moon tattoo
A moon tattoo is a small line-art motif built from a crescent, usually paired with a star, dots or the full set of moon phases. It reads as change and cycles rather than as an astronomical reference, and it is one of the most popular small tattoos because it works at wrist scale without becoming illegible.
Size guide
Crescent alone: 3–5 cm. Full moon phase sequence: 12–18 cm vertical, so ribs or inner arm.
Where should a moon tattoo go?
The wrist, behind the ear and the inner forearm are the strongest placements, because a crescent needs only about 3 to 4 cm and reads clearly at that size. Larger moon phase designs suit the ribs or the inner arm where there is 15 cm of vertical room for a stacked sequence.
What size should a moon tattoo be?
Keep the crescent itself between 3 and 5 cm and use strokes of at least 0.6 mm. A thin crescent looks elegant fresh but blurs into a grey smudge within a couple of years, especially on the wrist and fingers where skin is thin and movement is constant.
Frequently asked questions
Where to place a moon tattoo
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