Old school cheek tattoo

Despite the fact that old school tattoo appeared almost 200 years ago, this genre is popular today. The first old school tattoo decorated the bodies of sailors and most often they were bright images of skulls, anchors, hearts, mermaids or birds with a clear outline. Sailors were quite superstitious and believed that the body pattern protects them from the elements and falling overboard. And although old-school tattoo styles have changed over time, they have their own distinct features that do not confuse such a pattern with any other genre. We will introduce you to this style closer and show beautiful tattoos in the style of old school for girls.

Features tattoo in the style of old school

The name of the old school style is translated as "old school". Old school tattoos are always bright and concise. When creating them, the master does not pursue the goal of achieving realistic or detailed drawing.

Pads in this genre have a number of features:

• The plots of old school tattoos are often plain and very monotonous. Sketches most often have a nautical theme, but girls usually stuff roses, inscription ribbons, anchors, hearts, animals and birds.
• Old school tatto is always very contrasting. A bold black outline contour helps to achieve this.
• Elements inside the contour are usually filled with bright colors. Basic old school colors: red, blue, green, yellow. The pigment is clogged tightly.
• Classic tattoos in this genre look flat, they have no shadows and volume. Modern masters are increasingly adding subtle details to their works, drawing shadows and using a wider color palette of colors to make the drawings more expressive and interesting.

The origin of the old school

The founder of the style is considered American Norman Collins. The great tattoo artist is better known as Sailor Jerry. Norman served in the Navy, and therefore the subject of marine tattoos was close to him. After the service, he opened his own tattoo studio in Honolulu, in the lobby of which visitors were met by the tame monkey Romeo. Collins was a big fan of Asian painting and in his salon he created a completely new style combining traditional tattoo and multi-color Asian technique.

Sailor Jerry worked as a tattoo artist for almost his whole life and was among the first to start stuffing tattoos with disposable gloves. Norman shared his sketches with tattoo friends, of whom he had many. He sent them in letters to all corners of the world, which is why the tattoos of the old cheek of most masters are similar. Seaman Jerry called his competitors "bastard scratches", and his business cards were decorated with the inscription "my work speaks for itself".

Old school tattoos today perform many masters around the world. This technique is not very difficult, and the whole process of creating a tattoo does not take much time, which explains the popularity of the style.

Location of old school tattoos on the body

The place for applying tattoos in the style of the old school can be chosen at random, but usually these are open areas of the body: hands, neck, shoulders, legs. This technique is widely used to create tattoo sleeves. Drawings made in this genre are saturated, and each element "sleeves" readable thanks to a clear outline.

Themes and plots tattoos style old school

We suggest you to get acquainted with the most popular tattoos in this style and their value:

• Anchor. Such a tattoo was very symbolic for the sailors, it helped to achieve the goals, despite the headwinds and currents. Anchor is considered a symbol of safety and balance.
• Swallow. This symbol brings good luck, it is especially popular with girls. Female tattoos depicting swallows are usually stuffed on the lower back and collarbone. For sailors, the swallow signified a safe return home, because when he saw a swallow, the sailor understood that the land was near.
• Roses. Often on tattoos made in this style, there is a rose. In interpreting the meaning, the color of the flower itself is important: a yellow rose signifies joy, a red one means love, and a white one means respect.

Russian folk old school

Classic American tattoos old school with the image of eagles, sailboats and flowers, of course, are popular with young people in our country. But lately there has been a trend towards the Russification of old school tattoo. Increasingly, Russian motifs began to appear in the plots of drawings, for example, for girls, these are images of matryoshka and Khokhloma, and men's subjects are samovars, portraits of heroes, and a sickle and hammer. Sometimes an ornament in the Slavic style is added to the traditional picture, and then tattooing takes on a completely different meaning.

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