Ophiuchus tattoo: best ideas and meaning

Ophiuchus in tattooing: what each symbol means

Ophiuchus has surfaced in recent years as the so-called thirteenth sign. In reality this is the difference between astronomy and astrology: the constellation exists and the Sun does pass through it, but the twelve-part zodiac is a system that does not account for it. As a motif it loses nothing by that – if anything, the opposite.

Visually it is a figure holding a serpent. The strongest shorthand is a snake coiled around a staff, close to the rod of Asclepius and to healing, which fits this constellation mythologically as well. The glyph is a wavy line passing through a curve – a clean graphic shape that works small.

Styles that suit Ophiuchus

Blackwork and engraving style match the mythological origin best – it ends up looking like a plate from an old star atlas. Dotwork suits the constellation and the star map around the figure.

Fine line belongs to the glyph and to a snake drawn in a single line. Black and grey realism is the option for the full figure, but it wants a large format and more than one session.

Where to place it

A snake coiled around a staff has a strong vertical shape, so it sits on the forearm, down the spine, on the calf or on the ribs. The glyph is small and handles the wrist, ankle or behind the ear. A figural version wants a surface: thigh, shoulder blade or chest.

The gallery below is actual work from our studio – pick a direction and we will sort out the rest at the consultation.