Skull themed tattoos have been around for years, and much like the compass, rose and feather they are a staple in every tattoo artists arsenal; let’s face it, if you’re a professional tattooist, you’re going to be asked to do a skull design at some point in your career.
Just like we’ve done when we’ve spotlighted the other popular tattoo designs, we’re going to take a look at why skull tattoos are so popular and why many people choose to have a skull inked on their body!
What Do They Mean?
Aside from the outdated view that skull tattoos can only be done on burly biker men, skulls hold many different meanings for the person who is being tattooed.
For some, a skull tattoo can be a symbol or memorial for a loved one who has passed away. it is commonly seen as a symbol of death, and is often paired with a rose tattoo to create a startling memorial piece with traditional meaning.
Skulls can also symbolise overcoming death; whether it’s to incorporate or cover a scar that an individual had sustained in a tragic accident, or just simply acting as a reminder of a dark time in their life where their future was unclear. Many people use the grim reaper as a way to incorporate a skull in this instance, sometimes considering it a badge of honour for slipping through death’s grip.
For others, it’s just simply an interesting design - not every tattoo has to have a deep meaning behind it, right?
The Incorporation of
Colours
Traditionally, many skull tattoos are designed to be black and grey, especially if they are created using a traditional, realistic design.
However, this doesn’t always have to be the case. In fact, many people prefer to add some form of colour to their skull tattoos, especially if they are symbolising the death of a loved one to reduce the dark nature surrounding the skull as a symbol.
Adding colour can also give a skull tattoo some character; after all, the generic skull shape can sometimes look, well, generic. Give a skull tattoo a bit of character and make it unique – we guarantee it will look incredible.
Alternatively if the dark, eerie look is what you’re going for, stick with the traditional black and grey if you prefer!
Types of Skull
Not all skull tattoo designs have to look menacing and bare and, as with many other tattoo designs, depending on your tattoo artist’s preferred style, skull tattoos can be designed in a variety of different ways. In addition to the realistic approach to tattooing a skull design, there are other styles which work too!
One of the more popular styles is the sugar skull tattoo, which mimics the El Dia de los Muertos – or Day of the Dead – festival’s beautiful sugar skull sweet designs. Many of these designs incorporate depictions of lace, flowers and bright colours to make them bright and noticeable and much less menacing; befitting of the festival which focuses around families celebrating the lives of their departed loved ones.
Cartoon skulls are also a great way to bring a bit of light heartedness into your skull tattoo if you want to steer away from the seriousness often associated with traditional, realistic skulls.
As a tattoo artist, it’s important to showcase your skills, especially when it comes to popular symbols which you definitely will be asked to tattoo at some point.
So stock up on our high quality tattoo equipment today and start counting down the days to your next skull tattoo booking! If you need any help or advice, don’t hesitate to give us a call – we’ll be happy to advise you!
