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For anyone who has not seen a Tim Burton film, they are usually filled with non-conforming ideas and very imaginative ideas and characters.
For anyone who HAS seen a Tim Burton film, you know exactly what to expect, and Nightmare Before Christmas completely encapsulates his methodology of creating a great film.
The abstract thoughts and the very “out there” characters are the focal point of all of his movies. These characters are created so boldly abstract and unique that they have been in the hearts of many for years.
In 1993 Tim Burton created a masterpiece called the Nightmare Before Christmas, which featured a town called Halloween, and a character called Jack Skellington, who was the king of Halloween Town. Jack eventually trekked through the woods, and not to ruin the story, but found himself in a new town, called Christmas Town. The story and the travels of Jack have led many throughout the world to fall in love with his character and his story.
As evident throughout the world, tattoos are a piece of art that many find tell the story of who they are and what they stand for. Many people tattoo various aspects of loved ones, symbols that have deeper meaning to them, and all other types of “stuff” that they hold dearly.
Well, sit down and check out how these individuals wanted to translate the Nightmare Before Christmas story into a tattoo!
The Best Nightmare Before Christmas Tattoo Ideas
Black and white Jack Skellington bicep tattoo
A black and white Jack Skellington tattoo on this person’s bicep is designed with heavy dark ink on Skellington’s suit and a shaded image of Zero flying in front. A buttoned, red nose is the only piece of this tattoo that features any color in this tattoo, making both of these characters the point of emphasis.
Colorful and detailed full sleeve
This is a detailed and colorful masterpiece which consumes this person’s entire arm. A tattoo that must’ve taken more than 6 sittings, screams color, detail and a passion for Nightmare Before Christmas. Every inch of this piece tells a different story, and a different emotion based on the color, facial expression or background.
Black and white shoulder cap silhouette
A beautifully detailed shoulder cap/bicep tattoo that features Jack Skellington and Sally in what seems to be love. A mixture between Spiral Hill and what seems like a wedding chapel create a love-filled black and white tattoo.
Colorful heart shaped wrist tattoo of Sally
Sally is featured here with so much color and detail in the background. An awkwardly shaped heart that is all stitched together includes the face of Sally, with bright and shiny eyeballs. It is actually quite impressive the use of various shades of white on the eyes to make them shine.
Forearm sleeve of Jack Skellington
Jack Skellington is the feature of many Nightmare Before Christmas tattoos, and this is one of the most detailed we have seen so far. The use of black and white shading, with no color pays a great respect to Jack’s character, and this wonderful tattoo.
Colorful ankle piece of Zero
Zero, who can best be described as Jack’s ghost-dog, is shown here in a colorful display, happy as can be. Using the simple lines adds to the empty body of Zero, along with his unique and iconic red button nose.
A black and white mixture of the movies
Nightmare Before Christmas and Alice in Wonderland have quite a bit in common, mostly Tim Burton. The theming of each movie and the concepts that seem very far fetched in an alternate reality are clashing here in a tattoo of Jack Skellington wearing the Mad Hatter’s top-hat.
A tale of two halves
A tale of good vs. evil. Bright, descriptive and colorful was the plan behind this tattoo, which features Jack, Oogie Boogie and his henchmen, Lock, Shock and Barrel in the foreground of this tattoo. It is trying to tell us a story of Jack first and foremost in the front being one of them, while in the background, underneath Jack is just looking for love, on Spiral Hill with Sally.
Spiral Hill is Oogie Boogie
The infamous picture of Jack and Sally on top of Spiral Hill is met with a hidden message on the right. Jack bringing Sally into the sunset, with Oogie in the background shows the Roman Numerals translation on the right hand side. 7.5.2019 must be the anniversary of the individual receiving this tattoo!
Inner forearm black and white piece
We can faintly see on the other side of this individual’s forearm that there is a tattoo, with this piece finishing off the half sleeve on the inside of the forearm. A common design, with uncommon designs reveals a very detailed and intricate piece with Jack and Oogie.
Jack Skellington face centered into a green webbed heart
Jack Skellington isn’t featured in the film within a green heart, which means that this artist has put their own twist into the popularly tattooed character. A detailed green and webbed heart, with faint coloring of green in Jack Skellington’s face add to the collection of tattoos around it.
Barbed-wire heart surrounding Sally and Jack in love
There are a few different parts of this tattoo that your eyes are really drawn to. For starters, the obvious love connection between Jack and Sally both smiling in the center cause you to notice Spiral Hill to Sally’s left, and the ever-present jar of deadly nightshade right beneath them. Both are clearly in love, surrounded by a barbed-wire design which is supposed to subjectively create a heart formation.
A “Sewn Together” Family Portrait
Sally was created. She was sown together with bits and pieces of memories. Jack and Sally were truly in love and this artists was attempting to recreate an original creation. She is now created in art with Jack being half of her within a family portrait frame.
Jack and Sally’s romance in a heart
Jack and Sally, who are both colorfully tattooed within this heart are staring lovingly at each other. The purple background, which could be described as the night sky colors over the stare of two lovers.
Tim Burton’s Best Friends
Nightmare Before Christmas is just one of Tim Burton’s masterpieces. He has many others, and there is one common theme throughout all of his movies, and that is the presence of a dog, or dog-like character. Pictured in this tattoo is Zero from Nightmare Before Christmas, Sparky from “Frankenweenie” and Scraps from “The Corpse’s Bride”.
A nightmare of balloons
Zero and a little girl, who is only half shaded are on a walk together. The little girl isn’t holding a leash, but a cluster of 3 balloons, all with the faces of Nightmare Before Christmas characters which is a very unique tattoo idea!
The profession of a silhouette love
Black ink is obviously the most common color of ink in a tattoo. This tattoo specifically features a lot of black ink, as there is next to no shading, other than the outline of the characters. A profession of love by Jack, handing a flower to Sally in this very dark colored tattoo is done exceptionally well, with next to no interior detail.
A black and white Jack and Sally love tattoo
Jack and Sally’s love story is among one of the most captivating story lines in Nightmare Before Christmas. That is one of the most tattooed topics in the entire movie. From what I can discern, this appears to be a thigh tattoo featuring a black and white Jack and Sally encased in a heart staring lovingly into each other’s eyes.
The key to a new Nightmare Before Christmas tattoo
Unlocking ideas to a new tattoo idea is something everyone is always thinking about. Hopefully you liked my pun, if not, well I apologize. But this is a great twist of a tattoo, and one that I can promise you won’t see through the rest of the post. I wonder what Jack Skellington is the key to? Possibly love? There seems to be a heart on the tip of the key, but I’m not the person to give you that answer.
Jack, Sally, Oogie and Zero colorfully illustrated
It is either color or no color. Nightmare Before Christmas tattoos have this same theme that there is either very large and pronounced color or none at all. Very clearly this is the previous, as it pops off of this person’s arm with bright and vibrant colors, eluding to the happiest moments of the movie, with Spiral Hill and the Sun featured in the background.
Sally’s bright illustration
This is what seems like a calf tattoo that is so bright and vibrant in color, that it truly pops off of this person’s skin. The purple Spiral Hill, along with the bright red/pinking hair makes this tattoo stand out in a number of fantastic ways.
Puppy Zero
Zero has a way of being tattooed by almost everyone, but almost is the key word. A lovable dog-like character, Zero has no doubt caught the hearts of dog lovers out there everywhere. With a cute little pumpkin nose, this tattoo just above this individual’s ankle may be a reference to their cute new puppy that they just brought into their life!
Oogie Boogie breaking colorfully at the seams
Oogie Boogie is a character throughout Nightmare Before Christmas that captures the audience. He is described as a burlap sack which is filled with bugs. You can see the bright green throughout his body, which isn’t customary of burlap sacks, as well as the colorful bugs trying to claw their way out. A bright and friendly piece of such a destructive character is a great addition to any group of tattoos!
Zero’s Silhouette
Zero has to be one of the most lovable characters. A ghost-dog that resonates with every animal lover out there, and is most commonly compared to their own loved pet. Here, zero is represented with no detail, just an outline of his character, heavily filled in with dark ink. A great addition to anyone’s wrist.
Strong black and white forearm scene
Jack Skellington walking with “swagger” throughout the graveyard extends throughout almost the entirety of this person’s forearm. The graves, the bats and the dark moon on the horizon of the castle creates a setting of eeriness of this piece.
The causers of mischief near the elbow
Right above the elbow is where the 3 “causers of mischief” will forever live. Lock, Shock and Barrel, Oogie’s henchmen are designed in a small tattoo right above this person’s elbow, using simply black and white.
Love entrenched in a heart of thorns
Many people have their own design and thoughts on this particular piece. What is great is that there are no copies, there are no duplicates and that everyone has their own imagination when creating this tattoo. The focal point of this piece is yes, Jack and Sally, however it is also the intricately shaded heart of thorns surrounding their love.
Sally in Jack’s arms blended in with Spiral Hill
Jack and Sally are depicted as being the focal point to this bright and colorful bicep tattoo, standing as if they are on Spiral Hill, but theres a slight twist. Spiral Hill is in front of them, and clearly they are not standing on it, it’s just a a nice piece added to the front of the tattoo to help round out the whole piece.
A colorful, cute and happy Zero!
Although I can’t quite tell exactly where this tattoo is, ankle or wrist, it is a very happy tattoo, with lots of bright colors and of course a smiling little Zero! Between the colors of the sun and the red nose of Zero, with the bright stars make this a very pleasant tattoo from a movie that is on the darker side.
Silhouette of Jack and Sally with Oogie looking on
A testament to Halloween Town here shows Jack and Sally as blacked out characters, sitting on top of Spiral Hill with an orange colored Oogie Boogie looking over them. The devilish grin with a Jack-o-Lantern smile, while bats circle his face gives a nice touch to the Halloween flavored tattoo!
An enraged black and white Oogie Boogie
Whether happy or angry, this Oogie Boogie tattoo shows a mortifying grin that only he could create. The darkened out wide open mouth shows the emptiness inside as Oogie is wrapped in serpents which are inside of other serpents. A dark twist on a dark character.
Black and white calf sleeve
This tattoo doesn’t just encompass one aspect of the movie, but attempts to bring all of the movie to life. Between Jack and Sally featured front and center, with Lock, Shock and Barrel hiding behind the fence, and Oogie Boogie and Zero hiding behind in the distance, this tattoo really tries to bring the whole story of Nightmare Before Christmas into one great piece.
A dark twist on Jack Skellington
Many tattoos depict Jack Skellington as a happier character, usually with Sally, showing love. This half-sleeve however, tells a different tale. An angrily tattooed face looking on in demonic destruction through the heavy black ink shows the “dark side” of Jack Skellington’s character.
Santa…Skellington??
Not much is represented throughout these tattoos of Jack Skellington’s time in Christmas Town. Here is an interesting tattoo, which has Jack draped in what can be conceived as a Santa suit, with a long beard, much like Santa would have. Heck, you could even say that Zero is one of his hypothetical reindeer! A small and simple piece with a very unique twist.
A bright and colorful wrist tattoo of Sally
Sitting innocently upon this person’s wrist is a wonderfully happy Sally, along with some wonderfully happy pumpkins. The bright colors and the detail of Sally’s face, matched with the tattoos around this specific one makes this tattoo blend in very well with the rest of the work.
The lovable Zero
Zero is a great supporting character throughout the movie that creates happiness in people, since they feel they can relate. He is the happy character, with the cute nose, this time portrayed as a pumpkin, flying around in front of Spiral Hill sitting so nicely in front of a bright and happy night sky.
Oogie and Jack take on Christmas
Oogie Boogie and Jack Skellington’s take on Christmas. With the fake beard hanging off of Jack’s devilish looking face, and Oogie’s snide grin with a bug ready to crawl out, this isn’t what I would want to see coming down my chimney! Even despite the terror that these two look ready to cause, Jack and Oogie are very detailed and colorful to give this individual a great tattoo.
Jack and the henchmen sitting on a shoulder
As the happier tattoos are concerned, this one definitely fits the bill. Jack, and the henchmen, Lock, Shock and Barrel are all happily smiling, colorful and detailed as Jack holds Zero in his hand, who has the biggest smile of all. The shading in and around the henchmen’s bodies and Jack is wonderfully done to help set a nice depth perception for the entire tattoo.
A leg sleeve sure to brighten your day
The use of color within a tattoo that encompasses an entire body part can be tricky and challenging. EVERYTHING about the color in this tattoo really makes it as special as it can be. Between Sally’s hair mixing with the graveyard underneath Jack’s arm, while seamlessly blending into the night sky and the moon sitting behind Spiral Hill, every aspect of this piece is bright and powerful. This is truly phenomenal work that helps to tell the happier story of Nightmare Before Christmas.
A Halloween homage tattoo
While Jack seems to be the focal point of this tattoo, I would argue differently. The jack-o-lantern seemingly is the focal point of this piece, making everyone know that Jack’s time in Halloween Town is the reason for this tattoo. The bats flying around behind as Jack grabs onto the stem forces you to focus your eyes down, then work your way up to see everything in this tattoo.
Jack and Zero thigh tattoo featuring just a touch of color
Utilizing small bits of color can change the dynamic, and the make up of an entire tattoo. This is a primarily black and white tattoo that is focused on the pinstripe nature of Jack’s suit and Zero’s black and white nature, but there is a faint yellow sky in the background, as well as the little hint of orange in the pumpkin on Zero’s nose.
Just a Jack and his dog
The incredible amount of detail in both Jack Skellington and the dog tattooed above him round out a half sleeve tattoo that is an artistic delight. The tattoo of this dog is so vivi and realistic that it truly looks like it is a picture of the actual dog. COMPLETE ASSUMPTION here but, could this dog’s name possibly be Jack, after Jack Skellington? That’s my idea anyways!
Un-mixed character tattoos
While most people prefer to blend individual characters within a tattoo to make them one piece, this person has chosen against. Both Jack and Zero are two individual pieces to form a nice tattoo addition to this person’s calf in a nice and simple black and white depiction.
Simple solo Jack Skellington
Jack Skellington’s character is clearly tattooed in many different forms, as seen throughout this entire post. Here is yet another version, which features a more cartoon-like version which includes very faint detail and is more focused on the shape of the character with a simplistic face.
Jack and Sally in a diamond of love on a tricep
So, admittedly I can’t tell whether or not this tattoo is black and white in nature, since the filter prevents that, but I would have to guess it is a great black and white piece, with wonderful shading. Colored tattoos are phenomenal, but I always love a black and white tattoo with amazing shading that can really take a picture and make it appear real, as this has done on this person.
The evil little smile
Such a small tattoo carries so much of a devilish and evil little smile. A very cool tattoo idea, which features just the face of Jack Skellington with a very ironic grin, on this person’s bicep tells the story of Jack’s dark side in just one simple grin.
Nightmare Before Christmas turned into Art
Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas features some of the most iconic characters ever created in film. Jack Skellington has one of the most recognizable faces of any of the characters. He is featured throughout this post in all of the fascinating and amazing ways that people have taken his image, and created their own. Whether it be trying to tell a story through a piece of art, or something as simplistic as the image of his circular face, everyone is trying to tell their own version of his story.
Something from Nightmare Before Christmas resonates with everyone differently. Maybe it was Zero, maybe is was Oogie Boogie, or maybe it was Jack and Sally’s love story. Each person that made the decision to apply ink to their skin with the theme of Nightmare Before Christmas each used these characters to tell a portion of their own personal story.
Which tattoo is freakiest? Let us know in the comments!