Realism Tattoo
and it's different styles
Realism Tattooing has been around for a long time. Depending on how you define it, you can see examples of Tattoo artists working in realism all the way back to the 1800’s. Black and grey portraiture has always had a place in western tattooing and remains popular to this day. However the real boom came in the 90’s and 2000’s with the development of better tattoo inks and a wider color palette as well as better equipment in general allowing for more technical application. Today it seems the sky is the limit for technical application and artistic skill and craftsmanship and the different styles of realism tattooing is where artists go to show those skills off. There are many different substyles of realism tattooing including black and grey, color realism, micro realism, surrealism, hyperrealism as well as common themes such as portraiture and landscapes. With this style guide we aim to explore a few of these subgeneres and show off some of Chicago’s best realism tattoo artists work and styles.
Black and Grey Portrait Tattoos
Probably the most commonly requested work in the realism tattoo genre is a portrait tattoo. Be it a loved one, a cherished pet or a famous icon or statue. Several of our Chicago tattoo artists Specialize in their own take on portrait work. While replicating the likeness of the subject is a key objective of the tattoo, it’s not the only thing! If you look at the individual artists work you can start to see how style and technique play a vital role if giving the tattoo a feeling of liveliness. Choosing to use a background or not, soft or sharp edges, outlines or no outlines - all of these are choices an artist makes in order to give a unique quality to their work. In black and grey work, color isn’t an option so the values and transitions across the piece must be done with a deep knowledge of how light and form works in order to create the illusion of a realistic likeness. Shown here we have work from Pablo, Dima, Allie and Gifford, each of whom have their own unique techniques. Can you tell the difference between them and which do you prefer?
Realistic Illustrative Tattoos
Illustration usually includes the use of linework to define a design as well as some heightened contrast. In tattooing these are strong tools to ensure the longevity of the design in the skin. While the use of lines and some extreme contrast can steer away from traditional realism, they can be paired with realistic shading and coloring techniques to create it’s own substyle as well as a tattoo design that’s sure to last a lifetime. Getting even further from “realism” we can start to see the artists incorporating external elements that might not be strictly real, but are again rendered in such a way as to be perceived as a 3 dimensional object that could potentially exist in real life. When getting into Illustration work there starts to be a bit more artistic license. Again we can see a difference in styles between all of the artists in their approach to linework and rendering of form. I would consider this a grey area in terms of style as it can veer into strict illustration and almost get cartoonish, or it can be very minimally rendered to still give a realistic effect while having the simplicity of almost a fineline tattoo. It’s a very fun part of tattooing and art in general where styles start to blend together and that is often where you can see the individual tattoo artists handiwork and personal style. Featured in this gallery is again work from Pablo, Dima, Gifford and Allie
Surrealism Tattoo
Surrealism is a popular take on realism where the subject matter is rendered realistically but put in a fantastic or nonsensical setting. Often these images have a dreamlike quality to them an form a narrative that might be hard to follow or make sense of. Popularized by fine artists like Dali and Rene Magritte, the style has made it’s way into tattooing with the popularization of realism and the love of the fantastic. With surrealism the rules to get bend if not thrown out altogether. This comes in handy in tattoo design, especially when the client request involves a number of seemingly random object. Want a clock, an owl, and the number 27? No problem! The imagery doesn’t need to make sense together, it just needs to be look good and be executed well. While most of our artists design work that incorporates a mixed bag of subject matter, Pablo is probably the one sticking closest to a classic surrealist painterly look. His use of bold color and abstract shapes in much of his work bridges the gap between paintings and tattoos in a way that is sure to look great on the body wearing it.
Other styles in realism Tattooing
The different styles within realism is vast and get be broad or hyper specific. A brief glossary of other terms people use to describe realism styles can be found here:
Color Realism: A broad description for realism tattooing done with color tattoo pigment.
Micro Realism: Smaller tattoo work that has an extreme amount of detail in it to make it look extremely realistic. There’s some crossover here with fineline tattooing and you can see and read more about it here in our fineline section.
Hyper Realism: Realistically rendered tattoos that have the contrast very exaggerated and the colors over saturated. The results can be quite loud and that there is almost too much detail. It works well in tattooing as the extreme contrast can help hold a design together over time, especially if there isn’t much black outlining.
Photo Realism: Tattoos that are meant to look like a photo. This is generally what people think of when they think realism, read our blog here about realism to learn why a photo isn’t always the most realistic way to represent something!
Hopefully this guide has been helpful in breaking down some of the substyle of realism tattooing and giving an insight into the different styles of realism tattooing our Chicago tattoo artists specialize in. Most of the time this ends up being custom work and our artists would be excited to talk to you about your idea and help you design your dream tattoo! If you have an idea please feel free to send in a booking form with your request so we can set you up with a free consultation!
A mix of color and black and grey realism style tattoo by Pablo Mire
Floral color realism tattoo work from Dima
A hyper realistic tattoo of an eagle by Pablo
A black and grey illustrative tattoo in a realism style by Gifford Kasen
Our Role in the Rich History of Chicago Tattoo Studios
Chicago's tattoo heritage is iconic, starting with Cliff Raven's Chicago Tattoo Company and evolving through pioneers like Guy Aitchison. Logan Square Tattoo, established in 2014 by Gifford Kasen, plays a vital role in this legacy. Located in Chicago's vibrant Logan Square, our studio offers custom tattoos seven days a week. We encourage new clients to explore our artists' portfolios and arrange in-person consultations. Embracing the evolving art form, our team includes diverse full-time and guest artists, infusing new styles into the community. For over a decade, we've celebrated Chicago's tattoo culture, honoring tradition while pushing boundaries for future creativity.