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Black traditional panther head tattoo with a dagger and small star

Panther and Dagger Tattoo

Tattooed a panther head impaled by a dagger, with a small filled star tucked beside it. I kept it compact and graphic, which is how high-movement traditional pieces last: heavy outline, minimal shading, no fine internal detail to blur as the skin moves.

A rose and a scorpion I'd done earlier sit next to this piece, holding the same traditional vocabulary across the group. High-friction placements are unforgiving over the long term, so the design choice (bold black, limited fill, tight composition) matters more here than almost anywhere else.

These pieces always start with a quick chat 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.