Traditional

Traditional is the style that ages best, which is the whole reason it looks the way it does. Heavy lines hold, solid colour stays solid, and the designs were worked out by people who tattooed sailors for a living.

Mari has drawn traditional for fifteen years and her flash wall is the biggest in Cardiff: daggers, swallows, panthers, roses, ships, snakes, hearts and hands, each drawn by her and priced on the sheet. Pick one, change the colours or the banner text, and it can be on you within the hour. Custom traditional is drawn the same way, from your idea, with the same rules on line weight and palette, because that is what makes it last.

We work in Eternal and Solid Ink, we line with a 7 or 9 round liner so it stays crisp, and we pack colour until it is solid rather than hoping it heals in. Traditional heals fast, reads clearly and is the easiest style to add to later, which is why so many sleeves start with one small flash piece.

What is included

• Drawn by the artist who tattoos it
• Flash wall of 300+ designs, fixed prices
• Bold outline, solid colour, built to age
• Colour or black-and-grey, same price
• Free touch-up within three months
• Aftercare sheet and film to leave with

What it costs

Flash from £60. Custom traditional pieces from £120 for a palm-sized piece; half-day sessions £350. Colour and black-and-grey the same price. Prices include VAT. Flash prices are on the flash wall; every tattoo leaves with the aftercare sheet.