CLASSICALLY POIGNANT PIECES
Although traditional style tattooing is nothing new, a fresh take on it can be seen within Dean Denney‘s artful tattoos. Breathing a breath of fresh air into one of the most age old styles of tattooing modernizes and keeps these timeless renditions alive. These classically poignant pieces from Denney reinforce the art form and help to keep the genre relevant. The artists use of color is particularly interesting. Although traditional tattoos most commonly utilize colors like reds, yellows, and greens, Denney pushes the boundaries and dares to infuse bright blues and oranges that can often be hard to translate correctly to skin. Never the less, he does so with grace and all while maintaining classic integrity for the heavy black line work of the style. This blends new techniques with the old and helps to give his clients a personalized experience, while still still staying true to the genre.
Subject matter is collectively shown as fierce animals, most notably tigers and birds such as owls or eagles. Other common visages include beautifully painted women, hearts, and other symbols of life, love, and loss. Through this, artwork imparts tones of pride, of ferocity, and of the darker side of life- often contrasting a gorgeously detailed heart, with a skull. This keeps the macabre all very intertwined with the more beautiful touches, which is perhaps why this style of tattooing is so popular; it is not so out of touch with reality.
Entry into this style of tattoos may seem simple, because there are many that have learned from those before, however to truly make a name for yourself within it is what sets artists like Dean Denney apart. Through his use of precise and ornate specifications for his finished products, this artist’s works appear as delightful pops of otherworldly views seeping through to our reality – a world where the grim reaper comes to life, where gypsies dance, and grand masts of ships sail upon skin.