Сhicano Tattoo Style

History of Origin

The Chicano tattoo style is already as much of a classic as traditional American tattoos. It also originated in the USA, but its main distinction is that the primary bearers of this style became Latin American Catholics. The name "Chicano" itself comes from Mexico and means "A person of Mexican origin living in the United States of America". However, compared to traditional tattoos and old school styles, Chicano is a relatively young style.

Initially, the themes and stylistic features of Chicano tattoos were partly intertwined with other styles, and it only became a distinct direction in the 1950s. Worldwide, its popularity came in the 1990s, and in Russia, it became popular even later, in the early 21st century.

Features of the Style

Technically, it is the same as Black & Grey, but with a thematic foundation rooted in Christian religion. Traditional images for Chicano style include Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, numerous saints, and more recently, images of street gangsters and girls with clown makeup have been added.

In fact, the religious component of the style has faded into the background over time, and many people around the world know Chicano style primarily for these bold gangster images. It is common to depict cars, money, guns, and girls in Chicano tattoos. When combined with Lettering, projects in this style become truly true!

Chicano in Modern Tattoos

Modern tattoos allow for a departure from the classic conventions of the style and add bright color elements to the monochrome image. Usually, accents are placed using red or green colors.

Also, nowadays, you don't need to be Mexican or a member of a Latin American gang to wear this style, though the brutal nature of such tattoos often makes them more associated with the male half of humanity.

The most common and recognizable tattoo theme in the Chicano style in Russia is the portrait of a girl with clown makeup.