Neo Traditional Tattoo Designs

Neo traditional tattoos are based on the old school tattoos, but changed significantly due to influence of fine arts. These tattoos look elegant and gorgeous and usually include luxury details like jewels, flowers or other elements from Japanese art and Art Nouveau. The most known tattoos made in this style include portraits, large scale flashes and mystical animal tattoos.

What are the main differences between old school and neo traditional designs? First of all, old school tattoos look like a tattoo — not like an image or photo. The main ideas of the old school designs are nautical symbols (mermaids, sharks, compass) and typical American ones (flag, patriotic script and Native American themes). The outlines of traditional tattoo designs are usually bold, with minimum shading — and made in black color. The tattoos themselves are made in basic colors, too.

The neo traditional tattoos represent different unexpected styles in one design. They not only do have deep symbolic meaning for the wearer, they are also highly aesthetic. And as for the main subjects of neo traditional tattoos — they include not only traditional ones, but also the patterns that only recently became “American” — as well as typical Latin patterns.

As for the colors and lines, there is almost no limit for tattoo artist's imaginations. Neo traditional tattoos are very colorful, made in different styles — and usually a few ones are represented in one tattoo design! Even watercolor tattoo style fits neo traditional perfectly. So if you like traditional tattoos, but you want your design to be more aesthetic, colorful and one-of-a-kind, neo traditional style is for you![n] Best Neo Traditional Tattoo Ideas