Highly colorful and decorative skulls made of sugar are used to decorate alters erected to honor deceased loved ones. The skulls are a significant part of Southern Mexican folk art and culture and are easily recognized around the world for their bright colors and whimsical decoration. They have long been a popular way of using these images. The colorful skulls are particularly popular among women and are frequently worn as a way to honor someone who has passed on.
Designing Mexican Skull Tattoos
Skull tattoos of all kinds have gained in popularity steadily in recent years. Skull tattoos, including sugar skull tattoos, can be worn for a variety of reasons including:
- Strength
- Honor
- Protection
- Talisman against death
- Power
- Past lives
If considering a sugar skull tattoo, begin by determining the reason you are drawn to the idea. If you wish to honor someone, the design process may be very different than if you are getting the tattoo to honor a past life.
Honoring a Loved One
If you are getting a sugar skull tat to honor someone who has passed, make sure to include attributes of that person in the skull's design. Include their favorite color, music notes if they played an instrument, or their favorite flower if they gardened or any other personal details you wish to recall. Include hats or bows or try to recreate a facial feature of the shape of the face.
For Personal Reasons
If you are getting a sugar skull tat for power, strength or simply because you love the look of these decorative candy skulls, make sure to include your own personal details. The skulls are meant to be customized and detailed to reflect both the maker and the one they honor. So no matter what the reason is behind your desire for this design, make sure to include as many aspects of your passion as possible, while still retaining a cohesive design.
