Shooting stars can be the symbol of wishes or dreams. When tattooed on your skin, they let others know you are a wisher, a dreamer, a person who likes to chase after the best things in life. Choose the right shooting star tattoo to make sure you get your meaning across.
Ideas for Shooting Star Tattoos
A real shooting star looks like a streak of light against the sky. It may be bright white or look yellow, orange, red or even greenish, but a shooting star tattoo can take on any look you desire.
Comet
When people draw shooting stars, they often draw a star shape with a tail of flame resembling a comet stretching behind. The idea is to convey motion, and the tail may be arced to help show the path that the star was following. In the trail of the comment, you may want to include several smaller stars, or have a few stars sprinkled to either side to delineate its path.
Glitter Trail
In addition to using multiple stars racing from one area of the body to another, sometimes a "glitter trail" of very tiny stars can be the backdrop for some larger ones. Change the shape of the trail from fat to thin as it reaches across the skin to indicate motion. Scatter some stars along the trail to give the impression of the star's past movement.
Multiple Stars
Shooting star tattoos can have a single star, but they frequently have several. A trail of smaller stars following a large one is a very intricate and detailed way of displaying a shooting star. The stars can be different colors, varying sizes and they may be lined up in a row, or scattered freely through the area.
Subtle Motion
If a full, flaming tail or a trail of stars isn't your idea of what a shooting star should like, consider using a more subtle approach. Use a single star, or a few stars and have your tattoo artist give them a few lines and shading just behind them. This will indicate motion, without drawing a lot of attention.
Planning Your Tattoo
You can find designs for shooting star tattoos on tattoo flash sites and your local shop. If you'd like something original, plan the tattoo before you head for the tattoo parlor. That way, you can work with the artist to get exactly what you want.
Color
Shooting stars are the stuff of dreams, and color can be a very effective tool at conveying this.
- Pastels give a fantasy feel to your tattoo.
- Bright colors are bold and cheerful.
- Reds and oranges convey the feel of heat and flame for the tail.
- Black is simple and classic.
If you're getting more than one star, you can make them all different colors or stick with one shade. The more color you introduce, the more eye-catching your design will be. Color can also help to indicate motion, if used in the tail, a glitter trail or in motion lines.
Shape
Does your star have a meaning? If you want to add extra meaning to a shooting star, you can use the star's shape to represent your interests.
- Many military organizations use a version of the five-pointed star on medals or insignia.
- An open five pointed star (pentacle) is a pagan symbol and also appears in Catholic designs.
- A six-pointed star, formed from two triangles, is a symbol of Judaism, appears in Islamic art and can also be seen in images from other religions, including Buddhism and Hinduism.
Make sure to keep the design of the shooting star intact. Change only the shape of the star, but include elements of motion and color to set it off.
Style
Solid stars are more eye catching than line drawings, but multiple stars moving across one area might look better done in a lighter hand. Consider just how prominent you want the tattoo to be and let the style follow naturally.
Placement
Shooting stars work best if they are allowed to stretch themselves out a bit to convey their path both coming and going. For this reason, they tend to work better on the flatter planes of the body including:
- Chest
- Upper back
- Ankle
- Forearm
- Top of foot
This doesn't mean you need to confine your tattoo to one of these areas, just keep in mind that wherever you place your star, it should have room to "move".
Meanings and Legends
People often associate shooting stars with good luck and success. To be a "shooting star" is to do really well at something, very quickly. Sometimes the expression is also used to suggest that the person will "burn out" before too long. There are, of course, many other possible meanings associated with this symbol.
Cultural Significance
Shooting stars have specific meanings in some cultures.
- In one Native American legend, a shooting star symbolizes a young girl, far from her native land, trying to get home.
- In another Native American legend, a shooting star may represent a coyote who had climbed up to dance among the stars.
- Asian legends say that these lights in the sky are serpents, which may bring good luck or bad.
Personal Significance
You may opt for this type of tattoo to express meaning that is personal to you. Examples of other possible meanings include:
- Remembrance of a moment of time in your life that had a great impact like a friendship, relationship or even a graduation from school or job promotion
- Memoriam to a lost friend or family member
- Birth of a child
- Desire for stardom
- A remember to "reach for the stars"
- Making a fresh beginning
- Marking significant changes in your life
If you have a personal meaning that you bring to your tattoo, be sure to work it into the design. That may mean taking images from legends surrounding shooting stars, or tattooing someone's name onto a star in the design.
Let Your Star Shine
No matter where you place your shooting star, or what it looks like, make sure it conveys exactly what you intend. Wear it with pride and see where it leads.
