Find your look
Styles
Every tattoo style has its own rules, its own feel and its own way of ageing. This is the plain-language guide to what each one is, what it suits, and what symbols and subjects actually mean before you commit them to skin.
Styles
- Traditional (American traditional)Bold black outlines, a tight colour palette, and the maritime flash that built Western tattooing.
- Neo-traditionalTraditional's richer descendant: bold outlines, a wide palette, and illustrative depth.
- BlackworkSolid black ink, high contrast and negative space, from tribal roots to modern geometric work.
- DotworkImages built from thousands of stippled dots, the natural partner to geometric work.
- GeometricPrecise lines and symmetry drawn from sacred geometry, often shaded with dotwork.
- Fine lineDelicate single-needle work: what it suits, how it ages, and the care it needs to last.
- Lettering and scriptFrom flowing script to heavy blackletter, and how to keep text legible for the long haul.
- RealismPhotographic portraits and scenes built from pure shading, in black and grey or full colour.
- WatercolourSoft colour washes and drips built to look like paint, plus an honest look at how well it ages.
- Japanese tattoos (Irezumi)Full sleeves and backpieces built from dragons, koi and waves, under centuries-old compositional rules.
- TribalBold black shapes that wrap and flow with the body, rooted in Polynesian and Bornean tattooing.
Not sure yet?
Not sure what suits you?
If you know you want a tattoo but not what kind, start here. A quick walk through the main styles and who each one tends to suit.
Common questions
Common questions about choosing and sizing a design. For everything else, browse the full FAQ index.
Where should I put my first tattoo?
Think about pain, visibility, how it fits your body, and whether you'll want it seen at work. Fleshier areas like the outer upper arm and thigh are more comfortable and heal easily, which makes them popular for a first tattoo. Your artist can suggest placement that flows with your anatomy.
Does weight gain or loss affect tattoos?
Significant changes in body weight can affect how a tattoo looks, particularly for large pieces on areas with more fat tissue, stomach, thighs, upper arms. The ink itself doesn't move, but the skin stretching or contracting around it can distort the design. Minor fluctuations of a few kilograms either way typically don't cause noticeable changes. More significant changes over time may cause some distortion, particularly in heavily detailed or fine-line work.
Can I make a design smaller?
Sometimes, but shrinking a design can crowd the detail and ruin the balance of the artwork. Fine lines placed too close together can also blur as the tattoo ages. Your artist will advise on the smallest size a given design can be done at while still holding up over time.
Can I re-tattoo over a scar?
Yes, in many cases, but it requires an experienced artist who understands how scar tissue behaves. Scar tissue holds ink differently to normal skin, heals less predictably, and often requires more passes to achieve even coverage. The results depend heavily on the age and type of scar, the placement, and the artist's experience with scarred skin. Scars generally need to be fully healed, commonly at least a year old, before being tattooed.
Should I get colour or black and grey?
It comes down to the style and look you want, and what suits your skin. Black and grey tends to be versatile and ages predictably; colour can be striking but some pigments fade differently over time and may need more sun protection. A good artist will advise what will work best for your design and skin tone.