The popularity of tattoos is currently only increasing. Despite such a rather painful and expensive pleasure, an increasing number of people prefer to decorate their bodies with a bright picture that will not disappear over time. Tattoos have a fairly large number of styles. All of them differ from each other in the thickness of the contour, the palette of colors used, and the technique of execution. The old school style is still recognized as one of the most popular. A tattoo made using this technique is very difficult to confuse with anything and attribute to another category. It has a lot of distinctive features that immediately catch the eye. So, what is this tattoo technique?
A bit of history
This style is American in half with European origin. It originated in the 19th century. The first owners of tattoos of this style were sailors. Howas a rule, for them, such a pattern on the body was associated with some memorable event or person. Direct knowledge of the tattoo came to sailors from Polynesia, whose islands are located in the Pacific Ocean. The first sketches of such decorations on the bodies of the local population were brought by Captain Cook after exploring Tahiti, Hawaii, and Zeeland. However, those drawings were very different from modern ones.
Main motives
The old school style tattoo has pronounced distinctive features. First of all, the motives of the drawing are strictly observed. Since the first owners of this kind of tattoos were sailors, the subjects related to sailing on ships were taken as the basis for the sketches. The drawings very often depict various sailing ships, waves, charming women, anchors, crosses, mermaids, roses (exactly these flowers). Various inscriptions and quotes are also widely used, and they can be done in any language. More often, masters perform birds (swallows), stars and hearts with daggers in this technique. Old school tattoo "sleeves" have also become common. What is it? The arm from the wrist to the end of the shoulder is completely covered with drawings, between which, as a rule, there is no free space, that is, the tattoo turns out to be one-piece. At the same time, it can consist of separate sketches that the master connects to each other. "Sleeve" is made in the same style. The old school technique in this case is very popular. "Sleeves" are bright, clear and saturated.
Technique
The main distinguishing features of these tattoos are as follows. Bright simple colors are used (black, red, blue, white, green). The coloring becomes dense, opaque. But color smooth transitions, shadows are possible. In general, the drawing is far from realism, but very juicy and bright. The contrast is added by a wide black outline. This is a prerequisite for the old school style. A tattoo, as a rule, does not lose its brightness over time, does not lose clarity and does not blur into a stain (unless, of course, it was performed by a qualified master with high-quality materials).
The most successful places to apply
There is no special strictness in choosing the location of the picture in this case. Basically, tattoos of this style are made in prominent places - for example, on the arms, chest, wrist, abdomen, calves, ribs. The last option is the most painful, as there are many nerve endings, and the skin is close to the bones. The same goes for the wrist. But the shoulder is the most painless option for a place to get a tattoo. In principle, you can make a similar drawing anywhere. It's not that important. The main thing is the meaning that is invested in the tattoo. There are also general ideas about the meaning of such drawings. However, it should be remembered that today a tattoo is perceived solely as a beautiful picture on the body, nothing more.
Old school tattoo: meaning and meaning
Let's consider the most common motives. The classic version is the anchor. In the West, its popularity is kept at a height offor a couple of hundred years now. And the symbolism of such an image is very ancient. Its roots will go deep into history for about two millennia. Such a symbol was considered a real guiding star protecting sailors. Old school tattoo with an anchor helped not to stray from the intended course and clearly follow the chosen goal. Another meaning of such a pattern is to always remain yourself, to endure all oncoming winds and currents.
The second, no less successful and popular plot for an old school tattoo is a swallow. In this case, it turns out to be a little cartoonish. This bird brings good luck and happiness to its owner. Ladies make them, as a rule, in the collarbone area, on the back or near the ankle. However, old school tattoos for men are also often created based on images of pretty swallows. True, maybe not so colorful and feminine. As for the same sailor, he will make such a tattoo only if he passes 5000 nautical miles on the water. For him, the swallow symbolizes a safe return to his native shore. After all, this bird is a sure sign that the land is somewhere nearby. Two swallows are perceived as a successful journey.
Quite often old school tattoos had a religious meaning for their owner. A prime example is the Rock of Ages. It is considered a real classic in Christian allegory. It is a symbol of faith, hope, protection and support. It is believed that such a tattoo served as a talisman for a sailor. Very often, a similar pattern was combined with anyslogans like "Hold on!". This was supposed to support a person in a difficult situation and inspire faith in the best.
Old school rose tattoo is another interesting point of the style in question. She is a symbol of special pure love, passion, but also chastity. The color of the rose plays a huge role. Yellow means joy, white means respect and reverence, orange means joy. The red rose, of course, is associated with love in all its manifestations.
Choose the master
The person you are going to entrust your precious body to must be a true professional. These have diplomas of completed studies, very often art education, as well as a fairly voluminous portfolio (examples of previously completed work). If the master refuses to draw a sketch for you on his own (even for a fee), you should be wary. Try to make tattoos exclusively in salons where a contract is previously concluded in writing. This will save you from further problems in case of low-quality drawing.
How to care
Old school tattoo needs exactly the same healing method as all other drawings applied with a needle under the skin. After the end of the session, the master will apply a special film compress to you so that you can safely get home. The film will not allow clothes to stick to a fresh pattern and cause discomfort. In the early days, the tattoo will ooze with ichor. It must be carefullyrinse with warm water. This should be done as moisture builds up. After washing, it is necessary to apply a thin layer of a special ointment to the tattoo. The master himself will tell you the name. In no case do not scratch the picture, do not rip off the peeling top layer on your own, do not sunbathe, do not go to the solarium, do not drink alcohol!
