The pharaoh’s horses are an American traditional design that dates back to the early 1900’s when it became a staple as a back and chest tattoo, along with other designs such as the Rock of Ages and The Last Supper.
Horses with horseshoe and eagle done by Alexander Tyrrell in Melbourne Australia.Brilliant mix of red and black in this traditional piece done by Don Ritson at Rebel Waltz in Winnipeg.Traditional blackwork piece done by Hamish Clarke in Brisbane Australia.In progress back piece done by Kirk Jones in Melbourne, Australia.Very old school looking design by Rich Hadley at Inri Tattoo in Manchester, England.
One of the earliest examples of this design is by Gus Wagner who worked as a tattooer, and circus performer from the late 1800’s until his death in 1941.
Horse, anchor, and roses done by Ben McQueen in Indianapolis.Full traditional sleeve topped by horses done at Wild Rose tattoo in Seoul, South Korea.Angry looking horses done by Herb Auerbach in Santa Cruz.Bold design on the back of a head done by Matt Kerley in Asheville.Gorgeous stomach piece done by Rich Hardy.
The design of the pharaoh’s horses comes from biblical times, when horses were seen as a symbol of wealth, status, warfare, and power. Horses are specifically linked to pharaoh Ramses II who lived more than 3000 years ago. These horses of course portray a sense of power, but there is also an implied reference to Exodus 14 which reads thus. “The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horse-men the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived.” This appears to be a warning of following a singular pursuit without regard to the consequences.
Chest piece with some nice blue done by Colin McClain at Tide and Tattoo.Smaller horse piece done by Duan Woo at Sick Rose Tattoo Parlour in Shanghai, China.Chest piece with classic flowers done by Jason Donahue at Liberty Tattoo in Seattle.Big stomach piece topped by an eagle done by Nick Mayes at North Sea Tattoo in Scarborough, UK.Heavy black design by Shon Lindauer in Hollywood, CA.
These tattoos are often done as large pieces on backs or chests, but can also be done as larger parts of a sleeve or leg piece. The horses are often accompanied by flowers, horseshoes, chains, and other traditional pieces such as eagles.
Brilliant full front torso as a piece of armour by Dan Pemble at Sacred Tattoo Studio Marquette, MI.Large stomach piece full of flowers done by Frank William in Chicago, IL.Chest piece by Kai Soong at Sick Rose Tattoo Parlour in Shanghai, China.Traditional blackwork piece done by Philip Yarnell at Skynyard tattoos, UK.Fantastic back piece featuring an eagle, websm and flowers done by Tammy Kim at The Okey Doke Tattoo Shop in Toronto.
Head tattoos are a bold statement to say the least. Whether you decide to let your hair grow out again, or rock the tattooed head 24/7. For such a bold placement, one needs a bold design.
American traditional tattoos are known for being bold as hell. Check out these trad head tattoos and get inspired!
Trad blackwork with some classic dice, reaper’s scythe, and chains. Done by Alex Snelgrove.Snakey done by Bertz at Skingdom Tattoo.Snake popping out the back of the neck done by Chris Anthon at Grand River Tattoo Company in St. Elora in Ontario.Snake and yellow roses done by Dane Soos.Blackwork mandala also done by Dane Soos.Rose and claw done by David Bruehl in Tampa, Florida.Pristine scorpion done by Eugene at Chapel Tattoo.Classic eagle and snake done by Franz Stefanik at The Okey Doke Tattoo Shop in Toronto.Pharaoh’s horses and web background done by Gonzalo Muñiz at Last Port Tattoo.Eagle head done by Gordon Combs at Til Death Tattoo in Denver and Art Work Rebels in Portland.Blackwork skeleton hand and leaves done by Han Shinko in Essen, Germany.Blackwork eagle and skull done by Jaca in Hossegor, France.Lil’ butterfly done by Joshua Marks in Los Angeles.Some trad filler done by Mando Islas in California.Cute bird and flowers in some nice bright colours done by Martina at Pretty Electric Tattoo.Bold ship design done by Matt Andersson in Gothenburg.Blackwork church and webs by Nate Kemr.Panther head done by Nick Mayes at North Sea Tattoo, Scarborough, UK.Eagle and skull done by Paulo da Butcher at Impact Custom Tattoo.Cross, snake, skull, and flowers done by Zach Nelligan at Mainstay Tattoo in Austin Texas.
Baphomet today is regarded as a Satanic figure, but for a long time Baphomet was actually a word for the prophet Mohammed in Islam, and worshipping a Muslim god or prophet was seen as idolatry. The Knights of Templar were accused of worshipping Baphomet the false idol in Medieval France, and were tortured under King Philip.
Baphomet head by Daniel Baczewski.Brilliant back of the head and neck piece by Róbert A Borbás.Majestic Baphomet head done on the skull by Jason Oz in Denver Colorado.Amazing long bearded Baphomet head by Matthew Murray, Black Veil Tattoo, Salem Massachusetts.
Over the next 500 years, Baphomet changed from Mohammed the prophet, to a hermaphroditic stone figure borrowed from Egypt or the Gnostic Christian Ophites. This was after both scholars and mystics studied the Knights of Templar, writing that the Knights brought back ancient magical knowledge from the middle East and North Africa. The idol in question was called Baphomet in 1818, and were most likely just misidentified artifacts from other cultures and religions.
Fantastic blackwork/linework full bodied Baphomet by Patrick Toussaint in Melbourne.Blackwork goat head by Anka Lavriv at Black Iris Tattoo in New York.Pentagram, goat skull, and flowers by Brooke Ashliegh at Binx Tattoo.Large Black Philip torso piece by Frederico Rabelo in Portugal.
But the final Baphomet that we picture today was created in 1854 by occultist Eliphas Levi for his book “Dogme et Rituel de la Haute Magie” (“Dogmas and Rituals of High Magic“). Levi describes Baphomet in detail in his book.”The goat on the frontispiece carries the sign of the pentagram on the forehead, with one point at the top, a symbol of light, his two hands forming the sign of hermetism, the one pointing up to the white moon of Chesed, the other pointing down to the black one of Geburah. This sign expresses the perfect harmony of mercy with justice. His one arm is female, the other male like the ones of the androgyn of Khunrath, the attributes of which we had to unite with those of our goat because he is one and the same symbol. The flame of intelligence shining between his horns is the magic light of the universal balance, the image of the soul elevated above matter, as the flame, whilst being tied to matter, shines above it. The beast’s head expresses the horror of the sinner, whose materially acting, solely responsible part has to bear the punishment exclusively; because the soul is insensitive according to its nature and can only suffer when it materializes. The rod standing instead of genitals symbolizes eternal life, the body covered with scales the water, the semi-circle above it the atmosphere, the feathers following above the volatile. Humanity is represented by the two breasts and the androgyn arms of this sphinx of the occult sciences.”
Large goat head on the torso by Alex Tabuns.Full bodied Baphomet in a fantastic blackwork backpiece by Sakari.Bright neo traditional Baphomet head and skulls by Matthew Kaufmann at Drunken Monkey Tattoo in Michigan.Three eyed Baphomet by Rodrigo Lopez.
As a tattoo, people often get the full bodied Baphomet, or a goats head, as goats are often also related to Satanism as well as witchcraft and paganism. Full bodied goats and goat heads are also popular in part thanks to the film The Witch, and the Satanic goat named Black philip. Generally these tattoos are done in blackwork or black and grey but also realism, neo traditional, and American traditional.
Three eyed goat head and quote by Ant Walsh in a neo traditional style.Baphomet head and snake done at forest ink tattoo, South Korea.American traditional take on Baphomet by Vince Genois Panthère at Noire Limoilou, Québec.Huge American traditional stomach Baphomet and dagger by Nestor Gonzalez at Sailor’s grave in Costa Rica.Full bodied Baphomet with a little bit of colour done by Tatiana Esmeralda Marcum Tattooer at Iron Rite.
Dan Gagné is an artist working at Loveless Tattoo in Montréal, Canada. Dan’s tattoos are perfect for the month of October, and those who love Halloween and horror year round. His work is mainly American traditional and blackwork, and is heavily inspired by horror movies. His work often features monsters and other icons of classic horror movies and stories.
Bright Creature from the Black Lagoon with unlucky number 13.Ghostface from Scream with phone and knife.Creepy witch with hard black shadow.Fantastic werewolf and full moon.Huge mostly blackwork Alien torso piece.Creepy crawly spider head tattoo.A sinister looking Dracula!The Pale Man from Pan’s Labyrinth.Norman Bates and loving mother from Psycho.Battle of the monsters with Godzilla and King Kong!Nasty looking Gremlin. Don’t get it wet!Alien from Mars Attacks!Jason Voorhees from Friday the 13th!Creepy skull and vampire bat with red moon.A startled looking Leatherface with his pretty mask and chainsaw.Matching loving undead.Jason Voorhees Vs. Michael Meyers. Friday the 13th and Halloween.The Demogorgon! From Stranger Things, featuring the classic light bulbs.The mighty Count Orlok from Nosferatu.For all the bookworms and halloween lovers. Book, vampire skull, and candles.
Yōkai are supernatural monsters/ghosts/demons from Japanese folklore. The word itself is made up from the kanji for “bewitching, attractive, and calamity” and “spectre, apparition, mystery, and suspicious.” There are hundreds and hundreds of yōkai, from fairly harmless tricksters, to monsters that prey on human flesh. Being an animal that many are already afraid of, of course there are also spider yōkai.
As a tattoo these creatures are usually done in Japanese style, but can also be neo traditional, American traditional, black and grey, or blackwork.
There are three main types of spider yōkai:
-Ushi Oni: Which is actually classified as an ox demon. This demon is often depicted with the head of an ox and the body of a spider, and is usually near bodies of water. These creatures are always carnivorous and dangerous to humans. They are not always spiders, but this is one of the more popular depictions. The Ushi Oni is described as cruel and vicious, breathing toxic poison, and sometimes inflicting curses or spreading disease.
Blackwork Japanese piece by Ben Wight at Pyramid Arts Tattoo.Black and grey Japanese piece by Brian Faulk at Hand of Glory Tattoo.
-Tsuchigumo: A giant spider who can live a very long time, and grow to monstrous sizes. When they get old enough they can transform themselves into other yōkai, even taking the form of humans in order to lure and kill people. These creatures live in forests and mountains, mainly preying on travelers. One famous tale tells of this creature transforming into a beautiful woman who leads an army of yōkai against Japan. A man named Yorimitsu is the first to meet the beast on the battlefield and strikes her, making the army disappear. The Japanese army then follows her back to her cave where she morphs back into a giant spider. Yorimitsu slices her open, unleashing thousands of human sized baby spiders. The Japanese army kills every last one and returns victorious.
Huge spider with skulls and web by Adrian Evans at Saints and Sinners Tattoo in Dallas.Cover up piece by Alexander Rusty Cairns at Lighthouse Tattoo in Sydney, Australia.Spider with hannya mask by Gab Lavoie at Tattoo Mania in Montreal, Canada.Black and grey beast done by Ganji at Tokyo Three Tides Tattoo in Tokyo, Japan.Very traditional Japanese piece done by Horihiro Mitomo at Three Tides Tattoo Tokyo/Osaka, Japan.Brilliant Japanese scalp banger done by Vond Barta at Sacred Monkey Tattoo in Melbourne.
Jorōgumo: This creature was known as the “whore spider” but is now better known as “entangling bride”. She lives both as a beautiful yōkai in human form and as a giant spider. This spider gains the ability to transform after it has lived for 400 years. She uses her human form to lure unsuspecting men to her lair before eating them. They live in caves, forests, or abandoned houses. This creature is often seen as part spider, part woman, generally the body of a spider and head of a woman.
More American traditional piece with Japanese influence by Eric Alcantara at Ridgewood Tattoo Studio.Colorful piece by Francesco Giamblanco at Black Horse Tattoo.Half spider half woman by George Galloway at Windhorse Tattoo.Colorful neo traditional piece by Hozho at Tattoo Station.Terrifying neo traditional piece with noh mask as the head. Done by Nhia Yang at Goodkind Tattoo in Chicago.Spider with skulls by Nick Crampton at Chapel Tattoo.More American traditional piece by Vova Bydin at Citizen Ink in Brooklyn NYC.
All versions of this beast are terrifying, and all make a bold tattoo. Which is your favorite?
Tiger’s make a fantastic design and can be done in many different styles including Japanese, Chinese, Korean, American traditional, neo traditional, black and grey, photo realism, dotwork, geometric style, and watercolor.
Neo traditional scalp tiger done by Adam Guy Hays at Red Rock Tattoo.
Tiger tattoos can also carry many different meanings. When done in an Asian style a tiger represents strength, courage, long life, and are also meant to ward off evil spirits, bad luck, and even disease. When done in a more Western style such as American traditional, black and grey, realism, etc.. the tiger is tattooed for its beauty, power, and intensity.
Watercolor space tiger done by Adrian Bascur in Chile.Huge neo traditional three-eyed tiger head by Alex Gotza done at Dirty Roses Tattoo Studio.Beautiful neo traditional tiger head by Brian Flores in Spain.Photo realistic tiger head with flowers done by Sandra Daukshta at Home of Tattoos in Latvia.American traditional tiger fighting a snake done by Mikey Holmes at coast to Coast Tattoo in Charlotte NC.Another American traditional tiger fighting a snake done by Stefan Johnsson at California Electric Tattoo Parlor in California.
Tigers are one of the biggest predators in the world, and are a solitary creature, so are often seen as symbols of strength and resilience. Tiger tattoos are often done just as a head, but can also be done as a full body. Generally tiger heads are done in a more Western design, with a full body tiger being done in an Asian style, though both can be done in any style.
Korean style blackwork tiger done by Apro Lee in Seoul South Korea.Japanese tiger done by Eli Ferguson at Ichi Tattoo in Tokyo.Unfinished Japanese backpiece done by Sean Cushnie at Kapala Tattoo in Winnipeg.Realistic black and grey tiger head by Jakob Holst Rasmussen done in Aarhus, Denmark.Geometric dotwork tiger head done by Mark Ostein at Wozen Studio in Lisbon.Realistic full back piece with skulls done by Matt Jordan at Ship Shape Tattoo in New Zealand.
Alexander Perry works at The Gentlemen Tattoos in Ohio. He specializes in bold, clean American traditional tattoos. His work features a lot of skulls, a lot of roses, and a lot of lady heads.
His work is classic with a bit of a modern touch, with easily recognizable designs, making them visible at a distance.
Tiny lady head in profile.Bigger lady head. Lots of red for this one!Classic lady head with a snake and dagger.Blackwork lady head and skully.Spider lady head right on the chrome dome.Don’t fear the reaper!Skull with crown of flowers.Classic Sailor Jerry skull and snake piece.Skull and crossbones.Hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil skullies.Classy smoking blackwork skull.Bold rose on the hand.Classic peony.Fun cartoon eyeball.Getting tropical with a parrot, greenery, and a butterfly.
Alex is a must see artist for your traditional needs in Ohio.
In the Christian faith Mary is the mother of Jesus, also called mother of God.
In the story of Christmas Mary is visited by an angel and told she will give birth to the son of God. Jesus is then born in a barn, amongst animals and wisemen. Throughout the bible Mary is constantly seen at her son’s side during his soteriological journey.
Images of Mary often show her praying, or mourning the death of Jesus, sometimes crying tears of blood. She is also often seen wearing blue, crown of 12 stars, pregnant, or surrounded by roses.
Crying black and grey Mary and angel by david Drohan at Kingdom of Ink in the UK.
Artists such as Michelangelo and Botticelli, and now, tattoo artists all around the world.
Neo traditional Mary in mourning by Jacob Gardner from Australia.
In tattoo form Mary is often done in black and grey realism, photo realism, American traditional, or neo traditional.
Black traditional Mary on the back of a head, done by Chris Stuart at Ace Custom Tattoo.Full body black and grey Mary with roses and stars by James Armstrong at Holy Mountain Tattoo in the UK.Realistic black and grey praying Mary and Rosary by Seyer at Living Dreams Tattoo.Realistic black and grey Mary and dove by Tomas Sanchez Pineiro.Black and grey Mary with script on the scalp by Nene.American traditional Mary with rose by Kanye Sherwood at Flamin’ Eight in London.Dark traditional Mary with Sacred Heart by Philip Yarnell at Skynyard Tattoos, UK.Full American traditional back piece of Mary with Christ by Zach Nelligan in Austin, Texas.
Spider web tattoos are most commonly associated with criminals. Usually showing that the wearer has done time behind bars, the number of lines leading out of the web signifying the years of time spent. Now though it is less associated with crime, and more commonly used as a great filler tattoo for American traditional sleeves. Not all spider web tattoos are done in American traditional though. They can be black and grey or even realistic. They are often now paired with something Halloween related, and can also have spiders in them or hanging off of them.
Classic elbow spider web by Josh Stephens at Hold It Down Tattoo in Richmond Virginia.Spider, web, and skull by Matty Darienzo at Into You Tattoo, London England.Crazy head tattoo by Philip Yarnell at Skynyard Tattoos, UK.Another web, done by Justin Dion at Sovereign Tattoo, Portland Oregon.Web, skull, and snake also by Philip Yarnell.Two shoulder webs by Nick Oaks at Bait and Schlang tattoo in Montreal.Creepy realistic spider and web by Tyler Allen Kolvenbach at Hudson Valley Tattoo.
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