Tater Tatts Likes Your Sleeves

Today’s skull of the day is this amazing piece by the talented Kegan “Tater Tatts” Hawkins. Hawkins is best known for his realism, which he does in both color and black and grey. Based in the land down under, Hawkins is one of the most well-known tattooists in Australia.

Today’s pick is a Hawkins classic as it pairs his signature realism style with old school tattoo imagery. We love the simplicity of this design and how beautifully it flows on the body. The strategic placement of the two roses paired against the skull and top filigree draw the viewer’s eye upwards through the piece with a centered focal point on the highlighted area of the skull.

The warm hues of the skull are carried through the use of pink roses, which is a nice choice in color since pale pink roses are seldom found in tattoos. The green filigree in the background was also a nice touch as not only does it balance the piece out, but it also picks up the colors of the roses’ leaves, accentuating both the color scheme and layout of the piece as a whole. The final subtle detail that we absolutely love with this piece comes from the background, as the skull seems to be resting on a silver jewelry box. Though potentially overlooked in passing, this additional box really helps soften and fill out the piece.

For more of our favorite skull and flower tattoo pairings, check out some of our top picks right here.