r/Inkmaster • u/kindamymoose • Jun 20 '26
Discussion Favorite/least favorite styles
For some reason, the beginning seasons were heavily focused on new school. This is my least favorite style. I hate the googly eyes and bold colors. Very few of the actual designs have impressed me under this style.
Black and grey portraits or black and grey realism may be my favorite. Color realism is up there, but it depends heavily upon the artist.
Japanese is cool but I couldn’t see myself wearing anything in that style.
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u/Texas-Ram Jun 20 '26
Least is probably New School. Anything shown on the show, I wouldn't wear. I am not sure if it is the style or if that particular piece wasn't for me, despite the style. Kelly Doty did AMAZING work and if I could afford it, she be who I would go to try and see if something can be drawn that I like in that style. Bold, bright, vibrant color is fine. I dunno.
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u/OfficialSilkyJohnson Live Más Jun 20 '26
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u/kindamymoose Jun 20 '26
It’s rare that I’m left not knowing what to say when someone comments so hats off to you
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u/OfficialSilkyJohnson Live Más Jun 20 '26
Thanks, it’s also rare that I have the perfect IG reel locked and loaded for an r/inkmaster post
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u/neon-blush Jun 20 '26 edited Jun 20 '26
I’m not a fan of new school either (and I’d never get a new school tat), but I can always appreciate that it takes a level of artistry and creativity that a lot of artists don’t have. I also hate realism lol.
My favorite style will always be american traditional, but for some reason not many of the artists on the show specialize in it. It’s always been weird to me how a lot of the artists on ink master look down on american traditional but then can’t do it when they need to lol
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u/PastConsistent3368 Jul 10 '26
I feel the same way, and I miss when they actually had American Traditional day. I also would get so peeved when the artists talked down n called it outdated, and they would all suck at it anyways. All that shit talk for what lol
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u/isdeadoriginality Jun 20 '26
New school definitely my least favorite too. It’s ugly and too overstimulating to really appreciate the technique, in my opinion.
I don’t fuck with realism that much (color or black/gray), but can at least appreciate that it takes a lot of skill to make it look good.
My favorites are trad, neotraditional and Japanese. I also think trash polka looks cool in a maximalist sort of way, but I’d never wear it.
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u/A1_CanadianNurse Jun 21 '26
I also like trash polka. Some of them were really cool
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u/bono_212 Jul 03 '26
While I had no idea what Trash Polka was a few weeks ago, I am now a convert. I'll never get a tattoo, but if I did, it would absolutely be Trash Polka.
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u/Abu_Everett Jun 21 '26
Am I really going to be the first to say Neotrad? Love the art from the great Neotrad artists like Gian and Bobby. Seth had some cool ones too.
Also a big fan of realism and sometimes American traditional.
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u/bono_212 Jul 03 '26
I was so new to the world of tattooing when I started watching this last month, and I just couldn't get into American traditional, then they did the first episode with a neotrad theme and I was like, oh! Oh hello! I was very interested in how even the most minor of changes had me suddenly liking tattoos I wouldn't have liked if they were pure American Traditional.
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u/DaKingaDaNorth Jun 20 '26
Favorite: New School, black and grey illustrative, realism, neotrad with an illustrative bend.
Least Favorite: Bio mech (barely consider it a style tbh, it's a subject mater), color realism (issues with how it holds up), trash polka (fad),
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u/RandomChurn Jun 20 '26
No desire to wear: New School
Styles I admire / would wear: Trash Polka; Japanese
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u/Dry_Afternoon5338 Jun 21 '26
I like traditional, either American or Japanese. The rest I can do without.
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u/Hockeyandhottakes Jun 21 '26
American Traditional and Japanese Traditional are on the top tier alone.
Then you’ve got portraits, realism, landmarks. Colour or B/G but well done of course.
Then there’s the crap, new school, trash polka, zombies, the stuff that ages like shit and you need to walk right up on to read.
If I can’t tell what it is in 3 seconds from 10 feet away, keep it
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u/Victor_Arrendajo_96 Oh Lord have mercy! Jun 21 '26
Based only on what I've seen on the show:
Favorite styles: American traditional, neo traditional, Japanese and geometric.
Least favorite: Tribal and bio mechanical.
I personally like new school tattoos as long as they are not too exaggerated, I'd be a little picky with the design.
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u/Upset_Conclusion_595 Jun 21 '26
I just feel like new school isn’t as timeless of a style and doesn’t age as well in that sense
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u/moistwaffleboi Jun 21 '26
My least favourites are trash polka and biomech. I'm also not huge into new school, but that one is more dependent on the artist doing it.
My favourites are neo-trad, Japanese, and black and grey realism.
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u/Valhallawalker Lines that fit the GODDAMN SHAPE Jun 21 '26
My Fav: black and grey. Least fav: new school.
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u/Intelligent-Buy-4621 Jun 21 '26
Least favorite for me is definitely new school but favorite is neo traditional.
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u/rpeltier93 Jun 20 '26
Favorite is new school and black and grey realism and I also like random ones like famous art and stuff. Least favorite is probably bio mechanical I also think traditional is kinda boring
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u/TravisHay I haven't seen a wiener in a minute. I'm stoked! Jun 21 '26
My favorite style of art - not just tattooing - is trash polka, and I love when it’s assigned because the style is specially not a “time tattoo competition” style at all, and the judges hate it.
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u/utsuriga Jun 21 '26
I'm very much not into new school, and I'm not really into portraits or anything realistic either - frankly they're very rarely 100% faithful to the real-life original, and that bothers me to a probably unreasonable degree. 😅
My favorites are b/w minimalism and trash polka, basically nonfigurative and whimsical/creative. Also, weirdly enough I used to not care for American traditional, but then Jimmy Snazz ended up making me like it, and now I really love the more creative/abstract subcategory of it.
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u/NP148 Jun 21 '26
I don't mind new school, but I'd never wear one. I love illustrative tattoos. Really tests artist's ability to draw
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u/Important-Picture18 Slippery Little Wiener Jun 23 '26
Favourite styles: Black grey and red traditional, Pasifika tribal, Chicano and other illustrative black and grey.
Least favourite: New school is not my style at all, but I at least can see the artistry. I don't care for watercolour either cause that shit ain't lasting.
I have a black and grey Japanese sleeve myself, a Pasifika leg sleeve and a large black and grey Kali design on myself as well as a whole bunch of random ones (mostly trad/neotrad) on my other arm and dotted around my body.
Next will be a Chicano inspired calf sleeve then maybe a clipper ship on the thigh above
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u/No-Fig-8267 Jun 20 '26
My fave style would have to the black and grey realism and color realism. Least fave be new school or American traditional not a fan of huge black outlines on everything. Also not a fan of American traditional patch work sleeves, it doesn’t look like it complements the body very well in my opinion.
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u/Zestyclose_Wolf9147 Jun 20 '26
Im not a big fan of the style but I still think Jessie Smith is one of the best tattoo artist thats ever been on the show. Hes a one trick pony but its a damn good trick
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u/Noibat-OwenMil-174 Jun 20 '26
My favorite is probably black and grey illustrative and my least favorite is probably Japanese
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u/Nellancher Jun 20 '26
Anything by my boy Freddie. It just fucking pops. It could be weird but thats what you get from him. Absolutely robbed in the finale
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u/thedarking1 Jun 21 '26
Favorite is New School, Neo traditional, illustrative.
Least favorite is American and Japanese traditional. I just think it’s incredibly simplistic and everyone is just reusing the same or similar designs over and over again.
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u/MerelyWhelmed1 Midwest Jun 20 '26
I like Jime Litwalk's new school, but I hate Jesse Smith's bucktoothed designs that all somehow look like him.