While most people celebrate Halloween by dressing up in costume, the people we’ve rounded up here love spooky season so dang much that they make it last all twelve months of the year with their Halloween ink. Some of these tattoos feature creepy crawly spiders and scary monsters, while others are absolutely adorable ghosts and friendly jack-o’-lanterns. If you are considering paying an inked homage to October 31 yourself or are simply intrigued by the idea that someone has a witch on their arm for the rest of their life, take a scroll through our favorite Instagram posts featuring Halloween tattoos. And give some Instagram love to these talented tattoo artists!
38 Best Halloween Tattoos
1. The Nightmare Before Christmas
If you can’t live in Halloween Town yourself, this Pumpkin King tat could be the next best thing! Jack Skellington from The Nightmare Before Christmas is front and center in this black and grey tattoo by @faye_ta2ink.
2. A Spooky Scene
All of the elements of a classic Halloween scene are depicted in this colorful tattoo by @amandaherrenartworks: A haunted house, creepy tree, black cat, pumpkin and a witch flying over on her broom.
3. Colorful Jack-O’-Lantern
Kinda cute, kinda creepy, and full of color! This pumpkin on the vine by @dreamline_ink artist Anna beautifully combines orange, yellow, green and purple as a colorful backdrop for the jack-o’-lantern’s face.
4. Take a Bite
Treat… or trick? This spooky jack-o’-lantern lollipop by @Foxtrotmraztattooer covers both!
5. Ghost and Balloon
Every day is Halloween for @greatpumpkinbeliever with this adorable tattoo on her arm! Can’t you just imagine this cute little ghost on the way to a Halloween party?
6. I Lava Halloween A Lot
The lava lamp tattoo trend gets the Halloween treatment thanks to @skylar_rose_art with this beautiful, glittery creation!
7. I Want Candy
Pumpkinhead skeleton kids want to go trick or treating too, as depicted by this inner arm piece done by @michaelpatricktattooist.
Cute Halloween Tattoos
8. What a Devil
A vampire jack-o’-lantern by @dannywildhorses keeps Halloween at arm’s reach all year long.
9. Mickey Mouse Pumpkin
This adorable Mickey Mouse pumpkin done by @honestlydear would be a great option for a Disneyphile Halloween lover!
10. Witch’s Broom
The pastel colors of this witch’s broom done by @lawlesssketch are so pretty, and the glittery look of the moon really makes it pop!
11. Hocus Pocus Cat
Many Hocus Pocus-inspired tattoos feature the Sanderson sisters in some form, but black cat Binx is the star of the show in this piece by @milesvader77 as he sits on top of a jack-o’-lantern.
12. Heart Spiderweb
A spiderweb tattoo usually represents that person’s struggle in the “web” of life. Perhaps the heart in the middle of this tattoo done by @amberraboin symbolize the client’s love and appreciation for what they’d gone through. Or maybe they just really love spiderwebs!
13. Ghost Family
There are so many ways to incorporate your family members into a tattoo. And this ghost family done by @softslimeart is just adora-boo.
Halloween Tattoo Ideas
14. X Marks the Spot
An X-ray pinup girl—holding a skull(!)—done by @donnajeantattoo adds some spooky flair to a vintage icon.
15. Hairline Spider
Check out that placement of this black widow spider done by @kribar_art. Can’t. Stop. Itching!
16. Spider and Web
Accented by a large black spider, the intricate webbing on this classic spiderweb done by Angelica (@gurogomi) is creepy-crawly good!
17. Out For a Walk
Who is walking who, the ghost or the dog? This black and gray design by @smyth_ink is super simple and super cute.
18. Skeleton Bat
Halloween lovers can really sink their fangs into their love for the holiday with a highly-detailed black, white, and gray skeletal bat like this one done by @z.odana.
19. Web of Love
Love someone enough that you want them to haunt you forever? These glittery candy hearts done by @mouseratlifftattoo really make a statement as they pop against the stark black spiderweb background.
20. Jack-O’-Lantern the Snowman
This adorable jack-o-lantern snowman done by artist Star O’Neil (aka @green_mtn_ta2_co) adorably combines all the elements of Halloween with winter’s iconic mascot!
21. Hello Kitty Halloween
Everyone’s favorite Japanese cartoon cat, Hello Kitty, is dressed up for Halloween in a skeleton costume in this cheeky black-and-white piece done by @zogieink.
22. Tiny Candy Corn
Small tattoos are simple and dainty. Although discreetly hidden on an ankle, this quartet of bold orange, yellow, and white candy corn by @climaco.tattoo screams Halloween.
23. Zip It Up
Do you feel like your skin is crawling looking at this skeleton coming out of a zipper? No? It’s just us? Creepy good work by @riquelme.tattooslv!
24. Witch Way To Go
Inked on a client by @ksmith_tattoos, this black and gray witch flying over her cauldron is positively bewitching!
25. Smiling Jack-O’-Lantern
A colorful mix of blue flowers and golden brown leaves fall against this smiling jack-o’-lantern in this bright thigh piece done by @x_pandarchy.
26. Creepy Pumpkin Tree
This is one way to depict your family tree!
27. A Jar of Boos
We doubt anyone could ever be afraid of this cute little ghost, even if she wasn’t in a jar! Swipe for the amazing details done by artist @jaicandacetattoos.
28. Dancing in the Moonlight
When the moon rises, it’s party time for the bats, ghosts and jack-o’-lantern on Halloween night!
29. Cathedral Ghost
Real-life Wednesday Addams—aka digital creator Devon Rose (@Wednesdayirl)—lives life like it’s Halloween every day, right down to her deadly cute tattoo of a ghost and bat hanging out in a cathedral window.
30. Mistress of the Dark
Horror Hostess Elvira, the Queen of Halloween, is forever immortalized thanks to the handiwork of @jilliandollarsink.
31. Spooky Season Ahead
Creepy alert! Check out the incredible details on the witch and skeleton of this arm sleeve from @monstersinkhq!
32. Maleficent Daisy
Disney tattoos are the specialty of @houseofladychappelle, who gives Daisy Duck an evil new look as Sleeping Beauty’s Maleficent.
33. Dia De Los Muertos
In Mexican and other Latino cultures, a traditional Day of the Dead sugar skull mask is a great way to honor one’s ancestors, like this one from @iron_tiger_tattoo.
34. Like a Moth to a Flame
Have you ever seen a spooky bug? Thanks to this jack-o’-lantern moth done by @thepinkghost.xo, now you have!
35. Out For a Stroll
One client’s idea for a skeleton walking a ghost cat on a pink leash turned into a creative masterpiece thanks to the talented handiwork by @sandy.tattoos.
36. Pumpkin Snail
A snail—which symbolizes slow and determined movement through life—gets a Halloween-themed twist with a jack-o’-lantern shell in this bold leg piece by Kacy Blalock (@sparkles_tattoos) from @hudsons_house_of_ink.
37. Zero Is a Hero
Jack Skellington’s loyal ghost dog gets some love with this tattoo of Zero from The Nightmare Before Christmas, done by @FoxTrotMRazTattooer.
38. Pokémon Pumpkin
Togepi’s eggshell is redone as an adorable exploding jack-o-lantern by @topaciotattoos, complete with sweet candy treats and some bat friends surrounding the Pokémon creature. Gotta catch ‘em all! Next, check out these trending Halloween pumpkin decorating and painting ideas!
