When it comes to picking the perfect style for your next tattoo, there are a lot of options that you will have to choose from. You have styles from portraits to watercolor to American traditional and others. However, One of the hardest tattoo styles to really nail is the 3D tattoo. Tattoo artist that really knows how to knock this out of the park has probably been doing this style for many years. Good thing for you is when you do find the right artist, they will make you a beautiful 3D tattoo that you will enjoy for many years to come.
3D, or three dimensional, tattoos are becoming increasingly popular. These tattoos are incredibly detailed and hyper realistic and can make the viewer think the image is popping right off the skin. 3D tattoo designs can range from small inanimate objects to huge portraits. Regardless, 3D tattoos are gaining in popularity because they are able to turn some simple 2D tattoo designs into spectacular images.
In this post we’re going to be talking about 3D tattoos and the different ways that people get this style of tattooing on their body. We will talk about the different ways that artists are able to manipulate this style of tattooing as well as talking about some of the different variations of the 3D tattoo. You can go in a lot of different directions with a 3D tattoo so we wanted to help show you some different ways that people have done it in the past. By the end of this article we hope you have a better knowledge of 3D tattoos and some of the different ways that people get them done.
About 3D Tattoos
One of the big advantages of getting 3D tattoos is that they allow owners to be a bit more creative when choosing their designs. It also opens up far more tattoo design possibilities since the images can have a lot more life to them than 2D tattoos. There are only so many 2D lion tattoos that you can get, but so many more options are available to you when you get a 3D lion tattoo.
Shading, light, and blurring is used to add depth to the image and make it appear three dimensional. Since these extra features are added to the tattoos, the artists making them have to have skills in all of these departments to be able to make the 3D tattoo really stand out. Obviously, this also means that designing 3D tattoos takes quite a bit more time than traditional 2D tattoos.
3D tattoos can come in all shapes and sizes, but most of them are larger. This is because most people want to get a 3D tattoo that covers at least one whole body part so the design that they get jumps out a bit more. However, some 3D tattoos are actually better when they are smaller, such as 3D butterfly tattoos (usually placed on the shoulder).
3D tattoos are great for creating optical illusions, such as making an item seem embedded in or on top of the skin. To pull this off the artist needs to be careful in choosing the correct lighting. The shadow and highlight of a piece like this would need to look as if it is coming from the same light source or the 3D effect would be lost. When done correctly, someone looking at a 3D tattoo could initially think that the image is more than just a tattoo.
Another optical illusion that is popular is making it looks as if skin and tissue has been removed and bones are exposed. While very amazing to look at, It has been said that those who choose to have a tattoo with inner workings showing such as bone or perhaps robot parts may have a deeper meaning behind the artwork such as signifying inner strength or a feeling of detachment from the outside world.
Another option for 3D tattoos is one that cannot be seen with the naked eye. With use of red and blue ink and strategically placed lines an artist can create a tattoo that pops with the use of 3D glasses. This process is similar to the one used in 3D movies. If all of the lines of the image are drawn on correctly, these types of 3D tattoos can look amazing even after years have passed.
The meaning of these tattoos is entirely based on what you decide to get. A tattoo of a beloved pet cat in the 2D traditional style would have just as much meaning as that same cat depicted in the 3D style, but the art becomes more “real” and lifelike with the 3rd dimension. However, sometimes the meaning becomes clearer when you get a 3D tattoo since the extra detail will make the image stand out a bit more. It all comes down to the type of tattoo you’re getting and where it is being drawn onto your body.
When choosing a 3D tattoo design, people have to think about quite a few different things before they commit to an image. Just like with 2D tattoos, the owner should pick something that is going to be meaningful to them both now and in the future. They also have to recognize that the 3D tattoo is going to take up a bit more space than its 2D counterpart. The owner will also want to choose the tattoo location before they head to the shop; they need to know if they want others to see it regularly or if they want it to be more private.
Most people recognize that 3D tattoos open up a bunch of new opportunities for the owners and artists, but that doesn’t necessarily make them better than traditional 2D tattoos. That’s why it’s important for people to look over all of their options before they commit to a design. For example, if they know that they want to get a skull tattoo, they should look over both 2D and 3D designs so they can know which ones will suit their tastes the best.
Here are some of our favorite 3D tattoos:
3D Tattoo Variations
Out of the many ways to have a 3D tattoo, the examples we list below are some of our favorites. This is mostly because they look like they are real or about to pop off the page if done correctly. We are sure you can probably think of many different ways to get this done but these are some fun examples of great ideas for a 3D tattoo.
Torn Skin Tattoo
The torn skin tattoo is the first great example of a tattoo that when done in the 3D style, looks amazing. The torn skin tattoo is usually done in a way to wear when the skin is pulled back, something important is revealed underneath and it makes it look like you were made of whatever was under the torn skin. You might see a poem of something that is important. In many cases we see country or state flags being revealed under the torn skin. Another one that is somewhat gruesome but looks really cool, is when muscle fiber is revealed under the torn skin.
Insect Tattoo
The insect tattoo, or even an animal, can be almost terrifying when you get this done in a 3D style of tattooing. In many cases, we see spiders tattooed in the 3D style on someone’s neck or arm. This is done to give a creepy feel but the spider also represents different ideas as well. Whatever the spider tattoo means to the person wearing, it means someone else will be creeped out by the seemingly crawling spider on their neck. If you are into insects or making people squirm, this tattoo would be a great option for you.
Eyeball Tattoo
The eyeball tattoo is another one of those images that just look fantastic when they are done in the 3D manner by an artist that knows what they are doing. It isn’t easy to capture the essence of a person but when the eyeball tattoo is done in this style, it can look like you are staring into a person’s eye. The eye is a powerful image as is with symbolism that has to do the gateway to the soul and if you look close enough, you might just find it.
You can probably guess that the key to getting a great 3D tattoo is to find an artist that is well versed in the style. The nice thing is that most artists have online portfolios out there so you can see their work before even stepping foot into the shop. That is important in the decision making process. Once you get an idea of an artist you’d like to talk to, sit down with them and see if you are comfortable. That is the most important thing about getting a tattoo.
If you have been searching and are having trouble finding someone to make your tattoo come to life, let us know. The team at Tattoo SEO would love to help you. In the meantime, check out some of these 3D tattoos below to give you some good ideas.
