166 Best Day of the Dead Tattoos

Day of the Dead Tattoos. The Day of the Dead or  Dia de los Muertos  is a Mexican celebration that happens every year from October 31 – November 2. This celebration is somewhat similar to All Souls Day and Halloween. People in Mexico and some cultures all over the world celebrate the day by gathering family members and remembering their loved ones who have died. This special day is usually celebrated using their famous figures such as the sugar skulls and Calaveras (skeleton) makeup.

This post is dedicated to this coming special event which is a week from now. We have collected 166 special Day of the Dead Tattoos to inspire you and give you great ideas on your next tattoo. I also have included the name of some artist who did the tattoo for your convenience.

Here we go, folks.

166 Best Day of the Dead Tattoos:

 1. Led Coult

I love the combination of the sketched effect face, the bright red roses and eye makeup of this tattoo.

 

 

2. Black and Gray day of the dead tattoo

I love the expression of the face and the beautiful hands.

 

3. Half sleeve day of the dead tattoo

4. Sexy Calavera tattoo

5. Couple skeleton tattoos

I think this is a great idea for couple tattoo! This would look even better colored in a traditional way.

 

6. Jason Frieling tattoo design

 

7. Delicious sugar skulls

 

8. Black and gray sugar skull tattoo

 

9. Magnificent full back piece day of the dead tattoos

I adore every detail of these tattoos.

 

10. Traditional day of the dead tattoo

Traditional tattoos are rich and thick in colors.

 

11. Clock and day f the dead tattoo

This tattoo was done by  Remigijus Cizauskas of Remis Tattoo.

 

12. The crack effect

 

13. Pretty day of the dead tattoo

A pretty face, and a skeleton makeup is all you need for an inspiration.

 

14. Flowered sugar skull

This alluring thigh tattoo is done by the tattoo artist Led Coult.

 

15. Full sleeve day of the dead tattoos

Aren’t you jealous of his black and gray full sleeve day of the dead tattoos? I am!

 

16. Day of the dead tattoo

 

 

 

 

 

17. Veiled and bloody La Catrina

Traditional style for La Catrina tattoos is always pleasing to the eyes because of its rich color.

 

18. La Catrina day of the dead tattoo

 

19. Tattoo by Mark Stewart of Four Aces Tattoo

 

20. Finger biting day of the dead tattoo

Some people prefer their La Calavera Catrina sexy looking.

 

21. Owl and sugar skull tattooo in black and gray

I think the incorporated skull and owl tattoos are amazing.

 

22. Phatt German design tattoo

You can take your favorite celebrity face and turn it into the day of the dead tattoo like this one.

 

23. Zombie day of the dead tattoo

 

 

You may have noticed that most La Calavera Catrina tattoos here are beautiful and even seductive. Here’s something different, a scary looking zombie! Can you rock it?

 

24. Beautiful day of the dead back piece

 

25. Jun Cha day of the dead tattoo

 

26. Also Jun Cha day of the dead tattoo

I like this one better than the previous one.

 

27. Boris of Boris Tattoo

Boris is from Zalaegerszeg, Hungary and has been tattooing since 1992.

 

28. Traditional day of the dead tattoo design

What is not to love about this too? I think the artist, Nikko Hurtado did an excellent job on this tattoo.

 

29. Alex de Pase tattoo

The mix of red, black and white colors in this tattoo, brings out the best day of the dead theme.

 

30. Sugar skull and skeleton

This is a gorgeous skeleton tattoo, but I believe this is still unfinished. Well, at least I hope it’s still not finished, it would look even more great with rich colors on it.

 

31. Sugar skull and Russian doll tattoo

Such a creative design combining a sugar skull and a Russian doll. Who would’ve thought it would look so cool?

 

32. Half sleeve Day of the Dead La Calavera Catrina tattoo

 

33.

 

34. 2 awe-inspiring sugar skull tattoos

Nothing best represents Day of the Dead than sugar skulls! They are rich in color and fun.

 

35. Frida Kahlo day of the dead tattoos

I am personally a big fan of Frida Kahlo. She is a Mexican artist and her paintings are my favorites.

 

36. Remigijus Cizauskas tattoo

here’s the 2nd Day of the Dead by Remis.

 

37. Skeleton woman and creepy doll

This lovely tattoo is a work by Moni Marino.

 

38. Skeleton and sumbrero

One can tell a day of the dead inspired tattoo when you see a skeleton and a big hat called sumbrero. A work by Amanda Cormeny

 

39. Balázs Révai

Every tattoo is unique despite the common theme.

 

40. Doll face day of the dead tattoo by Tatuajes Demon

 

41.  Joey Hamilton Day of the Dead tattoo

This beautiful tattoo is a half sleeve size.

 

42. Flowers and sugar skull tattoo

 

43. Black and gray sugar skull tattoo

Although colorful are very much eye catching, the black and gray art is the same as long as the artist did a great job.

 

44.  Sugar skull and corset tattoo

I think I already have an idea for this halloween’s costume. A job well done by David Corden. I love the pastel colors!

 

45. Eye candy sugar skull

 

46. Very Mexican tattoo

If you want a recap what Mexico is about, I guess this tattoo says it all!

 

47. Nikko Hurtado sugar skull makeup tattoo

Nikko Hurtado is  excellent doing portrait and realistic tattoos.

48.  Based on real life day of the dead tattoo

This is what I was talking about, you can take a photos of your girlfriend or yourself, bring it to your tattoo artist, he will stencil it and turn it to a sugar skull or day of the dead tattoo. You must get a really good artist and do a research about his/her works so you will be assured that your tattoo will be spanking awesome!

 

49. Darth Vader sugar skull tattoo

For the Star Wars fan out there.

 

50. Sugar skulls and corseted women day of the dead tattoos

All pin ups by David Corden.

 

51. Nikko Hurtado

Here’s another of Nikko Hurtado’s superb sugar skull tattoo

 

52. Marilyn Monroe sugar skull tattoo

 

53. Sugar skull tattoos by Ron Antonick

 

54. Black and gray leg tattoo

 

 

55. Frida Kahlo portrait with sugar skull makeup

I love it!

 

56.  Angelina Jolie sugar skull tattoo

Another celebrity tattoo with sugar skullmake up.

 

57.

 

58. Female and male sugar skull tattoos

I like all the details on this tattoo, the anchor and horse shoe are also symbolic.

 

59. Black and gray day of the dead tattoo

 

60. Scary but cool

I just find this tattoo both scary and cool at the same time compared to the rest of my posts here.

 

61. Sugar skull, candle, flowers and butterflies

 

62. Traditional sugar skull tattoo

Look at all the vibrant colors of this tattoo. It’s an eye candy.

 

63. Butterflies and sugar skull tattoo

 

64. Tattoo on a tattoo

Lovely art. I love that this tattoo of a woman with a sugar skull has a cigarette and a tattoo.

 

65. Day of the Dead thigh tattoo

I like the facial expression of this tattoo.

 

66. Classic inspired day of the dead tattoo

 

In some cultures and places, the skull representation is grim. In Mexico and in most Latino cultures, it depicts a different view. The day of the dead tattoos is nothing grim, it symbolizes your true self, as a mere mortal, a soul in a temporary body. The sugar skull and the calavera woman are very popular in the paintings, tattoos, murals and even theatrical plays.

For theDia de los Muertostattoos, it has also become quite popular all over the world because of its beautiful and interesting design. I have a friend who used his wife’s portrait as a half woman half calavera even if she is still around. It was nothing very serious, he just want to have a unique portrait tattoo of her on his skin. That idea might work for you as well.