Tattoo Styles
Every artist here works differently. This is where each style sits, what it asks of the body, and who works in it. If you are not sure which one fits your idea, that is what the consultation is for.
The Styles
These are the styles practised inside Ink Society. Each one is listed with the artists who work in it, so you can go straight to the right person. Guides for each style are being published in the Journal and will be linked here as they go live.
Geometric & Sacred Geometry
Built from repeated structure — grids, symmetry, ratio. The work is planned around the body rather than placed on it, so the design still reads correctly when the limb moves. Precision matters more here than in almost any other style: a line that drifts by a millimetre is visible for life.
Dotwork
Tone built entirely from individual dots rather than solid shading. Slower to apply, and it ages differently — density is what carries the image over time, so the spacing decided on day one determines how the piece looks in ten years.
Ornamental
Decorative structure that follows the body’s natural lines — shoulders, spine, the curve of a forearm. Closer to jewellery than to illustration. It works best when designed for one specific body rather than adapted from a flat drawing.
Blackwork
Solid black as the primary language, from bold graphic shapes to dense fields of coverage. Contrast and negative space do the work that colour does elsewhere. Heavy saturation is demanding on the skin and is usually planned across sessions.
Linework
Line weight as the whole vocabulary — no shading to hide behind. The discipline is in consistency, and in knowing which lines to leave out. Reads clearly at a distance and holds up as the skin changes.
Black & Grey Realism
Depth and light built through graduated shading. The technical question is always contrast: what looks striking on fresh skin can soften significantly once healed, so the piece is planned for how it will settle rather than how it photographs on the day.
Portrait
Realism applied to a face, where the margin for error is smallest. Likeness lives in proportion and in the eyes. Reference quality matters enormously — a low-resolution photo limits what any artist can do.
Fine Line
Delicate, minimal, single-needle work. Scale is the real constraint: fine detail needs room to survive, and a design pushed too small will close up over the years. Placement and size are decided together, not separately.
Neotraditional
Bold outlines and a defined palette, with more illustrative range than classic traditional. Built to stay legible — strong structure, clear separation, colour that holds.
Anime & Illustrative
Character and narrative work drawn from illustration and manga. The translation problem is specific: what works on paper needs re-drawing for skin, movement and long-term contrast.
Nature & Botanical
Organic forms — plants, animals, natural texture. Suits placements that follow the body’s own lines, and can be built up over time rather than committed to in one session.
Cover-ups
Not a style — a problem to solve. Some existing tattoos can be covered directly; others need laser sessions first to open up options. It starts with seeing the tattoo in person, and an honest answer about what is possible.
Choosing a style
The questions people ask most often before deciding what to get, answered plainly.
How do I choose a tattoo style?
Start from what you want the tattoo to do, not from a style name. A piece meant to wrap an arm and move with it points towards geometric or ornamental work. A piece built around a specific image points towards realism or illustrative work. A piece that has to stay small and quiet points towards fine line.
Bring the idea and the placement to the consultation and the style usually decides itself.
What is the difference between blackwork and black and grey?
Blackwork uses solid black as the main language — shapes, fields and negative space. Black and grey builds tone by diluting the black into gradients, so the image reads through light and shadow rather than through contrast alone.
They can sit together in one project, but they are planned differently and they heal differently.
Which tattoo styles age best?
No style is immune to time. What actually determines ageing is line weight, spacing, contrast and scale — not the style label.
Fine detail packed into a small area will close up over the years. Bold structure with room to breathe holds. That is why size and placement are decided together with the design rather than after it.
Can I combine two styles in one tattoo?
Often yes, and it works best when one style leads and the other supports — for example an ornamental structure with a realistic focal point inside it. Two competing styles with equal weight tend to read as two tattoos sharing a space.
Do I need to choose a style before I book?
No. Bring the idea, a reference, or just a direction. Part of the consultation is working out which style fits what you want and which artist works in it.
Do you tattoo styles that are not listed here?
This list covers the styles practised by the artists currently working at Ink Society. If what you want is not here, ask — if no one here works in it, we will tell you rather than take the booking.
Not sure which one fits?
Tell us your idea and we will match you with the artist whose work fits it. The consultation is free.
← View all studios