It’s hard to get more badass than a skull tattoo. But there’s more to these classic subjects than bikers and swashbucklers. Symbols for death and mortality, skulls can be found in the art and folklore of cultures worldwide. From Aztec rituals to Hindu temples, people have been fascinated by the power of these skeletal remains for centuries.
When it comes to ink, skull tattoos look good in just about any placement, whether on the shoulder, chest or even the hand. They are also versatile in design and style, looking equally good as standalone pieces or as smaller elements incorporated into larger designs.
Whatever the case, the inks in this collection are sure to give you plenty of inspiration for your next tattoo design and placement.
1. Sugar Skull Tattoo
The Mexican tradition of Dia De Los Muertos — or the Day of the Dead — is when people celebrate their departed loved ones in a festival of music, food and drink, and with sugar skulls that represent the spirits of the dead. This makes sugar skull tattoos particularly meaningful inks that are more celebratory than mournful.
2. Bull Skull Tattoo
Symbols of strength, vitality and natural power, bulls can make for some impressive ink. When stripped of the flesh, revealing the bone beneath, bull tattoos are even more striking, adding a level of morbidity to these powerful creatures and what they represent.
3. Skull and Rose Tattoo
Life and death: few designs could perfectly capture the beauty of existence and the inevitability of our demise better than a skull and rose tattoos. For those who want a piece to show off their understanding of the duality of life, this could be the one.
4. Deer Skull Tattoo
These majestic creatures hold various symbolisms depending on which culture and tradition they are viewed by. However, they almost always represent the power of nature, a symbolism made even more potent by the inevitable demise depicted in deer skull tattoos.
5. Small Skull Tattoo
Sure, big and bold has its appeal, but there is something to be said about smaller tattoo designs. This is especially true of small skull tattoos that let the unmistakable meaning behind these macabre symbols speak for itself.
6. American Traditional Skull Tattoo
Bold will hold. This motto applies to all ink, but American traditional tattoo designs are probably the style that best demonstrates this creed. With bold lines, fully saturated colors and the distinct visage of this bone, you can’t go wrong with traditional skull tattoos.
7. Ram Skull Tattoo
The goat’s bigger, meaner cousin, rams, are powerful symbols of power and virility. Plus, those horns just look cool. By recreating the look of polished bone, ram skull tattoos take all of this symbolic meaning and add a macabre twist that is sure to turn heads.
8. Cow Skull Tattoo
If you’ve ever traveled through the American southwest, you understand the appeal of the wide-open spaces and the sense of freedom they inspire. You’ve also probably run across the skeletal remains of some unlucky bovine that got lost outside the wire. It’s just this feeling of beautiful desolation that cow skull tattoos capture.
9. Animal Skull Tattoo
There is something fascinating about skulls, whether they’re human or animal. Animal tattoos are a great way to add a twist to a design dedicated to their favorite animal for people who identify with a certain creature.
10. Snake Skull Tattoo
Snakes are symbols of vitality and the mystery of nature that people have been fascinated with for millennia. Snake skull tattoos make these powerful symbols even more exciting by stripping them down and revealing the bone beneath.
11. Wolf Skull Tattoo
The wild origin of man’s best friend; people and wolves have a shared history that goes back thousands of years. These apex predators are fearless symbols of loyalty and the wild, making wolf tattoos perfect for those that understand but do not fear the end.
12. Cat Skull Tattoo
For feline lovers that prefer things a bit spooky, it’s hard to beat cat skull tattoos. Particularly appealing when applied in black and grey shading, these unique-looking skulls are sure to turn heads.
13. Skull Crown Tattoo
All hail the king; the king is dead. Crowns are the perfect way to represent power and nobility, but the meaning changes when juxtaposed against a skull. Skull crown tattoos can mean that all human power eventually passes or that, while the man may die, the crown remains.
14. Longhorn Skull Tattoo
There is no mistaking this impressive headgear for anyone who has ever been to Texas. Whether you are a University of Texas alumni or you just identify with the power these wild steers evoke, longhorn skull tattoos are a great choice.
15. Pirate Skull Tattoo
The ol’ jolly roger. That unmistakable symbol of privateers, pirates and sea-going ne’er do wells, the skull and crossbones have been intimidating people for more than a hundred years. Pirate skull tattoos are a must-have for those who live the pirate life.
16. Goat Skull Tattoo
These cantankerous animals represent virility, sure-footedness and revelry, among other things. With a good set of horns and a confident look, goat skull tattoos are sure to catch the eye.
17. Skull and Flower Tattoo
Another interesting juxtaposition, skull and flower tattoos are a great way to add a bit of beauty to something wild. With thousands of different blossoms to choose from, you are sure to find a design to suit your style and sensibilities.
18. Cowboy Skull Tattoo
With a cowboy hat, kerchief and cigarette, these high-lonesome drifters are the perfect subjects for a macabre interpretation. Cowboy tattoos are a great choice for anyone who loves the Wild West’s darker side.
19. Bear Skull Tattoo
Representing strength, power and protection, bears are fierce predators. Bear skull tattoos are a great choice for anyone wanting to embrace their wild side with something a little different.
20. Flaming Skull Tattoo
For those of us who grew up with the Ghost Rider comics, flaming skull tattoos will forever be associated with the Marvel anti-hero. For everyone, these exciting designs just look badass.
21. Raven Skull Tattoo
Sometimes thought to represent trickster gods, ravens have been associated with death and mystery for centuries. These highly intelligent birds survive by scavenging whatever they can find, often enjoying carcasses left in the wild, giving raven skull tattoos an added level of macabre appeal.
22. Aztec Skull Tattoo
Holding a different meaning in Aztec culture, skeletons represent life, fertility and eternity. This makes Aztec tattoos a good choice for those who appreciate skeletons’ morbid visuals but understand the deeper, positive meaning behind them.
23. Golden Skull Tattoo
An interesting contrast is created when depicting the most recognizable symbol for death and decay in shimmering gold. Whether they represent the beauty of death, eternal life, or you just think they look cool, golden skull tattoos are sure to turn heads.
24. Viking Skull Tattoo
Fierce warriors that pillaged in the Americas hundreds of years before Columbus, the Vikings have become synonymous with the warrior spirit. Viking skull tattoos are a good option for those with a bit of
25. Japanese Skull Tattoo
Blending different styles is a great way to develop unique and exciting designs, and Japanese tattoos are a perfect example. By taking the detailed irezumi style and applying it to what is usually a Western tattoo design, truly striking and special designs are possible.
26. Tribal Skull Tattoo
Full of swirling lines and layered patterns, there are endless different styles that fall under the umbrella of “tribal.” This gives a talented artist plenty of creative space to create tribal tattoos that are sure to stand out from the crowd.
27. Skull Wings Tattoo
While you may want to be careful if you’re in Hell’s Angels territory, skull wings tattoos can make for some impressive designs that blend these two seemingly disparate design elements into eye-catching pieces.
28. Skull Octopus Tattoo
The perfect addition to a nautical themed sleeve or as a standalone design, skull octopus tattoos let the artist flex creative muscles on these eight-limbed, highly intelligent cephalopods.
29. Skull Tattoo Sleeve
If one skull simply isn’t enough, you may want to check out some skull tattoo sleeves. Utilizing all the natural lines of the arm with plenty of room to create dynamic and exciting designs, these big, macabre pieces are sure to turn heads.
30. Skull Finger Tattoo
If you want to show off a bit of ink below the cuff, skull finger tattoos are a good choice. Simple enough to be recreated on such a small canvas, the unmistakable visage of a skull is a good way to get some attention without the need for a big design.
31. Hand Skull Tattoo
For those folks that don’t plan on getting an office job anytime soon, hand skull tattoos are a great way to show the world your bold sensibility and macabre style. Whether in black and grey or with a bit of color, there’s nothing like a skull placed smack on the hand to turn heads.
32. Skull Neck Tattoo
Ink on the neck has become more popular in the last ten years, with celebrities and average joes rocking designs above the collar. If your style is macabre and you want to show it off, skull neck tattoos are hard to beat.
33. Skull Face Tattoo
A small skull below the eye may do the trick for some people. For others, skull face tattoos are best used to recreate the grim visage over their own features across their entire face, creating the look of death that is sure to shock.
34. Skull Back Tattoo
The largest canvas on the body, the back, is best saved for big designs that let the artist fully utilize the full scope of the canvas. If you want something big and detailed that will blow minds, skull back tattoos might be the right choice.
35. Shoulder Skull Tattoo
Using a classic placement that is easily displayed or covered, there are thousands of unique designs that take shoulder skull tattoos to the next level.
Skull Tattoo FAQ:
What does a skull tattoo mean?
Skulls are the ultimate symbol of death. For this reason, skull tattoos are the perfect way to show the world that you embrace your mortality and have chosen not to fear death.
What is a sugar skull tattoo?
Used to represent departed loved ones during the Mexican holiday of Dia de los Muertos, sugar skulls are part of a colorful and festive tradition that continues to inspire millions every year in November.
What does a sugar skull tattoo mean?
For some folks, these brightly colored skulls may just be nice-looking designs that they wanted to get inked on their bodies. But for others, these skulls can represent lost loved ones that they wanted to memorialize with a bit of permanent body art.
