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A red neo-traditional pomegranate with exposed seeds and teal flames sits on a shoulder blade.A color traditional alien beams up a bear above a cabin, pine trees and a red flower on an outer forearm.

Tattoo styles

Neo traditional

Traditional's bold outline with a wider palette, more depth and illustrative detail: animals, portraits, florals and ornament that still read at a distance.

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Same bones, more flesh

Neo-traditional keeps what makes traditional last, a heavy outline and solid fills, and opens the palette: jewel tones, gradients, ornament, decorative framing, more realistic faces and fur. Animals, women's portraits, florals and art-nouveau borders are its home ground.

A neo-traditional green dinosaur bares its teeth above a bone against orange rays on a cropped limb.
A color illustrative woman sleeps in a golden crescent moon beneath stars on the forearm.A color lion portrait with feathers, flowers and a butterfly covers the ribs.

It suits anyone who wants a piece with more detail than traditional but the same confidence in how it will age: the outline holds the shape for decades while the color and shading do the talking. Animals, faces, flowers and ornament are its natural subjects.

Color illustrative horned beetle with a skull body and faces on its wings sits on the thigh.
A traditional shark with an open mouth and yellow rope covers a calf.

Fresh off the needle

  • Traditional pink mushrooms with hearts, stars and a crescent moon sit on a forearm.
  • A traditional orange shrimp tattoo sits on an upper arm.
  • A color illustrative peacock extends its patterned tail from the shoulder down the outer arm.
  • A color fox portrait with yellow eyes covers the back of the hand.
  • A neo traditional woman wears a ram skull above flowing blue hair and red and yellow roses on a forearm.
  • A neo traditional nesting doll with a pink headscarf and yellow flowers sits on the forearm.
  • A neo traditional tattoo places green tree frogs on orange and green leaves along the inner upper arm.
  • An illustrative phoenix tattoo spreads orange and yellow flaming wings across an upper arm.
  • A neo-traditional pink jellyfish trails purple and gold tentacles against turquoise on the upper arm.
  • Blue blossoms with green stems and leaves form a watercolor tattoo along an arm.
  • A color illustrative hummingbird spreads purple wings beneath the collarbone.
  • A traditional bearded pirate skull with an eye patch, crossed bones and colorful crystals covers the thigh.
  • A color illustrative pin-up covered in small tattoos runs along a forearm.
  • Color illustrative blue and orange chameleon on a leafy branch sits on the upper arm.
  • A teal neo-traditional octopus tentacle emerges from a yellow banana peel beside mushrooms on an ankle.
  • A color illustrative stingray, golden trident and curling waves run along the forearm beside a tattoo table.
  • A realistic black and grey grenade with red roses and a flower covers an upper arm.
  • An angled view shows a color illustrative stingray, golden trident and waves tattooed on the forearm beside a pillow.
  • A color illustrative peacock with a long teal and red tail covers the outer upper arm.
  • A traditional black cat grips a green fish on the upper arm.
  • A black illustrative raven cradles a glowing orb on the upper arm.
  • A colorful illustrative bird skull, checkerboard and rose sit within a diamond frame on the calf.
  • A pink neo-traditional triceratops with teal horns holds a knife in its mouth on an outer thigh.
  • An illustrative black and grey woman tattoo wears flowers and pearls beside roses on a forearm.

Flash from the wall

  • Flash from Redemption InkNeo traditional

One or two sittings, lots of color

A neo-traditional shaded owl with orange eyes and an ornamental pink gem covers the forearm.
A color illustrative green eye sits in a pyramid beneath a spiral galaxy and lettered banners on the upper arm.

A palm-sized neo-traditional piece is one sitting; a large thigh or upper-arm piece is usually two. Color packing takes time, so plan for the artist to work slower than on a traditional piece of the same size.

Slaine, Madison, Arty and Roger all work in neo-traditional here, each with a hand of their own. Bring references for the subject and for the feel you want; the artist draws the piece fresh rather than copying one.

At a glance

Lines
Bold black
Palette
Full, saturated
Sessions
One or two
Ageing
Very good
Best for
Animals, florals, portraits

Who to ask for neo traditional

  • A color neo-traditional frog sits beneath a large teal mushroom among smaller mushrooms on the back of a hand.
  • Arty faces the camera in a tilted green-brimmed cap before framed tattoo art.

    Arty

    Traditional · Black and grey · Cover-ups

  • Madison Sweet smiles in dark-framed glasses and a tan top against a weathered wood wall.

    Madison Sweet

    Traditional · Illustrative

  • Black and grey illustrative skull entwined with a snake and a blue eye sits on the forearm.
  • Slaine faces the camera in a white shirt in front of framed tattoo flash.

    Slaine

    Traditional · Illustrative · Black and grey

  • Ryan wears a grey shirt and skull pendant beside a driftwood display in the studio.

    Ryan

    Traditional · Polynesian · Geometric

  • A color illustrative astronaut helmet with stars in its dark visor and a script banner covers the knee.
  • Roger Solis wears a straw hat and glasses in front of a wooden wall.

    Roger Solis

    Floral · Watercolor · Black and grey

  • A traditional purple snake coils around a green clover over a red glow on a calf.
A color neo-traditional snail wearing sunglasses amid green leaves covers an arm.A golden illustrative phoenix spreads its wings over blue watercolor splashes on a thigh.

Questions people ask

An illustrative butterfly with a yellow wing and a skull-shaped wing sits on a forearm.

Is neo-traditional good for a portrait?

For a stylized portrait, yes: it keeps the likeness while giving the artist room to design around it. For a photographic likeness, see realism.

Does it work in black and grey?

Yes. Black and grey neo-traditional keeps the bold outline and uses grey washes for depth. It is a common choice for larger pieces.

Traditional pink candy hearts reading 'Get lost' sit with blue flowers on a forearm.

How do I pick between the artists?

Look at the portfolios on the artist pages. Each has a recognizable hand; pick the one whose animals or faces you like, then book them directly.

A black and grey realism sleeve combines a veiled woman, thorn-crowned man and roses.A black and grey realism portrait of Jesus with tears and a crown of thorns covers a forearm.

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