OUR ARTISTS - AARON
With over a decade of tattooing experience, Aaron is a Spanish-born tattoo artist specialising in American Traditional tattooing, with a European twist. His journey began in Spain before taking him across Europe, where he worked in respected studios throughout Prague, Berlin, Stockholm, Helsinki, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Switzerland.
Throughout his career, Aaron has completed guest spots at renowned studios across Europe and participated in multiple international tattoo conventions. His work is recognised for its bold lines, solid colour saturation, strong compositions, and timeless designs rooted in the traditions of European and American Traditional tattooing.
Now based in Sydney, Aaron brings his international experience and passion for Traditional tattooing to every project. Whether you already have a classic American Traditional design in mind or want to develop an idea of your own, he can work with you to create a bold, timeless tattoo that suits you and your chosen placement.
What are American Traditional tattoos?
American Traditional tattooing developed through the early history of Western tattoo culture and became particularly associated with sailors, soldiers and working-class communities. Tattoo artists developed a distinctive approach based around strong outlines, solid colour and simplified designs that could be tattooed clearly and efficiently.
The style is sometimes referred to simply as Traditional or Old School. While its history is closely connected with American tattooing, its influence has spread around the world and continues to shape the work of tattoo artists today.
One of the defining features of American Traditional is its clarity. Rather than relying on fine details or subtle gradients, the designs use strong shapes, confident linework and a limited colour palette. This gives the tattoos their distinctive graphic quality and allows the artwork to remain easy to read on the skin.
There are a few characteristics that make American Traditional tattoos immediately recognisable:
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Bold black outlines – Strong linework gives the tattoo its structure and helps the design retain its definition over time.
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Solid, saturated colour – Traditional tattoos commonly use colours such as red, yellow, green and blue, with black playing an important role in the overall design.
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Simple, graphic shapes – Traditional designs favour clear silhouettes and strong compositions rather than excessive detail.
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Classic imagery – Roses, eagles, snakes, panthers, swallows, anchors, ships, daggers, hearts and skulls are all closely associated with the style.
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Purposeful shading – Shading is generally kept simple and deliberate, helping create contrast without taking away from the boldness of the design.
These elements work together to create a tattoo that has plenty of visual impact without needing to be overly complicated.