The tattoo industry is constantly evolving, and today, there’s a vast array of tattoo styles to choose from. We’re not kidding—our list includes over 60 distinct tattoo styles, each explained in detail and accompanied by plenty of pictures. Our goal is to help you find the perfect style for your next tattoo and to clear up any confusion you might have. To make things easier, we’ll present these styles in alphabetical order. Ready to dive in?
WOOD CARVING TATTOO STYLE
In the Stonework Tattoo style, imagine yourself as a stone sculpture, with the tattoo giving the illusion of carved stone. For the Wood Carving Tattoo style, envision your body as a piece of wood, with the tattoo resembling intricate carvings. Both styles can achieve strikingly realistic effects, but they require a high level of skill and technique from the tattoo artist.
White ink Tattoo Style
White ink for tattoos might seem unusual, but it’s indeed used. While it’s not the main color and often goes unnoticed, it can create striking effects when combined with other colors.
Some Watercolor artists we want you to know
The world of watercolor tattoos is captivating, with many talented artists making their mark. We’d like to highlight two you should definitely check out: Laura Caselles and Kathycaboom.
Both are Spanish, yet their styles are distinctively different. Laura Caselles creates elegant, harmonious tattoos often inspired by movies, series, or manga. In contrast, Kathycaboom’s work is a vibrant burst of colors, featuring dynamic and energetic designs. Both artists are known for their unique and eye-catching styles.
Watercolor Tattoo Style
Watercolor tattoos are a prominent style, often serving as a foundational element in various other styles. What sets them apart is their unique color palette and distinct allure, which come from their versatility in different compositions.
Tribal Tattoo Style
Tribal tattoos encompass styles from the Pacific region, including Polynesian, Maori, and Hawaiian, among others. While it may seem broad, grouping them together is often the easiest way to address the diverse styles within this area.
Trash Polka Tattoo Style
Trash Polka is a unique and striking tattoo style that originated in Germany. It blends elements of collage with motifs like swords, bombs, and smog, creating a raw, edgy aesthetic. The color palette is predominantly black and red, often making these two colors the defining feature of the style.
Torn / Ripped Skin Tattoo Style
The Torn or Ripped Skin tattoo style creates a striking optical illusion that makes it look as though the skin is torn or ripped. This technique is quite challenging and requires the expertise of a highly skilled tattoo artist.
Surrealism Tattoo Style
Surrealism, which emerged in the 1920s as a style for painting, drawing, writing, and other forms of art, can also be applied to tattoos. So, absolutely, you can create a surrealistic tattoo as well!
Stonework Tattoo Style
Stonework is a remarkable tattoo style, though it’s not as widely known as one might expect. The idea is to create the illusion of a sculpture on your skin. When executed by a skilled artist, the results are truly mesmerizing.
Sticker Tattoo Style
The Sticker Tattoo style stands out by blending elements we love, such as 3D effects, vibrant colors, and imaginative designs. The goal is straightforward: to make it look like you have a sticker on your skin rather than a traditional tattoo.
Stick and Poke Tattoo Style
We’ve debated whether to include the Stick and Poke Tattoo style, and here it is. This method involves inking with just a needle and ink, without any machines. While it can be appealing to some, we generally don’t recommend it due to safety concerns—unless you find a highly skilled and reputable artist.
Stained-Glass Tattoo Style
When you think of stained glass, you probably envision a medieval church, right? The Stained Glass Tattoo style aims to bring that same intricate, colorful aesthetic to the skin. By translating this classic design into a tattoo, you capture the essence of stained glass art on your body.
Small/Micro Tattoo Style
Not everyone prefers large tattoos, and that’s perfectly okay. You can opt for a small or micro tattoo in any style you like. The key requirement is simply that it remains small.
Sketch Tattoo Style
We love Sketch Tattoos because a skilled artist can turn them into something truly spectacular. Essentially, the technique involves transferring a sketch from paper to skin, resulting in a striking, detailed design.
Silhouette Tattoo Style
Silhouette Tattoos resemble portrait tattoos but are typically done in black ink, creating a shadow-like effect. They are visually striking yet more subtle, making them a great option for those looking for a more understated design.
Quote/Words Tattoo Style
To be honest, the Quote or Words Tattoo style is quite similar to lettering and script tattoos. The main difference is that this style focuses on inking quotes or meaningful words, rather than names.
Psychedelic Tattoo Style
The Psychedelic Tattoo style can be seen as a foundation for other styles like Blast Over or New School, featuring vivid, bright colors. Just as psychedelia influences music and various art forms, it also leaves its mark on tattoo designs.
Portrait Tattoo Style
Portrait tattoos are widely popular across many countries. The concept is straightforward: it’s about having a portrait permanently inked on your skin. Whether it’s a famous figure, a family member, or even your cat, the focus is on capturing the likeness you want to honor.
Pop Art Tattoo Style
Most people can easily picture this tattoo style. Just as pointillism aims to replicate a trend in painting, the Pop Art Tattoo style captures a similar vibrant, graphic aesthetic but through its own unique approach.
Polygon Tattoo Style
The Polygon Tattoo Style was popular a few years ago, particularly for animal designs. The idea is to take any design and render it using polygons. It can be done in black ink or with colors, depending on your preference.
Pointillism Tattoo Style
The Pointillism Tattoo Style takes this concept further by emulating the pointillism technique found in painting but on the skin. It requires significantly more detail, skill, and patience, resulting in a more intricate and painstaking process.
Pixel Tattoo Style
Having grown up in the ’80s, pixels hold a special place for us, especially with our ’90s video game nostalgia. Imagine having a tattoo style that mimics 8-bit designs—pretty awesome, right?
Pinstripe Tattoo Style
The Pinstripe tattoo style is a bit unconventional, but we find it fascinating! This style features intricate designs with precise lines and vibrant colors, resembling a spirograph pattern combined with tattoo art.
Outline Tattoo Style
The Outline Tattoo Style is straightforward and easy to grasp. It consists of just outlines without colors or intricate details. While it may seem simple, a well-designed outline tattoo can be truly fantastic.
Ornamental Tattoo Style
The Ornamental style is a cornerstone in the tattoo world, encompassing a wide range of substyles. In terms of technique, ornamental tattoos are known for their intricate details and can vary from flowing, organic forms to precise, traditional geometric patterns.
Optical Illusion Tattoo Style
We have to be honest: Optical Illusion tattoos are among our favorites. They typically feature bold lines and larger designs, creating a “wow effect” that makes everyone take notice.
Norse / Viking Tattoo Style
Norse culture and symbolism, whether from Vikings or Lapponian people, are widely recognized around the globe. This tattoo style falls under the ethnic category and simply requires incorporating elements from these cultures.
New School Tattoo Style
The New School tattoo style is quite similar to Neo-Traditional, featuring thick lines, vibrant colors, and bold designs. What sets it apart is the incorporation of graffiti techniques in the drawings and color work. That’s the essence of it.
Neotraditional Tattoo Style
The Neo-Traditional style is an evolution of this, featuring thick lines, vivid colors, and a variety of designs. It’s often referred to as Neo-Traditional or simply “Neotrad.”
Negative Space / Blackout Tattoo Style
When you think of a standard tattoo, you likely picture a design inked in black or color. However, a Negative Space Tattoo uses black ink while the design is created with the natural color of your skin. The result is a striking and unique effect!
Native American Tattoo Style
Yes, the Native American Tattoo style falls within the ethnic tattoo category but is distinct on its own. Native American culture is rich with unique symbolism, deities, and traditions, offering a wealth of inspiration for tattoos.
Minimalist Tattoo Style
The Minimalism Tattoo style is one of the most popular worldwide. Its designs are typically simple and small, allowing you to have something unique without drawing too much attention.
Mayan Tattoo Style
Certainly, the Mayan Tattoo style falls under the ethnic/tribal category. Mayan culture is known for its intricate symbols, patterns, and designs, which make for truly fantastic and detailed tattoos.
Mandala Tattoo Style
You’re familiar with mandalas, right? This tattoo style involves either featuring a mandala as the main design or integrating it into a larger piece.
Mambo / Destrutturato Tattoo Style
Yes, this is a new style created by Mattia Calvi in Milan, Italy. It’s called Mambo after the tattoo shop, Mambo Tattoer. The concept involves deconstructing natural forms and reassembling them into more abstract, manageable pieces. We believe it works exceptionally well.
Line Tattoo Style
We’ve seen a myriad of intricate tattoo styles, but line tattoos return to the basics—and we love it. In line style tattoos, the focus is solely on the use of lines. The results can be exceptionally balanced, harmonious, and visually stunning.
Lettering or Script Tattoo Style
Inking phrases or concepts lies at the heart of tattooing, which is why many opt for lettering or script tattoos. This style boasts numerous substyles, from Chicano to Japanese lettering, making it highly adaptable and rich in variety.
Kawaii Tattoo Style
Kawaii is a manga substyle characterized by its depiction of extremely cute subjects, such as animals, plants, and more. In art, kawaii drawings are relatively simple, featuring vibrant colors that translate beautifully onto the skin.
