What is Tattoo Flash?

At Solana Tattoo Company, Fort Collins, Colorado, we want to bring the heritage of flash tattoos back into the mainstream. Flash tattoos are a major part of tattoo history, so in addition to custom body art of all kinds, we think it's important to preserve this part of the art's tradition. That's why we offer Flash Fridays the first Friday of every month.

But what is a flash tattoo?

Simply put, flash is pre-drawn tattoo designs. Back in Sailor Jerry's days (the tattoo artist, not the rum), sailors would dock at the shore, pop into a tattoo shop, and pick a design off the wall. The designs were often maritime-themed and done in what is today known as the "traditional" style of tattooing.

In Solana Tattoo Company, we hang our flash on the walls, and we also proudly display Sailor Jerry's original flash in books. Anyone can choose a flash design off the walls or from the books. On the walls, we carry a variety of famous and respected tattoo artists' work, as well as our own in-house artists' flash. Our artists release new flash sheets every month -- something you just don't see anywhere else anymore.

These are tattoo designs our artists want to do but might not otherwise get to do, so it's a win-win. Our artists get to flex their creativity, and you get gorgeous designs you don't have to come up with on your own. Because let's be honest: Sometimes you don't know what you want until you see it.

Not sure if flash is for you?

When you browse tattoos on Pinterest and bring a design to an artist, you are essentially looking through tattoo flash; these are pre-drawn designs and ideas, just digitally. So in that, flash is far from dead. It just looks different today than it did for Sailor Jerry.

We love to provide new ideas and inspiration for you, which is why our artists are constantly coming up with something new. And we work to make it affordable for you one day a month on Flash Friday, when those new designs are massively discounted and all other flash on the walls and books is 10% off. Every month.

Legacy matters. And traditional tattoo flash is timeless. When you wear a piece of flash from our walls, you are wearing a part of tattoo history, as well as what it means to you personally.

You are a part of something bigger.