Pounded Ink

I really hope the tribal tattoo kick is on the decline but I fear that I might be wrong considering the amount of tribal tattoos I continue to see.  If you are Polynesian or some other generally tribalism culture, I totally understand a need for a tattoo that ties you to your heritage.  The thing I can’t stand is the everyday Joe Somebody who wants a tribal tattoo because he thinks it looks cool.  I am kind of a hypocrite on this issue as I myself have a tribal tattoo (although I will be covering it soon enough).  Hopefully this article may sway some of you away from the dreaded tribal tattoo.

Why I Don’t Like Tribal Tattoos

Before you decide to get a tribal tattoo first think about why you are getting it.  Any tattoo should have some sort of meaning to you, even if that meaning is nothing more then “this looks bad ass”.  If you don’t descend from bronze age tribal nomads, why mark yourself with huge black stripes for the sake of looking cool?  There are much more intricate and original designs you could work with to better express yourself.

Tribal tattoos also are generally uncomplimentary to the body as far as form is concerned.  Tribal tattoos have harsh edges and very solid lines that don’t accent the body’s natural form nearly as well as other custom tattoo styles.

If you want to make a tattoo stand out, make it tribal as it will most definitely counter any natural form your body has.

My Experience With Tribal Tattoos

I have a tribal tattoo as do a few of my close friends.  Even though they look cool when you get them our general consensus is that tribal tattoos clash with every other tattoo we get and many of us end up covering them after we admit our mistakes.

How many tribal paintings do you see on art gallery walls?  This isn’t a new medium that is breaking ground it’s simply a lot of solid color that people think looks cool.