Learning To Draw Traditional Tattoos

Test Your Tattooist Skills With A Non

Though the experience of drawing on a persons body is markedly different from operating a tattoo machine and depositing ink into the skin, this practice will get you accustomed to drawing on a living canvas. You might even seek out your more ticklish friends so that you have experience with a squirming client.

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How To Practice Drawing 3d On The Body

Key Elements Of American Traditional Designs

American Traditional tattoos are easy to identify. Theyre the most classic of tattoo styles, and one that youve definitely seen many times before. There are some pretty specific motifs that these tattoos tend to stick to, all of which come from when it was primary Navy and military men who sported ink. Some things you might recognize being done in this particular style would be symbols of American patriotism , daggers, and pinup girls, to name just a few.

As far as specific elements that determine that a tattoo is done in the Traditional style, primary colors used with minimal, if any, shading is a big one. The colors are usually very bold and use their full pigments, for the most part, and are always within the primary color spectrum. This is because of the pigments and technology available in the early 20th century, so the colors were kept more basic than we see in some newer styles, like New School. American Traditional tattoos are comprised of little to no shading, keeping the design itself relatively simple. Though a lot of Traditional designs include color, its not necessary to qualify as a Traditional tattoo. Its mainly the clean, heavy linework that makes a Traditional tattoo.

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Background: What Is American Traditional Tattoo Style

Before we get into drawing traditional tattoos, its important to understand that, as a tattoo artist, youll be expected to know a bit about the background of traditional tattoos and how they still affect tattooing today.

Traditional style tattoos took form in the 1930-40s when soldiers would tattoo patriotic symbols on one another using simple designs. This imagery inspired Sailor Jerry, who then perfected the style that later became so popular.

Today, while the designs can portray just about anything, all American traditional tattoos have the same aesthetic:

• Thick black lines that are all one line weight
• Use only traditional tattoo colors
• 2-D designs meant to resemble drawings

Traditional Vs Neotraditional Tattoo Whats The Difference

Neo-traditional tattoos represent a more progressive approach to the old school Sailor Jerry style tattoos.

They provide a more nuanced color palette and modern techniques, but with the bold approach to design of the traditional tattoo masters.

Neo-traditional tattoos include the central elements of the traditional tattoos:

• clean thick lines

However, the differences are clear the neotraditional tattoo style guides include:

• a larger color palette
• modern techniques such as shading to add more depth and dimension for a more 3D feel
• broader range of motifs including more flowers and animals
• lush decorative details

The New School of tattoo started in the 80s, as the traditional American tattooing became popular again.

This time around though, the tattoo artists started including the traditional tattoo elements with the impact of Art Nouveau, art deco, and Japanese art.

Additionally, around this time the tattoo techniques and tattoo equipment started getting better and more advanced, giving the tattoo artists more options for their artistic expression.

The new tattoo machines allowed easier shading, whereas the new ink gave brighter colors.

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The Difference Between American Traditional Tattoos And Neo Traditional Tattoos

Because neo traditional tattoos were born from the traditional style, the line between the two can sometimes seem blurry. When youre looking at a tattoo and see that it has different line weights and uses colors outside the traditional palette of red, yellow, and green, then the tattoo is neo traditional. The different line weights used can also make a neo traditional tattoo seem like it has more depth than an American traditional tattoo.

Can You Still Be A Tattoo Artist If You Cant Draw

Yes, you can. But you probably wont be a good one. Why?

There are two main reasons:

• You cant make original handmade designs.
• You wont be able to modify tattoos per request.

Not being able to draw severely restricts the capacity at which you can perform.

What happens when a client wants modifications to their tattoo design?

What if theyd like a custom tattoo?

Most people who get tattoos dont want something everyone else has. They may have a design that holds a special place in their heart. Maybe a loved ones old drawing. A pets eyes, perhaps.

Not being able to draw will put you in a really awkward position in these situations, and your clientele will be incredibly limited. And if you cant draw, youll be relying on generic designs that may not always fit the clients needs.

The good news is, if you jump into tattooing before you are great at drawing, you still have the option of tattooing market flash designs. Its a great place to start but not a great place to stay. It is still essential you learn to draw.

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How To Add Color

Just like tattooing, you always want to put in your darkest ink colors first. This is why you should always fill in areas that need black shading first before moving onto your colors. If you add it later, the water from your colored ink will pick up the black and make it dark and dull.

For traditional designs, you would add color in this order: black, green, red, and yellow.

If you dont want to color your designs with watercolor, you can use markers instead.

Using Markers to Simulate Watercolor

If you struggle with painting, you can use Copic markers to simulate the fade of watercolor by using descending shades right next to each other.

Pro Tip:

To get that old paper look, you can stain the paper with coffee. Do this before you paint if youre using watercolors, as watercolor is soluble even after its dry. This is not recommended if youre using Copic markers, since youll be working on digital photo paper that wont stain well.

Plan Out Where Youll Add Skin Breaks

When youre painting a design, you want to consider where to leave white space. This white space will later be skin breaks when youre tattooing. Skin breaks are important to your tattoos because you can use them as highlights.

Instead of adding white ink to your design you can use skin breaks to create highlights that will never fade.

Additionally, using skin breaks makes the tattoo faster to complete since you wont be trying to saturate the skin tone.

Background

How Do You Start Drawing A Tattoo

You should Start drawing a tattoo by sketchinga simple line drawing of the picture you have in mind. Copy the design about 5 or 6 times. Then draw in the main lines of the design with more solid, smooth single lines.

Try changing parts of the drawing to see how it affects the appearance of the final picture. Create 5 or 6 slightly different drawings and analyse which is the best.

Once you have done this you can create the final line drawing. This is the drawing that will become the stencil for the tattoo. When you have the line drawing finished, print about 5 copies and try colouring them in or finishing them in different ways.

First do a shaded pencil drawing to show what the tattoo could look like done in Black and Grey. Then you can try colouring and shading the other copies in different ways. Do one as block colours, one with shaded and blended colors, and one as a watercolor for example.

Look carefully at the drawings and work out which you think works best. Analyse what you might be able to do to improve the design. Once you have a more focussed idea of the design then you can print off 5 more copies and try to do 5 slightly different versions again. Repeating this process will help you to improve the design until you are completely happy.

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Learn To Draw Traditional Style

I’m after a good source of learning to draw Traditional style tattoos. Preferably an online source but also book recommendations. There’s obviously a load of rules that have to be followed so anything that goes through those and how to go about the basic construction of a traditional design would be great!

I love tattoos and drawing and in the long term may even look at getting an apprenticeship so just want a starting block

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Where Can These Courses Be Found

• Online there are many online classes to take for graphic design and for drawing. This works best for those with a hectic schedule or just prefer to learn at their own pace.
• Community college many community colleges offer all types of art classes. Most offer graphic design too.
• University if you want a more formal approach to the arts, getting an art degree is the best option.
• Community centers some community centers offer sculpting and painting classes. This may not be the best option for graphic design, however. And sometimes, drawing lessons are limited or for children only.

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How To Get A Tattoo Apprenticeship To Start Your Career

Training as an apprentice is a traditional step in the process of becoming a tattoo artist. Tattoo apprenticeships give you the opportunity to learn from an experienced mentor who can show you safe methods to permanently tattoo artwork onto your clients. Learning how to get a tattoo apprenticeship is an important aspect of getting started in the tattoo industry and becoming a licensed tattoo artist yourself.

In this article, we explain what a tattoo apprenticeship is, discuss why theyre important for starting your career as a tattoo artist and share advice on finding an apprenticeship where you can begin learning your craft.

See more about 50 Traditional Flower Tattoos

Many floral images have crossed into the traditional ink style lexicon, particularly from Japanese tattoos or tribal tattoo from which American ink has adopted many central tenets.

Blooms such as the lotus, chrysanthemum, cherry blossom, and peony are popular flower tattoo ideas from Japanese design which are used effectively in old school tattoos, while black ink and cool patterns have been adopt from Polynesian tattoos and then reconfigured.

See more about 50 Traditional Eagle Tattoos

The eagle is the US national bird, associated with patriotism and freedom and linked to nobility, strength, and bravery since ancient Roman times.

Most eagle tattoo traditions show the bird with its wings flung out in flight and its talons stretching out to grasp something.

Make Sure Your Design Is Nice And Clean

If you love tattoos, you know how important it is to have a clean design. Traditional tattoos are all about lines and details, so it’s important to ensure your tattoo is free of any blemishes or smudges.

The best way to do this is to work with a professional tattoo artist who can help you create a clean and crisp design. If you’re unsure how to draw traditional tattoos, don’t worry – plenty of resources available online can help you get started.

Once you have a clean design, the next step is to find a reputable tattoo shop that can bring your vision to life. With a little research, you can find the perfect shop for your needs and ensure that your new tattoo looks amazing.

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Find Someone To Apprentice With

In exchange for hands-on experience and information, as an apprentice, you are an assistant, so you will start by learning about all the things the shop does before you get to work on people. These are important skills to know, as you will probably spend more of your time cleaning up and setting up than you will inking. Start off by volunteering to do work for an artist you like to show him or her that you are dedicated and want to work for them.

Want To Become A Tattoo Artist You Need Less Than You Think To Get Started

If you want to learn how to become a tattoo artist, you really need a lot less than you think to take the first step. In all honesty, all you need is a piece of paper and a pencil to start drawing. Then, the rest can come piece by piece over a few years. You can consistently hone your skills in your free time, no matter where you are in the process of becoming a tattoo artist!

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Gathering Your Art Into A Portfolio

Gathering your work and art in one place will help you get a potential mentor or apprenticeship in a tattoo shop.

It will make it easier for people to go through your work, figure out your style, and see if you fit what theyre looking for in a potential tattoo artist. Heres how youre going to create a portfolio

How To Draw Sailor Jerry Roses:

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What Is American Traditional

American Traditional, sometimes referred to as Old School, tattoos are a lasting tattoo style thats been around since the 1930s. The popularity of this style has been unwavering for roughly 80 years while other tattoo styles have been added to the mix, Traditional tattoo requests have stayed strong alongside these burgeoning artistic styles for decades.

Traditional tattooing as we know it can be largely attributed to American tattoo artist Norman Collins, aka Sailor Jerry. He took techniques from Japanese tattooing and meshed them with his own American style, creating the American Traditional aesthetic that were familiar with. He built tattoo machines that would allow him to ink the way he wanted to, innovating the industry in a major way. The choice of bold motifs and colors became iconic to this particular tattoo style. Primary colors like yellow, red, green, black, and, sometimes, purple, are the common color palette that are frequently used with Traditional tattoos.

Navy and servicemen were the main people to be tattooed in the early days, so the images that were chosen had specific meaning and a lot of patriotism behind them. Initially, tattoos were seen mainly on men serving the country, or outlaws, but the symbols used remained within the same realm of Americana.

American Traditional Tattoo Guide

For many old school tattoo lovers, American traditional tattoo style is the only style. A lot of different common elements come to mind, but the old school tattoos were here first and for many the choice as their only tattoo style.

To learn more about the most common tattoo genres, we go into detail about different tattoo styles and here we go down the memory lane and into the history of tattooing.

Among the most significant and acclaimed tattoo genres is American traditional tattoos.

There are some basic characteristics of these tattoo designs that can help someone find their best tattoo artist and tattoo design.

Lets dive in!

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Working With A Pro Tattoo Artist

The best way to learn about tattooing is to work with an actual tattoo artist. This will provide you with an insight into the real-world environment of tattooing and help you learn and practice new techniques.

Heres how you can get a mentor

• Pay a visit to several tattoo shops of course, going to tattoo shops physically in the middle of a pandemic may not be the smartest decision. However, if you live in an environment where you can go out so long you keep a social distance, then try to do a face to face exploring. If thats cannot be done, try contacting some tattoo shops via email or phone, and ask about their apprenticeship. Of course, in such a case youll have to send an online form of your portfolio.
• Explore potential mentors while youre contacting tattoo shops, it would be smart to do some research and explore the bios of your potential mentors and professional tattoo artists. This will help you present yourself to the people at the shop, and adjust your portfolio accordingly.
• Ask about the important things while in contact with potential mentors and tattoo shops, dont forget to get information regarding the cost of the apprenticeship and well as an explanation of the legal documents regarding the apprenticeship contract. You should know, for starters, that some tattoo shops do offer free mentorships, but those are incredibly hard to get. Others, however, offer mentorships that cost between $5,000 and $10,000.