What is an American Traditional Tattoo?

Most tattoo styles have been given names that are pretty self-explanatory. American traditional tattooing is no exception. With roots in the early 20th century, this style is often considered "old school." In addition to distinct stylistic features, such as bold lines and the use of a limited, but vibrant, color palette, American traditional tattoos often feature certain symbolic images. In this article, we will discuss the history of American traditional tattoos, and explain some characteristics that are common to the style.

The History Of American Traditional Tattoos

American Traditional tattoos were popularized by legendary tattoo artists from the 20th century, like Sailor Jerry. In fact, one can get a decent idea of the American traditional tattoo style just by looking at a Sailor Jerry rum bottle. These often feature images of pin-up girls, anchors, and birds of prey, just to name a few. Sailor Jerry, born Norman Keith Collins, developed a unique style by combining American sailor tattoos with Japanese influences. He also used his own pigments to expand the range of colors that could be used when tattooing, and used his own custom needle formations to minimize trauma to the skin. Additionally, Sailor Jerry implemented many sterilization techniques that are still used today, such as tattooing with single-use needles.

Bold and Timeless Tattoos

As mentioned above, many of the images used in American traditional tattoos bear symbolic meanings. For instance, swallows, which are a type of bird, have been commonly used as subject matter in this tattoo style since the beginning. Originally, a swallow tattoo meant that the sailor had sailed at least 5,000 miles, but it also came to be associated with the idea of returning home. To sailors, anchors represented stability. That's why it's common to see anchor tattoos that feature the names of those who provide the wearer with a sense of stability and security. Some images, such as daggers, skulls, and the "lucky 13" were simply embraced by the tattoo community because they represented fear to the general public. Other images that are commonly used in American traditional tattooing include nautical stars, dice, panthers, tigers, eagles, and pistons.

Stylistically, American traditional tattoos are easy to identify. They are characterized by the use of bold, black lines, which distinguishes the style from many others like hyper-realism, and fine-line tattooing. In fact, all of the lines in an American traditional tattoo are often the same size. While red, green, yellow, and black are the most commonly-used colors in American traditional tattoos, some other colors like blue an purple may be used.

For examples of American traditional tattoos, make sure to check out the American Traditional tattoo gallery on our site.

For an American Traditional Tattoo, Visit American Vintage Tattoo in Orange

If you are interested in getting a tattoo that is not only eye-catching, but also rooted in American tradition, check out American Vintage Tattoo! Some of our artists specialize in this style, and they can either work with you to actualize the image in your mind, or help you choose an image that you'd like to get tattooed. Visit our website to book an appointment for an American traditional tattoo today!