The Art of Ink: Trash Polka

A mix of nature and chaos. A collage of trash and realism. Trash Polka tattooing comes straight out of Germany, and we have artists Nick Westfall, Chris Youngblood, David Garner to help tell the tale.
#InkMaster #ParamountNetwork
Welcome to the official Ink Master KZbin channel. New episodes every Tuesday at 10/9c on Paramount Network.
Subscribe to Ink Master: bit.ly/2UnXF24
Facebook.com/inkmaster
inkmaster
Twitter.com/inkmaster
pinterest.com/ink_master
paramountnetwork.com/shows/ink-master
Over the past few years, the popularity of tattoos has exploded across the world. We set off to explore the different individual styles of tattooing, what makes them unique and the artistry it takes to execute them. Each episode we’ll tackle a different style of tattooing, meet the top artists in each style and learn all about that particular genre from the people who are at the top of their craft.

[@ShastaAnn]

I'm a 61-year-old woman who doesn't have any tattoos, but if I got one, it would be Trash Polka. To me, it pretty much sums up life. No matter how ordered you try to live your life, chaos always finds its way in.

[@solztt]

What you said is beautiful, I loved it!

[@Langkowski]

I always think it is fascinating to hear how tattoo artists just ended up tattooing people by a coincidence.

[@akhaiiro]

My god, that blue accented piece was incredible

[@routex1]

6:35 agreed!

[@ErikRoseJohnsen]

Agreed!

[@adriantorres7858]

I feel like trash polka is so unique that ur tattoo is always one of kind

[@theluigimon]

This reminds me of the merch rock bands or their CD covers from 2000s with the skulls and the font

[@nestorluvsher]

Second Power exact feeling! Reminds me of MySpace promos

[@hotmessjess3390]

Or rip off Ed Hardy shirts

[@9009matorres]

Hot Mess Jess nah ed hardy had a different vibe...

[@aktony4712]

Cypress hill skulls whit some green letering that be loco

[@TRAGICTIDES]

making those lines look like legit brush strokes is a key element a lot of other styles lack or simply don't incorporate, i think that's more impressive than any other style ( not including portraits).

[@caffeinerising6626]

i was in awe by what he said at 5:16. you can tell that theyre passionate by their craft and that brings about genuine care to their client...

[@spookyoyster4014]

I used to live in the german city the studio is at, their tattoos are truly amazing! Its not the style I'd like on my body so I never was in their shop but I love to see it on other people!

[@motionlessproductions2478]

this i the art i was looking for like 2 years

[@alexnico3028]

But u settled for some random crap. Haha

[@painoftheheart12]

i love trash polka. it is beautiful chaos.

[@Koppakuoriainen]

I really love the trash polka style. Black with a little touch of red here and there is awesome.

[@willt.9654]

I hope he has a BlackBerry tattoo now.

[@Nagem1617]

This style is both very odd yet very well made. It's organized chaos. Personally I would not get one as I am more leaning to another style but I would love to someday be able to create one of these for someone who really wants it.

[@angelanguyen3372]

just curious, what style were you leaning to?

[@Nagem1617]

@@angelanguyen3372 I lean more to watercolor and geometric designs

[@dawna4185]

i have three tattoos this style.......so amazing!

[@danutto]

The coolest style ever.

[@tishamanda36]

I have become obsessed with doing a sleeve in trash polka. I started with an anatomical heart in black and grey with red graphic over it an I am slowly piecing what else I like. I would love to get to Germany and have it done right.

[@candy9997]

I have become obsessed too, I want my whole left arm in trash polka, I already have 4 tattoo on my upper left arm.

[@raymond6845]

This is one of the most punk things I have ever seen, and it's beautiful. If only I didn't have chronic eczema. :(

[@ongobongo8333]

Raymond Davis this is the opposite of punk

[@RoIIingStoned]

I have chronic eczema and just got a relatively big bicep piece right by where my eczema is on the middle of my arm. It definitely flared up that day but it's down now just one day later. As long as you don't get it exactly where the eczema is I don't see a problem

[@annaxd4871]

@@RoIIingStoned For me to, the excema is mostly on my ellbow wrinkle (how do you say that, not a native speaker :D ) And the tattoo rather in the upper arm

[@Neenerella333]

@@ongobongo8333 If you saw original punk record covers from the late 70s and early 80s, these would fit right in. The newsprint, the palettes, the skulls. The aesthetic is more NYC HC of 1982, not California pop punk of the 2000s.

[@sujurean]

I have eczema myself and honestly my skin and tattoos heal hella fast in comparison to others because of it, so I wouldn't be too worried about that stopping you. The healing process is pretty much the same as an eczema flare up: clean the skin and apply lotion or ointment and don't touch it. So far I have almost a full sleeve done and one big tattoo on my bicep 👌

[@jennyfer757]

I love trash polka but I’d only like a sleeve because I’d like different styles on me but trash polka is definitely one of my favorites

[@Itsraejean]

i definitely want a trash polka tattoo now

[@EdwardGFunk]

I completed my t.p half sleeve three weeks ago. It's 97% healed and i'm stoked to show it off soon...

[@steinistein8611]

I just stumbled upon this video and Buenavista is in the city I live in, about 15 minutes from my place. I knew they were very popular and and booked for like years... but I had no idea that it was this big. I love this style for the way it just flows on the body. I don't like about most tattoos that they just look a bit misplaced and lost, just a little dot on this big canvas, if you know what I mean... I really like it

[@mistyminnie5922]

Trash Polka is so beautiful. I would never get it myself but if I will see someone with it irl I will instantly fall in love

[@thegamethemovie9605]

The collage style is cool.

[@FutebolMusicaDance]

The perfect blend of harshness, catharticism, bold, yet artistic, balanced, and uses the whole body as its canvas. No wonder I've been redrawn to this style BUT fuck I gotta shell out for a large piece and plane tickets to Germany lol.

[@georgejohnson1124]

Awesome Skin Art....................................

[@binmanart]

Not that I don't appreciate the style - it's sort of a new age DADAism - but most trash polka looks like lazy photoshop work on someone's body. That full body work they showed at 2:53 was amazing though.

[@msbapette]

This is so amazing!!

[@chloe7582]

This is my absolute favorite style of tattooing

[@awoFalase]

Wonderful to see the possibilities of tattoo art!

[@michael7324]

I absolutely love this style.

[@areeoree3059]

It’s really beautiful. I can’t imagine having it on a whole section of my body though 😭. I’m lame.

[@YOSSI22T.B]

This style is sick man some of it is a bit too gothic for me but a lot of it looks super super good. Thers no other style like this im deffo getting a piece of this done

[@johanna2001xx]

this is amazing!

[@Viti]

is there gonna be a geometric tattoo episode?

[@willt.9654]

The purists are only just now starting to come around to watercolor, so I'm not holding out.

[@TheBananasplit01]

I don't think there is much story behind geometric tattoo

[@DamianLewd]

Milkrate you’re wrong

[@DamianLewd]

Check it out there is one

[@alexteasdale4599]

I never used tonlike "Trash Polka" but it has seriously grown on me recently

[@alissalou6109]

idk if its my style, but its cool to see how passionate people are about this style.

[@wjjwTheDemigod]

At first, I didn't like the art style, but the more research I have done...I've never wanted a tattoo style like this so much in my life. I gotta get to Germany somehow.

[@grixxy_666]

Avant-garde 70s punk posters

[@jcwt_pdx]

This is a beautiful style 🤩

[@scottbruckner4653]

Trash Polka feels like Illustrations and then Smear red over it in some areas.

[@ninablaa6333]

I got my first Tattoo at Buena Vista! Well, it wasn't a Trash Polka, but their guest artists are pretty awesome too.

[@missbasma5231]

Stunning.

[@eliherrera82]

Love this style for myself! It goes with the art style i love to do, sucks that i have to go to Germany to get it...not sure if there are more options of artist here in the U.S who do it besides these guys.

[@elizabethromine2890]

I’d kinda like to get into this. I’m brand new though but this is my style, abstract/realism/dark.

[@michaelgraham6959]

When other cultures start with it, you're going to see something beautiful, believe that

[@neildickson4897]

best ive seen at it is florian karg

[@21whichiswhich]

Actually, I really like it.

[@cruiserlegend0797]

cool and fresh

[@purple_haze_tattoo_Bcn]

Yheaaa🎉

[@Laghagua]

amazing ART.

[@dudeineedaname4005]

I remember seeing nic westfall at club tattoo back in the day he is a great person and awesome tattoo artist

[@brokebutfunctioninggarage]

3:11 that piece looks VERY similar to the tattoo on Bray Wyatt's shoulder (wwe wrestler)

[@weirdmanu]

I have trash polka in progress. Untill now we do the cover up... All black. Soooo painful and there is so black. But I think when it s over become so cool

[@Nopaoh]

i love my trash polka tattoo almost have my whole arm done

[@marcelb.3793]

Im going to do this this years

[@Jessica-dc8ig]

I never knew what style of tattoos I should get but I really love this and I’ve always wanted to go to Germany so maybe I’ll get that done when I’m there :)

[@maxmustermann1473]

Just warnt to Tell you Male an appointment 6month or up to one year before and Check out Vista before. It’s very very expansive. If there is a big tattoo you will have some More Sessions. If you Really think about this Plan it like the d day

[@maxmustermann1473]

Best regards from Germany

[@Jessica-dc8ig]

@@maxmustermann1473 thank youu sm for the info🤍

[@maxmustermann1473]

@@Jessica-dc8ig no Problem. But heard now that they Maybe booked out 1/2 years. So Plan for it. Würzburg do have some Fine wine Restaurants so once Here Not only Test the tattoo😉

[@narutobyob]

I want one

[@laisamarques]

It looks like the Watchmen art style

[@marcusng8246]

i think Trash Polka is influenced by David Carson, during the Ray gun magazine period (an alternative music and lifestyle magazine.

[@katogeukens5294]

i thought he literally sold a blueberry as in the fruit 😂

[@artfan101]

this style is so cool, when done well.... I do have to wonder how it ages. Guess we will have to wait and see.

[@jorgeantunes4084]

vou estudar esse stilo

[@toiletduck911]

I need this.

[@_justkarl]

i know what will be my first tattoo :D

[@florevanderbaan7969]

This is so fuckin punk I love it

[@aft5264]

Not a fan of the style, but I do like the red on black color scheme.

[@jasonszeto7790]

W o w

[@PercyLeMat]

Reminds me a little of Dave McKean.

[@ronnieremark3355]

PercyLeMat which Dave Mckean. Punk rock Gc5 Mansfield?

[@alejandrosonotros1605]

El René zz se desmaya

[@Missteree87]

Gorgeous

[@ghostfrequencies]

1) but how well do trash polka tattoos age; american traditional are relatively simple because the thick lines and limited colors age really well with you. 2). so he started out a scratcher?

[@johnlane4600]

Yeh I'm most certain my next piece will b trash polka from artist in Vegas! There's got 2 be 2-3 artists in sin city who can do this style. Must do research.

[@seanrizzle]

What did the censor on that guy's arm @3:16, anyone else notice that?

[@ReaperDaddy]

went to have one of my first big piece at buenavista about 10 years ago.... it was my worse tattoo experience.... Even though he is very good at what he does, on the personal level i thought Volko was quite an arrogant person and really seing himself as a rockstar.... Not my kind of people.

[@etienneastic6651]

Volko Merschky is the Best.

[@97spartan]

Apb reloaded tattooing

[@Starfume]

Love this series.

[@nikond-vp9wt]

I like american ink

[@ltmangaming2794]

where to sign? :)

[@khaithianthang]

this is very interesting

[@thingsido8695]

Unless you get it from fonk. Go for it.

[@joebuczkowski8605]

i would call it like punk rock ransom note style.

[@Hades-Sired]

I wonder if anyone in Texas does trash polka tattoos.

[@spencergomez8038]

Can someone explain to me the difference between trash polka tattoos and abstract tattoos? Thanks!

[@purpled4864]

trash polka is an abstract style of tattoo there is no one type of abstract tattoo

[@danilojose883]

Show do bola ...

[@ronniedarko2536]

I was gonna get a tattoo in this style but it got me wondering how long will these tattoos last. Its probably gonna fade out once its healed.

[@chevyimpala-zj9oo]

Not really i got my tattoos real young 16 22 now and they look good still

[@lewissowerby2149]

I appreciate the originality of trash polka, I personally think it looks horrible though

[@footbawlsamich]

what was this style called again? XD

[@drewlivinhislife8880]

Who does this kind of work in LA??? HMU

[@SpencerF6]

Whenever I see trash polka tats with the black and gray and splashes of red, it makes me think of those frames photos you can buy at Ikea with the icon London Routemaster bus in red on a black and gray background.... No disrespect intended.

[@goatpepperherbaltea7895]

Will I regret liking traditional style or no

[@kastalom3333]

Love working in this style...@maxkomarovart

[@trishemerald2487]

THIS

[@jasonmenke3955]

Straight garage.

[@NoogaJack]

No credit to Simone and Volko ?

[@jhonsebas4567]

wow trash polka is Love 😊

[@pabloG3d]

at 4:44 it shows him tracing a skull. serious question, so you dont really need to learn how to draw then?

[@JSchroederee]

If it were my tattoo I’d want the artist to use every tool at his disposal to make it look good. So if he wants to trace some lines off a photo of a real skull to ensure he gets the propositions right, awesome! I’d prefer a traced skull to a wonky disproportionate one.

[@wciflanker7]

Drawing is more than just the lines of what you're drawing. Anyone can trace the lines of a picture. But not everyone can properly shade and colour to make what they're drawing look real. The average person would shade the skull and make it appear flat. An artist will shade it and itll have depth to it, and itll look 3D.

[@itsnovalouise]

Best trash polka art I’ve ever seen on Instagram @shoplouxieluxury

[@carlosdejesusorozcoquijano5463]

@renezz

[@stormpooper4020]

Fly moronso

[@nintendolover114]

Personally not a huge fan but each to their own

[@Keyser_Soze.]

Very German

[@IDeNCHYI]

Lettering to look like a ransom note! ffs