Split image showing a purple stencil of a spiral galaxy on an upper arm beside the finished colour galaxy tattoo with blue, pink and white shading.

Enlarged with AI from a smaller original

Spiral galaxy tattoo on upper arm, stencil and finish

Realism · Upper arm · Colour · Photo

The left panel shows purple linework marked directly on skin, outlining a swirling spiral galaxy across the upper arm. The right panel shows the completed tattoo, with soft blue, grey and white shading, scattered red and white star points, and a bright central core. The composition fills the arm from shoulder to elbow, with a four-pointed star near the lower edge.

Realism Upper arm Galaxy Star Space

Find an artist for this

Take it to an artist as a reference. A good artist will make it yours rather than copy someone else's tattoo.

A story inspired by this tattoo · fiction

Right, I've made two cups of tea and let both go cold, so you'll have to take this letter instead of a natter. The lift in Kestrel House has been out since Tuesday, which means I've been hauling my shopping up fourteen flights like a Sherpa. Still, it gave me plenty of time to look at things. Halfway up the stairwell someone has drawn a galaxy on the breeze-block wall in purple felt tip. Nobody on this estate is allowed to paint so much as a fence without the council writing to them, so I had a proper look before I decided I liked it.

Keep reading

It swirls from the landing at eleven round to the bins at the bottom, the arms sweeping out like someone flicked a pen in a bath. The lad from number 31 told me it was his design, traced off a telescope picture on his phone. He'd done the outline in purple and was going to fill it in with blues and greys once he'd saved enough for paint. He was quite cross when Mrs Okafor's grandson sprayed a tag across the bottom corner. The little star with four points he left till last, down by the skirting board, and it's the only bit that doesn't go round.

I stood on the step and thought about Dad's star chart, the one he pinned behind the fridge so Mum wouldn't see him with the Woodbines. Remember how he said the Milky Way was just a lot of little things too far off to matter one by one? I think about that every time the lift doors shut on me. Anyway, I've taken a photo for you on my phone, though the flash has made the purple look like bruising. Don't ring me about the lift. Love, Maureen.