Tattoo Script Styles: Tattoo Lettering
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When we think about tattoos and body art, we often think of Japanese dragon tattoos, large full sleeve pieces, or bright and color realism tattoos.
But the fact is that tattoos don’t have to be big, colorful, or realistic looking. They can also be small and simple.
And that’s precisely why many people choose to get a script tattoo instead of a larger design.
But choosing a font style for your script tattoo can be tricky. And that’s exactly why we’ve put together the following guide on tattoo script styles.
So let’s get right into it!
What Exactly Is A Script Tattoo?
Script, word, or lettering tattoos are tattoos where the design is made up primarily of words, phrases, lettering, dates, song lyrics, lines from a poem, etc.
There really are no limits to what type of lettering or script you can get tattooed on you.
People often get script tattoos of meaningful Bible verses or of their loved one’s names. But you can literally get any type of wording or lettering that has personal significance to you.
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What Are Some Good Tattoo Script Styles And Ideas?
Script tattoo are a bit more personal than getting, let’s say a cross or a flower tattoo. The tattoo’s message is often used to make a bold statement about one’s self-expression. And the wording people choose often has deep meaning or some type of spiritual significance to them.
However, it’s important to remember that the tattoo font you choose can either help or hinder the tone or significance of the script you want to wear.
That said, here are a few script tattoo ideas you can use to inspire your next tattoo:
- Bible verses – People often find deep personal significance to Bible verses.
- Other languages – Why not have your tattoo written in another language to make it a bit more unique? Latin and Old English tattoos look cool and add a touch of history to your tattoo as well.
- Graffiti – Font selection can be tricky. So instead of choosing, ask your tattoo artist to design a graffiti-style tattoo for you.
- Gothic – Gothic or Medieval fonts can look really cool and can stand out more than just going with a basic cursive script font tattoo.
- The names of deceased loved ones – What better way is there to commemorate grandma than getting her name tattooed over your heart? You can even pair your loved one’s name with other imagery that reminds you of them.
- Important dates – Your child’s birthday, your wedding anniversary, or the date when you got your first tattoo. Dates can have a lot of personal significance to you and make great script tattoos.
Obviously, these are just a handful of script tattoo ideas. Just don’t be scared to look for ideas in songs, poems, or other types of literature you like for quotes or wording that feels important to you.
Then chat about it with your tattoo artist who can help you choose the right font for your new tattoo.
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6 Tips For Designing A Good Script Tattoo
Any skilled tattoo artist should have ample experience doing script tattoos and can help you create a design that’s perfect for whatever it is that you’re after.
However, there are a few things you should keep in mind when thinking about and designing a script tattoo.
Let’s take a look at a few tips to help you design a perfect font tattoo.
- Not too small – The smaller the design, the trickier it is for your artist to give you a good tattoo. Small lettering isn’t only hard to tattoo. It’s also prone to fading and blurring, which might make it illegible as the tattoo ages, even if you’ve got 20/20 vision.
- Bold is better – On the other hand, bold lettering and fonts with thick lines are more likely to stand up to the test of time. For a small script tattoo, choose simple font styles, like Times New Roman or Helvetica. Whereas for bigger script tattoos, feel free to go with whatever script font or calligraphy style your tattoo artist recommends.
- Be careful with cursive – Cursive fonts can look cool. But their intricate lettering, especially when done small, can make your tattoo hard to read. And there are literally thousands and thousands of fonts to choose from. Don’t be scare to explore different fonts until you find one you like.
- Dark ink – Similar to the way you want to avoid small fonts, you should also avoid getting a script tattoo in lighter or colored ink, which will be prone to fading and becoming illegible. Stick to darker inks and bold writing that will last.
- Placement is important – Because your body isn’t a flat two-dimensional surface, tattoo font scripts can sometimes look weird when done on curved parts of your body. Dates, words, or small script tattoos look fine just about anywhere. But if you want a whole stanza from your favorite poem tattooed on you, you might want to consider having it done on your chest, shoulder, or back where it’s a bit flatter.
- Be careful with loved one’s names – There’s absolutely nothing wrong with getting your mom, grandmother, or family members’ names tattooed on you. Just be careful when getting girlfriend or boyfriend’s names done. We can’t tell you how many tattoo horror stories we’ve heard about people getting a tattoo removed or covered up because got their lover’s name done on their chest only to break up with them a weeks later.
By now you should have a pretty good idea of how to design a script tattoo you’ll love for the rest of your life.
But before you book that tattoo appointment, let’s review a few frequently asked questions about script tattoos.
What is the best font for a script tattoo?
Tattoos are often for personal use, so the best font largely depends on what you like. However, you should choose a font that’s easy to read. Cursive script fonts are OK. But they should be done large enough where they won’t fade and blur as the tattoo ages.
Do font style tattoos age poorly?
It depends. They can age poorly if they’re poorly done and the lettering is too small. However, a skilled tattoo artist will know not to do your script tattoo too small. Font style tattoos that are done well with large, bold lettering can last just as long as any other type of tattoo.
How can I make sure my script tattoo lasts?
As mentioned above, script tattoos should be done large enough where the letters won’t blur into each other as your skin ages. But on top of that, proper tattoo aftercare is important and taking care of your skin will ensure your tattoo lasts as long as possible.
Looking to design a cool script tattoo? Try our AI Tattoo Generator and get started today!
