Neo-Traditional Tattoos

Bold, organic lines. Vibrant colors. Lush and illustrative details. This ornate tattoo style is a modern fusion of traditional tattoos, Japanese art, and the Art Nouveau movement. If you’re ready to get a tattoo that evolved from classic, American favorites– reach out to one of our tattooers for a consultation.

Tripp Williams

Daniel Maldonado

What is Neo-Traditional Tattooing?

Neo-traditional tattoos appear lively, colorful, and dimensional without crossing the line into 3D or caricature-like imagery. These tattoos are perfect for anyone who wants to break the rigid rules associated with American traditional tattoos and Japanese tattoos. It’s also great if you want a touch of colorful realism and wants to incorporate pop culture references into the design. Some stunning subjects you can depict in neo-traditional tattoos include things like flowers, skulls, lady head tattoos, animals, nautical designs, and more. If you want to blend the neo-traditional style of tattooing with realism– then you want to work with the tattooers at the 2 Crows Tattoo shop in Palestine, Texas.

Scrollable gallery of neo-traditional tattoos done at the 2 Crows Tattoo Shop

Tattoo Planning

Experimental tattoos like these require a fair amount of planning to ensure they hit their mark. When you reach out to your artist with a concept, they’ll get to work creating your personal masterpiece. However, there are some things you should know about this modern tattoo style as you and your tattoo artist begin collaborating so you don’t run into any surprises.

Subject or Concept

When you have an idea for a new tattoo, call 2 Crows Tattoo and request the artist you want to work with. You can schedule a consultation and tell them all about your inspiration. Bonus points if you can bring us reference photos of work you like or a photo of the subject. From there, we can create a one of a kind design.

There’s a lot of freedom when it comes to choosing a subject for a neo-traditional tattoo but most people gravitate towards nature and animal designs.

Neo-Traditional Tattoo Color

Color is key when it comes to Neo-Traditional tattoos, so if you haven’t already picked a specific color scheme, consider giving your artist the creative freedom to add whatever colors they think would go best with your design. On the other hand, if you do want a specific color, make sure you let your artist before they start drawing the design.

Tattoo Placement

The placement of any tattoo affects the design. Different body parts have varying skin elasticity, fat pockets, bone protrusions, and contours that can make a tattoo look different than it does on paper. Where you place a tattoo can make or break a tattoo so you should always defer to your tattooer about where to get a design if there’s any flexibility.

Line Weight

While neo-traditional tattoos offer a fresh take on the American traditional style, they still utilize bold lines so it’s important that you realize that when requesting a tattoo in this style. If you’d prefer a more slender line, let your tattoo artist know before they begin your design. That way they can ensure you’ll be happy with the final result while staying true to the fundamentals of this style.