Grim Reaper tattoos - coloured or black and white?

Many grim reaper tattoos are created using only black ink and intricate shading to make various shades of grey; however, monotone tattoos are not for everyone. On the other hand, if you decide for a coloured tattoo, you should inform yourself about tattoo colours and tattoo inks, because there is no such thing as "universally-good-tattoo-colours"; in fact, when you decide for a certain colour for your tattoo, in the first place you have to consider your skin tone. Besides that, remember that some tattoo colours are difficult to maintain and they have the tendency to fade faster than others (in this post you might find out some useful information about this subject). Anyway, if you like coloured tattoos and you really want to incorporate some vibrant colours into your Grim Reaper tattoo, here are some suggestions that might help you:

• Blue and cyan are probably the most common colours used in the Grim Reaper tattoos, excepting, of course, black and grey. You can use blue and cyan to fill with color the schyte's / sword's blade, the night sky, the clouds and the moon, the mist (if the Grim Reaper appears surrounded by mist) and even the Death's robe.
• Brown: one could hardly find another colour that suits a Death tattoo. Because brown is the colour of the wood, there are lots of elements which can be filled with this colour: crosses, coffins, dead trees, old books and papyri, etc. Anyway, a brown tattoo isn't appropriate for any type of skin, so you'd better ask the tattooer before choose the brown colour for your tattoo.
• Red: a powerful and violent colour, red is the colour of fire and blood, so it is associated with war and violent death, danger, strength, power, anger, etc. There are many elements which can be coloured in red in a Grim Reaper tattoo: the Death's eyes; the flowers (the red roses, as a symbol of the ephemeral are very common in Death tattoos); the Grim Reaper's robe; the drops of blood dripping down the Death's scythe.
• Green (especially the so-called "poison green" or the pale-green): when Death is depicted as one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (as mentioned in the Christian Bible) Death is riding a pale-green horse
• Purple: This color is commonly associated with royalty. Death is sometimes portrayed as the King of the Underworld, so you can use this color for the Death's robe.
• Silver: the blade of the Death's scythe (or the blade of the sword, if the Death is depicted as the Angel of Death).
• Yellow and orange: these two colours are not so popular in the Death tattoos. Anyway, there are some elements which can be filled with orange and yellow: thunders, flames (the Flames of Hell); sometimes Death is riding a fire-horse; the fire in the Reaper’s eyes; the Moon; the light of the Death's lantern.

Related posts:
Various elements which can occur in a Death tattoo: skulls and skeletons (1)
Skulls and skeletons tattoos (2)
Death tattoo - various elements which can occur in a Death tattoo
Death tattoos: the main depictions of the Grim Reaper
Death Tattoos / Grim Reaper Tattoos: themes and meanings
Death tattoo - various elements which can occur in a Death tattoo - animals

Skulls and skeletons tattoos (4)

Click on the links below if you want to read the previous posts:
Various elements which can occur in a Death tattoo: skulls and skeletons (1)
Skulls and skeletons tattoos (2)
Skulls and skeletons tattoos (3)

As it can be seen from the previous posts, a skull / skeleton tattoo could have various meanings:

• A skull tattoo could be seen as a symbol of the fleetingness of life
• Skulls / skeletons tattoos as a symbol of the certainty of death
• A skull with wings means that death is the road to a new form of existence
• Skulls are sometimes depicted as symbols of the transitory nature of life and death
• Jolly Roger, a symbol of the total disregard for the authorities, as well as a symbol of the absolute freedom
• The Totenkopf
• The "Skull and Crossbones" tattoos are a symbol of strength, courage and bravure, as well as a symbol of the disregard for one's life
• Skulls as trophies
• In the Mexican tattoo-culture, skulls and skeletons are linked with the celebration of the Day of the Dead.
• Skulls as a symbol used in Alchemy and Magic
• Skull tattoos is a symbol of wisdom
• Cheating death - these theme is very common among outlaw gangs
• Many people that have a near death experience choose to get a skull tattoo to represent their experience. This is a reminder to appreciate every second that we are given.
• A skull tattoo can be considered a way to show others your wild and crazy side
• Some people consider skull tattoos as talismans (particularly useful in gambling)
• A pair of skulls can be seen as a symbol of eternal love (especially when the tattoo also contains other symbols of love like hearts, wedding rings, roses, etc)
• Sometimes a skull tattoo is made just for art's sake and it has no special meaning

Butterfly tattoo design

A new tattoo design available on my website, www.seiza.ro. For this tattoo design I've combined some swirled elements with a tribal butterfly design. Because the butterfly is both a symbol of the ephemerality and a symbol of the joy of living I've also included a Japanese expression: 今を楽しめ (reading: ima o tanoshime; meaning: enjoy the present / the present moment; this expression is equivalent with the famous Latin maxim "Carpe Diem").

This tattoo design was drawn using Adobe Illustrator. If you like this tattoo design and you want to draw a similar one, you might find some useful informations in the tutorials available on my other blog, http://123-graphic-tutorials.blogspot.com

Butterfly tattoo design. If you like this tattoo design and you want to use it as an inspiration for a future tattoo, you can find it in a larger format on my web site www.seiza.ro

Skulls and skeletons tattoos (3)

Besides those already mentioned, there are some other meanings of the skulls tattoos that have their roots in some ancient beliefs and practices.

Skulls as trophies - it was a common practice to keep the skulls of the killed enemies and to display them as trophies (eg.: to decorate with them the city walls and towers, to keep the skulls on the palisades as a warning sign, to display them on pikes at the Traitor's Gate, etc) or even to use them as wine-cups. Skulls-tattoos as trophies are a very common theme when it comes to the gang tattoos, prison tattoos, etc. For example, if we consider the russian criminal tattoos, a skull tattoo signifies murder (a significant one). When a tattoo design combines skulls with military insignia (especially with the epaulets tattooed on the shoulders), it usually designates a murderer.

The epaulets are distinctive decorations for the inmates who are members of the "Vory V Zakone" (aprox "Thieves in law"). An inmate who has this kind of tattoo is a person with a high position in the prison hierarchy. The presence of the skull designates the wearer as a murderer. Read more about this topic on this blog: russiancriminaltattoo.blogspot.com


A russian criminal tattoo. The presence of the epaulets indicates that the wearer has a high rank in the prison hierarchy. The presence of the skull designates the wearer as a murderer. The spider is a symbol with multiple meanings; it may symbolize racism, doing time in prison, drug addicted, etc. Read more about this topic on this blog: russiancriminaltattoo.blogspot.com

In the Mexican tattoo-culture, skulls and skeletons are linked with the celebration of the Day of the Dead. The most common themes and representations are: the sugar-skull (brightly colored and highly decorated), the partying skeletons (because El Dia de los Muertos is not a time for sadness, but for joy and celebration) and the in-loving-memory-tattoos (these tattoos include attributes of the passed person in the skull's design: her favourite flowers, his / her weaopns, facial features, etc).

In-loving-memory-tattoo. Some of the passed person's features are still present (the moustache and the hair)


Typical Mexican tattoo: a fancy dressed skeleton playing a violin


For the Mexicans, El Dia de los Muertos is not a mournful day, but a day of family gatherings and holiday cheer.

Alchemy and Magic - the skull is an ancient symbol and it has several embodiments of the alchemical “union of opposites”, an ancient doctrine which accepts a syncretism of conflicting views, a harmony as opposed to a never-ending conflict between Good and Evil.

The skull is a one of the alchemical symbols

Wisdom - sometimes, a skull tattoo is a symbol of the mature realization of a continuity of life into death, and the ability to accept death. This is very important because it is only when a person can live with the presence of death that he can fully learn to appreciate life.

A medieval depiction of the skull as a symbol of wisdom.

Related posts:
Various elements which can occur in a Death tattoo: skulls and skeletons (1)
Skulls and skeletons tattoos (2)
Death tattoo - various elements which can occur in a Death tattoo
Death tattoos: the main depictions of the Grim Reaper
Death Tattoos / Grim Reaper Tattoos: themes and meanings
Death tattoo - various elements which can occur in a Death tattoo - animals

Tattoos styles photos

Tattoos styles photos

Tattoos styles photos

Tattoos styles photos

Tattoos styles photos

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