Star Tattoo Designs & Their Meaning

Body ink is a great way of expressing your personality and ideas. Inking has been around for thousands of years. Star tattoos are very common in the inking industry both as standalone elaborate art or as smaller designs used to add detail to bigger illustrations.

The heavenly bodies have a mystical attraction about them, which is probably why star tattoos are so popular. These tattoos can be used to express varying ideas. Learn about the little modifications you can make on these art pieces to achieve thought-provoking ink illustrations.

Star Tattoos: The Symbology

Stars, stars, stars. They fascinate us in the same measure they mesmerized our ancestors millennia ago. We’ve pointed powerful telescopes into the sky and the more we learn about these distant suns, the more we marvel.

Star tattoos continue this great legacy of the influence the stars have on our psyche. Below are the most common interpretations associated with these ink designs:

Guidance

Quite literally, these celestial lights have helped guide sailors and traders across the oceans. In many cultures, they were revered and worshipped. It’s no wonder that some modern ink enthusiasts may still consider stars to be a link to a higher plane of existence.

That, however, is not an inking phenomenon. A good number of people take their horoscopes very seriously. Tattoo enthusiasts may turn such sentiments a notch higher by permanently marking their skin with their star signs.

Pink Star

Some designs have universal importance. The pink star embodies the fight against breast cancer. People who’re united in this struggle may get ink designed after this symbol.

This tat could be interpreted to mean that the wearer has a lot of inner strength—the very thing you need in the struggle against cancer. The unifying aspect of the star may also be used to forge a bond between survivors and those still in the struggle. This may be a huge source of inspiration and motivation.

Celtic Star

The Celtic star or Celtic knot is an old design that is typically interpreted along Christian lines—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three entities usually symbolize completeness, purity, and harmony.

This symbol can also be used to illustrate rebirth and new beginnings: This symbol dates back to a time when, more than today, life and death was often linked to religion. If this tattoo has a circle around it this means eternity or eternal love.

This design can also be used to emphasize the more optimistic aspects of other skin art. When set in dark-themed backgrounds, opt for bright colors for the star to enhance the contrast and make the final illustration more appealing.

Star of David

The Star of David is a key symbol in Judaism, sometimes known as the creator’s star. This six-sided star, which looks like two triangles—one inverted, uses each point to represent six days of the week. The center of the stars represents the sabbath. A day considered holy by orthodox Judaism.

This star can be interpreted to signify the fullness of time. The related ink can be used as a reminder that all men are limited by season and we have to make the best of our time on this blue planet.

Its mystic implications can also be used to add mystery to other tattoo designs.

Shooting Star

The shooting star is associated with good luck. That’s why many people make a wish when they see one. Alternatively, the design can also be illustrated as a bigger comet.

The shooting star tattoo may take a darker meaning if the theme is set accordingly. A meteor headed towards the earth would hardly be interpreted as anything other than impending doom.

As a standalone illustration, a subtle shooting star could be taken to imply the pursuit of dreams. The comet tat, on the other hand, would always carry with it an aura of shock. Use less elaborate strokes and duller colors on the tail-fire if you want the comet minus the shock.

Popular Designs

You may opt for a lone star to represent solidarity or have a cluster of stars similar to the night sky to underpin a theme of unity. The most popular unity designs are lines of stars of increasing or decreasing sizes. These are commonly used to encapsulate a central tattoo.

The sun moon and stars tattoo is another very popular star design that is often associated with holistic health and therapy. It would be a good complementary piece of art for a wellness-themed illustration.

Other popular designs draw the stars with names of loved ones who have passed away. Grieving relatives may use these tattoos to keep the memories of their loved ones alive.

Common Colors and Styles

Stars tattoos are usually outlined with black ink. Some designs, however, have no outlines, just star shapes filled with color. The hue is determined by the theme and mood of the art.

For a positive theme, blue, pink, silver, and yellow fills work. When set in a darker background, they stand out magnifying themes of optimism. Such contrast increases the appeal of artwork when done right.

Some other illustrations are star-shaped designs with no fill. These are excellent for carrying text. Another advantage of the zero-fill star approach is that it involves very little inking. Consequently, they are less painful than their filled equivalents, making them excellent choices for the novice yet to test his/her pain threshold.

The Celtic star designs are generally blue or green as that is similar to their historical occurrences. You can always modify the color to match your theme, however. It’s just that most people opt for a more authentic look.

Popular Placements

Star tattoos are probably one of the most versatile tattoos that in all honesty look good anywhere. Some of the most popular placement areas are the wrists, back, ribs and arms.

On the wrists, multiple stars can be designed to touch points along the length of the wrist mimicking a bangle. Use bright colors to make the art stand out. If the idea is to keep things subtle, no-fill thin-outlined stars should do.

The back offers significant real-estate if you are after bigger tattoos. A star may be used as the background to a large back illustration. Another popular back design arranges the stars in descending order along the spine. The bigger stars are either at the neck or down the back depending on client preference.

Star tats are also excellent transition pieces. If you’re thinking about getting a sleeve tattoo, this design is an excellent addition.

Summary

Star tattoos are very popular for a number of reasons: they are fashionable, timeless and versatile. Make sure you look at lots of different designs and styles before settling for one. Your tattooist should have a portfolio lying around. The color scheme for your ink should always be consistent with any underlying theme, though.