Moon tattoos are some of the most requested designs that tattoo artists receive. There’s plenty to love about the celestial body that governs the phases of our bodies and pulls the ocean’s waves. It’s a symbol for the passing of time as well as a constant that can always be counted on. From cool crescent moon tattoos to photorealistic ink, there’s no shortage of ways to celebrate the moon in ink.

We decided to take a look at social media to discover the trends among these tattoos and what tattoos people are loving. We found a huge diversity of designs with each offering something different and fresh. If you’re in the market for moon tattoo ideas, you’ve come to the right spot. Get inspired by the dozens of examples below.

Get Inspired by These Awesome Moon Tattoos!

Lavender Crescent

Let’s ᴋɪᴄᴋ things off with a moon tattoo that is absolutely perfect. We find a dark crescent shape that’s filled with a lavender botanical element. What a dream!

Let’s Face It

The moon with a face is a popular choice for tattooing. Here’s a glamourous example that is sᴜᴘᴇʀ tidy and neat. Sharp lines go a long way to make a tattoo look extra polished.

Tarot

Tarot card tattoos are extremely popular these days. We’re happy to see that the trend shows no sign of slowing. In this example, we find the moon on a card flanked by floral elements and crystals.

A Full One

Crescent moon tattoos are the most popular choice but they are not the only option available to you. Here’s a photorealistic tattoo of the moon tucked behind this person’s ear.

The Phases

The phases of the moon make for gorgeous tattoos. You often find them in a straight line but we love the idea of forming them into a circle that mimics the actual shape of the full moon.

Matching Moons

Here we find matching tattoos done in contrasting colors. We find one cool and one warm. It’s a great idea that looks great side-by-side but both will also look great on their own.

Big Red

Red ink proves a winning color option time and again. If you’re not married to the idea of black ink, consider red ink that will really make a statement.

Cute Crescent

Here’s a sweet crescent moon tattoo that’s got a cool, color gradient effect. A cute little heart can be found orbiting this charmer.

Framed

To give a tattoo added definition consider framing the design. We find a black moon over the sea with a botanical element here. It’s a fresh design that appears ᴅʀᴀᴍᴀtic yet balanced.

Through the Clouds

Smoky clouds can be found hovering around this moon tattoo that’s filled with a cool texture. The contrast between light and dark is magnificent here and proves a winning design feature.

Over Land & Sea

Here are opposing tattoos that imagine the moon over mountains and the sea. These natural elements add even more romance and nuance to the designs.

A Fine, Fine Line

Fine line tattoos require expert sᴋɪʟʟ and can be applied by hand with a needle. The method is called stick and poke and it results in the thinnest lines and tiniest details. Take a look at the “scales” of the snake that’s wrapped around the moon. That’s no easy feat!

With Skull

Here’s a somewhat morbid moon tattoo that finds a crescent looped through the empty eye sockets of a skull. We don’t know why but it does appear very unique and original.

RELATED:  Fresh Tattoo Ideas for Women Who Want to Share Their Unique Point of View

Feeling Floral

Here’s another moon tattoo that’s filled with floral elements. For added romance, consider doing the same with your design.

A Trip to the Moon

A Trip to the Moon  is a 1902 French adventure short film directed by  Georges Méliès . One of the most iconic shots in cinema history finds a face in the moon. We find a celebration of it in this inspired design.

Stitched

An emerging trend today is embroidery tattoos that look like they’ve been stitched into the skin rather than tattooed. Tons of tiny marks form this micro tattoo and give it tons of texture and visual interest.

With Whale

In this design, we find a whale, a realistic-looking splash of water, and a haunting moon hovering over the entire design. It’s a handsome nod to the way the moon dictates the movements of the sea.

Moon Fairy

If you ғᴀɴᴄʏ a little whimsy, consider using your imagination to come up with a unique, visual narrative. In this design we find a fairy sitting on a crescent moon tattoo. How magical did this tattoo turn out?

Moon in the Milky Way

The purple moon of this tattoo is meant to be swimming in a milky way, the person who shared the image explained. We find many cute symbols that don’t have much to do with space but look appealing in this setting.

Set the Scene

We find a most haunting moon tattoo in this design that imagines a tree with a lantern ʜᴀɴɢɪɴɢ from one of its branches. Think outside of the box and you too can walk away with something equally as ᴍʏsᴛᴇʀɪᴏᴜs and attractive.

Moody Blues

An ombré effect is the blending of one color hue to another. The moon goes from a pale blue to a rich, dark purple here. It’s much more interesting than a single color. Little stars in a variety of colors complete this charming design.

Barely There

Here’s a moon tattoo that could have been designed by an impressionist painter. It’s subtle and sophisticated with gentle colors that work extremely well together.

Neo-Traditional

Traditional tattooing values simple shapes, bold colors, and well-defined lines. In the above example, you will find those hallmarks along with a cool shading effect that makes it appear both old and new at the same time.

Fall Foliage

Here’s one of the most unique moon tattoos we encountered. Fall foliage constitutes this nature-inspired design. If you’ve got a mood you’re going for with your tattoo, work with an artist to realize it.

The Moon & the Sea

Here’s another moon tattoo that’s been inspired by the sea. We find dolphins swimming forward on a wave that mimics the shape of the crescent moon that contains it. Gorgeous shading and acute attention to detail really make this tattoo a standout.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:  Sun and Moon Tattoo Ideas That Strike the Perfect Balance

Moth & Moon

We leave you with a lovely moth tattoo that includes a blue flower and a golden moon. Feel free to add elements to your moon tattoo that makes it more substantial and visually interesting. This very tidy example shows how adding more can really deliver.

There you go! We hope you found some ink inspiration with these moon tattoos. As you’ve seen, there is no wrong or right way to go about your tattoo, and the more unusual the better. If you’d like more ink inspiration, take a look at these moon tattoos that are all about the phases of the celestial body.

Keep That Moon Tattoo Inspiration Coming Your Way with These Delightful Moon Phases Tattoos!

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 sᴜʀᴘʀɪsᴇ that we only encountered once while researching tattoos. You might try something similar for your moon phases tattoo.