Trash Polka tattoos are not necessarily new, but they are one of the latest crazes in the tattooing world. What’s interesting about Trash Polka tattoos, though, is that many people don’t even know what they’re looking at when they see one on someone’s skin. To some owners, that is an amazing thing since they have something that feels unique to them, while others wonder how this fantastic tattoo design is not as popular as some of the koother modern designs out there.
So, what are these Trash Polka tattoos that are popping up all over the world? Well, two Germans named Simone Plaff and Volko Merschky came up with this style at their shop, Buena Vista Tattoo Club. They created a modern, artistic style that stood out from the pack and that would be loved by like-minded people. There’s a pretty good chance that they had no idea how quickly the Trash Polka style would blow up all over the globe.
There are many parts of the Trash Polka tattoo that makes it distinctive, but the one thing that you’ll find that most of them share is that they’re created with just black and red ink. Not every black and red tattoo is going to be a Trash Polka, those two colors together will make it easier for you to pick out a true Trash Polka tat. The majority of the tattoo is usually in black, and then the red will be used to make specific elements stand out or to give it a unique shadow effect.
Another distinctive characteristic of Trash Polka tattoos are their smudges. That’s right, you will see smears and smudges over a portion of just about every Trash Polka tattoo out there, which gives them an aged and destructive feel. You’ll notice that many of the design techniques used in Trash Polka tattoos are meant to give it a look of chaos, though not all of them are meant to give off a negative or chaotic message.
One of the best ways that people can describe Trash Polka tattoos is that they are one part realism, one part trash. Imagine taking a fantastic black and white photograph and throwing a little bit of red paint at it and you’ll have something similar to the Trash Polka style. There are many people out there who love blending chaos and beauty in their tattoo designs, which is yet another reason why the Trash Polka tattoo fad has blown up as much as it has.
In a way, you could look at the Trash Polka tattoo as a new and different type of Yin Yang tattoo. No matter what is in the Trash Polka design, the owner is generally trying to show different elements clashing in some way. In that way these tattoos usually mean “balance” to the owners. For example, you could have someone happy and dancing as a smeared tornado is whirling around them. There are hundreds and hundreds of design options at your fingertips when you decide to get a Trash Polka tattoo.
Even though Trash Polka tattoos have pretty clear meanings to some observers, they do still fit in the abstract category since they are not supposed to be obvious.
Are you thinking about getting a Trash Polka tattoo? Well, there are definitely some things you should go over before committing to one. First off, you have to realize that Trash Polka tats stand out a bit more than most other designs. They are meant to be highly dramatic pieces, which can be a good thing to some people, while others could be put off by them.
It’s also worth keeping in mind that Trash Polka tattoos are highly susceptible to fading after a while. This is because they are made with a lot of black ink. That dark black you see when you first get the Trash Polka will be a bit greyer in a few years, possibly changing the overall look of the tattoo. This means that you will either have to deal with a faded Trash Polka tattoo or get used to going in for regular touch-ups.
The one big positive about Trash Polka tattoos is that you can be sure there aren’t too many other people in your area that will have one. Not only is the red and black style not very popular in the states yet, the Trash Polka style has not yet totally blown up outside of Europe yet. Of course, you could start a trend if people love the one that you got, but you’ll probably see that as a good thing.
As far as Trash Polka tattoo designs go, you really can go in any direction that you want to. You can merge the beauty with the chaotic, or you can just use the style with a specific image that you’ve always wanted on your body. The key is to think of something that will look great in black and red for years to come. The only designs we would not recommend in the Trash Polka style are those that generally look better when they are very colorful.
It’s important to point out that you aren’t really getting a Trash Polka tattoo if you get it anywhere outside of the Buena Vista Tattoo Club in Germany. Sure, you can ask for a design similar to the ones made at the Buena Vista Tattoo Club, but the fact remains that only two people in the world have mastered this style at this point. That being said, we definitely don’t blame you if you seek out an artist around your area who can attempt to create a similar style to theirs.
As you can see, there are a lot of reasons why people have come to love the Trash Polka tattoo style so much. It’s not a style that is going to suit everyone, but those looking for a new, bold design option, there is a pretty good chance that they will like the way that the Trash Polka tattoo looks.