circa 1910-1930 •
August "Cap" Coleman (1884–1973) had a significant influence on his generation of tattooists. •
Amund Dietzel (1890–1974), Norwegian-born artist who began his career as a sailor, before settling in the United States. Known as the "Master in
Milwaukee". •
Milton Zeis (1901–1972), commercial artist and tattoo supplier who sold a large amount of flash. •
Franklin Paul Rogers (1905–1990), artist, mentor, and tattoo machine builder, contributed to the development of the American traditional style. •
Bert Grimm (1900–1985). Began his career in the city of
St. Louis and then moved to
Long Beach, California, to set up a shop at the
Nu-Pike. His parlour was said to be the oldest continually running in the continental US and the place for sailors to get inked. Grimm sold the shop to Bob Shaw in 1970. •
Samuel Steward (1909–1993), one of the "old masters", best known for his memoir
Bad Boys and Tough Tattoos, which continues to be used to teach apprentice tattoo artists. • Tino "Rosie" Camanga (1900-?), moved to Honolulu from the Philippines and started tattooing there in 1944. He's a big influence in what is called folk art (sub-genre of the American traditional style). • Norman Keith Collins (1911–1973), better known as
Sailor Jerry, was one of the most well-known traditional tattoo artists. •
Herbert Hoffmann (1919–2010), began tattooing in Germany during the 1930s. Together with fellow artists Karlmann Richter and Albert Cornelissen, he was featured in the 2004 film
Blue Skin (German: ''Flammend' Herz''). •
Bob Shaw (1926–1993), American artist who learned tattooing from Bert Grimm in
St. Louis. Later worked with Grimm and became the president of the National Tattoo Association from 1983–1988. •
Don Ed Hardy (born 1945), a driving force in incorporating
Japanese tattoo aesthetics and techniques into American traditional. ==Common motifs and features ==