Oriental tattoos are a broad group of styles inspired by the art of Japan, China and other Asian countries. The best known is traditional Japanese tattooing, with dragons, koi carp, tigers, peonies, cherry blossom, masks and figures from legend.
How do you recognise an oriental tattoo?
A classic composition has a clear main motif and a background that frames it: waves, clouds, wind or falling petals. The background ties the elements into one piece and carries the design along the body. Large pieces of this kind, covering the back, arms and thighs, are called horimono.
What should you keep in mind?
- An oriental design looks best at a large scale, for example as a sleeve or back piece.
- Motifs carry their own symbolism, which is worth learning before you choose.
- Characters, for example Chinese or Japanese ones, are worth checking with someone who knows the language.
The traditional hand technique is tebori. We explain how to plan a large project in stages in Planning a tattoo sleeve: a guide, and how to compare styles in Choosing a tattoo style: a guide.