The naked signs

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Note: I just got home from SpaceFest, and I’m exhausted. I’ll have more on the meeting tomorrow, with some pretty fun pictures, too. Until then, enjoy this.

Obviously, I am no fan of astrology. In fact, it is utter bilge. However, like many other forms of pseudoscience, it can inspire great art. Seeing as how I like art, and I like nudity, how can I resist the Incredible Zodiac?

Yeah, duh, NSFW. But the images of women bodypainted with the zodiacal signs are quite stunning and beautifully done. I suspect one or two are also tongue-in-cheek. Like this one:

Hint: what do rams do? And where is the head of the ram painted?

And I know this is completely hopeless, but let’s try to take the high road in the comments, please? :-)

August 19th, 2007 10:40 PM by Phil Plait in Cool stuff, Humor, Pretty pictures | 58 comments | RSS feed | Trackback >

58 Responses to “The naked signs”

  1. 1.   someguy Says:

    haha…make sure your wife doesnt catch you looking at it too much…

  2. 2.   Joel Sax Says:

    This isn’t bad astronomy, this is good astrology?

  3. 3.   Thomas Siefert Says:

    I’m sure I shouldn’t be involved with a Leo, I’m not going to put my head in the lions mouth.

  4. 4.   Pax Nortona - A Blog by Joel Sax » Look at that Jug Says:

    [...] More here and stolen from the sometimes Good Astrology blog. [...]

  5. 5.   JanieBelle Says:

    The only way it is even remotely possible for me to take the high road on this one is to leave now.

    **leaves giggling her aries off**

    Kisses

  6. 6.   cardoso Says:

    BA, can´t we just agree those are nice (or niiiice as Borat would say) representations of constellations?

    I don´t think we should pollute such beautiful images bringing the astrology stuff to the table.

  7. 7.   strangeangel23 Says:

    Probably more wholesome than trying to find Jesus in your wood grain.

  8. 8.   Pintura corporal de signos do zodíaco | Musas Says:

    [...] Bad Astronomy Compartilhe nos Sites Sociais:These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share [...]

  9. 9.   Marlayna Says:

    Interesting art. Some of them were very inventive. I like the capricorn one.

    I think aquarius was creative in the sense that the design coincides with the literal purpose of the breasts – providing liquid food.

  10. 10.   Sprocket Says:

    Pieces? Is this a new astrological sign- the Fish Fingers? (My own sign is Jiminy.)

  11. 11.   cimddwc :: The only sensible use of astrology Says:

    [...] (via Bad Astronomy) [...]

  12. 12.   Gary Ansorge Says:

    High road? Isn’t that pretty much where the rams head is already?

    My contribution to minimally suggestive poetry:

    As one randy old goat
    said to another,
    “I stink,
    therefore, I ram,,,”

    (GRA 1998)

    I’ve seen this art before. As I recall, one of my brothers sent me to the site some months ago. My religious brother is also an artist/misician and has sent me to several sites in which optical illusions are paramount. I would include a link but unfortunately, I can’t access my favorites page as I’m posting from work. MAybe later,,,

    GAry 7

  13. 13.   Raintree Says:

    mmmmm. Pisces.

  14. 14.   Nigel Depledge Says:

    “And I know this is completely hopeless, but let’s try to take the high road in the comments, please?”

    Butt, Phil, you started it…
    :)

  15. 15.   Ginger Yellow Says:

    Not to mention the fact that ‘Aries’ and ‘arse’ sound very similar in some parts of Ireland.

  16. 16.   Mark Martin Says:

    YOU like nudity? I woulda never knowed! :)

  17. 17.   Chip Says:

    Many readers here appreciate false color images of heavenly bodies. Thanks! :)

  18. 18.   TheBlackCat Says:

    Too bad there are no Donkeys in the zodiac, that would have been even more appropriate.

  19. 19.   heng Says:

    please. please!
    don’t ever do the “Hint:” thing again…
    it hurts reading…

  20. 20.   KaiYeves Says:

    Like we need another reason to ban astrology websites.

  21. 21.   ABR Says:

    C’mon people…don’t you recognize bareidolia when you see it?

  22. 22.   ozprof Says:

    however, considering what happened to a woman in Australia over the weekend because of her camel, the comment about the ram is questionable.

  23. 23.   retroflex Says:

    ozprof, I think BA was infering a “pune, or play on words” with the various meanings of butt.

    (Well someone stole my post about “pieces”, I had to say something. :D )

  24. 24.   aiabx Says:

    The should do the non-astrological constellations too. I’d like to see Andromeda, Casseiopiea, Telescopium, Vulpecula (the fox), and Antlia (the pump). And just imagine Orion and his sword!

  25. 25.   Kevin Conod Says:

    Heavenly bodies!! I didn’t know the BA was a peeping Tom. ;-)

  26. 26.   Ian Regan Says:

    I haven’t clicked on the link yet, but is the constellation of Beavis (the beaver) represented?

  27. 27.   Al Says:

    I think that there is a use for astrology. Look at the horoscopes in your newspaper and pick the one that you want to be yours for that day, with no consideration of your birthdate or the birth sign hooey or the date when the newspaper came out. It’s an exercise in choosing your own course and demonstrating that not even the stars know what is best for you.

  28. 28.   R S James Says:

    Does anyone know who the artist is? It reminds me of some works I saw in a gallery in New Orleans earlier this year.

  29. 29.   YinYang0564 Says:

    I don’t know who this artist is, but the New Orleans artist is Craig Tracy and his gallery is Painted Alive.

  30. 30.   bkallee Says:

    If a donkey is an ass

    and

    a Ram is a sheep,

    How come a ram in the ass is a goose???

  31. 31.   Kevin F. Says:

    *Knocks on door*

    Wife: Honey, what are you doing in there?

    Husband: Checking my Zodiac!

  32. 32.   paul childs Says:

    High road? But by nature I’m a baaaaaaaad boy!

  33. 33.   Richard Smith Says:

    I don’t know. I didn’t see any tongue at all in that Aries picture, and the ram was facing the wrong way for it to be his tongue in those cheeks…

  34. 34.   Shannon and Mike ☆ Net » Barron of Blog » Signs of the Zodiac Says:

    [...] The Bad Astronomer, surprisingly enough) [...]

  35. 35.   Harv Says:

    Those are great! My husband and I both think they’re amazing.

    Of course, now I have to go get some dark blue body paint…

    sigh…

  36. 36.   Cascadian Says:

    I’m disappointed, I don’t see my zodiac…Ophiuchus, the snake handler.

  37. 37.   arensb Says:

    Aside from everything else, I thought those photos provided a good illustration of the value of camouflage: in several cases, the zodiac design was so powerful that it was hard to see the woman. I guess tigers were onto something when they evolved stripes.

  38. 38.   SHQIPONJA MEHMETI Says:

    HEY;
    I DIDN´T READ MUCH, BUT I LIKE THE THINKING. I HAVE A QUESTION FOR PHIL PLAIT: I WONDER IF IT IS ON PURPOSE U WRITE ABOUT YOUR SELF AS U WERE THE THIRD GRAMMA PERSON: I LIKES… ETC. WHY IS IT SO? AND U WRITE ASTRONOM INSTEAD OF ASTROLOG. COULD THAT BE THE POINT. I LIKE IT, IF IT WAS DELIBERTLY, OFCOURSE. SEE YOU! VERY COOL. AMIGO

  39. 39.   CARSTEN Says:

    Hi, sorry I’m not interested in astrology. But I’m interested in Shqiponja (last reply)- do you remember me? 2006 in Kosovo? Are you still there or back in SWE? Carsten from Germany

  40. 40.   shqiponja mehmeti Says:

    Woow! See you there Carsten! Never thought I will meet you in a place like this!!! I have been in Germany since 2006 few times… I am in Sweden ofcourse… Have been staying in Kosovo very long. :-)

  41. 41.   shqiponja mehmeti Says:

    I like this “Bad astronomy” idea, althought I never understood the point why it is bad. Even good astrology can be bad astronomy, or maybe that is the point? Bad astrology can sound like this (imagine it is a tenor-like voice) : “Hi!!My name is Leo.. I am looking for the Virgin, but I don´t find her. Do you have any idea when virgins are hiding themselves these times?” But bad astrology can never be bad astronomy, neather good!!!What do you say to a Lion who is looking in a wrong place? Chears!!!

  42. 42.   shqiponja mehmeti Says:

    The Moon landing, was always fake?

  43. 43.   shqiponja mehmeti Says:

    Who is the artist?

  44. 44.   shqiponja mehmeti Says:

    I see… Phil Plait don´t like astrology… That´s why there are exagurated and naturalised pictures of Zodiac signs… It looks from my point of view like saying to people: “Here you have them… bare them… Coming back to the futuree… By astrolog
    Creative…

  45. 45.   shqiponja mehmeti Says:

    WHAT IS “BAD ASTROMONY” ABOUT, WITH A LINK TO ASTROLOGY

    I wander more about the message from an astronom here on this site, then to comment the pictures which are painted, or to send them to me. I wander if the message is as follows, the way I perceive it:

    “Is it human, or Zodiac signs, who are going to decide about the now and the future? Whose is the choice? One`s choise…”

    Each human has an animal inside. Let the animal stear, or take it to the consciousness and on to your hands, is the question? Isn´t it? The more the animal is illuminated and known, the better it feels inside and the smaller is its impact, power and control over our lives… The less it is known, the more it stears ours lives, because it screams from inside “let me out!Let me out!”, without us having ears to hear it. Want the knowlidge about the “animal”, or want to hear where it takes you when you don´t know who is doing that?
    Art is always good to make more visible and understandable things like this.
    - The better the dream – the better the future
    - The bigger the consciousness, the better the sight to opportunities.
    Is here somebody who agrees? Or disagrees? Or have more to say?

  46. 46.   shqiponja mehmeti Says:

    Find your own animal inside you… Maybe the one you have locked. It doesn´t have to be an animal from the Zodiac ones. It can be another one from some other place.One which you never believed, or thought has something of value to give. Maybe you have looked at it before in your life… Loughed at it… but never believed has the power to change your life. It can have meaningful messages to you, followed by a need of its own. Find this animal, look at it, listen…. and take it seriously. Give the place it is worthy. And let the Zodiac signs aside, to be qweens, or kings in their´s believes.
    Bye.

  47. 47.   shqiponja mehmeti Says:

    Carsten was this a joke

  48. 48.   carsten Says:

    hi shqiponja, tried to leave a reply before a couple of weeks but I think the webmaster kicked me out. So, what to do?

  49. 49.   horoscopes for today Says:

    horoscopes for today

    They will go on to read up on everything to do with his birth sign

  50. 50.   Horoscopes Www Astrology Com Says:

    Horoscopes Www Astrology Com

    The term is used colloquially for any kind of Linkback. Some weblog software programs, such as Wordpress, Movable Type and Community

  51. 51.   Search Horoscopes Astrology Com Says:

    Search Horoscopes Astrology Com

    Some weblog software programs, such as Wordpress, Movable Type and Community Server, support automatic pingbacks where all the links

  52. 52.   shqiponja mehmeti Says:

    Reply, Carsten:
    Now when the webmaster is kind is there something you want to say?

  53. 53.   shqiponja mehmeti Says:

    Phil Plate doesn ´t comunicate with members..? Is there somebody who understand what is the meaning of this site? Is it a debate site, a science site, or another kind of “science”?

  54. 54.   Horoscopes Aries Says:

    Horoscopes Aries

    (Blogger now has backlinks – very similar to the trackback feature in Movable Type. The TrackBack specification was created by Six Apart,

  55. 55.   Seo Says:

    Well some like this way, Buy I think you should consider the another side of the toppic too. Thanks

  56. 56.   shqiponja mehmeti Says:

    Sorry, but who are you talking to, Seo?

  57. 57.   shqiponja mehmeti Says:

    Replay to Seo:Hi Seo! If you were answering to me, I want to say that I have nothing against that some people like it this way, why not? But I have send a message to Phil Plate for some time ago and got no response. I was wondering if maybe somebody here could help me with that question.

  58. 58.   Shqiponja Mehmeti Says:

    It is true. Zodiac is BAD ASTRONOMY (for those who don´t believe the Zodiac).

    But Zodiac is GOOD ASTROLOGY (bothe for those who do, and do not believe it).

    Arstology is a belief which has no scientific ground. Astrology is not a science. But maybe it tryes to give to people the same effect or amount of belief as the science has… But because it is not one, makes it bad as a science. Astronomy therefore is a science.

    But I have a question, didn´t astrology study stars in teh biggining?

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