Mexican Tattoo Photo #19137

Sugar Skulls and Dia de los Muertos The calavera, or decorated sugar skull, is the most iconic image from the Day of the Dead celebration held on November first and second. Far from morbid, the holiday honors departed loved ones with color, music, food, and joy.

Using only black ink at different dilutions, this style achieves a photographic quality with rich shadows and soft highlights. Black and grey work is versatile enough for portraits, nature scenes, and symbolic imagery.

The collarbone's clean horizontal line provides a natural guide for elongated designs. This placement adds a subtle accent to the upper body and works especially well with fine-line and minimalist styles.