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Black traditional roaring tiger head tattoo with bared teeth

Tiger Head Tattoo

Centred the tiger head as a symmetrical traditional panel, with tight black stripes carrying the fur, bared canines, and a wide jaw doing the work in the lower half. I left negative space across the face to keep the eyes lifted and stop the design from collapsing into a single black mass.

A generous flat canvas gives an animal head room to read at the right scale without crowding adjacent pieces. The symmetry of the face holds cleanly, and the limited shading means the silhouette stays graphic rather than getting heavy as the piece ages.

I'm booking traditional work at the Wellington studio, flick me a message if you want one.

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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.