15 Types of Tattoos: The Complete Guide (Updated 2022)

Trying to find the right tattoo can be a little tricky given all the different types and styles. It is important that the tattoo design matches your overall aesthetic, but also has meaning and represents some personal symbolism. Of course, you can always opt for a trendy, mainstream design, but once the trend wears off, your tattoo will also lose its original appeal.

So, if you're still on the lookout for the perfect tattoo style and type to suit your personal preferences, you're in the right place. In the following paragraphs, we will take a detailed look at the different types of tattoos. This detailed guide will help you choose your favorite style and maybe even help you make the perfect design decision. So, without further ado, let's get started!

The best tattoo styles to match your aesthetic and preferences!

1. BLACK AND GRAY TATTOO

Let's start with the basics; black and gray tattoos. This is the starting point for many people who decide to get a tattoo. Black and gray tattoos are great because they go with any style of tattoo. A design can appear realistic with the right shade of gray or black dilution. Some tattooists even use negative space to emphasize a particular design or to add depth to a tattoo.

2. Minimalistic tattoos

These are the types of tattoos that can be small or large but generally have a simple design. The design may consist of only a few intertwined lines, such as a linework or heavy use of negative space to make the tattoo appear more intricate and larger.

One of the main attractions of minimalist tattoos is that you can use any color for the design without spending a lot of money as the design is simple. However, black ink is the main choice for minimalist tattoos in general.

3. Linework or Line Art Tattoos

Line tattoos are one of our favorites. These tattoos may be simple in design, but the lines are always stunning. Design often revolves around geometric shapes and intricate swirling effects. They look good wherever you place them and are not as intense as other tattoos.

Line tattoos are a real work of art, as tattoo artists must not only have imagination, but also the ability to execute intricate lines using only their steady hands.

4. Realistic tattoos

Realistic tattoos may include various designs; they are not limited to one set of illustrations and images that tattoo artists usually do. However, realistic tattoos have a unique and characteristic visual appeal.

They make every design look real, whether it's a pet, a person, a flower, or even a fictional character. Whatever they depict, the design will seem alive. Such tattoos require a highly skilled tattoo artist and are among the more expensive high end tattoos.

5. Portrait tattoos

These tattoos often contain realistic images of people. Famous and influential personalities are often the first choice for a portrait tattoo. These tattoos can include an incredibly realistic black and gray outline of a person, or a detailed hyper-realistic image of someone in color. Either way, portrait tattoos require an incredibly talented and experienced tattoo artist.

6 Surreal Tattoos

The surreal type of tattoos has always been popular, not in the sense that they become mainstream or become ubiquitous and boring. On the contrary, such tattoos are always interesting and unique.

The plot and images change from one design to another, but the feeling of artistry and "unreality" is always present. As with the previous types of tattoos, surreal designs also require highly skilled tattoo artists.

7. Abstract tattoos

Since we mentioned surreal tattoos, we couldn't help but think about abstract tattoos as well. Abstract tattoos as the basis of abstract art, or rather the representation of abstract concepts through art.

Therefore, such tattoos can be quite random and at first unplanned and illogical. However, the point of abstract tattoos is to look unique and casual without thinking about it. Abstract tattoos are extremely versatile and can suit any type of aesthetic or personal preference.

8. Geometric tattoos

Inspired by a variety of shapes and patterns, geometric tattoos can be anything from simple to intricate. These tattoos are often suitable for everyone, but the design must match the location of the tattoo.

Geometric tattoo can be inspired by some tribal tattoos or tribal symbols. However, the modern aesthetic of geometric tattoos features a more mechanical, edgy and bold yet subtle appearance that requires an experienced tattoo artist to perform correctly.

9. American tattoos

Americana tattoos are believed to have originated in the 18th century when they were worn by soldiers who traveled and fought overseas. Old school American tattoos were long forgotten until the tattoo artist known as Sailor Jerry (Plain Collins) abolished the American style in the 1900s.

American tattoos are known for their sleek, simple yet clean designs, where colors are saturated and designs feature roses, animal heads, pin-up symbolism, and military insignia.

10. Japanese tattoos

Japanese tattoos are perhaps the most famous type of tattoos. They have maintained their popularity for hundreds of years in the East and for decades in the West. Their traditional look as well as their execution make every Japanese style tattoo a true masterpiece.

Once associated with the mafia, samurai and the Japanese underground, it is now a staple in the global tattoo community. Japanese tattoos often feature traditional Japanese symbolism as well as bright, bold, and very intricate designs.

11. Hand tattoos

Also known as "stick and poke" tattoos, hand-drawn tattoos are known for the way they are made. Traditional tattoos are done with a tattoo machine and traditional inks. However, the ink is applied by hand using an analog tattoo machine and a tattoo needle.

These tattoos tend to be less painful and cause less damage to the skin, but the final look is not standardized. For example, one hand tattoo may look like it was done by an amateur, like it was done by hand, or like it was done by a machine. But stick and poke tattoos are famous in the tattoo community, which is why they made it onto this list.

12. Tattoos with words and phrases

Most tattoos have some kind of image or illustration. However, word and phrase tattoos only contain words and phrases. They only contain letters and sometimes also numbers (for example, in the case of a date).

These tattoos are often simple, subtle, and small. However, while they may seem easy to perform, they still require a highly skilled tattoo artist who is experienced in writing with a tattoo pen. Otherwise, the word or phrase may seem inaccurate and incorrect.

13. Flower Tattoos

Flower tattoos are ubiquitous in the tattoo community. They can have different designs and meanings, depending on the cultural inspiration for the tattoo. Or they can depict several different flowers such as lotus, roses, lavender, etc. In general, flower tattoos carry a certain aesthetic value that suits both male and female interpretation, regardless of the flower or design.

They are also quite versatile and can be easily combined with other tattoo styles. Flower tattoos can also have different elements and levels of intricacy, be monochromatic or colorful.

14. Continuous contour tattoos

These tattoos are usually considered linework tattoos. However, they require a completely different technique. The entire tattoo design is completed with a single line, where the line serves as an outline drawing or pattern outline.

During this line, the tattoo machine never stops working, that is, it constantly tattoos the skin. Line outline tattoos do not use shading and detailing; they are very simple in design, but difficult to implement.

15. UV or glow in the dark tattoos

UV tattoos are not as popular as the ones mentioned above. However, they are specific to a certain cultural and tattoo scene. UV tattoos became popular in the 1990s, during the era of raves and clubs, and for the same reason have begun to gain attention in the last few years. Clubs and party goers have begun to explore UV tattoos that glow in the dark and provide exceptional effects under UV light.

Many people believe that UV tattoos are made using toxic or carcinogenic inks. While this was the case in the 90s, today UV tattoos are made using specific bright pigments, free of toxic and hazardous chemical ingredients.

Final thoughts

We are well aware that these 15 types of tattoos are not the final figure. There are so many other types and styles of tattoos to come across. However, these were the standard types of tattoos accepted and appreciated by tattoo communities around the world.

We hope this detailed guide will help you find your favorite tattoo type and style. For more information and tattoo design inspiration, be sure to check out our other articles where we discuss each tattoo style in detail.