25 Sun Tattoos That Radiate Warmth and Brightness

Sun tattoos radiate with warmth and celebrate the sunny days of summer and beyond. The sun is a powerful symbol of regeneration, rebirth, and life itself. It’s only natural that these sorts of designs are highly favored among tattoo enthusiasts as they are both beautiful and hold special meaning to folks. Sun tattoos come in all shapes and sizes and people really get creative with them stepping away from more traditional designs and favoring new ways to express their love of the sun.

We wanted to get a better idea of the types of sun tattoos that are popular today so we turned to social media to discover the latest and greatest designs that really put a new spin on our solar friend. We have rounded up a mix that shows the possibilities as well as the limitations of sun tattoos so that you get a good idea of the ways you can make your sun tattoo really shine. Take a look below and gather some ink inspiration for your next tattoo!

Discover the Right Style of Sun Tattoo for You Below:

Fine Lines

Some tidy dots and dashes are all it takes to form a very simple but elegant sun tattoo. You don’t have to make a huge commitment for yourself if you’d like something understated and small.

Expressive Sun and Moon

Wow! How gorgeous are these two faces? We find a sun and moon together here details with beautiful dot-work to add depth as well as texture to the design.

Nice Fade

Here’s a very simple sun tattoo that has a gentle fade to grey in the rays of the sun. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel for your tattoo if that’s not your style. Something established and simple will also get the job done.

Sun Suprise

Take a look at all of the tiny lines and dots used to bring the mesmerizing design to life. We find a sun splitting to reveal another face. Is it the moon? Is it another character? This handsome tattoo is open to interpretation.

Decorative Suns

Feel free to go an ornamental route with your sun design. You can draw inspiration from architecture or any sort of decorative art for an original and stunning tattoo.

Solar System

Okay, we know most of you are not after an entire sleeve, but this was such a beauty we felt a need to share it with you. Feel free to take elements from this design to help compose a (likely smaller) tattoo of your own.

Kiss the Sun

How sweet is this design that reads like a love letter to the sun? If you’ve ever wanted to kiss the warmth from the sun, it could be the best sort of sun tattoo for you!

Moody Sun

Most of the sun tattoos on this list are black ink as that is the most common type, but do not fear color! In fact, the sun offers you the perfect opportunity to radiate vibrant hues.

Meditative Sun

Here’s a lovely thigh tattoo with a sun that appears to have a meditative face. Make sure your tattoo reflects the intended mood.

Eye of the Sun

We find a burst of sunshine and an eye in a cloud. It’s a mysterious design that looks stylish and unique.

RELATED: Moon and Sun Tattoo Ideas That Strike the Perfect Balance

Sun Face

For this sun tattoo, instead of putting the face inside the sun, the artist has chosen to use the sun as a feature of a face. How handsome are those pink and blue clouds!?

Singular Style

Here’s a sun tattoo like none other on this list. The person who shared the image explained that the tree represents mother earth and her relationship to the sun. What a fantastic piece!

Sun on Your Back

Do you always want the sun at your back? A sun tattoo can arrange that for you. The back offers you the opportunity to go bigger with your design and really express yourself.

Floral Sun

How gorgeous are those floral elements? They look splendid framed by the sun shape. What a stunning celebration of nature.

Here It Comes

Are there any Beatles fans out there? “Here Comes the Sun,” inspired this beautiful piece that finds the sun sprouting from a vase.

Fresh and Offbeat

The face in this sun tattoo is a really cool one. It’s a touch mysterious and romantic and a real delight to behold.

Sleepy Setting Sun

The eyes on the face of this sun tattoo are closed, an intentional decision the artist made to express a setting sun. It’s like the sun said, “Time for bed, later!”

Classic Design, Clean Lines

Tidy, clean lines compose this gorgeous back sun tattoo. A very steady hand and tons of skill went into this beautiful tattoo.

Geometric Shapes

How playful are those geometric shapes used to highlight the rays of the sun? They seem to house a red sun and a crescent moon. Red ink and black ink will always be a winning combination. Consider it for your own sun tattoo design.

Micro Sun

Three micro tattoos are very small in this example but they make a huge statement. A sunflower, another golden flower, and an expressive sun all line up to present a warm nature-inspired design that totally soars.

Sun and Moon Alchemy

The person who shared this mesmerizing image described it as “sun and moon alchemy.” Do you see it? We find both pouring into a vase. There are so many decorative and stylish elements to this design and you should feel free to incorporate some into your own original sun tattoo.

Tarot

Tarot card tattoos are wildly popular these days. One of the most cheerful cards you can get as a tattoo is the Sun card. The card acts as a frame for the sun design which adds dimension and depth.

Rad in Red

Red ink is always a smart choice. It looks much more evocative and lively than black ink. If you’re not married to using black ink, consider going red because it will take the most basic design to the next level.

Sun Knight

This sun tattoo looks like it could be from an illuminated manuscript. There’s a sort of sun knight character here that’s so romantic and arresting. Get weird and it will pay off!

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: 26 Romantic Moon Tattoo Ideas That Will Give You Ink Envy

Sunset

We leave you with a landscape tattoo that echoes elements of painting. Look at all of the amazing colors the artist has worked into the reflection of the sun on the waves. Bravo! It’s one of our favorite sun tattoos on the list and a great direction to take your own tattoo in.

There you go! What did you think of these sun tattoos? We hope you found them inspiring and that you will consider your own sun design. There are so many different ways to go about your sun tattoo so don’t be afraid to think outside the box and develop a singular design that’s all your own. For even more ink inspiration, keep reading as we have compiled a list of the most enchanting sun and moon tattoos for you to look at as well.

It’s Time to Shine for These Sun and Moon Tattoos!

Make It Fine

If you’re in the market for a modest tattoo, consider working with an artist who excels at fine lines. The stick and poke method (by hand and without a gun) was likely used to make this sun and moon tattoo so exceptionally fine.

Opposites Attract

If you don’t want your sun and moon tattoo together, you can pair them in other creative ways. We find two wrists in this example that come together very nicely. Each is outfitted with decorative elements that make them so personal and original.

Share

Among matching tattoos, sun and moon tattoos are hugely popular. We find a matching pair that have some razor-sharp lines. If you’ve got a buddy, consider something similar to share.

In Your Hands

A touch of magic seems to be the subject matter of this sun and moon tattoo. We find the celestial bodies floating above a pair of hands. They cast a spell, don’t they?

Mandala In the Moon

Mandala-inspired tattoo designs are hugely popular today. With this sun and moon we find the familiar shapes filled with Mandala elements which proves a very unique look unlike any other we found while researching these tattoos.

The Cycles

Cycles of the moon cap the top portion of this tattoo with the lower half radiating rays of the sun. It’s an interesting concept that we did not see replicated. If you’d like to celebrate the moon, consider something similar for your sun and moon tattoo.

On Each Shin

The sun and moon tattoos in the above example are located on the shins. Take a look at how the moon is framed in a black and grey area with radiating lines. We love how both “shine” and balance each other out.

Stylish

We find a crescent moon underneath the sun with rays that appear to be shared. The wavy ones contrast with the straight ones to offer balance.

Subtle

In this ornamental design, the shapes of the sun and moon are applied in a decorative manner. You get more of an impression of the two in this tattoo which might appeal to you!

Stone-Faced

We’ll find many more sun and moon tattoos with faces but the rather stern expressions found in this tattoo really stood out. While many of these designs offer whimsy, this one sets a different tone.

With Cats

We can’t resist a cat tattoo and these fur babies look so cute next to the sun and moon found in this design. Take a look at all of the fine lines used to give the animals’ fur texture. If you love cats, you know it’s possible to incorporate them into your own design.

RELATED: 50 Trippy Tattoos That Are Out of This World

Ornamental

In this sun and moon tattoo, we find a more abstract approach. The crescent moon is filled with a botanical-inspired design and the sun has a cute pattern that the rays of sunlight seem to emanate from. It’s wonderful!

Dazzled

Dot work is a tattoo technique and form of shading that is made by thousands of tiny dots. Take a close look at the above tattoo and you will see that those dots have been masterfully applied to shade the sun and moon but also as part of the decorative elements surrounding them.

Experiment with Color

We have seen a lot of black and grey examples so far, but that’s not the only option! Feel free to experiment with color and work with your artist to come up with a scheme that makes sense for your tattoo. An ombré technique blends different colors into gradients that truly stun.

Hot & Cold

In this classic sun and moon tattoo, we find a hot sun and a cool moon. This is a classic look that conjures imagery from children’s picture books.

Go Dark

While color can be grand, sometimes bold and black is the right answer. If you’d like to be bold with your color choice, go with something simple like this that makes a big impact.

Dreamy Watercolor

Watercolor tattoos are a huge trend today. We find the technique applied to the sun and moon tattoo above with splashes of blue and orange. For moms, you might have some names you’d like to add to your design.

Romance

We find the personification of both the moon and sun in this mesmerizing tattoo. It’s a very original design that’s more than enviable.

Light & Dark

Playing with light VS dark proves a wise decision for contrasting tattoos that really pop. The same landscape lit by sunlight and moonlight is an interesting concept among these sun and moon tattoos.

Decorative

Are you a plant lover? Vase tattoos offer you the opportunity to tell your story with the intricate designs on the vessel. A cute little sun and moon make an appearance here but aren’t necessarily the stars of the show.

Micro Moment

If you’re not after a huge tattoo, consider going micro with your design. Often they make more of an impact than larger tattoos. We find a hand holding the sun and moon here. Simple, tidy lines are all it takes.

The Relationship

The person who shared this image captioned it, “the relationship between the sun and moon.” It’s another one of the romantic sun and moon tattoo ideas.

Cheerful

Here’s a handsome, straightforward design that’s not breaking new ground but it’s done so well it feels noteworthy. Tidy lines and subtle shading really make this sun and moon tattoo a standout.

Drama

On the other end of the spectrum, you can go maximalist with your design. There’s so much color applied to this design. It’s also a watercolor tattoo and you will find stars inside the “paint” that’s leached from the center of the moon design.

Yin & Yang

A classic symbol of light and darkness striking balance can be found in yin and yang. These tattoos are exceptional and take the concept to the next level.

A Dream

The cool colors in the clouds and moon are balanced with the warmness of the sun and stars. Take a look inside each shape and you will super-fine lines that offer movement and an added layer of visual interest.

Sparkles

Again, you will not find anything out of the ordinary with this design but we wanted to direct your eyes to the starry objects. Inside each, you will find a collection of rainbow-colored dots. If you’re after some sparkle, consider requesting something similar.

Bold In Black

We’re back to black and grey to celebrate its virtues after seeing several examples with colorful ink. These black and grey sun and moon tattoos are exquisite. Brilliant dot work gives both tattoos tons of visual interest and texture.

Make It Pop with White

Tattoo artists have been experimenting more and more with white ink to highlight designs. The sun and moon tattoo above is breathtaking thanks to all of the masterful line and dot work. But, white ink to highlight the features on the faces of each really adds so much contrast.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: Seeing Stars: 30 Astrology-Inspired Tattoos to Space Out Over

Share Your Message

“Still I Rise,” proves a perfect pairing with a sun and moon tattoo. Perhaps you can think of other sentiments that work well to use for your own tattoo. Ink is all about self-expression and if a quote will help you do just that, add one to your tattoo!

There you go! We hope you found some fresh ideas for your sun and moon tattoo. As you have seen, there are many ways for you to achieve your celestial tattoo. We urge you to work with a tattoo artist with a point of view that you share for the most original and meaningful tattoo. Happy tattooing!