I remember when I was getting my first tattoo and became overwhelmed with tons of different tattoo styles and designs. It was very hard to make a decision I could say I was confident I wouldn’t regret after some time.
Lucky for you, current popular tattoo styles are a combination of classics and styles so cool, that people will still get them 50 years from now. It doesn’t matter if you’re into clean lines, abstract art, or bold blackwork, there’s something for everyone!
So, let me share the 13 popular tattoo styles you might want to consider if you’re getting inked soon.
1. Fine-Line Tattoo Style
If you’re going for the clean, elegant vibe, the fine-line tattoo style is for you! It’s perfect for floral patterns, ornamental elements, and minimalistic designs.
2. Realism Tattoo Style
Contrary to the previous tattoo style, realism is very bold and eye-catching. It’s mostly used when creating portraits and bold designs. It’s used to bring different motifs to life and make them look as realistic as possible.
3. Watercolor Tattoo Style
The watercolor tattoo style has such a fun and joyful vibe. It resembles watercolor paint and it mostly looks like splashes of different colors over some cool designs. If you want to play around with your creativity, this is the tattoo style to go for.
4. Minimalist Tattoo Style
The minimalist tattoo style is perfect for those looking for something subtle and delicate on their skin. Currently, minimalist landscape tattoos are also very popular.
5. Blackwork Tattoo Style
Blackwork tattoos feature thick lines and bold patterns, and ofcourse include a lot of black ink. Some of them are abstract, others are elaborate art pieces with black being their primary color.
6. Neo-Traditional Tattoo Style
Neo-traditional tattoos are inspired by American traditional tattoos. Similar to them, they also have very vibrant and colorful designs.
7. Geometric Tattoo Style
If you like precise designs with a lot of symmetry and balance, a geometric tattoo style is perfect for you! There are tons of different variations of it, and you can go for simpler designs or more intricate ones. It also looks really good when combined with mandalas because of their similar vibe.
8. Abstract Tattoo Style
Abstract art is really cool so it’s no wonder it found its place in the tattoo world as well. These tattoos are very unique and beautiful, and they usually serve an aesthetic purpose, although some can have symbolic meanings as well.
9. Surrealism Tattoo Style
Surrealist tattoos often feature abstract concepts with very deep meanings. They blend reality with fantasy to create tattoos that are beyond creative, beautiful, and personal.
10. Micro-Realism Tattoo Style
If you like realism tattoo style, wait until you see the micro realism! It’s very impressive considering how many details these tiny designs have. They’re often used to create small tattoos of pets or even portraits of people.
11. Script/Lettering Tattoo Style
Script tattoos will always be in fashion. So, if you want to get a tattoo that’ll look cool even when you’re old, just think of some meaningful quote and get it tattooed in a fancy font.
12. Dotwork Tattoo Style
Dotwork tattoos are a really impressive tattoo style. They’re entirely made out of tiny dots, one by one, to create depth, shading, and texture. This tattoo style is very common in mandalas and geometric tattoos.
13. Patchwork Tattoo Style
Patchwork tattoo style is a collection of many different, often minimalist, and unrelated tattoos. People usually start with one tattoo and then build up the whole sleeve over the years.