Men's tattoos are an expression of character, willpower and fortitude. Tattoos for real men gravitate to the heroic themes, military attributes. Philosophical guys prefer to nail sacred symbols, Celtic symbols and drawings in the spirit of oriental. Bikers formed their own recognizable style, which is dominated by wings, eagles, tongues of flame, skulls, emblems of motorcycle manufacturers.
Despite the obvious bias in the brutal theme, in the sketches of tattoos for men present and floral motifs. This is characteristic of styles such as Chicano or Santa Muerto. The choice of a picture for a tattoo depends largely on belonging to a particular subculture or individual preferences.
Quite often guys make tattoos to attract the fair sex. In such cases, the subjects can be as harsh and aggressive, as light and romantic. Both tendencies have their admirers, because it is possible to win women's favor in different ways. Girls associate male tattoos with tough guys who can prove their strength in action.
The practical reason why guys turn to a tattoo artist - to hide scars and other skin defects. If you don't think scars beautify a man, it's perfectly justifiable to camouflage them with a cool tattoo.
THE GENDER PRINCIPLE
The division of tattoos into male and female is very conventional. In the past, girls mostly chose small drawings or inscriptions, but now they are not afraid to score the sleeve or back.
Men have always preferred large drawings. Tattoos in the form of a wolf or owl were popular even among the ancient Slavs. They believed that the wolf would give courage and strength, and the owl would give wisdom. But applying the tattoo then was akin to testing on endurance, and such an honor was awarded to men over 33 years.
Fortunately, modern tools and anesthetics make the procedure as comfortable as possible.
Other images that are often found in men's tattoos are a lion, a tiger or a bear. At the same time, the stereotype that roses and peonies are stuffed only on girls has almost disappeared. Tattoo with flowers will not make its owner less masculine. A striking example is the drawing with a compass and roses on the hand. It is often chosen by sailors. Such a tattoo can symbolize loyalty to the chosen one and homesickness.
The best sketches of male tattoos 2021
- Animalistic theme.
In contrast to women's tattoos with cute pussies, men prefer to tattoo beasts of prey: lions, wolves, leopards. Often these are animals that the wearer identifies with his inner self. The table shows the most popular "male" animals and their meanings.
| Lion | Strength, majesty, fury, passion. |
| Wolf | Loyalty, leadership, nobility. |
| Bear | Power, fortitude, courage. |
| Horse | Independence, tranquility, patience. |
| Snake | Wisdom, cunning, power. |
| Scorpio | Danger, pain, loneliness. |
| Lizard | Dexterity, rebirth, logic. |
| Bat. | Luck, discernment. |
| Eagle | Freedom, strength of mind, pride, courage. |
No less common are mythical creatures, which are imbued with even deeper symbolism. For example, the beautiful male tattoo Pegasus symbolizes inspiration and muse; the Unicorn - purity and courage; the Phoenix bird - resurrection, immortality.
- Portraits.
Tattoos with portraits of favorite rock stars, actors and athletes are especially common among young audiences. The owner of the portrait tattoo thus shows respect for the person he considers his idol.
- Inscriptions.
Tattoos in the form of various inscriptions never lose popularity. The only advice is to carefully work out the font and style of applying the phrase you like. This is one of the simple ideas for small male tattoos. It can be a significant date, a wise quote, a life motto, or a combination of these.
- Celtic and tribal tattoos.
The Celtic style uses images of crosses, trees or folkloric animals. For tribal tattoos, black ink is used to fill in spiral, zig-zag patterns, often migrating from the back to the shoulders and arms.
PLACE TO TATTOO.
Tattoos are best tattooed on the arms, legs, back and chest. First, the skin in these areas is less susceptible to age-related changes. Second, your tattoos won't shock your employer or interfere with your career.
Ask the master to put a test sketch on your skin. Are you ready to walk around with that design for the rest of your life?
You should consider that the skin on your knees, elbows, hands, and also in the skull area is very thin, it has almost no fat layer. If you decide to get a tattoo in these areas, prepare for the fact that it will hurt.
Drawings and patterns on the skull, like David Beckham, combined with a creative hairstyle will definitely help stand out from the crowd
One of the most aesthetically appealing places for tattoos is the shoulder. Especially if you're engaged in sports and have a well-developed muscles. The skin of the shoulders is elastic and supple, the healing of the tattoo does not give much trouble. The only thing is to know the meaning of the tattoo before applying it. Tattoos on the shoulders have long ceased to be an attribute of prisoners, but a chance meeting with a representative of the criminal world can be not very pleasant.
In some places, for example, on the face, it is almost unreal to overlap partak, so take seriously the choice of the master and the sketch. OldBoy Barbershop tattoo parlors employ professionals who pass a rigorous portfolio selection process, as well as mandatory certification and attestation.
You can choose a ready-made drawing from OldBoy Barbershop sketch database or ask the master to work out an individual sketch.
THE MEANING OF THE MOST POPULAR TATTOOS FOR MEN
The designs of most men's tattoos originate from designs that are more than a hundred years old. The most popular images have long remained ships, anchors, birds, flowers and crosses. And today the following symbols are invariably affixed in every corner of the world:
- Death is permanent, and so are tattoos. Skulls inscribed on the human body are a constant reminder of the fleeting nature of life.
- Cross. Symbolizes sacrifice and devotion. It is an easy way to tell others that you are a spiritual person, and a great way to dedicate your body as a temple to your god.
- Phoenix. These immortal birds represent eternal life and transformation. If life has subjected you to great adversity, the phoenix can be a symbol of your life and accomplishments.
- Star. A sign of success and dreams. A person with a star on their body is a goal-oriented and hardworking individual, an optimist in the highest degree.
- Dragon. Creatures of Eastern mythology express wisdom, while Western dragons express strength and courage. They are very spiritual creatures that symbolize strength of character.
PARTAK OR HANDPOKE?
Since we're talking about partaks, let's remember what they are. A poor-quality tattoo is commonly referred to as a partak. Blurry, fuzzy lines, distorted design - this is what you can get by turning to an inexperienced master. Also the quality depends on the materials and equipment.
Handpoke tattoos have recently been gaining popularity. They can easily be confused with partaks. The main difference handpoke - simple, even a bit childish, drawings. They are applied with a regular sewing needle and ink. Most often, such tattoos do on their own sketches. For this style, sloppy lines and oblique inscriptions similar to "rock painting" are acceptable.
Some Handpoke can scare away, but it, too, has fans. Among them are not just teenagers. They are both adult men, and serious masters who decided to give up tattoo machines and return to the "sources".
Handpoke is often chosen for paired tattoos. But some do sleeves in this style, scoring the legs, chest and abdomen
VICTIMS
CHOOSE A MASTER FOR YOUR TATTOO
Wolf
Many people consider the wolf an evil creature. Ancient Christians considered the wolf a manifestation of Satan, a terrible omen. Today, this animal has come to be viewed from a different perspective.
Wolves are strongly associated with the family, mating with only one partner as long as the pair is alive. It is only when they are gathered in a pack that they gain a territorial advantage. Wolves are very caring parents, raising pups as a pack. Thus, the wolf sketch tattoo for many becomes a symbol of strong family ties.
Lion
For thousands of years, the lion with a long mane remains a symbol of nobility, strength and patience. As the king of the African plains, the lion remains one of the fiercest creatures on the planet. A man with a lion tattoo is a worthy leader through life.
Bear
The bear possesses incredible strength and courage, and is considered a powerful totem that inspires courage. As a spiritual animal in touch with the earth and the cycles of nature, the bear represents physical strength, reliability and emotional stability.
This animal is feared and admired for his strength at the same time. Bear inspires respect, awakens leadership ability and fearlessness.
Crosses
Stamping a cross in a prominent place is the surest way to inform those around you that you are a believer. There are several different styles of cross designs. Shape and color can affect meaning. Red recalls the bloody events associated with the cross, while blue symbolizes devotion and a desire for peace.
A cross with angels, rolled up parchment or with the text of a prayer looks spectacular. The cross is also beaten in memory of fallen loved ones. The person's name and date of life are written on a ribbon wrapped around the cross.
Zodiac Signs.
Whether you are Scorpio, Taurus, Leo or Cancer, the wearer of any astrological sign can get a harmonious attractive tattoo. You can depict a discreet astrological symbol, a constellation, or an entire picture.
A person with a zodiac sign tattoo shows the distinctive traits of their personality to others at a glance. This can help when meeting new people, become a topic of conversation. Very effective look astrological signs in 3D design.
Flowers
Although flowers are not considered traditionally masculine, you should not completely exclude them when designing a sketch. Men with such tattoos feel the feminine side, and ladies always pay attention to this. A competently constructed sketch of flowers gives more appeal and masculinity than the typical "macho on fire with a snake" type tattoo.
SMALL TATTOOS FOR MEN
A small tattoo can accentuate the attention of others on the winning part of the body. Also start small, if you do the first tattoo. In this case, an experienced tattooist does not just hammer the paint under the skin - he, like a true artist, provides for the further development of the picture on the body. From small tattoos create stunning collages, and if several artists work, we get a collective work of art!
Places for a mini-tattoo:
- wrist,
- forearm,
- shoulder,
- neck,
- head.
The most common small tattoos:
- The triangle is a combination of strength and simplicity. But be careful with the pink triangle, as it is a gay symbol.
- Compass. Shows purposefulness in life.
- One leaf. Romantic and sensitive soul.
- Stripes around the forearm in memory of each deceased dear person.
- Elements of flora and fauna - birds, leaves, flowers, animals.
- Mandala - connection of the soul with the body.
- Space symbols - stars, planets, sunrise and sunset.
- Coordinates of a place important to you on Earth.
- Duplicate wedding ring, beloved's name on the finger.
- Surrealistic sketches.
- The line of life.
- Lyrics from your favorite song.
CHOOSING A PLACE FOR MEN'S TATTOOS
The most important thing is for you to feel comfortable with the design and its location on the body after the completion of the tattoo master. When considering different designs, think about what the tattoo means to you personally and imagine what it might mean to those around you.
The place for the tattoo should be chosen according to the degree of intimacy of the image, and whether it can be opened to prying eyes.
Breast
The area is not painful as long as you don't hit the collarbones. Tattoo on the chest makes a man brutal. The area to work is large enough to embody a large sketch.
Legs
Today, interest in this zone has increased. The feet are a great place to apply, especially if you want to stand out from the crowd.
Shoulder
The place is perfect for tribal elements, animal faces with expressive eyes, famous quotes, inspirational phrases and names. It is advisable to keep the muscles in shape so the image looks spectacular and sexy.
Back
An area for limitless flights of fancy. Even large images can easily hide under office clothes, and in an informal setting you can show your individuality. Another advantage of the zone is that the pain will be minimal.
Arm
One of the least painless places on a man's body where the pigment holds up perfectly is the forearm. In summer, this area is always in full view. In a business setting, the pattern is easily concealed from prying eyes.
Thigh
In addition to the fact that the drawings on the thighs are the easiest for a man to hide, they are not very painful to apply. The disadvantage is one: not enough space.
POPULAR TATTOO STYLES
If handpoke tattoos are too bold for you, we suggest looking at classic styles.
TRADITIONAL STYLE (OLD SKOOL)
A trend that emerged as a style before anyone else. It owes its appearance to sailors. They believed that the bright colors will protect them from disease and misfortune. One of the most common images in the old skool - the lighthouse, pointing the way.
Traditional tattoos are not replete with details and look primitive compared to the same realism. The main thing is rich colors and bold black outline lines.
Those who do old-school tattoos now pay little attention to their meaning. But it usually lies on the surface. The anchor helps to keep afloat, and the swallow is a symbol of happiness and good luck.
Oldsoul birds are most often inscribed on the collarbones
BIOMECHANICS
This trend appeared in the 1980s thanks to the films "Terminator" and "Blade Runner". The essence of biomechanics is the imitation of various motors, gears, wires, microchips and wheels, which are supposedly hidden under the skin.
As a rule, the master uses two paints - black and white, but there are no color restrictions. The most difficult thing about this style is to achieve a three-dimensional effect. Such tattoos have no semantic meaning, but when performed competently look very effective, especially on the arm or leg.
BLACKWORK
The essence of this style - in the application of black paint on large areas of the body. Normal tattoo in black - is not a blackwork, but the wide black "bracelets" on the hand - it is.
Blackwork goes well with a variety of techniques
Think carefully before you score a sleeve or back in blackwork style. You won't be able to overlap or reduce the tattoo. You could try making a pattern on a black background with white paint, but it would probably turn out gray.
REALISM
This is considered the most difficult style to achieve. The task of the master is to achieve the maximum similarity with the original image.
There are black and white and color realism. In the first case only black, gray and silver colors are used. Particular attention is paid to reproducing the volume details, the game of light and shadows. In the second case, the entire palette is at the master's disposal.
Realism is one of the most popular styles in the OldBoy Barbershop tattoo parlors. Satisfied clients are the best proof of professionalism of our masters.
Author:
Valeriya Klippert
What kind of tattoos do modern men do?
The drawings can be divided according to the following criteria:
- Size. It is possible to divide the types of male tattoos into three sizes - large, medium and small. Sometimes masters make a complex sketch, combining many disparate images into a single drawing.
- Area of application. For the upper body, the most popular option is the arm and shoulder. In fashion are images applied to the neck. If the physique allows, you can decorate the tattoo on the upper back or chest. Consider and option of applying to the stomach, sides and bottom of the back, but use them less often - not so easy to demonstrate.
- Style. The catalog of tattoos for men is very extensive. Fans of the classics can make monochrome drawings, for fans of everything modern, the whole palette, styles of photorealism, bio-organic and bio-mechanics are available. Traditionally strong and ethnic motifs - oriental, tribal, ethnica, dotwork tattoos are not going out of fashion. The sketch is made individually or selected from a ready-made set - there are no restrictions.
Tattoos on the neck in men. The most fashionable options
In principle, absolutely any tattoo on the neck will be cool and cool, as this is a real trend 2018-2019 in the field of male body art. But if you consider the latest work of the leading masters, you can highlight the top ideas for guys:
The crown - a symbol of the complex character of the wearer, the desire to excel and rule, if with a heart, then loyalty and luck in life;
cross - primarily denoting religious affiliation, and if it is a Celtic cross with knots and patterns, it symbolizes continuous spiritual development;
kiss - Men's weakness in front of women, the lack of feminine attentions, or vice versa, the symbol of Casanova;
barcode - A newfangled trend by which a man marks his individuality and uniqueness;
ethnic pattern - Such tattoos are the choice of brave and strong men, a kind of homage to the past, to ancient traditions and ancestors.
Opinion of the expert
Viola Madison
Master tattooist, 8 years experience
Among all presented designs for tattoos on the neck men mostly prefer several themes - inscriptions and hieroglyphs, memorable tattoo, brutal or color variants, sacred symbols, 3D volume, funny humorous ideas.
Examples of tattoos on the neck that are not recommended to apply
There are several important recommendations about which body drawings are not appropriate on the neck of a man, for example:
- Negative sketches - attract in life, negative energy, evil and dark forces;
- names - sooner or later, people can lose touch and not contact, but it will be much harder to get a tattoo with their names;
- symbols - Since the neck is close to the head, some symbols may overly influence the thinking and mind.
It is also not worth to apply drawings that do not match the age, character, activities and lifestyle of a man, otherwise the tattoo will be discordant with the owner.
We suggest you read the video about what kind of neck tattoos are suitable for men:
If you like the topic of tattoos, we suggest you read our following articles:
- About paired tattoos
- About the Yin-Yang Tattoo
- About tattoos in the shape of a samurai
- About tattoos associated with a family
- About the bat tattoo
- O paired best friend tattoos
- About the lotus flower tattoo
- About tattoos for people with the zodiac sign of Virgo
- On astrological tattoos
- Star tattoo
- About tattoos in the form of inscriptions
- About the mandala and lion tattoo
- About the bird tattoo
- Tattoo of a maple leaf
- Tattoo as a snake
- Oh tattoo as owl, owl
- Oh tattoo in the shape of angels, angel wings
- Oh tattoo as a cat
- Tattoo as a crown
- About tattoos in Latin with translations
- The best places to get a tattoo
- About the lizard tattoo
- About the peony flower tattoo
- The rose flower tattoo
- About the pit bull tattoo
- Tattoo as a compass
- Dandelion tattoo
- Thieves tattoo
- O penitentiary tattoo
- O tattoo in the form of a spider
- About the army tattoo
- About tattoos for men
- About tattoos on men's legs
- About tattoos on the arm
- About tattoo amulets
- About tattoos for girls
- Tattoos for girls on arms
- Tattoo on legs for girls
