Book Tattoo
Black traditional Athena profile tattoo with plumed helmet

Athena Helmet Tattoo

Sat Athena's profile in a plumed Corinthian helmet vertically inside a narrow panel. I kept the helmet dense and black to ground the piece, and used softer whip shading on the face so the features hold without competing with the silhouette around it.

A laurel and rose creep up from below, tying this piece into work I'd done earlier. Narrow placements like this restrict scale, so the design relies on a strong outline and a tight vertical layout. Both of those keep a traditional figure legible from any angle.

These pieces always start with a quick chat at the Wellington studio, drop me a message if it's something you're considering.

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By Rhys Thomas at Whitetail Tattoo, Level 3, 41–47 Dixon Street, Te Aro, Wellington, New Zealand

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Common Questions About Traditional in Wellington

What's the difference between traditional and neo-traditional?
Traditional keeps to a small, classical colour palette (reds, yellows, greens, blues) with chunky outlines and limited shading. Neo-traditional opens that up with more colours, finer detail, and more painterly shading. Same bones, more flexibility.
Do traditional tattoos cost less because they look simpler?
No. Traditional tattoos look deceptively simple. Clean bold lines and solid colour packs are hard to execute well, and they're priced on time and skill required, not visual complexity.
Can a traditional design be personal rather than generic?
Yes. Most of my traditional pieces are custom subjects rendered in the traditional language. Bring your own meaning and I'll handle the visual grammar.