Old School Tattoo Bangkok
by BKK INK

Every old school tattoo Bangkok session at BKK INK starts with a free consultation. Old school flash is our most walk-in-friendly style, most classic motifs are finished in a single session. Mor, Hack and Vay carry this tradition. You choose a classic motif, anchor, swallow, eagle, dagger, rose, pin-up, panther, or bring your own reference. Our artists adapt the composition to your body placement, respecting the American Traditional rules: thick black outlines that age beautifully, a limited colour palette that stays saturated for decades.

We use the highest-grade single-use needles, vegan inks (Dynamic and Eternal, both vegan and cruelty-free), and we hold the hygiene certifications required to tattoo at European conventions.

Old school tattoos are among the fastest to execute: most small to medium designs finish in a single session of 2 to 4 hours. The bold linework and solid colour fills are efficient to apply, which keeps your skin trauma low and healing time short, typically 2 weeks between sittings for larger pieces.

The defining quality of American Traditional is longevity. The thick outlines act as a permanent border that prevents colour migration, and the saturated primary colours hold their brightness far longer than fine-line or watercolour styles. A well-executed old school tattoo at 40 years old still looks like a tattoo, not a blur.

We deliberately work in bold outlines even when clients request thinner lines, that bold weight is what makes the style last 40+ years. That discipline is the Sailor Jerry standard.

If you want to read about the roots of the style before you book, the Wikipedia article on old school tattoos is a good place to start.

Old school tattoo pricing at BKK INK is based on time, with a guaranteed price cap agreed before we start. Old school pieces start at 4,000 THB, the rate is 3,000 THB per hour plus a 1,000 THB material fee per session. Even if a session runs longer than estimated, you never pay more than the agreed maximum.

Larger projects are quoted with a fixed cap at your free consultation, and a deposit secures your booking, from 1,000 THB for small pieces up to 3,000 THB per tattoo day for large multi-session work. See the full pricing guide.

Bring your reference to a free consultation and we will size it, place it and give you an exact capped quote on the spot, no surprises, in English, French or Thai.

Most small to medium old school tattoos finish in a single session of 2 to 4 hours, one of the fastest styles to execute thanks to the bold linework and solid colour fills. Larger pieces (full sleeve, back piece) require 4 to 10 sessions, with a 2-week healing window between each sitting. Tourists often complete a forearm piece in a single Bangkok visit.

Yes, American Traditional is widely considered the most durable tattoo style. The thick black outlines act as a permanent border that prevents ink migration, and the saturated primary colours (red, yellow, green, blue) hold their vibrancy far longer than fine-line, watercolour or grey-wash styles. A well-executed old school tattoo looks intentional and readable for decades, not blurry. It is the reason Sailor Jerry flash from the 1940s still looks sharp today.

Old school (American Traditional) uses a strict visual vocabulary: thick uniform black outlines, a limited palette of primary colours, flat colour fills, and a defined set of classic motifs (anchors, eagles, roses, swallows, pin-ups, daggers, panthers). Neo-traditional borrows that boldness but adds a wider colour range, more illustrative shading, Art Nouveau linework variation, and contemporary subject matter. Old school is the original, neo-traditional is its modern evolution. Both are done at BKK INK.

Absolutely, a large share of our clients are international travellers, and old school flash is one of the top requests from tourists visiting Bangkok. Most small to medium pieces finish in a single session, making them perfect for a holiday tattoo. We're right at the end of Khaosan Road, accept bookings up to six months in advance, and our artists speak English, French, and Thai in studio.

Yes, since 2009, our 12 artists have realised 40,000+ tattoos across twelve styles. Old school is carried by Mor, Hack and Vay. International awards include Best Collaboration Tattoo Asia (Singapore Ink Show) and recognition at Mondial du Tatouage Paris. 2,000+ reviews cumulatively across Google and Facebook (4.8/5 average). Our artists bring the same precision to old school flash as to any other style, clean outlines, proper saturation, no shortcuts.