Traditional tattoo
A style in depth: the rules that define it, how durable it is and how to plan one.
A traditional tattoo is built on heavy black outlines, a limited palette of a few high-contrast colours, and shading that gives volume without carrying the image. It is the most durable style in common use, because the outline carries the whole design and the outline is the part that holds best.
Size guide
Small motif with heavy outline: 5–8 cm. Main subject: 10–20 cm. Half or full sleeve: 20–40 cm.
Why do traditional tattoos last longer?
Because the outline does the work. Colour fills and shading can fade or soften without the design becoming unreadable, since a black contour still defines the shape. This also makes it the easiest style to touch up: a re-worked edge or a re-filled colour patch restores the piece without re-tattooing the whole thing.
How thick should a traditional outline be?
Around 1.5 to 2 mm for a main contour, which is wide enough to survive many years untouched and to read clearly from across a room. Neo-traditional work often lightens to about 1 mm to fit more detail in a smaller area, which is why it ages slightly faster than straight traditional.
Frequently asked questions
Traditional tattoo designs to browse
These motifs commonly appear in this style. Open one for its meaning and size guide.
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Sample designs
