Asian tattoos come from a long tradition of tattooing that has evolved significantly over the years. If you’re considering getting an Asian style tattoo, then you should know that most tattoo shops have moved away from traditional Asian tattoos in favour of the more flexible neo-traditional style.
Asian tattoos in general are usually defined by 3 main elements:
Nearly all Asian tattoos will have some or all of these elements incorporated into the subjects of the design. Beyond this, these tattoos can be broken down into two main groups: traditional and neo-traditional.
Traditional vs. Neo-traditional
Traditional Asian tattoos are most well known for being large “body suits,” meaning large tattoos are interconnected across the body to form a single cohesive piece of art. In addition to the large size of traditional Asian tattoos, they also follow a regimental structure with wind bars and waves often strictly defining the edges of the piece.
Neo-traditional Asian tattoos build upon the styling and design motifs of traditional Asian tattoos but instead of regimentally following a set design, they add life to it by using the natural curves of the body. When we undertake a neo-traditional design, we try to “hug” the body more so that the tattoo can better fit the body, every body is different and so it should be with every tattoo that goes on it.
Do Asian Tattoos work with other tattoos?
It is generally difficult to seamlessly integrate Asian art with other styles, but they are capable of forming “connections” with other pieces on the body. Since most Asian tattoos are designed to end at a joint, there is always the opportunity to connect it to the beginning of another piece of art on the next part of the body. Additionally, Asian tattoos typically have faded edges, which makes blending them with other tattoos much easier. Really, the ability of Asian tattoos to integrate with other designs depends on what you’re looking to do with your tattoos in general. Whether you’re looking for a single piece of art to cover your entire body, or a “bulletin board” style, with each tattoo representing different events or experiences, Asian style tattoos can surely fit in their somewhere. At
Chronic Ink Tattoo, we have a multitude of
award winning tattoo artists including: Master Ma, Miss Lee, Tristen, Tony, Joe, BKS, Winson, OG, Damon, Karen, Tommy and Evan.
Asian tattoos in general are usually defined by 3 main elements:
