Book Tattoo
Both tattooed with a jester face, spiderwebs and figural work

Jester and Spiderweb Tattoos

A matched pair shot side by side. One carries a jester face with the tongue out, the other a sorrowful figure with a halo. I framed both with classic spiderweb work and ran figural panels in narrow vertical strips next to them.

This kind of high-mobility traditional placement demands simple silhouettes. The skin moves constantly and breaks up detail, so I built these around bold outlines and large negative-space areas that can absorb that movement. I designed the pair to talk to each other when held together, the jester laughing across at the haloed figure, which gives them a reason to be read as a set.

Pokestay Tattoo Wellington, through @pokestaytattoo or pokestaytattoo@gmail.com.

Book Similar PieceSee All Traditional

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.