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Home Tattoos 101 Best Day Of The Dead Tattoo Ideas You’ll Have To See To Believe!

101 Best Day Of The Dead Tattoo Ideas You’ll Have To See To Believe!

by Jamie Wilson
Day of the Dead Tattoos

Looking for the coolest tattoos related to Halloween Eve in Mexican culture? Then here are some amazing Day of the Dead tattoos for you to check out!

Day of the Dead
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The Day of the Dead is a holiday widely celebrated in Mexico which is also associated with the celebrations of Catholic occasions of ‘All Saints’ Day’ and ‘All Souls’ Day’.

The celebration of these days mostly occur on 1st November and 2nd November. During these days, people in Mexico get together with their families and friends to pray for the souls of their loved ones who have passed away.

Apart from prayers and remembrance, people also make traditional food dishes and create altars to remember the dead. There are also processions where people wear face makeup which resembles skulls. Along with the Mexican hat called sombrero and the face makeup, the people try to connect with the departed souls who have left them.

The day is also known as ‘Dia de los Muertos’ and can trace its history back to the Aztec civilization. There is also a Christian Catholic element to these holidays as people consider these days to be holy and pray to saints as well. Apart from that, people also go to the graveyard and visit the grave of their loved ones. They also clean and decorate those graves as a sign of love and affection. This small act is also a sign of caring and remembrance by the living souls who make it clear that their love has not diminished at all.

If you are wondering “What does Day of the Dead tattoo mean?”, then the answer is quite simple. Day of the Dead tattoos simply reflect the wonderful Mexican occasion. A lot of people wonder how much is a day of the dead tattoo and it depends on the size and type of ink that will be used in the tattoo. Normally, a full sleeve tattoo costs around $2000-$4000 but it might be more or less based on the kind of design you choose for your Day of the Dead tattoo.

Amazing Mexican Day Of The Dead Tattoo Ideas

Amazing Mexican Day Of The Dead Tattoo Ideas
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The Day of the Dead is one of the most famous holidays in Mexican culture. Even though the procession that is most well-known looks like a celebration, the day actually has a deeper meaning and connotation about mortality and sentiments regarding dead relatives. In a sense, it also resembles the Halloween or hallows eve that is celebrated in North America.

Sugar skulls or calavera are very important to this holiday and many people wear skull makeup for the special occasion. Calavera actually represents human skulls and for the special occasion, people make small candies made out of sugar in the shape of a skull. If you want your Day of the Dead tattoo to reflect its Mexican roots and heritage, then you can also ask your tattoo artist to modify your tattoo in a special way. As seen in the picture, you can add a sombrero to the skull and make it wear formal suit with a special white coloured exaggerated bow tie. In the streets of Mexico, during the Day of the Dead processions, you will see plenty of people who wear the same attire and play musical instruments. This is to remember and pay respect to the departed in a respectful and jovial manner.

Artistic Day Of The Dead Tattoos

Artistic Day Of The Dead Tattoos
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The Day of the Dead has a rich heritage that can be traced back to the Aztec culture. The Aztec civilization had a number of deities and gods who they worshipped. In addition to that, they also had their own unique sense of art and crafts. Much of what people use to decorate their houses, loved ones’ graves and the streets is born out of an aesthetic sense that can be traced back to their Aztec heritage. The holiday and every symbol associated with it is immensely artistic and aesthetic. Therefore, if you want to give an artistic twist to your Day of the Dead tattoo, you can do that as well.

As seen in the picture, the tattoo artist was inspired by the face of famous Mexican painter Frida Kahlo. Therefore, the artist has tattooed the face of Kahlo along with the symbols from the Day of the Dead creating a wonderful homage for the deceased, influential painter. Some people also get other aesthetic tattoos like Day of the Dead owl tattoo.

If you want to be inspired by the rich Aztec culture and legacy as well, check out these wonderful Aztec tattoo designs to add on to your own Day of the Dead tattoo.

Elaborate Day Of The Dead Tattoos For Your Back

Elaborate Day Of The Dead Tattoos For Your Back
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If you are looking for death tattoos or skeleton tattoos for your back, then you can also look at colourful Day of the Dead or Dia De Los Muertos tattoos. Usually, tattoo lovers want an elaborate style of tattoo art for their back in order to cover the entire expanse. For that reason, the elaborate and complex Day of the Dead tattoos would be perfect.

Through this tattoo, you can also pay your respect to the deceased who have passed away. Your tattoo can also be a portrait inspired by the death tattoos that are normally associated with the myth of La Catrina. La Catrina refers to the elegant skull which is an integral symbol in Mexican celebration. In addition to the skull, you can also add flowers and other Mexican symbols. Although most people wear superficial makeup on the actual holidays in order to blend in with the rest and take part in the festivities, you can actually stand out in the crowd because of your amazing tattoo. You can be certain that people will stop and stare at your tattoo and also ask you more about its meaning.

Mysterious Day Of The Dead Face Tattoo Designs

Mysterious Day Of The Dead Face Tattoo Designs
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One of the most popular Day of the Dead tattoos is the one with the face of a woman on them. The woman is actually representative of La Catrina who protects and honors the dead. She also portrays the relationship between the people and their deceased loved ones in Mexican culture. The tattoos inspired by the Lady of the Dead or La Calavera Catrina are also referred to as the Day of the Dead girl tattoo.

The La Catrina skull tattoos are inspired by the aesthetic theme of the cultural celebration and holiday. As seen in the picture, the tattoo artist has drawn a graceful face of a woman with black ink and added flowers as well. Normally, people do this makeup with skeletons on Halloween or Dia De Los Muerots in order to portray their beliefs about their deep and free connection with the dead. At the hands of an expert tattoo artist, your Day of the Dead tattoo can look like an actual portrait that has come to life due to the realistic style.

Amazing Day Of The Dead Skull Tattoo Designs

Amazing Day Of The Dead Skull Tattoo Designs
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If you are looking for a wonderful Day of the Dead tattoo, then you can also get a skull tattoo. Skeletons and skulls are an important part of the Dia De Los Muertos or Day of the Dead in Mexico. It is almost similar to the Halloween celebration in the rest of North America. The beliefs of the people related to the day are that the departed souls in their family come alive during this time.

As seen in the picture, a beautiful skull tattoo with intricate patterns and flowers is also capturing the essence of this sombre but joyful day. If you want to replicate this tattoo, you need to ensure that your tattoo artist has a steady hand and is great with black and white tattoos.

Day Of The Dead Tattoo Ideas That Show Aztec Culture

Day Of The Dead Tattoo Ideas That Show Aztec Culture
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The Day of the Dead is heavily derived from Aztec civilization. In fact, the La Catrina is said to be inspired from the Aztec goddess of death. Therefore, if you want to show the connection between Aztec and Mexican heritage, you can also include symbols from the Aztec civilization in your tattoo.

As seen in the picture, the wearer has added the steps of the Aztec temples in order to display their beliefs. The art style which is completely black in colour is creating a unique and unconventional effect.

Funny And Adorable Day Of The Dead Tattoo

Funny And Adorable Day Of The Dead Tattoo
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Since you will be getting the tattoo design, you are free to add your own interpretation to the Day of the Dead tattoo. It can be funny or colourful and represent your own personality and sense of humour. However, at the end of the day it should also honour the departed who have left us and properly respect their memory.

Gorgeous Day Of The Dead Tattoos

Gorgeous Day Of The Dead Tattoos
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If you want the focus of your tattoo to be the Lady of the Dead or La Calavera Catrina, then you can definitely draw inspiration from tattoo design above. The extremely realistic skeleton portrait looks like a girl has done makeup on herself and added roses to her hair. This is also the perfect tattoo design to put on your arm sleeve in order to carry out a celebration of life and mortality.

Minimal Day Of The Dead Tattoo Ideas

Minimal Day Of The Dead Tattoo Ideas
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If you do not want an elaborate tattoo but want it to be eye catching nonetheless, you can opt for a minimal tattoo art style as opposed to the traditional, elaborate tattoo. As seen in the picture, the tattoo of Catrina Calavera done in a neat, precise manner is showing the famed woman or lady death represented by the figure of the skull. The tattoo design done in dark colours including black is also an indirect way to honour the dead.

Day Of The Dead Tattoo Ideas With Floral Motifs

Day Of The Dead Tattoo Ideas With Floral Motifs
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Mexico is a vibrant country known for its diverse fauna and flora. Their culture is also widely known for the joyous dances and cheerful music with the help of local folk instruments like banjo. The most iconic Mexican image would probably have a beautiful woman with red roses in her hair wearing a huge, flowy skirt and dancing to the tunes of the salsa or tango. Vivid floral patterns hold a central position in their culture.

Therefore, if you want to add a twist to your traditional Day of the Dead tattoo, you can also add roses to the skull tattoo on your skin. This way, your tattoo will look much more beautiful along with the face of the woman. Since the Souls day is also for remembering our dead relatives and their death, many people use flowers to decorate the graves on the holiday and include everyone in the celebration.

If you are looking for more beautiful flower designs to add to your Day of the Dead tattoo, here are some lovely Black and Grey Rose tattoos for you to check out.

If you are Mexican and feel a close connection with your elders who have passed away, you may want to get a Day of the Dead tattoo. After all, we all want our tattoos to mean something and have a deeper and profound connection with important parts of our lives such as culture and heritage. You can also look at the images on the internet or a photo on a website that will help you choose from different art styles. In addition to that, you can also add more symbols and motifs to your Day of the Dead tattoo in a way that pays homage to the rich culture and tradition but also reflects your own personality and intersts. So go ahead and choose a wonderful tattoo that will remind you of your own mortality but will also encourage you to live life to the fullest.

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