Let’s face it, a human portrait with four eyes, geometric cubes, colorful lines and two paint drops, doesn’t exactly send a crystal clear meaning or message. Pieces done in this style are known for their lush, decorative details as well as the use of natural imagery such as florals and animals. In short, every tattoo done in this style tells a story about Japans rich past, and beyond their dramatic smoke and wave filled appearance, this is what makes Irezumi masterpieces so powerful. While an image with full color and details is stunning, a sketch tattoo has a charm that is hard to match. Instead of drawing a tree, a negative tattoo artist will draw the space between the branches and let the tree come together from there.

As it now stands, you can find jaw-dropping color and black and grey portraits of pretty much any celebrity you can think of as well as realistic depictions of nature and just about anything else imaginable, even the surreal.

Known for their cornucopia of Hispanic themes, Chicano tattoos feature everything from the Day of the Dead sugar skulls to The Blessed Virgin Mary, Jesus Christ and beyond. Starting in the center and working your way out, round by round, pattern by pattern, Mandalas have been created for centuries as a form of meditation as well as art. Realistic tattoos are hard to get perfectly right and it takes a skilled tattoo artist or tattoo designer to create a realistic-looking artwork with amazing visual impact. This style requires an expertly skilled artist and a lot of time, but the results are breathtaking. If you want a piece of ink that’s truly unique or perhaps a design that has a hidden meaning, abstract tattoo styles make for an excellent choice. Combine your lettered design with any other style to create a tattoo that is uniquely yours. When I see a person with a fully occupied hand tattoo, I feel there are a lot more to, Someone from Vineyard, Utah, US posted a whisper, which reads "Hey, my body is a temple too. More modern artists are pushing the limits of this style by doing more than just symbols and instead opting for designs like rose flowers, sailing ships and beyond.

The Vikings were tough. Adding a gradient to your tattoo as the background, or as the primary color scheme, adds a degree of softness not easily achieved with solid borders. Clothes may not make the man, but the ink he commits to certain does.

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By completing this form, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Remember the outcome of war. Whether colorful or in black and white, this is a classic tattoo style that is ideal if there’s something very specific you want to portray. Read it this way or read it that way. There is no limit to the possibilities.

A specific type of optical illusion, a torn skin tattoo features flesh ripping away to reveal what is underneath. Traditional tribal tattoos aren’t your style?

One that has maintained it’s popularity is the Japanese style Irezumi.

The Mayans existed for nearly 3500 years, now their artwork lives on.

The imagery has a vast and rich backdrop of culture, history, and allusions.

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