Traditional (Old School)
Defined by thick black outlines, flat color fills, and minimal shading. Rooted in early Western tattooing, especially American maritime culture.
The Inktionary
A complete taxonomy of tattoo styles, techniques, and traditions. From foundational approaches to contemporary innovations.
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60Styles Documented
15Categories
Foundational Styles
The core visual systems that define modern tattooing
Neo Traditional
An evolution of traditional tattooing featuring expanded color palettes, illustrative detail, and more dimensional shading while retaining bold outlines.
New School
Exaggerated proportions, bright saturated colors, cartoon influence, and playful subject matter. Often inspired by graffiti, animation, and pop culture.
Black and Grey
Uses only black ink diluted into grey tones. Emphasizes contrast, smooth shading, and depth without color.
Color
A broad category for tattoos where color is the primary focus, spanning realism, illustrative, and graphic approaches.
Realism & Representational
Styles focused on photographic accuracy and lifelike imagery
Realism
Designed to replicate real life imagery with photographic accuracy. Can be done in color or black and grey.
Hyperrealism
An advanced form of realism emphasizing extreme detail, texture, and contrast beyond photographic appearance.
Portrait
A realism subset focused specifically on accurate human or animal likeness.
Micro Realism
Highly detailed realism executed at a very small scale, requiring precision and controlled aging considerations.
Linework & Minimal
Delicate approaches emphasizing precision and simplicity
Fine Line
Uses extremely thin linework with minimal shading. Emphasizes delicacy, precision, and subtlety.
Single Needle
Executed using a single needle grouping to create soft, detailed lines and light shading.
Minimalist
Reduced designs using simple forms, symbols, or small compositions with minimal visual elements.
Continuous Line
Images created with one uninterrupted line, emphasizing flow and simplicity.
Black Ink Dominant
Styles that rely entirely on black ink for bold visual impact
Blackwork
Relies entirely on black ink, often featuring solid fills, bold contrast, or graphic composition.
Heavy Blackwork
Large areas of saturated black covering significant portions of the body.
Abstract Blackwork
Non figurative black ink compositions focused on shape, texture, and movement.
Pattern & Structure
Mathematical precision and repeating motifs
Geometric
Uses precise shapes, symmetry, and mathematical structure.
Sacred Geometry
A geometric subset rooted in symbolic and spiritual geometry such as mandalas and repeating harmonic forms.
Dotwork
Images built entirely from dots rather than lines or shading.
Patternwork
Repeating motifs or ornamental designs that emphasize rhythm and repetition.
Cultural Heritage
Traditional styles rooted in specific cultures and histories
Japanese (Irezumi)
Large scale compositions rooted in Japanese folklore, mythology, and symbolism. Typically features flowing backgrounds and cohesive storytelling.
Tribal
Bold black designs inspired by Indigenous tattoo traditions worldwide. Modern tribal varies in authenticity and cultural grounding.
Polynesian
Culturally specific tattooing traditions from Polynesia with symbolic patterns tied to genealogy and identity.
Maori (Ta Moko)
Sacred tattoo tradition of the Maori people with deep cultural meaning and lineage connection.
Samoan
Traditional tatau patterns tied to status, heritage, and rites of passage.
Thai (Sak Yant)
Spiritual tattoos traditionally applied by monks, incorporating sacred geometry and script.
Filipino (Batok)
Ancient hand tapped tattoo traditions from the Philippines.
Amazigh (Berber)
North African tattooing traditions featuring symbolic motifs tied to protection, fertility, and identity.
Celtic
Knotwork based designs inspired by ancient Celtic art and manuscripts.
Nordic / Viking
Imagery rooted in Norse mythology, runes, and pre Christian symbolism.
Illustrative & Art Driven
Styles bridging tattooing and fine art illustration
Illustrative
Bridges tattooing and illustration. Emphasizes drawn aesthetics over realism.
Etching / Engraving
Inspired by old printmaking techniques with crosshatching and line density.
Woodcut
Bold linework mimicking traditional woodblock printing.
Sketch Style
Designed to resemble loose pencil or ink sketches, often intentionally unfinished.
Painterly & Texture
Approaches mimicking traditional painting techniques
Watercolor
Mimics watercolor painting with soft gradients, splashes, and flowing color.
Brushstroke
Inspired by calligraphy and ink painting using expressive strokes.
Oil Paint Style
Heavy texture and blended color mimicking oil paintings.
Modern & Hybrid
Contemporary styles blending multiple influences
Trash Polka
A graphic collage style combining realism, abstract elements, and limited color accents, typically red.
Biomechanical
Blends organic anatomy with mechanical imagery, often creating the illusion of machinery beneath the skin.
Bio Organic
A softer evolution of biomechanical with organic flow and less rigid machinery.
Surrealism
Dreamlike imagery combining unrelated elements in imaginative compositions.
Cyber Sigilism
Contemporary abstract linework influenced by digital culture, symbols, and post internet aesthetics.
Typography & Symbol
Text and symbol based approaches to tattooing
Script
Text based tattoos using cursive or handwritten styles.
Calligraphy
Decorative lettering inspired by traditional calligraphic systems.
Lettering
Broad category for typographic tattoos emphasizing font design.
Runic
Symbols and letters derived from ancient runic alphabets.
Composition & Placement
Styles defined by how work is arranged on the body
Patchwork
Collections of individual tattoos arranged organically across the body.
Sticker Style
Bold graphic tattoos designed to resemble stickers or decals.
Ignorant Style
Intentionally naive, raw, or crude drawings inspired by outsider art.
Animation & Pop Culture
Styles inspired by animated media and popular culture
Anime
Japanese animation inspired imagery with stylized proportions and expressions.
Manga
Black and white or shaded illustration inspired by Japanese comics.
Cartoon
Western animation inspired designs with exaggerated features.
Technique Based
Styles defined by the application method rather than visual outcome
Hand Poked
Applied without machines using manual techniques.
Stick and Poke
Modern hand poked approach often associated with DIY culture.
Tebori
Traditional Japanese hand tattooing technique.
Abstract & Experimental
Non-representational and boundary-pushing approaches
Abstract
Non representational designs emphasizing form and emotion.
Negative Space
Uses untouched skin as a design element.
Optical Illusion
Creates visual depth or movement effects.
Decorative & Nature
Ornamental designs inspired by the natural world
Ornamental
Decorative designs inspired by architecture, jewelry, and textiles.
Floral
Botanical focused designs that may span multiple styles.