Skull design & skull art unearthed—why is design so obsessed with skulls?

Morbid to some, beautiful and mysterious to others, skulls embody a unique duality that continues to inspire and provoke. From motifs and striking artworks to fashion influences and leading roles in iconic films, they’ve truly become timeless symbols.

With Day of the Dead 2024 just around the corner, we found ourselves wondering: why are artists and designers so captivated by skulls? Let’s explore what makes skull art so appealing to artists and why skull design resonates across history, religion, traditions, modern culture, and aesthetics.

Let’s start by going back to the history books. There’s one phrase that probably shapes the way we see skulls: “memento mori.” This Latin saying, which translates as “Remember you must die,” serves as a pretty direct reminder of our mortality—kind of in your face, isn’t it?

For the Romans, it had a specific purpose during triumphal parades. Victorious generals would have a servant walking behind them, whispering this phrase in their ear to keep them grounded. It was a way to remind them that their glory wouldn’t last forever and to prevent them from getting carried away with their success.

Stoic philosophy had a unique take on “memento mori.” It still meant recognizing our mortality, but it also encouraged us to live more mindfully and authentically. The stoics believed we should focus on the truly important things—like our relationships, personal growth, and making a positive impact on others—while staying grateful.

By keeping death in mind, we can create a more fulfilling life. However, it’s hard to fully escape its presence. In fact, death is so ever-present that it has served as a source of inspiration and a constant theme in art throughout history.

The Danse Macabre, or Dance of Death, is a medieval and Renaissance art form that personifies death, reminding us that it’s always close—so close, in fact, that it dances with us. No matter our social status or wealth, we’ll all have a last dance with death. 

Danse Macabre is a form of memento mori that reminded people of the fragility of life, especially during a time when the concept of death was more prominent, partly due to the Black Death that swept through Europe in the 14th century.

These paintings show skeleton designs, dancing with people from all layers of society: kings, popes, peasants, children—basically everyone. This showed that death treats us all the same. The dance itself, with its hand-holding and pulling, represents the inevitable march toward the afterlife. In these scenes, people are literally dancing with the devil, who in this case is death personified by the dancing skeletons.

But hey, if it’s your last dance, you might as well have fun and kill it on the dance floor!

Who would have thought skull art could be beautiful? Transforming something typically seen as morbid into art isn’t easy, but the artists behind Vanitas paintings mastered it. 

The word ‘vanitas’ doesn’t have anything to do with vanity, pride, or narcissism. It’s a Latin word, and in the context of Vanitas paintings, it’s really more about reminding us that life is short and that spiritual values matter more than the material stuff.

This type of art started in Europe during the 17th century, and you can see how these paintings are packed with various elements and hidden meanings. Common symbols like skulls, extinguished candles, religious items, flowers, and hourglasses all come together in Vanitas paintings to remind us of mortality and the inevitable passage of time. 

They’re similar to still life paintings, but each has its own message.

By now we know that skulls represent death, but pirates gave new meanings to this symbol like danger, intimidation, and defiance against authority.

The military has often used fear as a war tactic, and pirates didn’t think twice about using it as well. During the Golden Age of Piracy (17th to early 18th century), pirates used a flag with a well-known symbol like the skull to send a clear message which basically meant: “Don’t mess with us!” 

This flag, known as the Jolly Roger, features a black background with a skull and crossbones. This iconic skull design was used by notorious pirates you might recognize, such as Edward Teach—better known as Blackbeard—and Bartholomew Roberts.

By using the skull symbol, pirates effectively built their reputation across the seas as lethal threats. The Jolly Roger produced fear in other ships, signaling that they were armed. This tactic often made merchant ships surrender without a fight, allowing pirates to take their cargo without any confrontation—thanks to nothing more than a flag.

The skull in the Jolly Roger flag represented everything that pirates stood for, like death, violence, and a clear threat to anyone who crossed their path. But there’s more to the skull than just its obscure reputation. It has also sparked curiosity in many different areas, leading to remarkable discoveries.

Some countries see death as something to grieve about and something that’s unspoken. In Mexico, things are kind of the opposite. Death is a party and a way to remember deceased loved ones. During the first two days of November, Mexicans celebrate Día de Muertos, also known as the Day of the Dead, a colorful holiday where skulls get a time to shine. 

These skulls, called calaveras, are absolutely everywhere during the festivities! You’ll spot them in all sorts of shapes and forms, from delicious sugar skull designs and skeleton designs to vibrant papel picado (that decorative perforated paper). Masks, crafts, murals, and sweet bread are also very common.

During this celebration, Mexicans create custom altars or ofrendas from scratch in their homes to honor their loved ones. These altars typically include their favorite foods and drinks, along with vibrant orange flowers known as cempasúchil. They also include other items like sugar skull designs, salt, water, candles, burning copal, incense, and framed photos of the deceased. 

This way, Mexicans can remember their loved ones and feel a connection with them. During Día de Muertos, people believe that the spirits of those who have passed come back to visit, and the altar works as a warm welcome for them.

Skulls and skull designs hold deep meanings that have connected with various counter-cultural movements today, such as punk and goth subcultures. But what’s behind this fascination?

During the 1970s, punk culture was a voice for young kids frustrated with political oppression and social injustices. Being a punk embodied the ideas of individual freedom, rejecting authority, rebelling against corporate greed, and the idea of “selling out” to the mainstream.

Their appearance and clothing needed to reflect their values. Their style often included dark leather jackets, torn denim, shirts featuring their favorite bands, studded belts, rugged combat boots, and bold mohawks. This unique style challenged mainstream culture and the boring norms of society, celebrating individuality.

Skulls became a prevalent motif in punk band albums, merchandise, and concert posters. For example, The Misfits and Social Distortion famously adopted a skull logo design as one of their main images. Black Flag incorporated a skeleton design on one of their live album covers, and The Damned used skulls in their merchandise.

In punk culture, skulls symbolize more than just a striking visual; they capture the movement’s rebellious essence. A simple skull design conveys an anti-authority vibe and a sense of boldness. The connection to memento mori—”remember you must die”—links skulls to mortality, giving the punk aesthetic a layer of authenticity that inspires people to live life to the fullest.

It’s hard to imagine tattoos without skulls. Skull designs are among the most popular symbols people choose to get inked on their skin. Adopting memento mori as a part of life often motivates people to get skull tattoo designs, working as both a reminder of mortality and to live life to the fullest.

Throughout the 20th century, sailor tattoos in the old-school style became popular. These classic designs often featured elements like bottles, knives, hearts, skulls, and swallow birds.

Skull tattoo designs from this era symbolize a deep acceptance of mortality, reflecting the adventurous spirit of sailors who risked their lives at sea. They represent a lifestyle where embracing danger and uncertainty is part of the journey, serving as a reminder that every moment counts. For sailors, these tattoos weren’t just ink on their skins—they were expressions of courage.

Sailor illustrations with skull tattoo designs are still popular because the meanings behind them still resonate with people today. This just shows us that classic designs never die, and they continue to inspire and connect with us.

October is when we say goodbye to summer and hello spooky. The year starts to end, and our love for the creepy gets stronger. This is Halloween, that time of the year when we start obsessing over pumpkin-flavored drinks, candy, what costume we’re going to pick for a party, and spooky decorations.

Our love for the spooky probably comes from curiosity about the unknown. It’s a safe and fun space to explore our darker side and feel the adrenaline, especially when we’re watching a horror movie. Spooky season also pushes us to confront mortality and the afterlife. The constant themes of death, the supernatural, and darkness allow us to reflect on our personal views around dying. 

Movies really kick-start our love for all things spooky! You’ve got classic horror, slashers, and psychological thrillers that draw people in during this time of year. But when you think of Halloween, one director always pops up: Tim Burton. His style combines gothic, dark, quirky, and fun elements, making him a perfect fit for the Halloween vibe.

Just take a look at The Nightmare Before Christmas and Corpse Bride—both films are filled with skull art in their characters and motifs.

We can’t finish this article without talking about the impact of skull designs in the world of fashion. Designers love skulls for their rebellious, dark, dramatic yet elegant look, and have the amazing talent to turn simple skull designs into fashion statements.

One of the most iconic names related to skull design ideas and designs is Alexander McQueen, known for his provocative and revolutionary creations. McQueen explored a bunch of themes in his work, including gender, death, decay, darkness, and nature. He’s particularly known for adding skull art to jewelry, scarves, and accessories.

McQueen wasn’t the only designer captivated by skull imagery. Vivienne Westwood, the queen of punk fashion, also incorporated skull design ideas into her work. Known for blending traditional tailoring with bold, edgy elements, Westwood used skull motifs to highlight the rebellious, punk-inspired spirit of her brand.

Ed Hardy is another fashion designer who heavily featured skulls in his designs. His brand, which embraced tattoo culture, became known for its bold and colorful fashion choices. Drawing heavily from vintage tattoo art—no surprise, given Hardy’s background as a tattoo artist—his designs reflected that aesthetic and made skulls a central theme of his work. 

Skulls have become a symbol that speaks to people in different time periods across cultures and artistic styles. What makes them so cool is how they can express everything from the fragility of life to personal strength. Even today, they continue to capture our attention, representing the inevitable cycle of life while standing as bold expressions of individuality.

Whether you see them in art, fashion, or tattoos, skulls have this timeless quality that connects with something deeper inside us.

Feeling inspired after learning more about skull art and its history? Start creating right away with the help of Envato, where you can find tons of creative assets like skull logos, Y2K skull designs, skull illustrations, Day of the Dead skull designs, classic skull logos, and so much more! And learn more about design trends and iconic designers here on the blog.