It’s 2020 and Halloween has been canceled. We are all crying about it.  

Our favorite haunts and themed Halloween experiences are postponed to 2021, but maybe we don’t need to wait another year to have some spooky fun. At Diego Tattoo Gallery, our artists love conjuring up Halloween delights. 

We know, we know. Nothing beats the smell of fog machines and sweaty masked monsters screaming in your face, but maybe a forever homage to the best holiday can hold us over until the next haunting.

Here are some of our favorite Halloween tattoos we have done over the years, ranging from cute pumpkin tattoos to nightmarish horror movie tattoos. Beware, the spirit of tattooing might follow you home and haunt your dreams until you make an appointment.

This artist turned a classic 90’s cartoon into cute Halloween art. This Pinky and the Brain tattoo is cute, spooky, and innovative. Are you pondering what I’m pondering? A Halloween spin on your favorite cartoon captures that nostalgic childhood delight of Trick-or-Treating.

pinky and the brain tattoo

Cari (@carebeartattoos) brings the magic, fantasy, and fun-filled fright of Tim Burton to life with this Beetlejuice tattoo and Mars Attacks! tattoo. A similar concept could also work as matching tattoos with a friend or partner. Who would you trust most to shield you from scare actors in a haunted house? Ask them to get a matching tattoo with you to prove their undying dedication to keeping you safe next haunt season. 

beetlejuice tattoo by Cari Fox

Beth (@bethemmerich) pays tribute to Dia De Los Muertos with this beautiful sugar skull tattoo. In this piece, Beth helped honor the client’s heritage and celebrate Day of the Dead forever with a Dia De Los Muertos tattoo.

Day of the Dead, Dia De Los Muertos tattoo

Marissa Gray (@grxy.tattoo) specializes in realism and horror. Truly what is more terrifying than reality, especially in 2020? This shifted baby face tattoo takes a realistic child that could have been a diaper commercial baby and instead disorients you until you’re pretty sure your own child is possessed. Reality can be the best source material for a nightmarish tattoo.

realistic child portrait tattoo

Rocky (@rockyhowetattoo) tattooed this adorable witchy Pikachu last year. Little did we know a mere 12 months later, we would have nowhere to go and nothing to dress up for. Live vicariously through your favorite character by dressing them up forever.

Pikachu Tattoo

Madison (@satellitefully) gives us a fresh take on a classic Halloween bat tattoo with this trippy little fella. This piece highlights the importance of finding an artist with a style and vision that you connect to. Any artist can give you a generic black bat tattoo, but Madison integrated a unique vibrant color scheme and expressive face. What classic iconography can you imagine getting a new stylistic twist?

full-color bat tattoo

Justin (@justincotapop) is bringing us a foreboding from the past. This plague doctor tattoo feels a little… on the nose. It was tattooed in 2019 but any plague or virus-themed tattoo will ensure you never forget the horrors of this Halloween. 

2020 plague doctor tattoo

Shane (@darkcollarart) reminds us that classic movie monster tattoos are a timeless nod to all things spooky. For a small tip, your artist might even yell “IT’S ALIVE” when your tattoo is finished. This really can be an immersive experience if you just believe.

classic movie monster tattoo

Kris (@krisnotch_tattoo) loves pop culture and patch tattoos. Turn your skin into a cool denim vest and get a pumpkin patch tattoo. I bet you didn’t know you could have a pumpkin patch with just one pumpkin. Tattoos are all about pushing limits.

pumpkin patchwork tattoo

Demi (@honeyxdriptattoo) created this Halloween Rilakkuma tattoo. Demi draws tons of spooky kawaii tattoos. In this picture, Rila manages to be sweet and unassuming while also brandishing a murder weapon. What cuddly character can you imagine holding a knife or machete or shotgun or hammer or sickle or…?

Rilakkuma tattoo

We jokingly declared the cancellation of Halloween, but really Halloween can be 365 days a year; especially if you get a Halloween tattoo. 

In the meantime, we will be waiting for you to summon us. 

Also, if you ask extra nice, maybe your artist will jump out from behind a counter when you walk into the shop to get your adrenaline going. Boo