20+ Unique American Traditional Tattoo Ideas

With the ongoing trends, the popularity of tattoo styles and designs are getting tremendously increasing producing various artists and different styles of their designs. Many artists prefer to make a style of their own which later on may become famous all over the world. One such style is American traditional tattoo style. It is a tattoo style featuring bold black outlines and limited colours with motifs influenced by sailor tattoos. Most common flash designs are in this style.

This is the true love of old school tattoo lovers. There are many styles and designs for tattoos but this is the one that straight comes to mind in many tattoo lovers. The American a traditional tattoo style got tremendous popularity after world war 2. This masterpiece style is born from the idea of rejecting the mainstream culture and look for new identity. The mariners were the first to initiate such ideas. They started tattooing each other with their experience of different places and cultures they visited along their path of travel. Their tattoos were their inspiration and experience both.

If you are also looking for some inspiration of American traditional tattoo style then keep reading as we have covered some of the best designs yet for you in this article.

  1. A flower with ancient symmetric patterns inside

This American traditional tattoo consists of a flower with orange petals and leaves around it. The inside of the flower is made up of three triangular symmetric patterns. The core of the triangles has concentric circles of different colours. The branch under the flower shows the presence of thorns symbolising the difficulties of life the person faced to reach the flower which symbolises their position now.

American Traditional Tattoo - The Dashing Man
source: Pinterest

2. A big owl sitting with decorated beak

The details in this American traditional owl tattoo is incredible and pleasant to the eyes. The owl is sitting with eyes focused on what is in front of it. The feathers of the owl are decorated with different bold colours. The eyes of the owl is narrow which shows it’s sheer focus. The beak of the owl is decorated which shows that the owl holds a great position in it’s kind.

American Traditional Tattoo Ideas with Meaning - The dashing Man
source: Pinterest

3. Various tattoos showing love and war

During their voyage in marine life, they went to several places and saw the effect of war on the people and their mind. War leads to destruction of every form of love. This is what shown in this tattoo. The knife shows how it leads to tears in the eyes of the innocent. The war is the snake on the flower representing love. It has detailed images of how fights break love bonds with in heart.

American Traditional Tattoo with meaning
Source: Pinterest

4. A roaring tiger with flowers above and below

Here the picture shows the wild life of several places they have visited in their life on ship. The tiger represents the wild animals they saw while the flower shows the rich flora od the wild.

American Traditional Tattoo with meaning - The Dashing Man
source: Pinterest

5. Tattoos showing marine life

Their is a large picture of a ship on sea sailing through the winds in this American traditional tattoo. The nails are something used in building a ship. The birds that they pet and meet in the sea side are also shown. The eye represents their focus on the path. The skeleton symbolises the dangers they must have faced.

American Traditional Tattoo with meaning - The Dashing Man
source: Pinterest

6. A large dragon spitting out fire

We all have heard the legend which says that there are large dragons deep in sea which can thrive in land too. They attack on the sailors and break their ship whoever enters their area. These dragons can spit fire. The golden dragon here actually symbolises that the sailor has navigated beyond international date line.

American Traditional Tattoo with meaning - The Dashing Man
source: Pinterest

7. Rose with plant showing a face of a person

Rose is a very beautiful and symbolic flower. It is versatile and can represent various emotions of a person. It can show love, hatred, friendship and many more.

American Traditional Tattoo with meaning - The Dashing Man
source: Pinterest

8. A woman holding an umbrella in blood rain

This American tattoo shows the effect of war on a lady. She is sad and probably traumatized with the loss she experienced due to war. The blood rain symbolises the war losses which she is feeling.

American Traditional Tattoo with meaning - The Dashing Man
source: Pinterest

9. Colorful leaves and designs forming a crown

Different communities they visited during the voyage has inspired many of their American traditional tattoos. This is a picture of a crown made of of beautifully decorated and probably painted artifacts. Just look at the colour details and patterns.

American Traditional Tattoo with meaning - The Dashing Man
source: Pinterest

10. An anchor with message on it

Anchor is the support of a ship during storms and on land. It provides support and grip too the ship on land. The message says “Shelter me oh genius words”. It means that the person is seeking submission to the knowledge.

American Traditional Tattoo with meaning - The Dashing Man
source: Pinterest

11. A large snake ready to bite

Snake tattoos represent potency, power, rebirth and new beginnings. That’s why they are generally shown in the position of biting. Depending of culture the snakes may represent life or death and friendship and enmity.

American Traditional Tattoo with meaning - The Dashing Man
source: Pinterest

12. A scorpion

A scorpion may be small in size but it’s venom can kill a person with a very terrifying death. The scorpion may also represent their fighting pattern in the sea which includes the formation of scorpion shape with the ships.

American Traditional Tattoo
source:Pinterest

13. A large caterpillar feeding on plants and the forbidden number

This shows the beauty of nature. When they return home from the voyage, they forget all the worries they had during the war and enjoy their life and surroundings. The forbidden number has a red cut showing that they no more fear the devil.

American Traditional Tattoo - The dashing man
source: Pinterest

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