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Black traditional skull and crossbones tattoo with cracked cranium

Skull and Crossbones Tattoo

Sat the skull on a pair of crossed bones with a cracked cranium and a hard jaw. I leaned on soft black wash shading rather than heavy fills, which keeps the bone surface readable and lets the eye sockets and teeth carry the contrast.

Compact compositions like this work because they slot cleanly between adjacent pieces without crossing a joint. The shape stays anchored, and soft wash holds up through years of stretch and movement. Traditional design choices are doing most of the long-term work here.

I'm booking single-session traditional flash at the Wellington studio, email or DM me if there's a design you're after.

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By Rhys Thomas at Whitetail Tattoo, Level 3, 41–47 Dixon Street, Te Aro, Wellington, New Zealand

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Common Questions About Traditional in Wellington

What's the difference between traditional and neo-traditional?
Traditional keeps to a small, classical colour palette (reds, yellows, greens, blues) with chunky outlines and limited shading. Neo-traditional opens that up with more colours, finer detail, and more painterly shading. Same bones, more flexibility.
Do traditional tattoos cost less because they look simpler?
No. Traditional tattoos look deceptively simple. Clean bold lines and solid colour packs are hard to execute well, and they're priced on time and skill required, not visual complexity.
Can a traditional design be personal rather than generic?
Yes. Most of my traditional pieces are custom subjects rendered in the traditional language. Bring your own meaning and I'll handle the visual grammar.