Sun Tattoos

The sun is a powerful force that brings heat and life. It is a symbol that can mean life, death, power, strength, hope, rebirth, unity and even cooperation. This symbolic tattoo is enjoyed by both men and women equally and can be a standalone image or work as part of a motif.

While the sun and stars typically don't dance in the sky at the same time, if you really want to personalize your sun tattoo and give it special significance to you, you can add the stars like the image shown here. While the sun typically represents life or birth in this type of tattoo, the stars are open to interpretation. They can exemplify an event or possibly important people in your life. The sun of this tattoo is typically larger and takes up the majority of this piece and the stars gravitate around it. Sun and star tattoos can be large or small and full color or black. The size and color are really dependent on your personal preference.

A geometric sun tattoo can be used to symbolize our solar system or astronomy, or intellect and the mind. The symmetry found in the shapes and the design can illustrate how we value intelligence and mathematics or science. This symbol, while beautiful in its intricacy, can hold a wealth of meaning.

A geometric sun is a versatile tattoo that can fit most areas of the body. For example, you might place it at the base of the neck to emphasize intellect, or you can choose to place it on your bicep to illustrate strength and intelligence. The symmetry of the tattoo also lends itself well to the lower back or the middle of the chest. While color is an option for a geometric tattoo, you'll typically see these as an outline or black and gray.

The sun and moon are two halves of a whole; they are the night and day of people's lives. Therefore, sun and moon tattoos can have a lot of personalized meaning. They can symbolize unity, compromise, life, and even rebirth, given that the sun gives way to the rising moon and vice versa. A sun and moon design is typically tattooed together as part of a united circular form. Depending on the meaning, these can work well in black and gray or full color.

They are also equally seen on men and women alike. The placement of the sun and moon tattoo is open to a lot of interpretation. For example, you might place it on your forearm to show your strength and unity, or you might place it on your pectoral muscle above your heart to demonstrate rebirth or the opposing sides of your personality. Additionally, this element can make a creative centerpiece of a larger back or chest piece.

Given the circular shape of the sun and the intricacy of the rays, it lends itself very well to tribal designs. When you place these around circular areas of the human body, like the belly button, it can add to the interest of the tattoo.

While belly button sun designs aren't only seen on women, this is considered a more feminine tattoo. The placement of the design on the midriff allows it to be seen when sporting your bikini or soaking up a little sun. This design is all about individualism and being confident in who you are. While color can be added to the design, these are typically simplistic or intricate works of black and gray.

The geometric designs of Polynesian art have developed over a millennia and were commonly found on several tribes like the Maori in the beginning of world exploration. These large designs hold many meanings, and the sun is no exception. In this style, you can find the sun will symbolize leadership, rebirth, and even eternity.

This design is usually done in a single color and can consist of just the sun tattoo or combine several elements over a large area. You'll typically find that the Polynesian sun is done on a larger scale and covers a large area like encircling the bicep, thigh, calf, chest, or back. While you might think this design is found more on men, women may choose this bold design element as well.

Sun and stars can hold a lot of symbolic meaning including patriotism, just like this tattoo that represents the Philippines and their flag. The sun is said to symbolize unity and freedom while the five-point stars are symbolic of the first three islands to start the revolution. The way the islands are woven into the tattoo leaves no doubt about the wearer's love of country, and having it black and gray creates a dramatic effect.

Additionally, the sun on the flag has eight points, but the way that the tattooist chose to have it rising out of the islands adds another level of beauty and interest. When you are adding detailed elements like the islands to a tattoo, you'd need a larger space to really capture the essence of the islands and make it work correctly.

An eclipse tattoo can actually hold several different meanings, depending on how you see the relationship of the sun and the moon. Some cultures see the sun as the masculine entity, while the moon is the feminine entity. The combination of these two is the essence of perfect unity.

An eclipse is also a symbol of strength in the way that the moon can block out the mighty sun. Regardless of the meaning, these tattoos work well in black and gray and usually work best as a standalone feature. That's not to say you can't add an eclipse to your overall sleeve theme, however.

This piece really does have it all. It combines the sun, moon, and even includes a few stars to add variety. Unlike the eclipse, in this piece, you only have partial coverage as a half moon takes its dominance on the skin. The stylized rays also add a little pizazz to the piece. This design works well in black and gray, but could also be livened up with some color. This multi-gender tat could make a great addition to a larger astronomical piece or works beautifully as a standalone entity.

While the belly button sun tattoo is seen as feminine, the male version of this design is typically sported around the nipple. The circular shape of the nipple lends itself perfectly to this design where the areola creates the orb of the sun. To really liven this tat up, a multitude of colors could be added, but you will typically see this one as a straight black or black and gray design. Additionally, it should be noted that the nipple is a highly sensitive area; therefore, there will be a bit more pain involved if you choose to place this design here.

The Bohemian sun or boho sun is a complex sun design that fits well in all spaces. This tattoo that is typically linked with Buddhism and inner peace. This intricately designed sun with symmetrical rays may or may not be encompassed within a circle, and usually has facial features, but not always. This tattoo is very spiritual in nature and linked to enlightenment, along with the moon mandala. These tattoos, while detailed in nature, are typically done in muted tones like black, gray, or brown. This sun can fit anywhere on the body, but given the delicate detail, reserving a larger area for your boho sun might work best.

The sun in several aspects is linked to enlightenment, intelligence, and power, but it doesn't always have to be clear that your sun is a sun in the tattooing world. You can add interest and depth to your sun piece by making it abstract art, like this rising sun.

The shapes and designs show the wearer's interest in patterns and spacial elements, while the overall shape is distinctly a rising sun. The abstract sun can fit well on men and women alike, and can take on several forms, from swirling lines to boxy multi-dimensional rays. This type of tattoo doesn't just have to be in black either, you can mask your sun by using a plethora of color and shading.

This simplified design takes the sun down to its most basic design elements. Using symmetry and varying line thickness on the tattoo, you can add interest and meaning. The symbolism behind this specific design is usually very personal. It could represent a change in your life or the symmetry of the design could represent balance and unity. It could also just mean you have found a way to declutter your existence and appreciate the necessities in life.

The sun has been used as a navigation tool for centuries, so it is really no surprise when you see a sun in a compass design. Add to it the stylized unique moon, and you have an interesting piece of artwork decorating your skin that can symbolize finding your way home or finding direction in life. This design works perfectly as a simple black and gray design, or you can add color to really make this tattoo pop against your skin. This design works well alone, but can also jazz up a larger piece with other elements like stars and gradient blue.

The bold rising sun is a very masculine design that can symbolize new beginnings or divine powers. It has its roots in Japanese art and is a very popular sun design. You will typically find this design in full color with bold placement in a larger area of the body like the back or chest.

Sun tattoos can hold a plethora of different meanings, including unity, new beginnings, strength, life, and power (just to name a few). You'll find your sun designs can stand alone, but you can also choose to add other elements like the moon and stars.