When used in traditional tattoos the skull design builds on themes of death, its inevitability, the cycle of life, and the bravery that comes with knowing your time on earth is limited, and is often combined with other concepts – a flower, snake, dagger, etc. – to promote themes of duality we often see in life.

10. Small Skull Tattoo Meaning

The small skull tattoo is a classical tattoo design that’s grown larger in modern body art.

Small skull tattoos are popular for men and women who don’t want or need large ostentatious pieces. 

These smaller designs are fine to remind the wearer that all beings are part of the cosmic cycle of life and death, whether it’s a solo skull or more design incorporating more intricate symbolism, such as a serpent, bird, or butterfly.

11. Realistic and 3D Skull Symbolism

Humans around the world have implemented the skull into various rituals and aesthetics, a symbol of mortality and the grotesque beauty of our own anatomy.

While there are many tattoo styles and interpretations of the skull, from Gothic romance to the pirate flag, often it is the realistic skull depiction that strikes the most dramatic note.

3D tattoos are bold, unique, and seek to highlight the theme of the tattoo with an emphasis on the artistic aesthetic. They can look completely realistic, or offer a colorful skull tattoo design with abstract or geometric application.

12. Skull Hand Tattoos

Skull hand tattoos are growing more prevalent in visible body art such as candy skulls, realism design ideas, or bright and colorful skull tattoos.

For some, a skull hand tattoo revels in the incorporation of macabre elements like flesh and blood or strikes an old-school note by focusing solely on the skeletal facial structure rather than symbolic meaning.

Another component of this tattoo maybe a skull ring finger tattoo, which is also a cool contemporary design style.