According to stories, the grim reaper appears when a person is about to die. And when the time comes for that person to bite the dust, the grim reaper will then use its scythe to sever ties between the soul and the physical body.
This is why, in drawings and other visual works, a grim reaper is often shown in the background when a person is close to death. The act is sort of similar to how Atropos, one of the Moirai in Greek mythology, cuts threads when ending lives of mortals. In some beliefs, the grim reaper is also responsible for “guiding” souls to heaven or hell, depending on how the deceased person lived his or her life.
The grim reaper is an excellent go-to tattoo design for men who have embraced that death is a natural part of life. A lot of people fear death and the fact that we all must go sometime. It takes courage and a proper mindset for someone to truly accept death as an inevitable aspect of life. If you have this mindset, then a grim reaper tattoo would suit you well.
A grim reaper tattoo also symbolizes fearlessness. If you love to engage in adventurous experiences where death is a constant possibility – such as extreme rock climbing, skydiving and cooking without proper supervision – then a grim reaper tattoo is a good way to show that you like living on the edge.
A grim reaper tattoo is best showcased in a black-and-gray style. Because a colored one would definitely look off. You can approach the design in several ways. You can have the grim reaper portrayed in its most common form, which is a hooded faceless figure in a long, black robe. If you want to give it a more deathly look, you can opt to have the robe in tattered style.
The scythe, which is held by skeletal hands, is pretty much straightforward, though the blade is open to customization if you want to be fancy (i.e. two blades instead of one). The grim reaper is also popularly portrayed with a visible skull under the hood to further emphasize death. And if you want, you can remove the hood altogether and have the skull in full glory. Most men go with the latter version because the fully visible skull opens up a lot of customization options.
If you want a more complicated grim reaper tattoo design, you can have the grim reaper mounted on a ghostly horse. This portrayal has roots in Christianity where Death is one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Obviously, a grim reaper riding a grim-looking horse requires a much larger canvas such as the back or chest area.
As for the pose? Well, that’s for you to decide. For ideas on the pose, check out these top grim reaper tattoos for men.
