Tattooing is the latest rage and amongst the cornucopia of tattoo designs, skull tattoo designs stand out for their distinctive look. Now, many people might feel that why should someone choose skull tattoos of all things?
Skulls are meant to signify death; it’s something morbid and macabre and why should someone go around flaunting a skull tattoo on his body?! The reason is not very difficult; what’s one man’s poison is another’s nectar! So, if someone may find a skull tattoo weird, others may find flowers or animal tattoos etc. silly.
The popular perception is that when we get a tattoo done on ourselves, it signifies something personal. By this definition, anyone sporting a skull tattoo will be automatically classified as someone interested in the macabre or harboring a fear of the unknown. At times, it is supposed to act as a protective charm for the bearer safeguarding him from death and at others, it may be a sign of intimidation.
Plenty of varieties of skull tattoos abound and one may come across skull designs with goggly eyes which strangely look cartoon-like instead of scary. Other designs may simply show empty sockets in place of the eyes trying to convey fear. Still other skull designs have vines and thorns surrounding them or else they are designed engulfed in flames.
The depiction of the Grim Reaper through skull tattoos is also quite common; this harbinger of death is supposedly sent to collect the souls of the dead and then escort them into the afterlife- quite a morbid prospect!
For some reason, skull tattoos are more commonly associated with bikers than with any other group of people. A probable reason could be that bikers are generally seen as reckless risk-takers, someone who indulge in daredevilry and are ready to take on the world; its like ‘don’t mess with me or you are dead!’ and what better way to convey this machismo than by showing off a skull tattoo which, by its very design is meant to invoke fear.
Edgy tattoos go well with the image of the macho rider though surprisingly, this is no longer restricted to men. Women bikers can increasingly be seen strutting their metal knuckles and skull tattoos, wanting perhaps, to convey a menacing attitude.
Skull tattoos though not everyone’s cup of tea have their own fan following and its rare not to spot them on someone or the other.
