American Traditional or simply Trad, is a tattoo style that uses simple bold designs and solid colour with heavy black shading. It’s one of the most iconic and instantly recognisable tattoo styles. The simple shapes and bold colours are a stand out feature, the trick is to remove all the information that is not needed, leaving only the essence of the subject matter to tell the story. It looks simple, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. There’s a high level of control and intention behind the simplicity. Every line has a purpose, every colour has weight, and nothing is included unless it needs to be. A good Trad artist is carefully curating every line and every colour choice. Imagery from panthers, ships, eagles, roses, skulls and lady heads, were all popular with sailors and members of the armed forces. Symbolising everything from strength, honour, loyalty and love, American Traditional has stood the test of time, as solid as the bold outlines that are the architecture of this style. If you like classic tattoo imagery or something more abstract done in a classic style, the American Traditional or Trad tattoo style is a great choice. As the saying goes “Bold will hold”.
