If black shadows are too grim for you, you could go for a more cartoonish picture with clean lines and maybe a quote or phrase to represent what the Reaper means to you. Grim, somber colors are best suited for this dark subject matter. You can either go for a full-figure portrayal or just the hooded head, with fine and shadowy, contrasted detailing of Death’s skeletal features. The tall figure of the reaper makes for a good large tattoo on the biceps or the forearm. Your tattoo artist will ask you for your ideas on how you want Death to be represented in ink. Ideas and Meanings for Angel of Death Tattoos for Men The flowing robes make for a very versatile subject to place on various parts of the body. Typically Death is pictured in black, moody robes and the iconic scythe. Whatever draws you to the icon of the grim reaper, you can’t ignore the fact that grim reaper tattoos for men can be visually powerful, awe-inspiring, frightening, thought-provoking, moody, even comical, and always a great ice breaker. Wear the Angel of Death on your body to remind you that our days are numbered or to remind yourself each time you look in the mirror, as in the words of the popular Blue Oyster Cult song “don’t fear the reaper” live each day to the fullest. The flowing sand in the hourglass is a reminder that time is short.

The scythe is what he cuts down lives with. It is a symbol of inescapable death, an icon to be feared because it turns up unexpectedly like a thief in the night. Since the fifteenth century, the Reaper has been pictured as a robed, hooded figure wielding a scythe (and maybe an hourglass). People have iconized the Death for centuries.

Tattoo grim reaper meaning