American Traditional Tattoos in Los Angeles

American Traditional, also called old school, is the backbone of Western tattooing, and a style we're proud to carry on at Broken Art Tattoo in Atwater Village, Los Angeles. Bold black outlines, a punchy classic palette, and iconic subjects make it one of the most recognizable and durable styles there is.

Timeless imagery

Eagles, panthers, roses, daggers, swallows, anchors, hearts, and pin-ups, the traditional canon is beloved for a reason. Its strong lines and solid color are designed to hold up beautifully for a lifetime, staying crisp and legible long after trendier styles fade. We can tattoo classic flash straight off the wall or design a custom piece in the traditional idiom.

Why it endures

The rules of traditional, bold will hold, exist because they work. Thick outlines and saturated color age gracefully, making American Traditional one of the smartest choices for a first tattoo or a piece you want to look great for decades.

Who works American Traditional here

Jeremy SwanThree decades in. Clean line work, saturated color, and classic subjects that hold.Booking until March 2027See work → Matt SoderbergQuality tattooing since 2000. Bold American Traditional and Japanese.See work → Derrek EveretteTwenty years in. American traditional roots, plus neo traditional, black and grey and fine line.See work → Josh OjedaTraditional and fine-line black-and-grey, with a darker undertone.See work → Josue AcostaBold classic flash and clean linework.See work →

Book an American Traditional tattoo

Browse our artists and book directly, or call 323-661-4777, text 323-612-7886, or email info@brokenarttattoo.com. Walk-ins welcome, see our contact page.

Explore more styles: cover-ups, fine line, black & grey, and Japanese.