Why does traditional tattoo art look the way it does?

If you’ve ever seen a tattoo with thick black outlines, bright reds and yellows, and classic
imagery like anchors, roses, or swallows, you’ve seen the traditional American tattoo style. Most of us know it when we see it. But why does it look that way? It's actually a mixture of history and practical reasons.

Early tattoos were created to last a long time, surviving years of sun exposure and skin wear and tear. Thin or detailed lines tended to blur over time, but heavy outlines kept the design readable even decades later. Those thick lines also made the artwork stand out clearly on different skin tones and under less-than-perfect lighting. This method of creating lasting tattoos influenced the look of the style as a whole and is still one of the most popular styles of tattoo to this day.

The Power of Color and Simplicity

The color palette in traditional tattooing is just as iconic as the linework. You’ll usually see
red, yellow, green, and black, sometimes with touches of blue or brown. This is because tattoo inks were limited in both variety and stability. Only certain pigments held up well over time, and among those only a handful were safe to use on most people's skin. While we have an almost endless supply of pigments to tattoo with these days, many artists continue to use the traditional palette to capture this original style of tattooing. ​

Another thing that defines traditional tattoos is their stylized nature. Because tattoos were often small and done quickly, artists used simple, recognizable shapes that could be read easily on the body. Famous tattoo artists, such as Norman Collins (aka Sailor Jerry) and Don Ed Hardy, helped to popularize the bold style and unique themes of the American Traditional tattoo. Interestingly enough, both of those men were heavily influenced by Japanese tattoo styles at the time. If you look closely at traditional Japanese tattoo art, you can see the similarities.

Traditional tattoo style endures today both because of its tried-and-true artistic techniques and because of the rich history behind the designs. They age beautifully and are readable at a glance. They're a nod to the tattoo pioneers of the past and are the epitome of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it!"