Traditional
Pain level
6/10 — Noticeable
Pain varies significantly by placement — ribs and hands hurt more than upper arms and calves, regardless of style.
History & technique
Traditional American tattooing — also called old school — is the foundation of the Western tattoo industry. It developed in the late 19th century through sailors' port-city tattoo parlours, popularised by artists like Sailor Jerry (Norman Collins) and Cap Coleman.
The style is defined by bold black outlines, a limited palette of saturated primary colours, and iconic imagery: anchors, swallows, daggers, roses, and pin-up figures. The thick outlines and solid fills are engineered to last — traditional tattoos age better than almost any other style because the ink has nowhere to blur except into more ink.
Traditional tattooing is both a style and a philosophy: honour the craft, keep it simple, make it last.