Tattoos

9 Cool Nightmare Before Christmas Tattoo Ideas

Two words: Jack Attack.

When it comes to cult classic cartoons, few are as beloved as The Nightmare Before Christmas. The 1993 stop-motion animated musical sounds improbably bizarre. Halloween Town's beloved pumpkin king, Jack Skellington, grows bored of his harrowing hijinks and heads to Christmas Town where he discovers an entirely different kind of celebration. But when his plans to kidnap Santa and take over go awry, chaos ensues. A classic, no? That’s why so many people have decided to commit their love of the film to their skin with Nightmare Before Christmas tattoos.

And since it’s the holiday season, perhaps you’d like to do the same. But what kind of Nightmare Before Christmas tattoo should you choose? There are any number of characters you could immortalize on your body, namely Jack, the star of the show. But what about Emily, his beloved? She might deserve a spot as well. And then there’s the Mayor and Oogie Boogie and Zero, Jack’s dog.

Need some help deciding? Great body artists across the globe have paid homage to this film with intricately detailed designs. Maybe one of these Nightmare Before Christmas tattoos will strike your fancy. Then you can print it off and show your tattoo artist of choice.

1

A Jack Skellington Tattoo

Want a simple black ink tattoo of Jack? How about a riff on something like this from artist Mireia Mateos. Here Jack is thoughtfully reflecting? Is he plotting his next move to snag Santa? Or daydreaming about Emily? That’s up to you to decide. Whatever the case, the illustration is a lovely representation of the star of this class film. And no one will mistake him when they see it on your body.

2

Jack and Sally Tattoo

Sally is in love with Jack. Her passion for the pumpkin King is so much, she sings a melancholy song all about her unrequited love for him. Does that image conjure up your own romantic feelings? Perhaps you feel the same about your partner. If so, shout it to the world with this dreamy tattoo. Here artist Marco Antonio brings their love to life.

3

A Mayor Tattoo

Love some comic relief? Then maybe a tattoo of the Mayor is best for you. The elected official who is more of a figure head than anything else, works with Jack to pull off Halloween each year. But when Skellington goes missing, it’s the Mayor who organizes a search party to find him then heads off in his hearse-like car called the "Mayor-mobile" shouting on a loud speaker to track him down. Artist Maddie Mei Morgan has an excellent rendition.

4

Shin Nightmare Before Christmas Tattoos

Really love Nightmare Before Christmas? Like really, really love it? Then you’re ready to commit your favorite film to full double shin levels. All you need to do is follow artist Carol Cannon’s template here. On one leg, she’s created a framed homage to Zero, Scraps, and Sparky, and on the other she features Jack and Sally. All to summarize Jack’s quote, “There's children throwing snowballs, instead of throwing heads, they’re busy building toys, and absolutely no one’s dead."

5

A Jack Skellington Back Tattoo

If you want your tattoo to feel like a still from the movie itself, perhaps artist Aurélio’s work is more your style. Here, the illustration encompasses an entire back and features Jack walking along with a balloon in hand under the cover of darkness. A cat sits in a tree in the background gazing below.

6

Jack and Sally Lovers Tattoo

Still debating just the right Jack and Sally tattoo? Here’s another option. Hexenwerk.tattoo has produced an entire arm tattoo that reads Lovers and has Jack and Sally framed in cobwebs and surrounded by Nightmare Before Christmas characters and objects like Zero, pumpkins, and a church. It’s very spooky in all the right ways.

7

Pop Art Jack Skellington Tattoo

Black ink tattoos are great, but sometimes you want a pop of color and that’s exactly what body artist Marco Pepe has produced here. Jack Skellington is rendered in loud hues of bright pink, orange, purple, and blue. In fact, the work looks more like an acrylic painting than a tattoo, a real work of art for any fan trying to decide on a Nightmare Before Christmas tattoo.

8

Jack Balloon Tattoo

Simple and subtle with only two colors, black and red, this tattoo features a big Jack Skellington face tattoo with what appears to be Sally floating below. The lone red rope dangles between the balloon and her below, giving it an even more vivid appeal. If you’re exploring Nightmare Before Christmas tattoos, consider this one by St. Peter’s Ink Tattoo Studio.

9

Jack Skellington’s Face Tattoo

Is Jack your all time favorite character? If you want nothing more than to show your love for this freaky film than with a Jack Skellington tattoo, consider Aurélio’s Jack face. It’s straightforward, simple, but well executed (get it?). And for anyone who can’t decide on the many Nightmare Before Christmas tattoos available, it’s an easy choice.

Ready to make your love of all things Halloween Town official? Get inspired by these Nightmare Before Christmas tattoos and ink it up.