Skulls are often accompanied by spider webs, enhancing the element of mortality in the symbol. A lot of people want to use the “mortality” meaning in their designs, and the spider web tattoo is a great way to do just that. And you can do a lot with the skull too, including putting it up against the web or even having the web growing out of the skull.

Flowers and raindrops are also sometimes added to spider web tattoos, implementing a feminine and classic beauty into the image. Often these elements are made dark to blend in with the spider web, but the contrast of colorful flowers against the dark web can look fantastic if created by a good artist.

Jewels, hearts and other pretty designs can be added as well, often in a cartoonish style that recalls the “sailor jerry” or “flash” style. These colorful and traditional tattoos are less ominous and feature a cartoon spider with symmetrical designs, sometimes a skull as well within the body. These images are more appealing and invoke a less menacing tone, creating an ironically cheerful symbol of a feared predator.

To further feminize the spider web design, swooping and swirling lines are often used to add softness to the image. Extra shading can give the spider web the same type of soft effect, which some think make these tattoos that much more attractive on the skin.

The web can be used to fill in another form like a heart, diamond, or other shape, adding further aesthetic appeal. This will come down to the meanings that you want to use with your tattoo and if you are okay with tweaking the look of the spider web. For example, someone who loves spiders might get their spider web tattoo in a heart shape, while someone else might simply get a heart tattoo somewhere else on their body.

The fact is that many people assume that spider web tattoos (and their meanings) are for men only, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. All of the meanings listed on this page can be used by both sexes and often are. However, there are plenty of ways to make your design manlier or more feminine by simply making small changes to the design (we mentioned some above).