Would This Count As American Traditional?

[WhippTatts]

Hey guys!
Very novice tattooer here starting to get really interested in AT tattoos. I think focusing on the American Traditional rules and style will make me a better designer.

Do you guys think this design would qualify as American Traditional? (Obviously it's in progress)

I just joined and this is my second post, but you can see that tatt at my instagram @xr_tatt

Any suggestions on coloring/shading the banner? Like would you put the sharing in different spots or take it out places? Pick a different color?

Would you guys do the white? I tried using straight white on myself before and wasn't very successful. Would it be better to leave those fills blank???

If anyone wants to use this design, feel free. I am probably going to tattoo it on myself though, but I don't mind sharing designs.

Thanks for any advice or input!!!

 

[marked 4 life]

That's not AT bud, search sailor jerry on google, that is the original traditional style.

 

[WhippTatts]

Yeah I did. I tried to break the OG Donald duck model a little because Jerry would have never drawn it on model. But it wouldn't fit the rules of American Traditional? Simple lines, few colors. What could I do to make it more American Traditional? Do I just need to simplify more parts of the drawing?

 

[TexasPT]

maybe google American Traditional tattooing...hit images...study the designs. Understand the similarities between them all. Note the subject matter...look at the shading...then google the names of the artists.

American traditional isn't just bold lines and simple colors...kindergartners do that every day. It's an era, it's a style, it's a mind set, it's multiple components put into a piece to capture what the pioneers of tattooing were doing nearly 100 years ago.

my .02

 

[dirtnail]

agree with both gentlemen above, that's no American Traditional dude.
Don't think the subject matter is the issue here. You just have way to much going on in the design, and the shading and color usage isn't even close to true traditional.
Do some more research and try to grasp the concepts... ditching the digital stuff and getting down and dirty with ink and water colours also helps to get a better feel for the style. Like @TexasPT mentioned, it's not just a style... it's so much much more. Don't be fooled sir, American Traditional looks simple but it's damn hard to master. Hell, I've been trying to get it figured out for years now and still end up just tracing Sailor Jerry stuff

 

[Goldwingdaz]

Strong colours, bold lines, minimal detail, more old style cartoon than modern, low intensity subjects. Just a few basics to get used to. That design would need to lose around 60% of its detail and shading to get close to traditional.

 

[Patch72]

You need to do more homework on the subject matter your going to be drawing,think your way off with design.salior Jerry designs,Oliver peck.check them out your get more of a understanding how to design a old school tattoo

 

[WhippTatts]

agree with both gentlemen above, that's no American Traditional dude.
Don't think the subject matter is the issue here. You just have way to much going on in the design, and the shading and color usage isn't even close to true traditional.
Do some more research and try to grasp the concepts... ditching the digital stuff and getting down and dirty with ink and water colours also helps to get a better feel for the style. Like @TexasPT mentioned, it's not just a style... it's so much much more. Don't be fooled sir, American Traditional looks simple but it's damn hard to master. Hell, I've been trying to get it figured out for years now and still end up just tracing Sailor Jerry stuff

I really want to re-work this one till it looks like a sailor Jerry. I'm going to simplify the gun a lot, and probably the hat, and re-design the head shape. I think I'm going to take your advice and stay away from the photoshop too.