Straight answers to the things that stop people booking a tattoo — from the first idea to a healed tattoo. Each guide points you at real, credited work in the catalogue, and health guides quote dermatologists who specialise in tattoos.
These two get confused constantly, and it's understandable — Neo-Traditional literally grew out of Old School, keeping its most important structural idea while opening up everything else.
What does an Old School (American Traditional) tattoo actually look like?
What does a neo-traditional tattoo actually look like?
Section: Touch-ups over the years →
Japanese tattooing — traditionally called Irezumi — is built around large, flowing compositions rather than a single isolated image: dragons, koi, tigers, and folklore figures set against backgrounds…
Neo-Traditional also updates Old School, but keeps things more illustrative and elegant; New School goes for cartoon energy.
Nine stages from a vague idea to a healed tattoo. Every guide ends with a link to the next step, so you can read them in order — or jump straight to where you are.
The worries people mention most — and where the honest answer is.
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Health guides quote dermatologists who specialise in tattoos word for word. New to the words? See the tattoo glossary. How guides are written and corrected: editorial policy.