Tattoos in the style of realism can surprise and sometimes even shock. How incredibly they immerse us in amazing stories or amaze us with the performance quality! But this is not just a picture but also a story, technique, and many other features.
To make tattoos in a realistic style, the artist must have great talent and ability for art. Since this is the most demanding style of all. The article brings together 10 highly talented artists who work in different types of realism, classical and in combination with other techniques.
What Is Realism as a Tattoo Style?
Realism in tattoos is considered the most challenging style in terms of technique. Although people already began to paint portraits of famous people in the nineteenth century, the peak of realism falls in our time.
Modern advanced technologies in the tattoo industry have made it possible to realize the most complex images. The better equipment, the more chances the master has to create a realistic tattoo. Thus, any image can be made: an animal, a bird, an insect, a flower, a tree, and architecture. However, the most popular tattoos are portraits of loved ones, relatives, idols, and iconic historical figures. It is photographs that most often become sketches of realistic-looking works. In this style, you can even make a portrait of a character from a cartoon or movie.
Modern realism is often combined with other styles such as lettering, neo-traditional, new school, and graphics. There is more and more imagination and creativity and less and less copying. Also, realism loves scope. Often tattoos are beaten on the sleeves, torso, and back to make a full-scale work on a large area of the skin.
The artist must have high artistic skills to transfer drawings with accuracy. Creating such a tattoo is more complicated than performing a similar painting on canvas because there is practically no even area of skin on the body. That is why the craftsmen draw every detail for hours, considering all the features of a particular application area.
We have selected 10 tattoo artists who work in the style of realism. We encourage you to take a look at their work.
Nader Shah — Columbus
Nader is passionate about the tattoo craft. And he paid for this passion in his native country, Iran. He had to leave his homeland to create freely. Neder calls himself an artist in exile.
He is now based in the US and works at Evolved Body Art. He has over 10 years of experience in tattooing. And specializes in black and gray and color realism, mainly portraits and animalistic.
Marc Schusterbauer has been in the tattooing business for 25 years. He has his own parlor, Level 33 Tattoo. With his years of experience, he can work in any style, but he specializes specifically in realism. In his portfolio, there are a lot of realistic-looking portraits and animalistic works. Marc performs arts in both black and color.
Emersson Pabon is an award-winning tattoo artist from Venezuela with many years of experience. He won numerous first places in categories of realism and color tattooing.
Emersson bought his first tattoo machine in 2011 after realizing he wasn’t interested in studying agronomy at university. First, he learned to get tattoos on his friends. After several years of practicing, he opened Loyalty Tattoo Studio with his good friend.
Emersson’s favorite tattoo styles are oriental, neo-traditional, realism, and surrealism. He specializes in full-sleeve tattoos in the style of realism. Since 2021, he has been a resident of Inknation Tattoo Studio.
Megan is the lead tattoo artist at Rebel Muse Tattoo, Kansas City. For 7 years, she has been drawing black and gray tattoos with a realistic style. Her main profile is portraits of animals and people decorated with botanical elements. She definitely has her own style.
Megan became interested in portraiture at an early age. While her peers were playing on the playground, she painted their portraits. And now, she has become a sought-after tattoo artist with many years of experience.
Known to his clients as Milli. He works in the styles of hyperrealism and color realism. He can get you both a color portrait and a breathtaking landscape. In 2021, he took first place in Movie Theme and second place in Horror Theme, Most Realistic, and Color Portrait at the Ink The Bay Tattoo Convention.
Sarah has been a tattoo artist for over 4 years. She deals with one of the most demanding tattoo types — small, realistic designs. You need to be a master of your craft to make a detailed drawing on a small area. Her signature tattoo designs are butterflies, which are indistinguishable from real ones.
Sam believes that wildlife is necessary for every person. She draws from nature. Everything she sees is transmitted through black-gray thin lines. Her drawings are realistic.
Sam has been fond of drawing since childhood, went to art school, and then realized that she wanted to build a career in tattooing. She never ceases to develop her skills. She has been tattooing for over 10 years.
Jesse has dedicated himself to colored realistic tattoos for over 10 years. He currently works at Stone’s Throw Tattoo & Gallery. His tattoos combine different styles, which makes them unique. One of the most popular subjects of his drawings is floristry, animals, and nature.
Robin’s favorite style is black and gray realism. He loves voluminous, mostly blackwork. His arts have been published in Times of India, DNA, Gujarat Samachar, and Economic Times.
Robin has been tattooing for over 9 years. During this time, he has traveled to work in many countries. He also often attends tattoo competitions and festivals, through which he constantly develops his skills and learns new techniques
Realism is one of the most popular tattoo styles. Drawings made in this technique are naturalistic, live, and worked out to the smallest detail. Very often, they are reproduced from photographs. Modern realism is frequently combined with other styles such as lettering, neo-traditional, new school, and graphics.
⏲ Do Realism Tattoos Take Longer?
Realism tattoos do take longer because they detailed-oriented. Artists draw every detail for hours, taking into account all the features of the body area where the tattoo is applied.
🦎 Do Black Tattoos Turn Green?
Different colorants are mixed to achieve various shades of black. Over time, all tattoos fade, and the pigment from which the ink is composed appears more. It can be green or blue. This happened especially with old inks, but modern inks are made more durable. Everything also depends on the quality of the ink. Thus, choose only high-quality ink.
🩹 Do Realism Tattoos Hurt More?
It all depends on where you want to get the tattoo. Since realistic tattoos are detailed, they take longer to complete. The more painful the place you get the tattoo, the longer you have to endure the pain. That is realism tattoos don’t hurt more than others just take longer.
⌛ How Do Hyper-Realistic Tattoos Age?
Realistic tattoos are created using small strokes rather than lines to achieve smooth transitions and shadow effects. This technique makes the desired realism. It uses a small amount of ink that does not penetrate deep into the skin and fades faster. These tattoos cannot be expected to last as long as regular ones, where the black outline holds the tattoo together even when the colors fade.
The annual amount Americans spend on tattoos is 1.6 billion dollars. According to surveys, the percentage of tattooed people in America in 2021 was about 36%. Among them, about 17% have more than one tattoo. And that number is growing every year. For example, 40% of young people between the ages of 26 and 40 already have at least one tattoo.
If you want to join that number, the best idea is to get a simple and easy tattoo. Such a tattoo will help you understand if it is yours. Next, we’ll take a closer look at the benefits of simple tattoos and show you different ideas for your inspiration.
How To Choose a Simple Easy Tattoo
We know how difficult it can sometimes be to come up with a tattoo idea. People often, especially beginners, do not know what points to pay attention to. And this is a very responsible decision because your tastes may change over time.
When choosing a tattoo, consider its placement, colour, and style. It is better not to choose a place for a tattoo on the open areas of the body. Because ultraviolet light destroys the ink under the skin, thus, the tattoo will fade faster. It would be best if you always protected the tattoo with SPF products. Not all body areas are easy to apply cream, so take this into account.
We also perceive pain differently in various parts of the body. For example, women feel pain least on their backs and men on their shoulders. To choose the least painful place for a tattoo, look at the human sensitivity map below. But also keep in mind that each person is individual and has their own pain threshold.
It is also significant to choose the meaning of your future tattoo. Don’t underestimate simple and easy tattoos: they can carry a lot of sense. A tattoo can have a profound effect on the person who wears it. It can give a person the strength to go on after a bad situation. It can make you feel part of a particular culture or boost your self-esteem. And it can show the love you have for other people or even your pets.
Last but not least — gathered references. Look for sketch inspiration wherever you can. It can be nature or art, don’t limit yourself. See what styles of tattoos there are and which one you like best. Do you want a coloured tattoo or a classic black one? Based on all of this, put together a collection of works you prefer. The reference can be not the whole tattoo but only its part.
Pros&Cons of Simple Tattoos
Simple tattoos have several advantages, among others. They definitely have their charm. Let’s look at the pros and cons in more detail.
Pros
Simple and easy tattoos are not time-consuming. In most cases, they are done in one session.
The smaller the area, the easier it is to take the pain. To find out the least painful places use the body sensitivity map.
Despite their simplicity, tattoos can carry a lot of meaning. With their help, you can express your love or capture significant moments in life.
Simple tattoos can be overlapped if you no longer like them. Some parlours even specialise in such things.
Such tattoos are also easier to remove if necessary.
Cons
If you want to make a subtle tattoo with thin lines, you need to find a specialized master in such work. Otherwise, there is a risk that the tattoo will be a blowout.
Ideas for Simple Easy Tattoos
We’ve put together a selection of inspiring references for you. Let’s start with the more universal ideas.
Inscriptions
One word can replace thousands of others. It can be a word or phrase with enormous meaning.
Paired Tattoos
For Friends
Paired tattoos of friends have a very nice look. Such a small tattoo will stay with you for life, just like a best friend.
For Family Members
Probably the most touching tattoos are family tattoos. You can capture your bond with your sister or mother in this unusual way.
For Couples
The most traditional version of paired tattoos is for lovebirds. It can be rings, bracelets, special dates, or something meaningful just for the two of you.
It is not uncommon for newlyweds to choose a picture of a triangle. According to Plato, it is a symbol of a strong family. Young people thus bind the family ties by another thread, a symbolic one.
Simple Easy Tattoos for Women
Next, we move on to tattoo ideas for women. But be aware that the division into male and female tattoos is arbitrary. There are no rules any tattoo is suitable for both genders.
Rings and Bracelets
How about timeless jewellery? Just look at these exquisite designs. They will be a fabulous accessory for your body.
Animalistic
Do you have a pet dear to your heart? Why not imprint it on your body forever? Or maybe you have a totem animal. Go ahead, here are some ideas.
Stars
Who among us does not love the starry sky? It’s a mesmerizing sight worth capturing and immortalizing on your body.
Floral
This is the most classic and elegant option. Flowers look good on any place and body. If you don’t know what to choose — choose a floral theme.
Coloured tattoos look very beautiful. It gives them a natural look.
Colourful
Show your individuality with a multicoloured gradient. Such an idea looks very original and unusual.
Simple easy tattoos for men
Men also get simple tattoos, but a little more complicated and massive.
Landscapes
In this way, you can show your love of nature and adventure. Such tattoos have simple lines but turn into a whole picture on the body.
Triangles
Triangle is a popular idea for a tattoo. Often it is drawn isosceles. For men, the triangle carries a meaning that combines three components: physical and spiritual strength, wisdom, and beauty.
Bracelets
Men also like this type of tattoo. Tattoo bracelets have a masculine character. And bring to mind tribal motifs.
Other simple ideas
Everything You Need To Know Before Getting a Tattoo
First of all, you must be 18 years of age to get a tattoo. In some states, you can do this earlier but with parental permission.
Give yourself time to think about the idea of a tattoo. It takes a long time to come up with a good “timeless” design that you won’t get tired of or go out of style over time. Think twice before inking a tattoo.
Find “your” master, with whom you will be comfortable. Keep an eye on his work. And also go to the parlour where (s)he works and check if there are clean. If you do not like something, it is better to look for someone else.
Do not forget that each master has his own style. If you want a small tattoo with thin lines, you should not apply it to the master, who inks large drawings in a style of realism. Otherwise, there is a possibility that the tattoo will be a blowout. Such tattoos require filigree work with special needles and inks. This also applies to the cost of tattoos. You should not try to save money. Otherwise, you can get into all sorts of trouble.
Before the procedure, make sure the artist uses new disposable needles and wears clean gloves. Otherwise, there is always the risk of getting an infection. Or worse, of catching HIV or Hepatitis B.
Since our skin is constantly regenerating, the tattoo will fade over time. No matter how well the tattoo was done, it is an unavoidable process. After a while, you will have to come in for retouching.
Summary
We have collected over 50 simple and easy tattoo ideas to help you get inspired. Select the one that is most suitable for you.
When choosing tattoo ideas, you should pay attention to the style, colour, and placement of the future tattoo. Check the pain sensitivity map in advance to pick the location correctly.
Think carefully about the meaning you want to put into the tattoo. What it will mean. Only then will it bring you joy and not get bored.
FAQ
?Are Simple Tattoos Good?
Simple tattoos have their own charm. They look good and suit lovers of minimalism. Despite their simplicity, they can carry a lot of meaning. That’s why they are such popular.
⌚How Long Do Simple Tattoos Take?
On average, small, simple tattoos take up to an hour. But this number is relative. The time it takes to get a tattoo depends on various factors such as size, color, and placement. Colored tattoos take longer than black tattoos. Also, tattoos are carefully applied to bony areas or where there are many nerve endings to not cause damage. This also takes more time.
?How To Come Up With Tattoo Ideas?
Gather your own collection of references. Browse the Internet for pictures you like. Also, be inspired by natureand art. Choose a placement for the tattoo, as not all ideas can be realized in some body areas. Decide on the styleand meaning you want to put into the tattoo. And at the end, gather it all together.
?What Is the Least Painful Place for a Tattoo?
Pain sensitivity while getting a tattoo depends on genderand the degree of pain threshold.
For men, the least painful places are the forearm, inner hands, outer thighs, outer shoulder, and outerand inner bicep. For women are the forearm, back, outer thighs, calves, outer bicep, and outer shoulder.
?Do Simple Tattoos Fade?
All tattoos fade a little over time. Our immune system gradually removes the ink from the body. Also, ultraviolet light breaks the ink into small pieces, which helps to remove it quickly. In places where the skin is thin and has weak blood circulation, tattoos don’t heal well, so they will fade faster, for example, on knees, feet, and hands.
