20+ American Classic Tattoo Ideas That Will Blow Your Mind!

by Tori Jones
American Classic Tattoo

If you find yourself in love with American traditional tattoos but can’t set your mind on which one to get, we have got you covered!

American Classic Tattoo
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American classic tattoos have bold outlines and are inked with bright colours.

The tattooing style trend using simple bright colours like blue, red, yellow, green, and black has skyrocketed. Even though these tattoo designs were previously common in sailors and performers, they have become popular tattoo styles for everyone who loves bold tattoos.

If you are in search of some amazing American classic tattoo designs, check out our top picks.

Animal Tattoo

Animal Tattoo
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Have an animal inked in American classic tattoo style, and we are confident you will love it. If you grew up loving ‘The Lion King’, you are not the only one! So let your imagination loose and recreate the Simba standing on the rock scene with a twist of old-school tattooing style. Recreate any of you’re favourite scene, and you will cherish it forever.

tiger tattoo
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Be it a lion, tiger, or dog; you can have your favourite animal tattooed on your skin. Artists with proper experience will know what colours to use to make it bold and bright.

Grim Reaper Tattoo

Grim Reaper Tattoo
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What do you think about this grim reaper tattoo design? People all over the world have a reaper tattoo inked to show that they accept the cycle of life and are not afraid of death. If you are one of those people, this is a great option to choose.

reaper tattoo
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Design your own grim reaper American traditional tattoo and show it off to the world.

Lettering Tattoo

Lettering Tattoo
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Lettering tattoo has been in fashion for years and is never getting old. It is a great way to honour someone you love. Have their names inked in bright colours, and you are good to go. You can also add important dates or a special number if you want to make it more personal.

faith tattoo on leg
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Getting something you believe in tattooed on your skin can be liberating. If you don’t want to go for a pricier tattoo, a smaller lettering tattoo can be cool too. Be it in English or any other language; it would take your artist a little time to complete this.

Ship Tattoo

Ship Tattoo
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How about getting a traditional ship tattoo inked? Back in the day, many sailors had a ship tattooed on them. You may not be a sailor, but if you can still rock this design.

flower ship tattoo
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Add flowers to your ship tattoo if you want, but you can easily leave it out.

Sword Tattoo

Sword Tattoo
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You can never go wrong with sword tattoos. Get it done on your leg or forearm, and you will look bomb. Being not over-the-top bold, this would make a great first American classic tattoo.

oldschool sword
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Don’t let your creativity stay closed and come up with some great ideas like this one. An artist with the proper experience can bring your piece of art to life without any problem.

Portrait Tattoo

Portrait Tattoo
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Tattoos are extremely personal, and what can be more personal than portraits of your loved ones? Make sure to provide your artist with all the specifications.

Get yourself some company in the shop because this will take a good deal of time. You might have to visit the shop for a couple of days to complete this.

Flower Tattoo

Flower Tattoo
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The tattooing world will never cancel flower tattoo ideas. Have a bright flower inked on your back or leg, and it will work like a charm. Instead of a red rose, you can ask your artist to use a different colour.

Flower sleeve Tattoo
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If you proudly want to show your tattoo off, you are going to love this design. You won’t have it finished in a day, so be ready to visit the shop a couple of times.

Skull Tattoo

Skull Tattoo
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Having this skull tattoo on the back of your neck or your ankle can make you look super cool. To make the tattoo work, you will have to search for artists who have previously worked on related pieces.

snail with a skull tattoo
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Give your skull tattoo a different approach and come up with unique ideas like this.

Heart Tattoo

Heart Love Tattoo
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How about getting a good old heart tattoo inked in classic American tattoo style. Designed to be not-too-bold, this makes a great tattoo for people who can’t visit the shop more than once.

Two Heart Tattoo
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If you don’t mind visiting the shop a couple of times, go for bigger hearts with brighter colours.

Bird Tattoo

Bird Tattoo
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If you are a fan of birds, you should show that love in your American classic tattoo. Get this inked on your forearm and have amazing compliments coming your way.

bird hand tattoo
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If you are not looking for a big tattoo, have this small American classic tattoo of a bird inked. You can also give the tattoo a closed look by finishing up with a border.

American classic tattoo flash, designs inspired by the works of some classic tattoo artists, will blow your mind. Get a tattoo style that you can relate to and make the most out of it.

Still looking for inspiration, then checkout this blog post about butterfly tattoos with flowers

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