Cool sun tattoos

Sun and Moon tattoos are more popular than sun tattoo design but this doesn’t decrease the importance of sun tattoos. The tattoo of the sun holds deep meaning. It represents hope, fertility, a new beginning, the source of life and victory over evil.

If you are struggling and facing hardship in life then a sun tattoo would be a perfect choice to keep you motivated. Here we have chosen 50 tribal sun tattoo designs that you can try –

Aztec Sun Tattoo ideas

1. Tribal Sun tattoo on the shoulder of this guy.

2. Idea for Sun and Moon tattoos for couples.

3. This sun tattoo design is inspired by ancient Mayan civilization who used it to represent fertility. Male from the tribes used to have such symbols to represent their masculinity.

4. Sun and Moon tattoo design is not new. In fact they are one of the most popular couple tattoo design.

5. As Sun is the reason that life exists on earth so an interesting tattoo idea would be to show a sun tattoo as a part of a bigger landscape tattoo design like this.

yin yang matching couple tattoos

6. A calm sun tattoo design with a lotus flower will show that you have found peace in life and you are a religious person.

7. Another cool couple tattoo idea would to have a bigger moon tattoo design that engulfs whole sun tattoo in it like this.

8. To be honest a broken sun tattoo design would be scary but a nice innovative idea would be to ink it in the style of a compass.

9. If you are a couple who are just blessed with a baby then you should try a sun, moon, and star tattoo design. The star would represent your child.

10. It is okay to give your sun and moon tattoo a feminine look because, in the end, all that matters is the happiness of your partner. Do you know that the sun is about 1 million times larger than earth?

wedding ring tattoos king and queen

Sun and Moon tattoos

11. Girls can add chandelier style to their sun tattoo because not only it will decorate the sun but also show that you love mother nature.

12. You can try realistic sun tattoo design. It can be a cool half sleeve tattoo or a great cover up tattoo.

13. One of the best places for girls to try sun tattoos is the lower back. It will look [email protected] $exy.

14. Here is a yin and yang style tattoo of sun that shows that our world has both good and evil.

15. Did you like the movie King Kong? You might remember the helicopter scene with the yellow sun in the background. It’s awesome.

16. If you try a sun and moon tattoo and give eyes to one and not to another then it would mean that you believe your partner to be your eyes.

17. a cool sibling tattoo idea would be to try sun, moon and star tattoo like this.

18. Showing sun rays in the tattoo design is an art. Instead of opting for thin flames I would suggest you go for large curvy flames like this.

19. Even though our sun is enormous but that doesn’t mean that we should not try a tiny small sun tattoo like this.

20. I loved teletubbies and here is a sun tattoo inspired from the great TV show.

Small Sun Tattoo Ideas

21. If you give eyes to both sun and moon in your tattoo design then a cool idea would be to make them both look at each other like this.

22. There are many cave paintings style available online. You can base your sun tattoo design on them.

23. Traditional sun tattoos have their own charm but try not to make them as $exy and $eductive as this.

24. Here is a beautiful tattoo design where the artist inked a dark forest that is being lit up by the sun. it shows that in the end, the light wins over the darkness.

25. If you are looking for a perfect small and tiny tribal sun tattoo design on wrist then this is it.

26. If you belong to the Polynesian tribe then you might want to give respect to all the sub-tribes that formed from it. This sun tattoo takes art elements from all major ancient tribes.

27. A popular art idea is to imagine the sun in the night sky. How about try this as a tattoo design?

28. You can have a double style tattoo of sun where you ink a sunflower tattoo in style of sun like this.

29. This tattoo of sun seems concerned about your life choices.

30. Here is another innovative idea to try the sun and moon tattoo design in small size.

Simple Sun Tattoo Designs

31. Eyes can be very expressive so be careful while adding them to your tattoo. They can change the meaning of tattoo. For example this tattoo of sun seems to be high on w{{d.

32. The Hinduism is based on 4 varnas. A major clan of Kshatriya varna is the Suryavanshi clan. If you belong to that clan then this design is for you.

33. Chinese culture also gives a lot of importance to the sun. They consider sun as the most important part of universe.

34. One of the most beautiful scenes that you can witness is a rising sun on a green field. Tattoo this and you will love it.

35. Rising sun tattoo represent hope and new beginning. You can try this if you are a positive person.

36. Another massive idea would be to try a composure tattoo where you show the sun as the largest circle that includes the moon and earth. You can add other planets as well.

37. You can also try a watercolour tattoo of sun like this. It can turn out really pretty.

38. If you want a temporary sun tattoo then try it with henna or mehndi on hands.

39. One cool idea would be to try the tattoo of sun in style of a large flower like this.

40. Here is a decorative sun and moon tattoo design that is inspired from the native American art.

Sun tattoo Ideas for Guys

41. A simple sun tattoo like this can be very adorable and also it is easy to hide.

42. You can improve your old tattoo of sun with such style.

43. A blushing sun would represent that you are in love with someone and it is a crush for life.

44. You can add other facial features to your sun tattoo design to make it look even more attractive.

45. Here is another stylish sun design that you can try on back.

46. I know this is weird but if you are single then this is a cool sun and moon tattoo design.

47. This is another offbeat design but if your significant other is facing weight problems then you try a chubby sun design like this.

48. One idea would be to leave the inner are of the sun circle empty and add impressive ray designs to it like this.

49. You can mix up and try a sun and cross tattoo design like this. Can you spot the cross?

50. This sun and moon tattoo design is inspired from the arab culture.

So which sun tattoo design from the above photo gallery you would try?

Sun tattoos and sun designs can look mystical, but also personal and like a true piece of art! If your tattoo artist has experience with doing symmetrical symbols, they will give you beautiful and cool body tattoos! If you want to find perfect sun tattoos, browse through our popular 13 options, perfect for both men & women!

Where Do You Put A Sun Tattoo?

You can place a sun tattoo anywhere on your body. Women usually place a sun design on their neck, while guys stick to their wrists and legs. This design is pretty simple, but also easy to customize per your preference.

When Can I Expose My Tattoo On The Sun?

You should protect your tattoo from high heat, temperatures, the sun, as well as harsh rays for 3-4 weeks. You should protect your tattoo with an SPF at all times.

What Does The Sun Symbolize?

If you end up getting a sun tattoo over your body just know that it represents strength, warmth, energy, as well as life. It has a lot of positive meanings in many different cultures as well as religions.

What Does The Sun And Moon Mean?

The Sun symbolizes cosmic power, the source of life, and an endless force, while the moon symbolizes death and resurrection. If you end up getting this combo, just know that it is a piece of art and a design that can suit anyone who likes balanced tattoos!

Top 13 Sun Tattoo Designs

1. Sun And Moon Tattoo Colorful Ink

If you like the sun and moon tattoo meaning, why not get this combo? This sun moon tattoo looks great in this color combo, and if you are a fan of art you will love this tattoo as well as the shoulder placement!

2. Sun Tattoo Black Ink

Sun tattoo designs such as this one are for guys who like tribal sun tattoos. This design is for men who like dark tattoo ideas, and who would like a tiny image over their arm.

3. Sun Moon Tattoo Colorful Ink

Sun and moon meaning stands and represents balance and harmony in life. If you want colorful sun tattoos, as well as moon designs, go for this duo. It has some splash of orange & blue, and it will take you around 3-4 hours to get this style.

4. Rising Sun Tattoo

People who love larger and ancient-looking tattoos will love this tattoo idea. The sun symbol is giant, colors are very bright, and this tattoo will take 5 hours of your time.

5. Black Sun Tattoo

If you want an amazing sun tattoo and you are a fan of black designs, you will love this art! Place this sun tattoo design on your arm or your shoulder since it will stand out the most right there.

6. Sun Tattoo Simple Design

A sun face tattoo with tears can represent the loss of your loved one. However, this tattoo will represent your strength, so why not add it to your body? It is perfect if you want meaningful options, and if you want to get inked something unusual!

7. Moon And Sun Tattoo

If you want your tattoo to stand out, add some stars, a light, as well as the moon & the sun tattoo designs. This sun tattoo looks very mystical and will suit those who love unique as well as minimalistic sun tattoos.

8. Sunshine Tattoos

This sun tattoo with a face looks very friendly, as well as happy! Are you a fan of optimistic, geometric, as well as designs that look noticeable? Place this sun either on your back, chest, or your arm, everyone will compliment your tattoo!

9. Feet Sun Tattoo

Before you get similar sun tattoos, heads up: feet placement does hurt. This rising sun tattoo with a smiley face looks mystical, and will suit men or women who love witchy symbols, as well as astrological designs!

10. Sun And Moon Tattoo Black Ink

This is an amazing the Sun and the Moon tattoo that looks very artsy, and which will take 4-5 hours to get. If you are a fan of black ink and you like noticeable shading, you will love similar pictures and similar tattoo options.

11. Tribal Sun Tattoo

This tribal sun tattoo is for the person who is into manly and masculine designs! Some partners could get this as their matching tattoo, every male will easily sign up for this tattoo along with any women!

12. Small Sun Tattoo

This rising sun and similar sun rays tattoo designs will look great over your leg, ankle, or your foot. If you are a fan of smaller sun tattoo designs, this one will take 2-3 hours of your time + it won’t be too expensive either.

13. Japanese Sun Tattoo

A Japanese sunset tattoo is a design that is a go-to choice by women due to its red color. However, if you love a tattoo that represents life, strength, as well as will to rule & conquer – why not geet this ink? The tattoo stands for shine & strength, while the red color will ensure that everyone notices your design!

On That Note

To do you love our sun tattoos? Are you a fan of sun and moon tattoos? The meaning is the power behind every design, and depending on your needs & preference, choose which one you’re going to get before you book your service. Placement wise, your upper chest, shoulders, wrist, as well as your legs, are great if you want your tattoo to be worshipped as well as noticed by others!

Need More Inspiration

Feature image from Pinterest

Sun tattoos are a popular choice of body art. They can be simple, complex, meaningful, aesthetic and gender neutral. They are also easily adaptable to an individual’s style and taste.

The sun is also rife with symbolism. It sustains the earth and mankind and so many draw on this connection through getting inked.

There are a multitude of options when it comes to getting a sun tattoo. In this article we’ll go over some of the key symbolism of sun tattoos and provide you with a range of ideas and inspiration for your own solar-inspired ink.

Sun Tattoo Meaning

Sun tattoos have different meanings in different cultures. The most common symbolism is light and renewal. Our existence on the earth depends on the sun, so it can also represent the cycle of life.

In Astrology

Fans of astrology view the sun as a cosmic power, and historically it has been etched onto numerous artefacts and scriptures. In astrology, the sun represents the Self which is projected out onto others, like a beam of light. The position of the sun at the moment of a child’s birth is supposed to give them certain characteristics. The sun therefore has a lot of significance in astrology.

In Ancient China

In ancient Chinese culture, the sun was considered the Great Male Principle — the divine Yang. They also believed humans embody the sun and possess the same cosmic eye which shines light on knowledge.

In Alchemy

In alchemy, the sun was referred to as “sol” and was considered a symbol of spirit and intellect. The sun was also represented by gold in the practice of alchemy.

In Planetary Symbolism

The classic planetary symbol of the sun (a circle with a dot in the centre) represents the completion of outstanding work and can pertain to ideas of the self in relation to the planet as a whole

The sun is also, due to the connotation of light, a means to shine a light on the self so as to make our inner beings visible to others.

In Christianity

In Christianity, the sun was supposedly the home of archangel Michael, while the angel Gabriel lives on the moon. The light is also used interchangeably with christ. The sun can therefore be a strong religious symbol.

In Ancient Egypt

In Ancient Egypt the sun is connected to the gods Horus, Ra and Osiris. Horus represents the sun rising, Osiris represents sunset, while Ra is symbolically tied to the sun’s zenith.

In Greek Mythology

In Greek mythology, the sun is related to optics and vision, and the sun is often referred to as the eye of Zeus. Similarly, in Hindu mythology, the God of waters, Varuna, sees through the sun.

In Paganism

The sun is usually depicted as masculine, however in Celtic an Pagan traditions, femininity is transposed into the sun’s rays.

In the Animal Kingdom

The sun is also linked to animal symbolism. For example, the eagle serves as a symbol of the sun and its eminence over civilisation. Tigers, too, are often depicted as being symbolically connected to sunset.

The Sun’s Various Meanings

Our ancestor’s have always acknowledged the power and divinity of the sun, however in today’s world it is something that is often overlooked. Getting a tattoo of the sun can be a way of permanently acknowledging its power and influence over the world while drawing on some of the traits and truths it represents.

Here are some other virtues symbolised by the sun:

• Vitality
• Potency
• Force
• Energy
• Clarity
• Selfhood

72 Best Sun Tattoo Design Ideas

Below are some ideas to inspire your own sun tattoo.

Minimalist Sun Tattoo Ideas

Minimalism as a tattoo trend is very popular. This style favors simplicity and outlines, with very little shading. However simple does not mean boring, and you can still get very creative with minimalist tattoos. If you prefer subtlety, or enjoy having a number of smaller, less conspicuous tattoos over your body, then minimalism may be the tattoo style for you.

Large Sun Tattoos

If you are keen to get some large and noticeable body art, then there are a myriad of options. As the Buddha said: “three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.” So why not get a conspicuous, visible sun tattoo. The larger the tattoo, the more space for detail too. This means you can pack in a lot in a single design.

Small Tiny Sun Tattoo

While big, eye-catching tattoos can draw the eye and make a statement, tiny, subtle pieces can be very attractive too. A small tattoo can carry just as much meaning as a big one, and due to it being such a small size there are no limitations about where it can be placed on the body. Even a finger or toe will provide a big enough canvas for the tattoo artist. If you need to be discreet about your body art for professional reasons, a smaller tattoo is a good option as it’s easy to conceal. If it’s your first tattoo, it can also be good to start small before working your way up to bigger designs.

Also Read: 28 Cool Small Tattoos for Women in 2021

Tribal Sun Designs

Tribal sun tattoos are also very popular. These designs tend to be unique and bold, giving a statement look with wave-like sun rays. The tribal look is popular in Japanese, Chinese and Hindu cultures. This style of tattoo also draws on the connection between life and the sun.

The Celtic Sun Tattoo

Sun tattoo designs are also commonly inspired by the celtic aesthetic. In the Celtic tradition, the sun can represent healing and fertility, so is often a popular choice for women. Celtic mythology also think of their gods in relation to the sun, so it possesses a great deal of power too.

Know More About Celtic Tattoo: 40+ Amazing Celtic Tattoo Designs With Meanings

The Black Sun Tattoo

Portraying the sun as black is a popular design choice, and also works perfectly with black ink. The black sun is associated with dusk and dawn and the transition between day and night. It also draws on solar eclipse imagery and some say it represents rebirth too.

Geometric Sun Tattoo

Geometric tattoos focus on the patterns and line of the sun to create something unique and compelling. They often draw on ideas of symmetry and balance. It takes a very skilled tattoo artist to create beautiful geometric sun tattoos, but they are among the most visually beautiful.

Tribal Sun Tattoo

The tribal sun has a very unique style, and although it appears simple in terms of the design, it carries a great deal of meaning and symbolism. Tribal sun tattoos are linked to ideas of balance between the sun and sustaining life. The concept of the sun being the source of life on earth is expressed through tribal sun ink. If this is symbolism you want to explore in your artwork, then it’s a good option to go with the tribal design.

Sun and Moon Tattoo

The sun and moon go together wonderfully as tattoos and can be used to represent a balance between two opposing forces. This can be the balance between life and death, love and hate or even masculine and feminine auras. This makes for a thought provoking symbolic statement, but it is also very visually interesting. There are many different ways you could express the moon and sun. For example, they can be intertwined or apart. Whatever you opt for, you are sure to have a visually rich tattoo.

Know More: Sun and Moon Tattoos: Meaning and 47 Best Design Ideas

Sun and Moon Yin Yang Tattoo

The yin and yang emblem comes from ancient Chinese philosophy and is centred around the union of two opposing concepts. For this reason, the sun and moon work very well slotted into the yin and yang as they too are contrary forces which work in harmony with each other. Usually in such tattoos, the sun represents rebirth and renewal, while the moon symbolises the past.

Sun Moon and Star Tattoo

If you like the idea of combining sun and moon symbolism, why not consider adding in a star too? This combination is rich in symbolism and allows for multiple interpretations. A popular symbolic image is the sun and moon as both masculine and feminine with stars as offspring. This can be a great way to celebrate the idea of family and childbirth. It also draws on the unity and division between day and night.

Also Read: Our Favorite Star Tattoo Design Ideas (and What They Mean)

Sun Rays Tattoo

Focusing on the rays of the sun is also a nice way to make your tattoo more unique. The rays shining outward carries spiritual and religious meaning as it references God looking down onto us. It also represents the sun beaming down on us and giving us life. You also have the option of just getting the rays inked and omitting the sun’s body altogether.

Colored Sun Tattoo

Most of the designs we’ve looked at are in black and white, but in real life the sun is not only bright and colorful itself, it also illuminates all the colors we are capable of seeing. If you really want your tattoo to stand out, why not consider getting inked in color? The vibrancy will give the tattoo a sense of warmth and optimism too.

Wave and Sun Tattoo

It’s common to combine other natural elements with the sun to show a harmony with nature. Sea waves and the sun go together perfectly and, while they symbolise strength and power, the ebb and flow of the water can represent the highs and lows of life too. Wave and sun tattoos are very calming and beautiful to look at, and they can be a reminder to let go and let life take its course.

Rising Sun Tattoo

The rising sun tattoo has origins in Japanese culture and is inspired by the country’s previous flag. This flag is white and red and still used by the military. It’s usually represented in the same red color in tattooing. While this is a visually interesting look, it originally represented Japanese imperial ambition, so can potentially be interpreted as offensive by some. Make sure you do your research and create an inoffensive design before getting inked.

Aztec Sun Tattoo

For those interested in Aztec culture, an Aztec-inspired sun tattoo could be a great option. The sun represents a god which was worshiped by the Aztec people. Legend has it they even became hysterical during an eclipse because they thought their sun god had perished. Since the sun was so important to Aztec culture, a sun tattoo is a great tribute to this ancient civilization.

Also Read: 40+ Aztec Tattoo Meaning & Design Ideas (2021 Updated)

Sun Face Tattoo

Adding a face to your sun tattoo is a good way to personalise it and even inject a bit of a humor into the design. It personifies the sun and gives it a whole new meaning. You can decide whether or not you want a smiling sun, a smirking sun or even a melancholy one.

Japanese Sun Tattoo

If you have Japanese ancestry, then you might be attracted to the idea of a Japanese-style sun tattoo. This might include a red sun like in the rising sun design mentioned earlier, or it might be inspired by Japanese artists like Hokusai. You can add other elements to make it personalised to you, like cherry blossoms or Japanese landscape.

Mandala Sun Tattoo

A mandala is a circular figure which represents the universe in both Hinduism and Buddhism. Mandala designs intertwined with the sun create a beautiful mix of shapes and symbols. Combining the two forces also represents a kind of harmony and equilibrium in the universe and connotes creativity and passion.

Traditional Sun Tattoo

Sun tattoos are so attractive for their versatility. There are literally unlimited options for sun inspired designs. However, sometimes classic is best and many opt for a traditional, simple sun tattoo which shows the sun in a spherical form with rays. You can opt for bold or delicate lines and include shading or not — the choice is yours. The good thing is, you simply can’t go wrong with a traditional sun tattoo design.

Half Sun Tattoo

While most sun tattoo designs focus on the whole sun, a half sun can have a whole other meaning as it connotes either sunrise or sunset. This can represent ideas associated with dawn, like new life, or likewise can represent ideas associated with dusk like finality. This is, of course, open to interpretation, but it certainly opens up new avenues for symbolic meaning.

Sun and Animal

It’s very common to add an animal which is significant to you in the mix with your sun tattoo. This is because animals also carry symbolic meaning and relate to nature and life just like the sun.

Watercolor Sun Tattoo

Watercolor tattoos are an extremely popular color tattoo option. They work especially well with scenery or natural settings as they give a smudgy, oil painting look. If you’re interested in getting a sunset, then you might want to think about getting it done in a watercolor style.

Quotes with the Sun Tattoos

Finally, you might want to add a quote which has specific significance to you along with your sun tattoo. This can provide an uplifting message to your tattoo or help to indicate the meaning. This could be a song lyric, a line from a poem or even just one single word that has meaning for you.

Your Sun Tattoo

As you can see, there are limitless options when it comes to getting solar ink. Whether you want to go with a specific style like tribalism or celtic looks, or you want something wholly original and personalised, the sky is truly the limit when it comes to your sun tattoo.

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Rise and shine! The sun might be 92.96 million miles away from Earth, yet it only takes a mere 8 minutes to peak through our window blinds in the morning.

While the thought of light traveling at 300,000 kilometers per second sounds impressive, it actually takes millions of years for any energy to make its way from the core to the surface.

With that said, I’d like to shed some light on the meaning behind the sun tattoo design. A long time ago it was widely viewed as a God, and even worshipped by the ancient Greeks, Romans and Egyptians. In truth, many regarded the sun to be one of the highest symbols of life on Earth.

When it comes to the Greeks, it’s often associated with the eye of the god Zeus. The ancient Egyptians on the other hand, viewed it as the symbol of: Horus, the rising sun, Ra, the sun’s zenith, and Osiris, the setting sun.

Ancient Chinese believed it represented the cosmic eye in the sky, not to mention the great male principle, the ultimate Yang. For Native Americans, it has been seen as having the ability to heal, and symbolizes itself as the guardian of the day.

In Alchemical, the radiating golden beams from the sky not only are considered to be like the material gold, but also ideas of high intellect and the mind. It’s been said a circle with a dot in the middle represent completed good work.

Today, many men simply attribute the sun design to the idea of going from dark times to literally seeing the light. It’s a lot like the popular Japanese rising sun which is essence is the concept of beginning a new life.

Yet, in order to start fresh or new, you could say the sun is first and foremost a symbol of truth and light. It’s what’s needed to guide us out of those dark times in order to reach our destination.

Perhaps you’ll find a light of inspiration in this collection of the top X best sun tattoos for men. From sleeves with cloud designs to abstract art and ancient tribal styles, there’s plenty of ink to admire. Grab your sunglasses, these ideas are brilliantly bright!

Sun Tattoo Ideas

This sun tattoo presents a straight faced, solemn sun design. This sun appears to be made of stone or some similar material as its face bears multiple small cracks. The face is looking down. This sun is in some ways reminiscent of a sundial considering the shape and styles of its rays. Below the sun there lies a large rose. Knowing that sun tattoos often symbolize rebirth, the flower (often a symbol of new life) fits this scene well. One interpretation of this black and gray sleeve could be that the cracking face of the sun represents aging, thus countering the new life of the flower.

Quite a colorful work of art this sun tattoo not only features an expected reddish-orange but also adds a substantial amount of yellow and blue to the surrounding sections of the piece. The sun is in this tattoo is designed to look a great deal like an older man. Maybe this particular depiction of the great solar giant is meant to make it look more like a father figure, as in the common reference to “father time”. The possible meaning is relevant as the rise and setting of the sun is certainly often associated with the passing of time. Or, however, the specifics of this tattoo could have a completely different meaning.

This sun tattoo fits nicely on this man’s upper-chest area. It is cleanly drawn and contains simple but well executed and accurate line work. On the other side of the man’s chest sits a crescent moon. This symbol goes well with the sun and perhaps together they are intended to show the contrast of night and day. If so, this could go further and symbolize life and death.

This tattoo is quite interesting. It features a hot air balloon shape and basket as an outline. Within this outline is what appears to be a tropical beach scene. This picture contains palm trees, a large body of water, a sailboat and more. Possibly the most prominent feature of this tattoo, however, is the radiant sun placed above it all.This sun is simplistic as it is merely composed of a large circle and a collection of lines moving away from this circle to represent rays of light.

Here is a sun tattoo placed on a man’s leg. It is a dark, charcoal-shaded piece. There is a slightly protruding, three-dimensional nature of the main circle that makes up this sun. This aspect of the piece along with its empty eyes might somewhat remind someone of a theater mask of sorts. That could surely not be the case, but upon an initial look over this sun’s face, some element of theater or, at least some type of masking, might come to mind.

The sun depicted in this tattoo is one formed largely out of negative space. In fact, this entire tattoo is fairly minimalistic and makes extremely good use of negative space, something that can go quite wrong if not attempted with great accuracy. It certainly goes right with this piece, however, as the only actual ink put down on this upper arm is to show outlines of rocks, some of the water (which plays a big role in the design) and the sun’s rays on either side of its base. The actual sun itself, as well as much of the water it shines on, is simply made up of negative space. Even the ink that is a part of this work is fairly simplistic as it is often nothing more than multiple small lines of various lengths.

Seen here is a much different type of sun tattoo, one that does not take the usual shape. Unlike many depictions of the sun in tattoos, this one does not contain the perfectly round circle or the stylized rays. Instead, this sun tattoo has the appearance of one, mostly-congruent but also somewhat-deformed ball of orange, red and black star. Despite not being as aesthetically appealing as the more exact and crisply designed sun tattoos, this one is in many ways the most realistic. For the sun, a large star of fire, is not really as pretty as most body art would have you believe. With this in mind, it could be the case that this sun tattoo symbolizes truth.

This tattoo is quite intriguing as it covers this man’s entire torso. Not only is it large, however, this piece is also quite intricate and full of expression. The massive and visually essential tree takes up the bulk of this tattoo and presents the artist with design challenges as he or she must work out a way for a tree of this size and the branches stemming from it to conform to the relatively rigid human shape. While this great tree certainly is a lot to look at, it is the simple orange sun placed on the man’s chest that truly draws the eye of the observer. By placing this setting sun alongside an old, leafless tree, this piece certainly shows an important part of the cycle of life.

This sun tattoo is quite unique. For starters, the rays coming off this creative take on our star are stylized to look more like sharpened, synchronized points. There are two variations of these pointed designs and one almost looks like the end of a dagger of some sort. The circular base of the sun is also designed much differently than usual as the majority of it is filled with a large, mysterious eye. The artist behind this interesting work utilized black and red shading as well as a minimal but effective bit of yellow. This tattoo seems to reference some cultures of old who saw the sun as an all-seeing eye.

Pictured here is another personified sun. This one, however, has four eyes instead of the typical two. It is a black and gray composition and could symbolize any number of things but it seems reasonable to relate it to the idea of an “all seeing eye” (or “eyes”in this case) as was conceived by people from the earlier days of human civilization.

This casual black and gray sun tattoo features another version of the famous star possessing a face. This sun in particular looks a bit mellow, and, in many ways, a bit annoyed. If such a look  is intentional it would certainly be interesting to find out why. In the meantime, the style of the tattoo can be enjoyed for the art that it is. On either side of this frustrated star is a cloud, one just above its eyes and one just below its mouth. The choices to darken and shade certain parts of the sun’s face are interesting as well. The darkening makes the sun’s facial expression look more tired and weary. Similarly, it makes the clouds look more like pencil sketches.

Here is a fun and engaging sun tattoo in which many might find the sun to be more of a backdrop piece than the primary focus of the artwork. This view is highly-understandable as there is a much more attention-grabbing focal point to this piece. If you guessed that it might be the large toad smoking a cigarette and playing a banjo, you would be correct. Symbolism and deep meanings aside, this is a fantastic and fun-filled tattoo.

Seen here is a figure of some sort, one that seems to be made up of planets, stars and other stellar materials. Possibly more importantly, however, this figure is holding a large orange ball in its hands. It would seem likely that the artist intended to depict this orange ball as our sun. Perhaps this is a way of depicting that while all of this may seem big up close, in actuality our whole world is really quite small. Regardless of whether such a meaning was on the mind the man receiving this tattoo or the artist himself, it is certainly an enjoyable and unique piece to look at.

To tie things up simply, here is a basic but strong sun tattoo. This piece is black and grey and while its linework and shading may appear to be simple, they are actually quite effective. This is especially  true in areas of the sun’s face, particularly the shading around the eyes that give them depth and the subtle lines on the forehead and around the nose and mouth. It is often the little things, the seemingly small yet often crucial details, that can turn a tattoo from something nice and pleasant to look at into something of great depth. This depth might be achieved by way of meaning or on a technical level. Either way, it is truly awesome to see a tattoo artist bring someone’s idea for a piece of their art to life.

The scene exhibited in this sun tattoo is a simple one. It contains a total of three cacti, five birds and one large black sun setting behind them. Why is the sun black in this piece? It’s tough to be sure, but it could represent both the light of the sun and the dark of a shadow simultaneously. This tattoo is in some ways simple, but it may beg a second look. It is not uncommon for some of the most minimalistic pieces to have a great  deal of meaning and impact on both the subject and the observer.

This tattoo is certainly an intriguing one. It shows what appears to be a nighttime scene. This scene shows a church with a steeple. Above the church is a crescent moon wearing a rather serious facial expression. Below it is a strand of clouds. Below those clouds, however, is why this tattoo makes this list: a tired looking sun sinking down out of the picture. It would be reasonable to think of this work as a snapshot of day turning to night and maybe even other instances of refreshment or rebirth.

Sun Tattoo FAQs

Where do you put a sun tattoo? 

A sun tattoo can be placed on any number of locations on the body. Whether it be a mid-sized piece on a man’s upper arm, chest or leg, or a full back piece, there are numerous options for where to get your sun tattoo.

What does the sun symbolize? 

The sun can symbolize everything from beginning a new life to coming out of a dark place or situation. Many ancient cultures associated the sun with their gods or as a great, all-seeing eye.