Catrina Tattoo (Mexican Day of the Dead Skull) Tattoo stencils

• Meaning of Catrina Tattoo (Mexican Day of the Dead Skull)

Unlike the Catholic religion and its tradition of mourning in the Day of the Dead, for Mexicans, the Day of the Dead is a day of great happiness and celebration. "El dia de Muertos" is a day of remembrance and honor for the dead of every family. The idea is that people live with both death and life and celebrate the peace of the spirits of the deceased.

Celebrations are offered to the goddess, known as the woman of death. La Catrina emerged from the engraving of La Calavera by La Catrina by the Mexican artist Jose Guadalupe Posada, the representation of a skull-shaped lady of high society.

Catrina is a feminine variant of the word Catrín and means a man with good taste and aesthetic common sense, not necessarily someone of the nobility, but the perfect exemplary gentleman. The character of La Catrina wants to remind that even the richest facial death that is the same for everyone. After the figure painted by José, La Catrina has become more and more sophisticated, and today she can be seen both on the day of the dead and in the tattoos under the Mexican skulls. No longer with luxurious hats, but with several flowers in her hair.

• This is how the La Catrina tattoo came about

The La Catrina tattoos as we know them today no longer have too much to do with the original representation of the skeletal woman. While the original La Catrina has a real skull, this is only hinted at in the tattoo. The figure has become attractive and is characterized as a tattoo like this:

• Most of the skull has skin, hair and also eyes.
• Only the dark tip of the nose and the rims of the eyes still suggest a skull.
• Instead of the teeth in the tattoo, only a set of teeth is indicated by lines over the mouth; Most people mistakenly believe that these are sutures that are supposed to seal the lips.
• La Catrina is young and pretty, she wears make-up.
• Her face is shaped by various decorations and flowers.

The big change in the motif is mainly due to the fact that the costumes on the Day of the Dead have become much more modern. The look of the Sugar Skulls also had a major influence: These are sweets in all shapes and sizes that are made for the Day of the Dead and decorated with handsome skulls. The design became more and more creative and complex over time. Today's La Catrina tattoos are based on this. Sugar skulls are also a popular motif themselves and represent the Mexican style tattoo.

• The design of the La Catrina tattoo

La Catrina is becoming more and more of a tattoo trend. Men and women like to have the motif stabbed on the arm, but it can also be found on other parts of the body such as the back or chest. As a tattoo on the wrist, for example, it is less suitable. The most popular is the black and white version, which is often optically pepped up with different colors. There are an incredible number of templates for La Catrina, but many of them get their tattoos based on a photo of a loved one. There is no fixed meaning behind the La Catrina tattoo, but it can honor the person of the motif even after their death or make them immortal. Just like the Mexican, perhaps a little more carefree way of dealing with death.