Book Tattoo
Black and grey neo-traditional lady head with long flowing hair and daffodils on the forearm

Traditional Lady Head and Daffodils Tattoo

A neo-traditional lady head with long flowing black hair and a spray of daffodils framing one side of her face. I packed the hair in dense directional black line so it falls in heavy ribbons around the portrait, then kept her face in soft grey shading to hold the delicate features. The daffodils give the piece its lighter counterweight.

Long hair like this is a gift compositionally, it lets me wrap the design around the forearm and use the strands to lead the eye through the piece. I built it in black and grey so it sits cleanly alongside the existing work on the arm without competing for colour. Portraits with strong supporting elements like the hair and flowers feel more grounded than a floating face.

For neo-traditional lady heads in Wellington, reach me at @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.