Mateus Verdelho’s tattoos run from large skulls, flowers and a sailing ship to smaller marks on his hands, head and neck. The Brazilian model and DJ has said he grew up around skateboarding, tattoos, rock and rap, and wanted a heavily tattooed body from a young age. He told an interviewer that agencies tried to discourage him, but he continued adding to the collection.

His count has changed with time. In 2011, he estimated about 50 tattoos, noting that some had blended together. By a 2022 interview with Lorena Magazine, he put the total above 100. He also said some tattoos mean something to him and others are there for their style. The photos below show earlier stages of the collection.

The skull, roses and flame details on his right sleeve

A large skull with deep eye sockets and exposed teeth fills Mateus’s right upper arm. Long curling lines extend around it. Below, a flame-like shape sits above a broad rose near the elbow and forearm. Smaller stars and marks fill gaps between the larger images.

The black-and-white view makes the outlines and shading easy to compare: the skull stretches along the upper arm, while the rose turns around the elbow. Mateus said in a 2011 Glamurama interview that a red skull was his favorite tattoo, though he didn’t identify this particular skull as that piece.

The sailing ship and surrounding tattoos on his left arm

A sailing ship fills the center of Mateus’s left upper arm. Tall masts rise above the hull, with thin rigging lines crossing them and larger pale sails inside the darker outline. Curved, cloudlike forms sit nearby, while stars and smaller marks continue down the arm.

The ship is a clear focal point among the surrounding tattoos, though Mateus hasn’t said it represents travel or a particular event. Its narrow masts and broad hull also give the arm a different arrangement from the skull-and-rose sleeve on the other side.

The illustrated faces and lettering on his hands

Both hands carry large illustrated faces, with separate letters across the knuckles. One face has an open mouth and a dark frame that may read as hair or fur. The lettering is split across the fingers, and rings and the angle make it difficult to read as one word in this photo.

The hand portraits connect to the sleeves but remain distinct images. For another mix of hand ink and larger pieces, Johnny Depp’s hand tattoos provide a comparison; the crow on Depp’s hand has a different shape and scale.

The diamonds and small symbols beside his ear

A large outlined diamond sits above a smaller faceted gem behind Mateus’s ear. A small star lies nearer the hairline, while a crossed shape and tiny palm-like mark lead down toward a larger neck portrait. The details form a trail from the shaved side of his head toward his neck.

The gems are outlined drawings with bare skin inside; the upper diamond is wider than the lower one. Their shape doesn’t establish a personal meaning. In this close-up, the spacing and crisp edges are the clearest details.

The woman’s profile tattoo on the side of his neck

A woman’s profile fills the other side of Mateus’s neck. Dark hair frames her face; a hoop-shaped detail sits beside it, and red and green lines extend below toward the base of his neck. The face points toward the front of his body, with the hair filling the space nearer the ear.

Her identity hasn’t been confirmed. The portrait is visible on its own above a shirt collar, while the red and green shapes give the lower edge a little color.

A few quick answers

How many tattoos does he have? Mateus estimated about 50 in 2011 and more than 100 in a 2022 interview. Those are dated estimates, and he has said some designs have joined together over time.

Does every tattoo have a meaning? No. He said some are meaningful and others are about style. In 2022, he described the Pharaoh’s Horses back piece he was working on: the three horses represented him, Shantal and Pippo. He joked that he’d need to add another little horse for Domênica.

What ties the collection together? Large illustrated subjects sit alongside smaller marks and black outlines, but there isn’t one theme for every piece. Mateus discusses tattoos and piercings in this Nosso Canal interview, first released in 2014.