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About Michael Myers Tattoos
Halloween is one of the longest-running movie franchises of all time. For over 40 years, fans have been terrified of Michael Myers, who is easily recognized by his stoic white mask and bloody butcher’s knife.
Michael Myers is a giant among pop culture, as everyone knows his name and his look. As with any pop culture phenomenon, the influence of Halloween has reached the world of tattoos. Over the years, many people have gotten a Michael Myers tattoo on some part of their body.
The best Michael Myers tattoos display appreciation of the franchise, love of the horror genre, and fascination with the character. They may not be for everyone, but they’re definitely common choices among horror fanatics.
This article will tell you everything you need to know before getting your custom ink. Beware, there are minor Halloween spoilers ahead!
What Do Michael Myers Tattoos Mean and Symbolize?
The meaning of a Michael Myers tattoo depends on the individual that gets it. People tend to choose their own Michael Myers tattoo meaning, and this varies for each person. Generally, it shows a love of the series and of the horror genre.
The character of Michael Myers is characterized as being pure evil. As the movies progressed, each successive writer-director team added their own nuances to the character, such as giving him a twisted sense of humor or emphasizing that he is a sexual deviant.
Michael Myers is evil, anonymous (at first), and just plain creepy. He is an elusive bogeyman that somehow survives at every twist and turn, which continues the chase.
Creator John Carpenter has described Michael Myers as a supernatural force, making him that much more terrifying. The blank mask that’s the most recognizable feature of the character emphasizes that he’s without real human emotion, thus making him abstract and difficult to understand.
A Michael Myers tattoo may seem like an odd choice, as this character is the image of true evil. It may not be for everyone but, if you’re a big horror fan and want to show your appreciation to the genre, a Michael Myers tattoo could be a good choice for you, since he is an iconic horror character.
At the end of the day, it’s your tattoo and you need to choose an image that you love. The Halloween franchise is iconic and if it holds significance to you, then that’s reason enough to get a Michael Myers tattoo.
Where to get a Michael Myers Tattoo
Common places to get a Michael Myers tattoo include:
- Full sleeve (works well if you’re doing a collage)
- Ribs/side
- Back
- Calf
- Back of the hand
Michael Myers tattoos are often part of a larger image printed in a sleeve or collage on the back. However, you can also opt to just have the iconic mask if you want a tattoo on the smaller side. A good rule of thumb is to play to the natural lines of the body, ensuring that your tattoo emphasizes your already present beauty.
A good approach may be to pick where you want your tattoo first, and then design it in a way that looks best on that patch of skin. Remember that tattoos are permanent (unless you laser them off), so make sure you absolutely love your design before you get inked!
The inking process is also quite painful, but numbing creams can be used to ease the process. Make sure to talk to your doctor before getting a tattoo, to ensure that you don’t have an allergic reaction.
How Much Do Michael Myers Tattoos Cost?
There are a few factors that influence the cost of a tattoo:
- Size of tattoo
- Design
- Colors, ink, and equipment used
- Placement
- Experience of thetattoo artist (an experienced artist will cost more)
- Hourly rate
- Location of the tattoo studio (city studios can be more expensive)
When getting any tattoo, the way to calculate the cost is similar. You should be prepared to spend around $100 for a good tattoo. A small tattoo (2-4 inches) can fall between a range of $50-$250, a medium-size tattoo (4-6 inches) can be $150-450, and a large tattoo (over six inches) can fall between $500-$4,000.
Sleeves and full-back tattoos will cost you a couple thousand dollars and will probably take multiple sessions to complete. Tattoos with numerous colors will also cost you more.
Every studio varies in how they break down prices, so make sure to chat with your tattoo artist before your inking session to ensure that it falls within your budget.
A Michael Myers tattoo can be as simple or as complicated as you like. If you’re leaning towards a colorful sleeve, that’ll cost you more than a black and white minimalistic tattoo.
Make sure to speak to your tattoo artist beforehand to get an exact quote for your Michael Myers tattoo.
30 Best Michael Myers Tattoo Designs
And now for some Michael Myers tattoo ideas! Most follow a photo-realism style, but you can choose a style that best reflects you.
Below you’ll find some common Michael Myers tattoo designs that you can use as a jumping-off point when designing your ideal ink.
#1: Simple, Minimalistic
Michael Myers tattoos are definitely conversation-starters, but that doesn’t mean that you need to do a whole sleeve. If you’d prefer something on the simpler side, you can get a tattoo that paints Michael Myers in a minimalistic style, with just the outline of the character and minimal shading. This design works well if you have other tattoos and are trying to match their style.
#2: Addition of Knife
Aside from the mask, the most iconic feature of Michael Myers’ character is the butcher’s knife that he uses to kill his victims. You can get creative with this design. Rather than Michael Myers just holding the knife, you can show his reflection in the blade or have the knife shielding half of his face.
#3: Colorful vs. Black and White
Michael Myers tattoos look great in black and white or with various colors. It all comes down to your personal preference. Red is a common addition since it’s the color of blood. You can also add some orange to complement the holiday of Halloween.
#4: Collage with Other Halloween Images
Speaking of Halloween, Michael Myers is very intertwined in the culture of the holiday. Through the years, he has inspired many Halloween costumes and decorations. When designing your tattoo, you can add pumpkins, blood, ghosts, and any other Halloween images to show how much the holiday means to you.
#5: Collage with Other Horror Characters
Michael Myers, Jason, Freddy Krueger, Pinhead, Ghostface, and Chucky may all be from different franchises, but they make Halloween what it is. You can expand your Michael Myers tattoo to include other classic horror villains, which will show your appreciation of the genre and of Halloween in general.
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History of the Michael Myers Tattoo
In 1978, Michael Myers first appeared in the original Halloween movie, directed by John Carpenter and written by John Carpenter and Debra Hill. He also appears in the sequel, Halloween II (1981), but is missing from the third installment to the franchise, Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982).
He returns in Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988), and then remains in the franchise, appearing in Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989), Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995), Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998), and Halloween: Resurrection (2002).
The series got a remake in 2007 with Halloween and its sequel, Halloween II in 2009, both of which featured a reimagined version of Michael Myers. More recently, the original movie was remade with Halloween (2018) and its sequel, Halloween Kills (2021). He will return once again in Halloween Ends, coming out October 2022.
John Carpenter first came up with the idea for Michael Myers when visiting a mental institution while in college. On this trip he encountered a patient around 12 years old. According to Carpenter, this boy gave off an evil stare that was extremely unsettling.
Michael Myers’ origin story then came to Carpenter, as he imagined what this figure would grow up to become.
In the original Halloween, Michael Myers is initially shown as a young boy who murders his sister on Halloween. He is then sent to a mental institution.
Fifteen years later, he escapes the institution to hunt down teenager Laurie and kill her as well. The movie follows Laurie and Dr. Sam Loomis as they attempt to escape Michael Myers and bring about his demise.
Each movie involves a similar chase, where Michael Myers goes on a killing spree (mainly targeting teenagers), while being hunted by those trying to defeat him. In the second movie, it’s revealed that Laurie is actually his other sister, which begins a whole web of complications.
At the end of almost every movie, it seems as if Michael Myers is finally dead, but he finds a way to survive at the last moment.
The iconic mask that Michael Myers dons throughout the franchise is actually a Captain Kirk mask that has been painted white. The first mask they considered for the films was a clown mask with red frizzy hair.
However, they ultimately chose to go with William Shatner’s face, because it achieved the creepy emotionless look they were going for with this character.
Fun fact: the name Michael Myers came from a real person! John Carpenter had previously worked with Michael Myers, who was the head of the British company Miracle Films and had distributed Carpenter’s previous film. Naming the primary antagonist of the franchise after Myers was meant as a tribute to a friend and colleague.
Which Celebrities Have a Michael Myers Tattoo?
A couple months ago, Kourtney Kardashian shared a picture of her fiancé’s newest ink. That’s right, Travis Barker has a Michael Myers tattoo on his side.
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