Muse Tattoo Ideas

People often attribute their creative "lightbulb moments" to their muses.

Tattoo design ideas often come from passions and life pursuits. A muse tattoo lends itself to a painter, poet, novelist, sculptor, musician, author, blogger, collage artist or other creative person since, in Greek mythology, the Muses were nine goddesses who provided the spark of inspiration for human creations. Incorporate Greek mythology and your own creative process into the design of your muse tattoo.

Your Muse

Design a tattoo that shows your personal artistic muse, however you imagine it (or him or her). Put another way, if you were to imagine your artistic inspiration as an entity, what would it look like? Your muse, for instance, could be a tiny, shy, dwarf-like being that wears a leaf as a hat; a lithe, gauzy-winged fairy with a sparkling wand; a fierce velociraptor; or a particular cartoon character who sets your imagination rolling. Draw your muse, whatever form it takes, and have the tattoo artist immortalize it on you.

All Nine Muses

Commission a tattoo that depicts all nine of the Muses from classical Greek mythology, perhaps perched on the side of Mount Olympus or gathered in a temple. The Muses were named Clio, Calliope, Erato, Terpsichore, Euterpe, Polyhymnia, Melpomene, Thalia and Urania. Each one governed a particular area of art, music, literature or science. A tattoo showing all nine Muses would be particularly appropriate for someone wanting a full-back tattoo or a multi-talented creative person, such as a scientist who plays an instrument and paints in her spare time.

Muse Looking Over Your Shoulder

Creative pursuits can feel frustrating if "the muse" --- your inspiration --- is lacking.

Ask the tattoo artist to adorn you with a tattoo showing a muse --- your muse or one of the Greek Muses --- peering over the shoulder of someone painting, drawing, working in a lab or playing an instrument. The tattoo can be cartoonish, black-and-white realistic style, or colorful and dramatic, in the style of the painting "The Green Muse." This muse tattoo style acknowledges the role that seemingly inexplicable or even divine sparks of inspiration play in the creative process.

Symbol

Many people seek creative inspiration in the great outdoors.

Create a tattoo design depicting an object that symbolizes inspiration and creativity to you. For example, the symbol of your muse could be an artist or piece of artwork that inspires you, the instrument with which you create your art (such as a guitar or a paintbrush) or a particular place or landscape.

References

• Washington State University; The Muses
• EurekAlert; The Green Muse