What style of tattoo art is your personal favorite?

Question

Mine is Traditional American, but I can totally appreciate other tattoos, as long as they are artistic and well done.

Answer 1

newschool sleving i love that sort of art thats what most of my tattooes are (new school)

Answer 2

Good question! There's so much bile at times, and if not that some frankly not terribly cerebral queries. This is a nice, welcome change.

Personally, I prefer the Japanese style probably most, but with minor twists. Not the American takes on it per se, although some of the ideas are intriguing; I like the more traditional less color intensive art rather than some of the super-saturated newer styles. Not that those can't be stunningly beautiful, but I have my preferences. I like a bit more of the motion and whimsy I've seen some modern artists (American & Japanese) put into otherwise traditional pieces. I know, traditional has motion, but I'm not a good enough artist/art type to describe it better than that.

I love work that has combined themes, pictographic representations of stories & such. Technically not part of your question, but since the Buddhist elements of Japanese art are what most interests me, at least peripherally relevant.

I'm also fairly fond of some of the biomech & Giger styles I've seen, although none quite enough to get as a tattoo.

And like you, I can appreciate practically any style, new or old, color or b&w, as long as they're good work. I've been fascinated by tattoos for a long time, ever since I saw my uncles tattoos from when he was in the navy during WWII in the south Pacific.

Answer 3

My photo is my favorite tattoo, as well as my most painful one. My artist drew it on my foot while I watched, and was kind enough to let me move my foot when he took the needle off of my foot because it hurt that much. I asked for shooting stars and a dragonfly, and he delivered. :) I think he went an extra mile because I have another dragonfly on my left foot, and he kinda wanted to make it look prettier. I have two other dragonfly tattoos, and I got my first dragonfly tattoo when I was 16. I looked it up once, and I had been right on the meaning of a dragonfly tattoo: it means freedom. I have epilepsy, and I've never had much freedom growing up, so getting tattoos is my way of being free. I have a custom dragonfly on my left shoulder blade, and one on my left foot. The people that have done these tattoos were all well aware that I have epilepsy.

Answer 4

I designed my tattoos (some with the help of the artist). They are traditional with a little personal meaning in them. I also prefer black and gray tats.

Answer 5

Bold lines...clear, lasting images......evergreen, quasi-"universal" themes, or at least multivalent signing. Realism and portraits are beautiful and impressive, but I think that is a different world of tattooing, kinda weird like making a painting from a photograph (what's the point?)

I do like the 'old-school' (American) type, but haven't gone for any yet because it often takes the form of flash nowadays, that people get to complete their image as something, some subculture or other affiliation that they are really desperate to show...but that will blow over eventually.

I like the "Japanese" aesthetic of the large-scale piece, but I don't always feel a connection with the stereotypical images they use (I don't mean "stereotypical" in a negative way-- all art uses stereotypes to convey meaning)...no cultural connection.

So I guess I like the Japanese aesthetic adapted to my own themes...

Oh yeah, and I like lots of BLACK in the (color) design...I don't like some of the really bright "new school" colors.

Answer 6

I love traditional/old school type tattoos. Black and grey are also awesome. I'm like you though, I like looking at any kind of tattoo I just prefer those for my own body.

Answer 7

Traditional, Sailor Jerry stuff

Answer 8

Life like, I love the way portriats and things like foot prints look. So unique and cute and completely personal. Yeah, appriciating other styles is good too, I'm the same way. Good art is always good art.

Answer 9

I like the tribal Polynesian design (The Rock has one that spans from his shoulder to his chest - hoooooo mercy), but I'm also a big fan of Mendhi even though it's not permanent ink.

Answer 10

I don't know about style...but I like the really elaborate back pieces....like when a girl gets a portrait scene of a geisha. They always look absolutely gorgeous.

Answer 11

My personal favorite are portraits/realistic black and gray. I don't think I've come across a style that I don't appreciate though =)