If you jump towards the present-day era, sugar skulls have always been considered as an integral part of the Day of the Dead celebration in Mexico. Much like the usage of actual skulls to represent both birth and death in ancient customs in this month-long celebration, sugar skulls also signify the same two things, and have become an important symbol of these ceremonies.
According to tradition, the sugar skull is supposed to be the soul of a departed loved one. People are supposed to etch the name of their dearly departed on the skull’s forehead, and place them inside their homes. Other people put these skulls on the gravestones so they could commemorate the return of this loved one’s spirit towards Earth. Art that comes with sugar skulls are reflected in traditional Mexican culture – These skulls are decorated with big smiles, sparkles, glitter, and colorful trinkets, which actually lessens their scare factor.
The idea of a sugar skull tattoo is highly popular for both men and women. But plenty of people don’t even know that these skulls carry a deeper message, and aren’t just some pretty design used to celebrate a certain occasion. So many people who love sugar skull tattoo designs use this as a way to commemorate their departed friends and family.
Types of Sugar Skull Tattoo Designs
Contents
Super Colorful Sugar Skull Tattoo
One of the main factors that make a sugar skull tattoo very pleasing to the eye is its color. This is probably the reason why tattoo artists came up with the idea of the colorful sugar skull tattoo. The colorful skull tattoo places together tons of vibrant colors, with plenty of them coming in brilliant hues. But when you decide to get this type of tattoo, you need to pick the right color combination carefully, since certain colors could look awkward together.
Roses and Sugar Skull Tattoo
Yet another common type of sugar skull design. People like the rose and sugar skull combination since they look great together, and not to mention they’re easy to draw. The placement of skulls and roses have grown in popularity after people first began acquiring them many decades ago. Although this type of tattoo combo is enjoyed more by women, men can get a toned down version of this tattoo, with muted colors.
Sugar Skull Tattoo with Mixed Imageries
This is a tattoo that places together various kinds of mixed imageries together with the sugar skull. This gives the skull a better look that is sure to appeal to many people. In this case, sugar skull tattoos are often put together with an owl tattoo. There are plenty of ways to put together these two images, so this is a challenge for both the client and the tattoo artist to show off their creative skills.
Traditional Sugar Skull Tattoo
These types of sugar skull design tattoos are enjoyed by men, since they carry plenty of meanings, and add in a small hint of masculinity to its general look and feel. Men who get the traditional sugar skull tattoo use monochrome or darker colors, so they’re the opposite of the vibrant female sugar skull tattoo. Much like women though, men also pair them up with other icons like diamonds, guns, and roses.
Also See:
Meaning of a Sugar Skull Tattoo
If you’re keen to commemorate a departed loved one in your life, you may be able to do so by getting a sugar skull tattoo. If the skull is meant to represent someone, the name should be etched on the tattoo’s forehead. The remainder of the skull should be decorated completely.
Sugar skull tattoo designs are a way to celebrate a deceased person’s life. Skulls that are shown during the actual Day of the Dead celebration aren’t morbid-looking or scary. They also contain up to four colors per skull.
Sugar Skull Tattoos are also considered as a sign of revolution, so they are liked by those who desire to stand out from the rest of the crowd.
Ideal Placement of a Sugar Skull Tattoo
The two important aspects when it comes to getting a permanent tattoo on your body is its design, as well as the ideal placement of the tattoo itself. These two factors often rely on each other to make even just the simplest tattoo look great. When it comes to tattoo locations, there are three most common places where people place them in: The shoulder, the upper back, and the lower back.
Areas of the body which are located closer to the bone are much more painful as compared to the ones that have more muscle or are fleshier. Simply put, the more bone there is in the area, the painful it will be when you get a tattoo.
Since sugar skulls could represent a family member or friend who has passed on, plenty of people get the sugar skull tattoos near their heart.
If you still want to have a sugar skull tattoo albeit a small one, then the wrist is a good option. The small size of a person’s wrist also helps the tattoo stand out more, despite its small size.
Sugar Skull Tattoo Preparation Tips
Right before visiting your tattoo shop and asking your local tattoo artist to give you one, make sure you already know what to expect so you won’t feel too anxious about the tattooing experience. Pick your favorite design, make sure that the artist is a professional, and follow the proper aftercare tips to prevent the fresh tattoo from getting infected. By obeying the right steps and getting lots of advice from your tattoo artist, that first ink of yours could be a great one.
No matter if it’s a beautiful mosaic pattern, your favorite animal, or lyrics to your favorite song, you should be sure enough that getting a tattoo is the thing you want to do. You can go look for design inspirations from pictures, popular Websites like Tumblr or Instagram, or even come up with them in your own imagination.
Apart from knowing your preferred design, you must also have an idea where you want to place your sugar skull tattoo, as well as the size of the tattoo.
Perhaps the most important choice you need to make when it comes to feeling satisfied about your tattoo is picking the right artist to do it. Choose a tattooist whose drawing style pleases you, but make sure to give them some sort of creative license as well. Do some thorough researching before you can meet up with this particular artist. The two of you can browse through several images gathered from Websites, books, or social media sites. This can help you agree on a common theme together.
Average Service Cost & Standard Price for Getting a Sugar Skull Tattoo
Apart from picking a proper sugar skull tattoo design due to its deeper meaning, the price when it comes to obtaining one is another aspect that you should think about thoroughly.
Two kinds of methods utilized by most professional tattoo artists to be able to charge for their artwork include the number of hours it takes to finish just one task, as well as the standard price for receiving a tattoo. If your sugar skull tattoo is huge, then it’s going to take more than an hour to finish the entire tattooing session, in contrast to a tiny skull tattoo. So if you’re currently on a budget, it is recommended that you get a smaller tattoo instead of receiving a badly-drawn one from an artist with no skills.
Maintenance Tips After Getting a Sugar Skull Tattoo
Take good care of your sugar skull tattoos by following the tips that your tattooist has given you. Make sure to obey all of the instructions for tattoo aftercare, so it can heal properly and look amazing later on. If you start to feel pain, redness, swelling, or any forms of infection on your new tattoo, call your doctor right away, or ask your tattoo artist for advice.
But if your skin has already been moisturized and smoothened prior to getting a tattoo, it could actually look twice as vibrant right after the session. After it has been fully healed, keep the tattooed area clean and sanitized, and make sure that the pores in your skin aren’t clogged from dust.
Once it has healed completely, these tattoos might be affected by direct sunlight. As much as possible, don’t place it in direct sunlight. If you frequent the beach during summer or have a job that requires you to go outside, wear sunscreen with SPF 30. Put sunscreen on your tattoo before stepping out. Not only will this protect your skin from UV rays, but it could also prevent your tattoo ink from fading too quickly.
A type of moisturizer especially designed for people who own tattoos like sugar skull tattoos, is one more way of preventing yourself from getting sunburnt. During the healing process, stay away from hot tubs, swimming pools, bathtubs, or anything that involves submerging your fresh tattoo from a body of water.
