Space is such a fascinating stage, full of endless possibilities and definite mystery.
Many unanswered questions come to mind when you try to understand the concepts of space and how the universe is put together. How big is space in the vastness of it all? Is space finite? One of the most mysterious aspects of space is its size. There are really only two basic theories. Either A, space wraps around kind of like a donut or B, space is simply endless and ever-expanding. While the whole donut shape theory is pretty hard to wrap your mind around, the concept of space being endless is enough to figuratively blow most of our minds.
Passing up something this interesting for your next tattoo design is hard. It’s nearly impossible to go without thinking about what’s out there when the stars in the sky are such, well, stars! Inspired, we put together a list of over 50 space related tattoo designs featuring nebulas, stars, planets, and galaxies that pretty much cover all the creative bases. We hope you enjoy this list as much as we enjoyed working on it. And don’t forget to save and share your favorites!
This magical forest.
Sometimes simple designs prove to be the most stunning. If you’re looking for something subtle, classy, and beautiful, this tasteful little wrist tattoo is definitely something to build on. Often times the best views of the night’s sky and the stars it holds are in rural areas. That’s why this forest scene gives you a strong shot of nostalgia, bringing back memories of those camping trips where you can actually see the stars at night. (Photo: Tattoo With Me)
This galactic brush stroke.
Watercolor technique and space themed tattoo designs seem to go hand in hand. You’ll see many of the designs on this list illustrated in the same fashion with melted colors and even a few direct brush stokes (like the one above). This circular brush stoke is one of our favorite designs on the list. (Photo: Fin Tattoos)
Galaxy hair tattoo.
Space hair, don’t care. Bet you’ve never heard that one before. Adrian Bascur is an absolute stud when it comes to inking epic space-infused tattoo designs. As you make it further into the list, you’ll probably start to wonder why we didn’t make a separate list featuring only tats by Adrian. Oh what the future may hold. (Photo: Adrian Bascur)
This Saturn ankle piece.
Here we have another watercolor design that features everyone’s favorite ringed planet. In the days, not hours, that we spent curating this list, we only came across a few space themed ankle tattoos. Ankle tattoos are usually low on the ankle but this savvy individual was smart enough to place it high enough to avoid the cover of even mid length socks. (Photo: Resul Odabas)
This cosmic keyhole.
We love the concept of keyhole tattoo designs that offer you a small glimpse into another space or time. This design serves as an instant lure, beckoning its viewers to come closer and take a peek through the keyhole into a world of shooting stars and unbelievable color. (Photo: Anzo Choi)
These orbiting planets.
This elegant black and grey ink design illustrates the orbiting paths of each planet as they circle our sun. Lately we have been seeing a lot of designs decorated with hanging beads, or “jewelry” as it’s sometimes referred to as. The intricacy of these hanging elements adds an air of elegance and beauty to any piece, and while this design doesn’t directly try to channel that aspect, it does inadvertently reap the same aesthetic benefits, especially with the varying thickness of each planetary orbit. (Photo: Fanny)
This conjured forearm piece.
In this piece, there certainly seems to be a greater power at work. You’ll find several of these sort of designs on the list with colorful watercolor galaxies framed with minimalistic shapes and objects. It’s a great way to juxtapose the elements without taking attention away from the main focal point. (Photo: Resul Odabas)
This galaxy skull.
We love a good floral skull but this one definitely takes the whole concept to an entirely different level. Upon first glance it takes a few moments to really appreciate the complexity of this piece and to figure out what exactly is going on. An absolute show-stopping conversation piece if there ever was one. (Photo: Mikhail Anderson)
This world map.
Everyone loves a good world map tattoo. Probably because it stirs up those travel bug jitters and reminds you of all those cool places you have yet to explore. But add a little watercolor technique to the mix and things get even more interesting. On the left side of the piece you’ll notice what looks like a large negative space sun. (Photo: Yeliz Ozcan)
This abstract Orion design.
Turkish tattooist Koray Karagozler space game too strong! That’s official. Right up there with Adrian Bascur, when we think mind-bending space tats, theses two guys are the first artists that come to mind. We’re just waiting for some stoic individual to step up and get properly blasted with a large-scale mural truly worthy of their talents. (Photo: Koray Karagozler)
