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Black traditional eagle tattoo with spread wings with stars

Eagle Tattoo

Spanned the eagle horizontally, wings fully extended, talons forward, head turned to the side in classic American posture. I shaped the feathers with soft black wash rather than filling them solid, which keeps the piece graphic without going heavy.

Smaller swallows and stars frame the eagle and tie it into the surrounding work. I usually book big traditional pieces like this across two sittings: outline first, then shading once the lines have settled. Spreading the work over multiple visits gives the skin time to recover and keeps the final tone consistent across the panel.

I take traditional work at the Wellington studio on Dixon Street.

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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.