#Death reaper tattoo how to#
#Death reaper tattoo full#

A Grim Reaper tattoo memorializing someone by name brings them symbolically with you while also representing that relationship‘s timeless nature. Grieving a deceased loved one – whether 3 years or 30 years ago – can be a profound and lonely experience. Honoring Those Who Passed Through the Reaper‘s Realm An uplifting quote also shifts the vibe from ominous to inspiring.

#Death reaper tattoo how to#

How to make the message positive? Try having the Reaper shed his hood to reveal not a ghastly skull, but a smiling face. So a Reaper tattoo, while creepy, can be a bold declaration of prioritizing fulfillment in the face of life‘s impermanence. 'Behavioral evidence shows that increasing mortality salience does get people to act in more goal-directed ways and to strengthen connections with loved ones.' – Facing Mortality: Psychological Research on How Awareness of Death Affects Human Behavior According to psychology studies, contemplating death can reduce short-termism, increase gratitude, and prompt us to pursue more meaningful goals. No doubt – that‘s some heavy stuff to carry around on your sleeve!īut confronting our mortality has benefits too. Across cultures and eras, the Reaper has embodied the unsettling but undeniable truth that death awaits us all. Let‘s delve into what hides beneath the surface of this mysterious and complex symbol. Female neo traditional hooded Reaper by Justin Harris at Black Vulture Gallery in Philadelphia.The Grim Reaper – dark, ominous, skeletal – surely getting his terrifying visage indelibly etched onto your body seems ill-advised, right? Well, my friend, don‘t judge a Reaper by his hooded cloak!įar from being simply a sign of morbid fascination, Grim Reaper tattoos can actually hold profound meaning related to some of humanity‘s most universal experiences – the acceptance of mortality, the honoring of lost loved ones, the motivation to live boldly. Dark female Reaper by Sim at Cosmic Tattoo in Essex UK. Traditional hooded Reaper by James Armstrong at Holy Mountain Tattoo in the UK.

#Death reaper tattoo full#

The reaper is often shown in tattoo form as just a hood and skull,with its scythe, but is also often seen in full body form.

Reaper horse riding by Justin Dion at Sovereign Tattoo in Portland Oregon. Dark Reaper back piece by Herb Auerbach at California Electric Tattoo Parlour in Soquel California. Dotwork Reaper riding the waves by Alicia Anderson at Village Ink Tattoos in Clearwater, FL. Reaper tattoos are usually done in American traditional style, but are also often done in black and grey, neo traditional, dotwork, and realism. Amazing torso portrait of Charon crossing the River Styx by Teresa Sharpe at Unkindness Art in Richmond, VA.

American Traditional reaper by Chad Leever at Revolution Tattoo in Indiana. This version of the reaper is based off of Charon, from Greek mythology, who steers the boat across the River Styx, carrying the dead across to the underworld. He is usually seen as frightening, but in myth does not actually kill people, he merely guides you to the afterlife. In Western culture it is often seen as a skeleton in a cloak, with a scythe or a noose, usually a male. The Grim Reaper is a sign of death in many cultures.