Bob Geerts

History & Origins

Traditional tattooing, often called old school or American traditional, traces back to the early 20th century. Sailors and military personnel brought tattoo culture from ports across the globe back to the Western world. Artists like Sailor Jerry Collins in Hawaii refined the style, drawing from Japanese tattooing techniques and nautical imagery. The result was a distinct visual language. Bold black outlines held color in the skin. Red, yellow, and green filled simplified shapes. Designs had to read clearly from a distance and age well over decades. Bob Geerts works squarely within this lineage. His Instagram portfolio shows a clear respect for the foundations of traditional tattooing. The flash sheets, the limited palettes, the commitment to readability. This is not a style that chases trends. It endures because the fundamentals work. Eindhoven may be far from the naval ports where traditional tattooing was born, but the principles carry over unchanged.

Defining Characteristics

Traditional tattoos have a specific set of visual rules, and Bob Geerts follows them with precision. The most obvious marker is the thick black outline. Every element gets wrapped in a solid, consistent line weight. This is what keeps the tattoo legible as it ages. Inside those outlines, the color palette stays limited. Think red, yellow, green, and a little blue or purple. Shading is minimal. Instead of smooth gradients, traditional work uses solid fills and black ink for depth. The overall effect is graphic and punchy. Designs are meant to be read instantly. A rose looks like a rose. A skull looks like a skull. There is no ambiguity. Bob's work reflects these characteristics clearly. His pieces hold up at any size because the contrast is strong and the linework is confident. What most people miss about traditional tattooing is that its simplicity is deliberate. The restraint is the skill.

Popular Motifs & Subjects

The traditional tattoo vocabulary is built on a specific set of recurring motifs. Roses, daggers, eagles, swallows, skulls, snakes, and hearts make up the core. Each carries layered symbolism. A swallow represents a sailor's return home. A dagger can signify betrayal or protection. A rose balances beauty with pain through its thorns. Bob Geerts draws from this established iconography. His Instagram feed shows these classic subjects rendered with the boldness the style demands. Flash sheets featuring panthers, ships, and pin-up figures appear regularly. The real question is not whether these motifs have been done before. They have. That is the point. Traditional tattooing is about executing established imagery with skill and personal flair. Bob's interpretations bring his own hand to these familiar forms. Quick tip: if you are considering a traditional piece, start with the motifs that resonate with your own story. The symbols are flexible enough to carry personal meaning.

Placement & Sizing

Traditional tattoos work best when they have room to breathe. The style relies on bold outlines and solid color fills, which means tiny designs lose their impact. A rose the size of a coin will blur over time. That same rose at four inches across will hold its shape for decades. Common placements for traditional work include the outer forearm, upper arm, calf, and chest. These areas offer flat, stable skin that ages well. The back and thigh provide larger canvases for multi-piece compositions. Bob Geerts' portfolio shows pieces across these classic placements. Let's break it down. If you want a single traditional piece, the forearm or calf gives enough space for clean detail. If you are building a sleeve, traditional work patches together naturally. Individual designs sit side by side rather than flowing into one continuous image. This patchwork approach is part of the style's history. Talk to Bob about sizing that fits your placement and your budget.

Choosing an Artist

Picking the right traditional tattoo artist comes down to a few concrete factors. First, look at the linework. Consistent, confident lines are non-negotiable. Wobbly outlines or uneven weight are red flags. Second, check the color saturation. Traditional pieces need solid, bright fills. Patchy or uneven color will only get worse as the tattoo ages. Third, examine how the artist's healed work holds up. Fresh photos look good on everyone. Healed photos tell the real story. Bob Geerts' large following on Instagram, over 118,000 followers, suggests his work resonates with a wide audience. That kind of reach does not happen without consistent output. Here is the thing. A specialist matters. An artist who focuses on traditional work will understand the technique better than someone who dabbles across ten styles. Bob's focus on traditional tattooing means he lives in this visual language daily. When you are ready to book, reach out through his Instagram or website. Come prepared with reference images and a clear idea of placement.