Key facts
- Style
- New School
- Colour
- Black and grey
What’s in it from tags · not scanned yet
About this tattoo
New school style tattoo of a skull on the back, done in black & grey. By Brandon Heuser at Great Lakes Tattoo.
Details
The work
- Style
- New School
- Subject
- Dagger & Knife, Skull, Symbols & Objects
- Palette
- Black and grey
Placement and size
- Placement
- Back
Time and cost
- Price
- No estimate for this piece: this older photo has no size yet; it gets one when it is re-scanned. Studio’s rate ≈$250/h (studio’s published rate).
Pain and healing
- Pain
- Mild, 2 of 5 — broad and well-muscled, sharper over the spine and shoulder blades
- Healing
- Moderate (hard to reach yourself)
- Visibility
- Easy to cover
- More
- Tattoo pain map · Pain by placement
All tags and facts
- Style
- 💥 New School
- Subject
- 🗡️ Dagger & Knife💀 SkullSymbols & Objects
- Placement
- 🔙 Back
- Colour
- 🩶 Black & Grey
- Pain
- 2/5 · mild
- Healing
- Moderate (hard to reach yourself)
- Visibility
- Easy to cover
Source and scan
- Work ID
- 11341
- Published on
- greatlakestattoo.com
- On TatSeek since
- 2026-09-30
- Scan
- Tags only (to be re-scanned)
More from Brandon Heuser 14 tattoos
View all →
Questions and answers
What can a dagger & knife and skull tattoo mean?
Dagger & Knife — often courage, sacrifice or betrayal — an old-school classic, often paired with roses or snakes. Skull — often mortality, “live now” or protection. Meanings change with culture and person — what it means to you matters most. Understanding tattoo meanings →
Where was this tattoo done?
Brandon Heuser made it at Great Lakes Tattoo, 1148 W Grand Ave, Chicago. 10 min walk from Chicago subway station. You book with the studio directly; TatSeek takes no fee. View on the map →
How painful is a back tattoo, and how does it heal?
Back: mild, 2 of 5 — broad and well-muscled, sharper over the spine and shoulder blades. Long sessions, stress and no sleep make it feel worse. The surface looks healed in 2–4 weeks and the skin settles over a few months; here healing is moderate (hard to reach yourself) and the spot is easy to cover. Pain map →
How will a tattoo like this age?
All tattoos soften slightly over the years as the skin renews itself and the sun breaks pigment down. Size, placement and sun protection matter more than the style name. How tattoos age →
Can I get this exact design?
Use it as a reference. Most artists adapt a design to your body and their own style rather than copy another person’s tattoo line for line — and if you want this artist’s look, the best option is to book this artist. Copying, references and AI designs →
How do I book something like this?
Message the studio with this photo, where you want it and how big, colour or black and grey, your budget and dates. The “Message template” button next to the price gives you a ready text to edit and copy. How to message a tattoo artist →
