Moon Phases Tattoo Ideas That Celebrate the Night Sky

The Moon phase or lunar phase refers to the shape of the Moon’s sunlit portion as viewed by inhabitants of Earth. The lunar phases gradually change over a synodic month (involving the conjunction of stars, planets, or other celestial objects) as the Moon’s orbital positions around Earth and Earth around the Sun change. People adore the changing shapes and celebrate them with moon phases tattoos.

Moon phases tattoo ideas are a subtle celebration of nature as well as space. They are extremely popular among tattoo designs as they make for breathtakingly beautiful tattoos. We wanted to discover the trends among moon phases tattoos so we turned to social media to discover the latest and greatest design. We are thrilled to share them with you. Let’s get lunar!

Get Inspired by These Dramatic Moon Phases Tattoo Ideas!

Classic

Moon phases tattoos down the forearms are extremely popular. More than any other placement, we found moons down arms in a vertical pattern.

Down the Spine

Another popular placement for moon phases is down the spine. Here’s a pretty example with moons that have a lot of texture to offer visual interest.

Minimal

Another direction to take moon phases tattoos is to go with a more minimal look. Crisp, simple lines form this understated tattoo of moons over a mountain.

Lunar Band

A less popular placement that looks fantastic is to go horizontal with the moons so that form a kind of band around the arm. These small moons look great circling the arm.

With Sunflowers

A favorite way to mix things up with moon phases tattoos is to switch out some of the moons for flowers. In the above example, we find two sunflowers in place of moons.

With Embellishment

People love adding ornamental elements to their moon phases tattoos and it’s easy to understand why. We find an arrow shape going through these moons with some botanical elements flanking either side.

More Visual Interest

We find dots and dashes among these moon tattoos that offer movement. Work with a tattoo artist who understands how to compose a balanced tattoo for something equally as appealing.

With Love

In the middle of these moons, we find a full moon in the center of heart. It’s a lovely surprise that we only encountered once while researching tattoos. You might try something similar for your moon phases tattoo.

Huld-Inspired

The Icelandic manuscript called Huld, presumably from the word “Hulda” meaning secrecy was created by Geir Vigfússon in 1860. It is one of many dating from the late 18th to the early 20th centuries, featuring collections of runic alphabets and magic symbols and sigils that were used in earlier eras. This tattoo is based on symbols from it.

Part of Something Larger

This giant backpiece has a lot going for it. At the top of the tattoo, you will find moon phases done in bold, black ink. Incorporate your moons into a larger design for something extra special.

A Meditation on Time

Here’s another tattoo that contains the moon phases. Its subject matter seems to be the passing of time as we’re treated to an hourglass as well.

Get a Little Creepy

If you like your art on the dark side, lean into it. These creepy skeleton hands frame the phases of the moon perfectly and offer a touch of magic and mystery.

With Butterfly

In this moon phases tattoo, we find a butterfly substituted for the full moon. It’s a stunning design that we feel many people would love to try for themselves.

Do It with Dots

Dots make for very interesting decorative elements. You can employ them to add drama to your moon phases tattoo as this person has done to great effect.

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Feeling the Floral

Here’s another moon phases tattoo that uses florals to help bring it to life. The subtle rainbow colors look fantastic next to the grey moons.

Make It Micro

Micro tattoos are a huge trend today. The little moons of this tattoo are smaller than a dime! This example proves that you can make a big statement by going small. We’ll share more small examples with you as this list continues.

Circular

If small is not the way you want to go, you can go big with a circular design. While most people put the phases of the moon in a line, we feel the circular placement is more naturalistic.

See It Through

Here’s another example of the circular moon phases tattoo. We find them orbiting a mysterious eye in the center. How fun!

Subtle

The phases of the moon have been subtly worked into this swan tattoo in the form of a halo shape around the bird’s head. It’s a fabulous idea that you can riff on to make your own.

Mini Moons

Here are some more micro moon phases tattoos. These tiny, sharp designs look fantastic in the preferred circular shape. The placement on the shoulder is pretty here but it could work on a variety of places.

Magic

One of the most dramatic moon phases tattoos on this list, we find a beautiful tattoo hand pointing toward the moons that are radiating moonbeams.

Consider the Fill

So many of the moon phases tattoos that we’ve seen contain a nice texture that mimics the surface of the moon. But, that’s not the only option. Consider filling your moons with something that inspires you. These floral moons are a beautiful example of how this design scheme can pay off.

Blissfully Simple

A decorative floral element is surrounded by the phases of the moon in this pared-down design that’s all about style. Keep things simple for a sophisticated and beautiful design.

Mandala Moons

Mandala tattoos are extremely popular these days. We were surprised to discover that the designs could work with the phases but this example shows just how to do it.

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Kill It with Color

Most of the moon phases tattoos we encountered are tattooed in black and grey. Feel free to go your own way with color. This rainbow gradient looks gorgeous and makes the texture of the moons really pop.

There you go! We hope you found a moon phases tattoo that you want to base your own original design on. As you’ve seen, there are many ways to go about getting one of these tattoos. Think outside the box and work with a tattoo artist who has a unique point of view for a unique design that only you can claim!