American Traditional tattoo
The style that can be defined by its use of bold, black outlines and a limited color palette. It’s also defined by specific imagery – patriotic symbols like eagles, the American flag, or male oriented pictures of girl-heads and pin-ups – which can be attributed to the number of sailors who favored this act of body adornment. Designs were intentionally kept simple in an effort to further increase the speed of application and enable an artist to accommodate more clients.
What is a traditional American tattoo? A Short History of American Traditional Tattooing
American traditional is the original and oldest style of tattooing. This style features solid black outlines, a limited colour palette, less detail and impeccable precision.
This limited colour palette typically included yellow, red, green and black. Purple was eventually added to it as well.
This classic style, also called “old school” or “traditional,” is a throwback to the art form’s golden age. The traditional style was born on the high seas during the 1700s, after sailors like those who sailed with Capitan James Cook first encountered indigenous communities with tattoos and, becoming inspired by their bodily markings, decided to start collecting body art as mementos of their long voyages. Over the course of the 19th century, the style became more refined taking on the boldly lined and brightly colored aesthetic seen in the work of well-known American tattooists of the 1900s like Sailor Jerry.
When talking tattoos, a “Sailor Jerry” reference may get tossed around a few times. Very Western in design, typically done in three parts; one part black, one part color and one part skin. Thick lines are always used, and the motifs are typically nautical and military in theme.
Tattoos can be traced back thousands of years to ancient cultures of the east. Mummies dating 3,000 years old have been found with tattoos as well as ancient depictions of people and even figurine. It wasn’t until the 1700’s that Western culture began to take part in the art of tattooing. Those who desired to leave the constraints of society in search of something else were the first to adopt the craft. And they were none other than sailors. Captain James Cook and crew were inspired by their experiences in the east and started tattooing each other to told tales of their journey.
As time passed tattoos remained within a small section of the American culture spectrum: sailors, homeless, and circus freaks.
It wasn’t until World War II that layers of American society came together in a rare moment in history to unite against opposing forces. And as tattoos graced only the staunchest servicemen before, millions of men were exposed to body art as they took shore leave in Hawaii. And as the different classes of American men came together at the intersection of Honolulu during the war, there was a tattoo shop ran by a heavily tattooed former Navy man by the name of Sailor Jerry.
As Honolulu became the ultimate destination for servicemen on shore leave Sailor Jerry built his reputation on their arms, backs and shoulders. This is where his audacious iconography and vibrant colors changed the world of tattoos forever. Out of pure creative ambition Sailor Jerry cultivated a new kind of tattooing.
Ironically, the new style he was tattooing on the men fighting in the war was heavily influenced by the same culture that had started it. As one of the first Westerners to learn from the great Japanese tattoo masters, he built on the ancient Japanese techniques he learned and combined them with the bravado of his American sensibilities. Through sheer mastery of the creative techniques he refined his style into what we revere today as Traditional style.
Characteristics of an American Traditional Tattoo
Traditional tattoos, also known as American, Western, or Old School are characterized by its clean black outlines, vivid colors, and minimal shading. These are fundamental to traditional style and make it one of the most bold and iconic tattoo styles there is. Traditional tattoos often depict women, daggers, roses, wolves, skulls, ships, and more. Traditional tattoos are a union of boldness and complexity. They represent a unique era in mankind’s connection to tattooing and at the same time pay homage to the tattoos they have descended from.
As tattoos are more acceptable in American culture today this style has evolved into many other categories of body art. Neo Traditional pays homage to the original style with the use of thick, black outlines and well saturated colors with an expanded repertoire of imagery and meanings.
Traditional tattoos represent a crucial moment in evolution of tattoos, and a major event that led to the integration of tattoos we see in American culture today.
Are you stuck choosing a tattoo?
Then consider the American traditional category. These tattoos have a visible presence in the world of ink, marked by specific themes and styles. Striking and meaningful, this type of tattoo might be the best for you.
You might not be fully aware of everything this genre of tats has to offer. Even if you know about the traditional USA style, it’s worth reading a brief refresher.
American Traditional TattooIn a world with hundreds of potential tattoo designs, it’s important to know how to distinguish between the different choices. Here’s what you should know about American traditional.
Intense Themes
These tattoos are not for the faint-hearted. The images take an emotion or thought and push it to the maximum. Check out this example of a tattoo. When you see it, you can’t help but immediately recognize it: it’s a skull. What that skull means to you could change depending on your interpretation. But the point is that anything is on the table when you get a tattoo in this style: death, love, anger. They don’t always pay attention to the politeness of a situation. That doesn’t mean you can’t show happiness with these tattoos, or that you have to be dark. In fact, more explicitly happiness is often encouraged. The difference between these and skin ink images of a more abstract, flowery persuasion is their recognizability. They’re meant to look like something that the viewer will immediately recognize. The point is to reflect a reality in your life or in the world around you.
Realism
Given how crystal clear the messages behind these tattoos can be, it makes sense that the genre tends to stick to a realist theme. One way to think about this point is to contrast other styles of tattoos. Think about this tattoo–what does it show? It’s not unrecognizable, but pizza with alien heads in it is a pretty unique idea, at least on this planet. An American traditional tattoo usually sticks to images that are more reflective of real things. That’s why flowers, snakes, and faces usually appear in a non-abstract way. Getting this kind of tattoo means you probably will choose an image that is in some way iconic or easily recognized by a viewer. That doesn’t mean the images always reflects something that looks exactly like a photograph. Often, this style is marked by a certain style of ink and design.
Clear Definition and Sharp Lines
Given the realist tendencies of these tattoos, it makes sense that they would be drawn with the sharp lines and contrasts that often define our world. These tattoos have clear cuts and curves. The detail of every image is striking–how else could you show resemblance to something in the real world? Check out how different these abstract tattoos seem from the average American traditional image. They’re not exactly confusing, but they seem to come from someone’s imagination, as opposed to their memories or sight. That doesn’t mean these tattoos are limited by a reality restriction. In fact, it’s allowed the genre to make its own styles.
A Choosy Color Palette
If you know a thing or two about tattoos, then you know there are a lot of color options on the table. When getting a new tattoo, you can choose everything from rainbow schemes to white ink. It makes sense that American traditional tattoos have carved out a unique spot along the color spectrum. Usually, these tattoos stick to a set group of colors: green, red, yellow, and a whole lot of black. Generally, you’re not going to see a wild move away from these colors. That selection doesn’t mean that these tattoos are boring. Oppositely, the similar color schemes of these images have forced people to come up with increasingly unique images over the years. That’s why, throughout history, these tattoos have been groundbreaking, both in the realm of tattoos and in culture in general.
No matter what image you end up choosing, any image within this genre will stand out. There’s a rich history of tattoo pioneers within this genre changing the game for everyone else.
Meanings of traditional American tattoo designs
- Bald Eagle:
This one may be a bit obvious, but the American eagle may be a popular traditional tattoo for people that are American and pleased with it.
The national bird has been a well-liked tattoo subject in traditional American tattooing for many of the style’s existence. The American eagle is both graceful and hard, making for a picture as starkly fierce because it is iconic. 
Swallow:
The swallow tattoo is noteworthy for both its symbolism and superstition. Consistent with one legend, each swallow tattoo was a logo of a sailor who has sailed 5,000 nautical miles, a great feat within the youth of sailing.
Another legend says that since the swallow returns to an equivalent place per annum to mate and nest, having a swallow tattoo guaranteed a sailor would return home. The sailor would get the primary swallow tattooed before shipping out and obtain the second upon his return.
This legend also contributes to several getting it as a romantic tattoo, a promise to always return to the person they love, even as the swallows do. The swallow also features a strong association with nautical symbols and their use by sailors. When sailors were out stumped and saw a swallow, it indicated that land was nearby.
This ultimately manifests the meaning of excellent luck, hope, and returning home. This depiction of the tiny bird is common in Traditional tattoos and is upholds the sensibilities and lifestyle of a sailor exploring the planet. Swallows were quite popular also. Swallows could symbolize freedom, or a sailor’s desire to seek out his way home.- Anchor:
A symbol of what keeps an individual grounded and steady. many of us who get this tattoo have someone in mind once they get the tattoo, their proverbial “anchor.”
That’s why numerous prefer to have the tattoo with the name of a beloved, traditionally “mom,” to stay those that keep them grounded close (though if I got “mom” tattooed on me, my mom would probably still hate it).
Anchors were a reminder of all the items that remained constant during a sailor’s life. Because the Sailor Jerry website notes, “this is why you’ll often see them decorated with ‘Mom’ or the name of the sailor’s sweetheart (the people that keep them grounded).
The anchor tattoo is one among Sailor Jerry’s most iconic tattoos and is employed together of the first recognizable symbols for sailors; However, an anchor tattoo isn’t only reserved for sailors. The anchor symbolizes safety stumped, a solid foundation, stability, and security.
It pays homage to the primary westerners to go away their societies behind in search of something different and sail across the seas. During war II it had been typical of Naval men and sailors to urge them how of indicating which brand of the service they were staunchly a neighborhood. - Skulls:
Stylized in an infinite number of the way, skull tattoos can have any number of meanings counting on the affectations the artist adds thereto.
Within the youth of yank tattooing, these tattoos were fashionable sailors, mercenaries, and adventurers, people that brandished their lack of fear of death or had to return to terms with the inevitability of it wore these tattoos. 
Pin-up Girls:
Back within the days when women weren’t allowed to be sailors unless they pulled some Mulan-type antics, many sailors would go months without seeing a lady. So, many men would get tattoos of girls on their body as a reminder of what was expecting them once they got ashore (because they forgot, I guess?)
Many pin-ups are still modeled after Sailor Jerry’s original designs. Today, many of us get pin-ups within the likeness of their significant others, though with the still high divorce rates, you better make sure you wish the topic matter.- Snakes:
Often representations of potency and power, snakes are a well-liked tattoo subject for several traditionalists. Because the snake sheds its skin, many see it as a logo of a replacement beginning. Others see it as a logo of evil because of its vital role within the Bible. On the other hand, some get just because it’s bad-ass. - Nautical Star Tattoos:
The nautical star is usually depicted as a five-pointed star that represents the directions on a compass. It’s strong associations with the old-fashioned mentality of seafaring sailors and their voyages across the seas.
It’s a sign of their ability to navigate the waters and find their way home. The nautical star is usually depicted alongside other traditional style icons like rope, birds, and other symbols. They’re highly desired during this sort of tattooing for his or her beauty and symmetry. - The Dagger Tattoo:
The dagger is a typical outline in traditional tattoos and has strong associations with the military service as many of the different designs do. The dagger can symbolize war, death, and military combat.
With traditional tattoos, they represent a soldier’s last line of defense when all else has failed. Daggers also can be used with roses, skulls, hearts, and teeth. - The Sailboat and Misted ship:
A ship is usually utilized in Traditional style tattoos as a logo of freedom and adventure. For sailors who traveled the seas many years ago, they received tattoos of the ships they called home. During this point, tattoos were used as souvenirs and documentation.
Now they’re commonly wont to symbolize wanderlust and therefore the go after the unexplored. This is often another tattoo that was widely done on sailors during war II and may need to be tattooed with images of nautical stars, mermaids, or other sailor motifs. - The Rose:
Commonly used with other depictions of skulls, daggers, and names, the rose a staple of traditional tattoo designs. Typically wiped out red, the rose was done on servicemen during war II in conjunction with the script, “Mom” or “Mother”.
It had been used to indicate beauty, love, and loyalty to those that had birthed them. Roses predominate many traditional American tattoos even now. They’re a standard symbol of affection, like our hearts. 
The Mermaid:
Mermaid tattoos are utilized in Traditional style designs as another association with sailors and experiences stumped. Although the mermaid may be a mythical monster, it symbolized a lust for ladies and therefore the debauchery they could enjoy once they received the shore.
Also, it represented a lure for sailors that might ultimately end in their demise once they would become shipwrecked on rocks. The mermaid has the power for men to lose everything all due to their profound beauty.- Dice Tattoos:
Dice are often depicted in Traditional tattoos that mean nothing aside from luck. The numbers on the dice will have an essential connotation on whether it’s a good or bad chance that the dice are communicating. For the American sailors of the 1940s, it symbolized one among the sought-after activities while on shore leave: gambling.
Sailors would come to shore to relinquish their hostilities, emotions, and fears that inflicted them by indulging within the debauchery of girls, drinking, and gambling. Dice also symbolized luck on the battlefield. Although people get them under different circumstances today, they invoke an equivalent meaning of luck and afflictions to betting. - Sharks:
Sharks were a logo of courage, power, and ferocity. Other dangerous animals, like snakes and panthers, could represent the soldier or sailor’s ability and willingness to fight.
These tattoos often served a convenient function, helping to preserve life and limb by intimidating onlookers to stop actual fights. Skulls, while similarly intimidating, more often represented a sense that the wearer had come to terms with the likelihood of death and was not scared of it.
Using the standard style adds a bold, artistic, and vintage flair to any design you would possibly have in mind, and you don’t need to have a knack for creating them yourself. Custom Tattoo Design will assist you in creating the image that’s most representative of the items you’re trying to precise.