Realism tattoo can be safely called one of the most popular and popular styles. The style realism is considered one of the most technically difficult. The tattoo master must be first of all the artist owning skill of the academic drawing.
The development of realism in tattooing is associated with the development of tattoo machines. Execute difficult realistic drawing with a lot of details, nuances and gradients it is possible only with high quality modern tattoo machine. More often subjects for a realism style tattoo are portraits. People decorate their body with drawings of idols, movie characters, relatives.
What is a realism style tattoo?
The term "realism" refers to any drawing that looks three-dimensional on the skin rather than two-dimensional (flat), making them look like photographs.
If you are planning to get such a tattoo, it is best to find a tattoo artist who specializes in this direction, even if it means that the search will go beyond your city.
The 3D technique is used for a variety of creative projects, from applying hyper-realistic objects to moving into the realm of plausible optical illusions.
The best ideas for realism tattoo
Below we will consider the most interesting motifs that are very popular with girls and men around the world.
Flowers
Flowers are one of the most popular tattoo elements. Most people choose roses because they are some of the most complex colors for tattooing and the deepest - there is a lot of light and shadow on the petals and between them, unlike flowers, which are naturally more flat. Sometimes drops of water are added for more realism. Such realistic tattoos are suitable for both girls and guys.
Tattoo flowers realism
Portraits
Portrait tattoos are usually done in black ink, because if they were done in color, they would blend in with your own skin. This is one of the most sought after types of realism shoulder tattoos for men. Mostly guys stuff faces and images of beautiful girls on their arm.
Hyperrealism tattoo
Animals .
As a rule, realism tattoos that depict animals are quite large. The large size of the picture is chosen in order to preserve all the details and make the design more realistic. Men and girls often choose tigers, wolves and lions, as well as snakes and lizards.
Tattoo photorealism
Spiders
Although these insects tend to make most people cringe, the symbolism of the spider is not generally negative. They are associated with power, mystery and growth. Spiders also represent the concept that our choices build our lives.
Tattoos in Realism
Skulls
Often combined with other elements such as flowers or snakes, skulls never lose popularity. In three-dimensional tattoos, they are usually inked in black, giving a dark, gothic look. This is consistent with the common cultural meanings of death that skulls represent. However, the skull also has a positive meaning - sometimes it is associated with protection and wisdom.
Tattoo skull realism
Eye
The eyes symbolize reason and omniscience, as well as morality and truth. In some cultures they are considered the gateway to the soul, which is sometimes associated with the concept of the "third eye. In Egyptian and Western occult traditions, the left eye represents the moon and north, and the right eye represents the sun and south.
Eye Realism Tattoo
Butterflies
Butterflies primarily symbolize transformation, they are also associated with hope, change and life itself. Sometimes butterflies are also considered a symbol of the death of a loved one.
Realism style tattoos for girls
In addition to the above, realistic butterfly tattoos usually symbolize good luck. Yellow butterflies symbolize joy, happiness and positivity. White ones are associated with purity and, in the context of Christianity, with salvation.
Dragonflies
Dragonflies have many meanings that vary somewhat between cultures. In general, they symbolize change, adaptability, transformation and self-realization.
In Japanese culture, they represented happiness and purity, as well as protection from disease and injury. In Buddhist cosmology, dragonflies represent the union of Heaven and Earth.
Realism Tattoo Style
Biomechanics
The biomechanical style in the broader art movements has its origins in the 1970s and is closely associated with Ridley Scott's 1979 film Alien.
The biomechanical tattoo style involves drawings that are a seamless combination of human and machine. This means combining bones and tissues with gears, pistons and other mechanical elements in the same design, creating the illusion of a cyborg-like nature.
Neorealism tattoos
Biomechanical tattoos themselves do not have any special meaning - in most cases it is simply a form of artistic expression and decoration. In recent years, the steampunk style has influenced biomechanical tattoos, causing an increasing replacement of steel and cables with brass clocks and gears.
Optical Illusions
All realism style tattoos involve some level of illusion. Optical illusion uses perspective, shapes, color, light and shadow to create images that are misleading and confusing. Simply put, optical illusions make us see things that don't exist in reality, or actually look different than we think.
There are many types of optical illusions, but the most interesting type for us is based mainly on the illusion of depth. These can be graffiti, which makes it appear as if an image is "floating" in the air, or murals that make a tunnel appear to be a tunnel - when in fact it is just an ordinary wall.
If you're looking for inspiration, consider the following realism tattoo designs - and don't forget to check out our huge gallery with photos of stunning three-dimensional drawings!
Result
It is not always necessary to visit the salon or the master several times to achieve a great result, if the image is small, you can limit yourself to one visit. Just a few hours and complex work on the theme of Realism is done. Very painstaking work to be done only in those cases where it is necessary to apply a lot of small details, which will be the clarification of the picture.
Today there are two types of this style:
- Realistic color tattoos.
- Realistic black & gray tattoos.
The main difference between them is that in the first case a very saturated and bright color scheme is used, as the latter are more simple, however, if we move on to the issues of effectiveness, the second type is not inferior to the first. To achieve unusual shades, good masters use a black and gray scale, which is obtained by mixing carbon pigment and distilled water, it is necessary to remember to observe the established proportions.
Tattoo realism: sketches
Although this is a relatively recent trend in tattoo art, these types of tattoos have already become very popular around the world. With a little creativity and the help of an experienced tattoo artist, you can create a truly unique, original design for your future drawing. Below you can see the best male and female examples of realistic tattoos.
Sketches tattoo realism for men
Techniques of execution
To make the tattoo in the technique of realism turned out clear, the master will need a large number of color shades and halftones. It is also important to observe the proportions and composition of the figure. Realistic image will turn out only through the drawing of every detail, giving depth of space and light and shade.
The place for a tattoo can serve not only the shoulder. Often the drawing fills the space of the whole arm, back or chest.
If realism is closer to you than other styles, be very careful when choosing a master. Before a visit to the salon, you should read his portfolio and make sure of his professionalism and the presence of artistic talent.
Video on the topic
Tattoo gallery
Tattoo realism: photo
The gallery presents examples of works that will look great on the back, on the forearm, on the leg, on the shoulder, and other parts of the body. I hope the ideas described above and the black and white and color realism tattoo sketches presented below will inspire you!
Black and white realism tattoo
Color realism tattoo
From the history of the trend
It appeared as the opposite of romanticism and academism in the second half of the XIX century. This style is characterized by versatility, inconsistency and division into a large number of options.
Realism was developed quite recently. Realistic tattoos are especially popular among informal leaders. Most often they combine this style with thrash polka, which is inherent in the motifs and symbolism of death, graphic and the predominance of red and black shades.
