A Brief Look at Traditional Tattooing
By Rusty Thornhill
What is considered a traditional style tattoo?
Traditional style tattoos come in many different forms, but there are some common visual ideas that are pervasive throughout this well known style. Traditional tattooing as we know it in the western world typically refers to a style defined by the use of bold lines, relatively simple color pallette, and thematic iconography. It is not to be confused with the traditional tattoos of various cultures. This is a misunderstanding that can sometimes crop up in this discussion. There are cultures around the world where tattooing has been a part of their tradition for hundreds of years or in some cases even longer. The maori come to mind as a great example. These intricate designs tell a story based on the shapes represented within the tattoo itself, but we commonly refer to this style more broadly as tribal, specifically maori tribal. I think it is an important distinction to make because sometimes it can be a bit confusing to hear the word traditional and not think that it would apply to styles such as this.
Traditional in this case is a useful distinction for tattoo artists and collectors alike as it distinguishes the characteristics of this more consistent and historic form from more modern and experimental styles.
Traditional tall ship tattoo by John (Fin) Lange at Mr Finsters
New Zealand Primetime anchor Oriini Kaipara
Where did traditional tattoos originate?
To understand traditional style fully, you need to understand a bit about the history of tattooing in the west. It is almost without a doubt that traditional tattoos, sometimes known as American traditional, or old school was a direct outgrowth of the influence of western artists being exposed to tattoos in east asia, specifically Japan. When we compare the two styles we can see very clear overlaps in design philosophy. Both have that distinct bold outlining as well as flat solid coloring, but the key difference is in the iconography being represented. Where, in Japanese traditional tattooing, you tend to see more large scale work featuring samurai, dragons, or koi fish you now see the American counterpart of sailors, eagles, and snakes. As more contact developed between east and west we started to see a lot more cross pollination happening between the two artistic methods. The most notable occurrence of this happened during the 40's and 50's when Norman Collins more popularly known as Sailor Jerry actually studied under Japanese maters and through continued contact with them
From right to left: Traditional Japanese dragon tattoo Artist Unknown, Traditional eagle fighting a snake tattoo by Zach Nelligan
brought a more refined and definitive style to American tattooing. The growing popularity of tattooing also helped push this style into the public. In the 19th century and early 20th century tattooing was more of a novelty sometimes even being featured in traveling freak shows, but by the end of the second World War, many sailors and soldiers were coming home and getting new ink to commemorate their service. Shops started cropping up throughout the US and without the internet a visual catalog of tattoo ideas known as flash became a mainstay in every tattoo shop. Sailor Jerry's true legacy lives on not only because of his tattooing, but more so because of the vast array of flash he produced in his lifetime. Flash designs were meant to be tattooed again and again and artists were eager to get their hands on new flash sheets that people could walk in and select interesting designs from. Traditional tattoos and flash designs remained supreme for decades until the advent of the internet and the explosion in popularity of tattooing changed everything.
Traditional tattooing in the modern era
Traditional tattoos are still a very popular style that people get, but it is considered more of a specialization. Typically apprentices start out creating traditional flash designs and then move on to actually tattooing them because traditional tattoos are the epitome of tattoo fundamentals. If you can't pull a clean line and pack solid color a traditional tattoo will expose those weaknesses clear as day. Once artists are secure in the fundamentals they typically branch out into their own unique styles that they enjoy. Today's landscape has essentially no limit to how visual ideas can be expressed in a tattoo. Everything from abstract art to intricate realism is possible and many artists have carved out their own niche within the artistic world. Traditional tattoos, time tested and iconic, have stayed and the people who specialize in them continue to carry on this timeless style, but a few have begun to push the boundaries. Jacob Gordon (@handshakesnaketattoos) with his bold style and impactful colored linework immediately comes to mind as well as our very own John (Fin) Lange (@fin_tattoo) with his varied line weight and more graphic color pallet. They both show that there is still room to evolve this fantastic style.
Spider back piece by Jacob Gordon
Traditional lady/devil face by John (Fin) Lange