A tattoo flash is a stereotypical[1] tattoo design printed or drawn on paper or cardboard, and may be regarded as a species of industrial design. It is typically displayed on the walls of tattoo parlors and in binders to give walk-in customers ideas for tattoos. Most traditional tattoo flash was designed for rapid tattooing and used in "street shops", tattoo shops that handle a large volume of generic tattoos.[2]
Flash is either drawn by the individual tattooer for display and use in his own studio, or traded and sold among other tattooers. Hand-drawn, local tattoo flash was largely replaced by professional "flash artists" who produced prints of copyrighted flash and sold them at conventions or through the Internet. By the turn of the new century (2000), most tattoo studios have become custom shops with the flash serving as more of a reference for ideas. Most designs are created by the tattoo from an idea brought in by the customer. Once again tattoo flash is being produced by the individual tattooers for display in their own studios and to be traded or sold to other tattoooers. There is no standard size for tattoo flash, but it is commonly found on 11x14 inch prints in North America, and at A3 paper size in Europe. Tattoo flash may or may not come with an outline, also known as a line drawing. This outline is typically printed on a separate sheet. This is convenient for the tattoo artist, who would otherwise have to draw the linework for themselves.
Anchor: Closely identified with sailors, mainly young sailors who would get the tattoo as a rite of passage after their first crossing of the Atlantic.
Bettie Page: A symbol of beauty and femininity, seen as the "Girl Next Door" hinting at the naughty.
Barbed Wire: Came out of prison culture and was adopted by Latino culture in Southern California. Often seen as armbands, this form of tattoo was wildly popularized by Pamela Anderson when she starred in Barb Wire.
Heart: Classic Flash design that was often used as an expression of romantic love. Became very popular with servicemen in WWII who got them as tokens of their loved ones to remind them what they were fighting for. Variations include stars and hearts, symbol of happiness and favorable opportunities; hands holding a heart, representating parental love; black heart, for grief or mourning.
Dragon: In China, the dragon represents a supernatural and imperial power that resides in heavenly realms. It is also seen as a deity of rain. The dragon is also said to represent the four elements air, water, earth, and fire.
Koi/Carp Fish: An important fixture in Chinese and Japanese culture and are present in many stories and legends. In these stories, the Koi is a symbol of perseverance in the face of adversity and strength of character and purpose. The carp can also represent wisdom, knowledge, longevity, and loyalty.