American traditional tattoos date back to the late-19th century and to American sailors. Inspired by the tattoos they saw on Pacific island peoples, sailors would bring the techniques and imagery back home and would use them as a base for their own ink. This ink would become the base of the American traditional tattoos we know today.
Led by Norman “Sailor Jerry” Collins, American traditional tattoos became as we know and recognize them in the 1930’s. His Honolulu, Hawaii tattoo parlor (Hotel Street) became a popular place to get bold tattoos of American imagery, especially by sailors and the fringes of society. While 1 in 10 Americans had a tattoo by this time, they were still mostly taboo. Because of this, Sailor Jerry confronted those societal expectations head on with a sign on his door: “Nobody is asking you!… If you don’t think you have balls enough to wear a tattoo, don’t get one. But don’t try to make excuses for yourself by knocking the fellow who does! Thank you… Sailor Jerry”.
Because of his and other early American tattooers’ tenacity and drive, tattoo culture has blossomed and grown. And American traditional has remained a popular and sought out style.
So what makes an American traditional tattoo? To be a true American traditional tattoo, the piece needs to have four elements:
- Bold Black Outlines. Each element of the tattoo should be emphasized with bold, thick, and clean black outlines.
- Vivid Colors. The color pallet of American traditional tattoos focuses on primary colors, with green, yellow, and brown often making an appearance. The colors should be vibrant and stand out starkly against the skin.
- Iconic Imagery. American traditional can often be recognized by its use of classic American imagery. Eagles, flags, nautical themes, snakes, skulls, daggers, roses, hearts, and, of course, pin-up girls are all popular choices for an American traditional tattoo.
- Minimal Shading. This is almost an “anti-element”, but the lack of shading in American traditional tattoos stands out from many other illustrative styles. Minor shading may be used, but most American traditional tattoos stand on their outlines and vivid colors alone to make the tattoo.
Thinking of getting an American traditional tat? Check out Phil DeAngulo (Brooklyn, NY), Paul Dobleman (San Francisco, CA), and Nick Adam (Cambridge, MA).
