whats your take on trash polka tattoos?

[trashpolkakid]

I love this style of tattooing but unfortunately not many in my area like it. Is it like that in your area, or is this style kind of up and coming still, and not many know of it?

[Iwar]

I made a thread on that a few years back. Check it out: http://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/tattoo-designs-books-flash/1308-trash-polka.html

[trashpolkakid]

Still seems that not many like the style. Idk why. Most of the designs are really dynamic with high levels of contrast that make the image readable from a distance. Maybe its to aggressive, idk. Personaly i love it. Not that i dont like trad, neo, trad, or new skool. Its just different and pushes the envelope.

[smiling.politely]

Most of them won't age well, and look better on paper or canvas than skin, hence the dislike from most people.

[trashpolkakid]

I think it depends on the design if it will age well. Alot of it is no outline and will muddy and fade over years, but you can use outlines, its not against the rules. So many people love these water color, painterly tattoos, and theyre really nothing more than girly or colorful trash polka.

[SStu]

Anything abstract has a smaller following, regardless of the medium. Nothing wrong with trash polka style - just not as easy for many people to connect with.

[Graeme]

Let's just quote Stewart Robson from the original thread and call it a day.

[misterJ]

Let's just quote Stewart Robson from the original thread and call it a day.

My personal problem with this stuff is that it doesn't deal with or derive from the basic motivations of humans or society.

All the long-lasting tattoo imagery addresses or springs from some basic element of humanity. Which is why they've lasted a long time.

My opinion is that this style of work (trash polka et al) is created with the main motivation to stand out from the crowd or be 'different'.

The drive to be original, different or special, is fundamentally flawed and certainly short-lived.

If tattoo designs derive from deep-rooted human drives and archetypes it's pretty much impossible for the concept to become dated. The execution is a different matter.

In my opinion all the best tattoo imagery comes from or symbolises basic human drives, or the needs of humans in society. Skulls, pin-ups, powerful animals, flowers, hearts, religious imagery, daggers etc, etc.

Most of the flash or portfolios (including tribal) in a decent tattoo shop will succinctly encompass the interesting bits of the human experience.

That's why the work posted in this thread rings hollow for me, regardless of the difficulty of the application.

This one?

[smiling.politely]

I would prefer to quote the image from Zoolander I believe he posted...

And the watercolor tattoos don't make good tattoos either. Besides, tattoo flash is painted with watercolor, so a rose with an eagle and a banner reading DEATH BEFORE DISHONOR is a watercolor tattoo.

[Stewart Robson]

@trashpolkakid If you like that style of tattooing and not many people around you do, consider yourself blessed.

Being an outsider with an interest in marginalised subjects or styles is a rare thing in the world these days. Especially on the internet.

I'm old enough to have seen some interests very dear to me, (some that I even defined myself with in my teens) become very mainstream, even ubiquitous. That's not so much fun, especially when you use those interests as starting points to forge friendships with like-minded people.

Enjoy your outsider tastes!

Note: Trash Polka came after watercolour style tattoos -Ed Hardy did some in the 80s.

[trashpolkakid]

I could paint a water color trash design, its still a trash piece. An eagle with banner is generally gonna be traditional, doesnt matter if it was done in water color, colored pencil, oil paint, etc. Im referring to the splashy pink and blue water color designs. Not traditional designs, done in water color.