. It hails from the days of the sailor. Sailors would get them tattooed as good-luck charms. They stand as a symbol of protection and guidance. Today, many rock bands will use this symbol or have it tattooed. This symbol is also often used as decoration for tattoos that are sea-related such as a sailing ship or a rock of ages.

The Rose

Roses are extremely popular in tattooing. They are often used to decorate other themes such as the Virgin of Guadalupe. A small rose is a symbol of love and romance. Many times the name of a lover will be tattooed with a small rose.

The Butterfly

Butterflies are popular tattoos for women to get and sometimes for men, too. The design allows for lots of bright colors and can be added to later with flowers or more butterflies. Butterflies are a symbol of change, as they change from a not-so-attractive cater­pillar into a beautiful butterfly. They are also a symbol of joy.

Looking for Something Specific

If you are looking for something more specific, like a particular animal in a certain pose that you can’t find in the tattoo shop, look online or at the library. Google will have lots of photos to

choose from. Dover publishing pub­lishes books on everything that makes great tattoo designs. You don’t have to be restricted by the flash on the wall. You can find a design for a tattoo anywhere.

Large Custom Tattoos

Large custom tattoos, like a back piece or a sleeve, can be of any subject or theme. You can use flash designs for reference or even as the entire piece, but most tattooists, if putting so much energy into such a large piece, will want to customize the tattoo. It will make the process more personal for both of you, and you will have an original tattoo that no one else shares.

When looking for ideas for a large tattoo, it is best to start look­ing through portfolios with custom tattoos so you can see what can be done. You may see the idea you are looking for. Many people like to get traditional tattoo ideas like a dragon or a battle royal. A battle royal is a battle between an eagle, snake, and a dragon usually done in a traditional tattoo style.

One of the best ways to find an idea that most suits you is to think of all the stuff that you are into, like cars or antiques. What are your hobbies? What do you collect? What do you do on the week­ends? Has there been a moment that has changed your life that you want to remember? Is there someone who has influenced you such as a historical figure? Research these ideas and events at the library or on the Internet. Put together a folder of reference material and maybe a little synopsis so that the tattooist can have a good idea of what you want. Your tattooist will guide you as to what works best and will shoot some ideas at you to make it bet­ter. Often he can explain how to decorate the idea to give it better design. With the right references for your subject, a good tattooist can turn it into a great tattoo.

The Least You Need to Know

♦    There are many different kinds of fonts that you can use in tattooing.

♦    Script and Old English are the most popular fonts that people get tattooed.

♦    You will find a few basic styles in the flash racks in a tattoo shop.

♦    Some popular small tattoos are nautical stars, roses, and butterflies.

♦    You don’t have to rely on flash for a tattoo; you can find a tattoo design anywhere.