Think aloud
A skeleton hand tattoo can be designed in many different ways. There’s so much artistry that can go into this, all you need is some inspiration to choose what suits your needs the best.
Usually, this tattoo doesn’t have some specific meaning. This is actually good because you’ll be able to consider the meaning that it has for you. The general understanding is that it represents the inevitable connection between life and death.
However, it’s easy to overlook this meaning and say that it’s a simple image that shows that we’re all the same beneath all this flesh. So, when you’re considering what type of design you could get, you’ll want to find examples that will inspire your own composition.
Gothic skeleton hand tattoo
Gothic tattoos are known for their dark, romantic undertones and designs. Because of that, adding a little romantic image to your design would be an amazing decision. This tattoo is quite dark, but the highlights give it a wonderful contrast.
This is a very spooky tattoo that falls under the category of gothic tattoos. The little ghost in the skeleton hand actually looks content. The moon above it adds a gorgeous detail to the entire image. The harsh shadows give the tattoo depth that wouldn’t be there if it was any lighter.
This is another romantic tattoo choice. It looks like life and death are flirting with one another. The solid black background in the shape of a heart is what gives the hands the spotlight.
A skeleton hand tattoo can look gothic, even when the only romantic thing about it is the rose. The solid black outline of the casket is really creepy, but it can be used as an amazing cover-up tattoo.
Skeleton hand with flowers
You probably know that you can add flowers to almost any design that you please. For example, a skeleton hand that’s holding a flower would definitely be the most romantic, yet unsettling tattoo that you can get.
This skeleton hand tattoo isn’t done in a way that it looks like it’s holding the flower, but rather to seem like it’s touching it. The darkest shadows are around the stem and the leaves of the tattoo. Because of that, the flower and the hand are in the center of attention.
This tattoo has no shadows as you can see. The linework is enough when it’s so crisp and clean! The small flowers are readable, and it’s obvious that the dead hand is holding something alive and pretty. If that symbolism doesn’t overwhelm you, then I don’t know what will.
A rose is the most beautiful flower in the world. When it’s being held by an amazingly done skeleton hand in a tattoo, then the entire image has a deep meaning that you can interpret whichever way you want. The shadows aren’t that solid, but they’re just enough to give depth to the whole design.
Skeleton hand with insects and animals
The butterfly is a symbol of reincarnation, rebirth, and transformation. It’s the most wonderful representation of the transience of life. This tattoo has some color added to it, which makes it look more lifelike!
You can add whatever you’d like on your skeleton hand tattoo. These flowers, and butterflies, definitely show that you can do as you please with this design. The most adorable thing about it is the little bat that’s sticking out its tongue!
The snake is a symbol of infinite wisdom. So a floral skeleton hand tattoo can also have a little snake added to it. The snake is quite dark in comparison to the rest of the tattoo, so it’s the first thing that catches the attention of others.
Here, we have an example of a fully shadowed tattoo. The outlines are thick, but they’re well done. The skeleton hand is holding a little bee. The bee represents loyalty, commitment, and dedication.
Another snake tattoo! However, this time the snake doesn’t look friendly at all. It looks like the snake is running down the skeleton’s hand and into the world. It looks like a protector of its master.
Simple skeleton hand tattoo ideas
There are also much simpler designs that you could choose. This doesn’t mean that your design is boring, it just means that there’s no need for too much meaning and imagery in your tattoo. Just like these skeleton hands that are forming a heart on this knee!
This may not seem like a very simple skeleton hand tattoo, but when you look closer, there’s not too much detail int it. The human hand that’s alive has a lot of shadows, but the rest of the tattoo is quite simple. The sun behind it and the words memento mori really add a certain poetic feeling to your tattoo.
This is a very traditional style of tattoo, the dagger is gorgeous, and the chain is nicely shadowed. It’s still a skeleton hand tattoo, but the simple details that were incorporated into it really make it stand out.
In this example, we have a simple skeleton hand tattoo that shows the symbol of love. There are no shadows in this tattoo, as the little dots throughout the tattoo give it depth. The quote Keep going that’s added beneath it really adds another detail that’s worth considering.
Actual skeleton hand tattoo
The most common skeleton hand tattoo that you’ll see is an actual skeleton hand that’s supposed to look like the hand of the person wearing this tattoo. For example, here we can see a skeleton hand that has some gorgeous blue color inked under it. It looks like the person has magic in their hands, beneath all the things that make us human.
This is quite a simple skeleton hand, it just represents the bones and the joints that all of us have in our hands. The black ink around it makes it look like an actual X-ray image.
You can also add different details to your actual hand tattoo. For example, you can add the year of your birth to your joints. This tattoo has also some highlights that look amazing considering how much black ink surrounds it.
In this tattoo, you can, again, see a snake incorporated into the design. Snakes are quite a popular tattoo choice. Here the snake is following a path that was perfectly outlined by the artist.
This hand has a skeleton tattoo on it that’s done with the bones and joints, but it looks like there’s magical energy coming around it. Even the old money bag tattoo was incorporated into it! This tattoo was perfectly blended into all the old tattoos.
A skeleton hand tattoo can have as many details as you’d like. For example, this one even has a clock under the bones. It looks like there’s an entire machine that makes the hand work properly. So, it would be a unique and interesting design to choose for yourself.
