Sun Tzu was right: There is an art of war, but it may not be exactly what the 6th-century B.C. author originally had in mind. The designs in the slideshow below are all nonviolent pieces of art inspired by war.
Any veteran can tell you that war and battle are by no means glamorous, and this collection certainly doesn't mean to trivialize that hellish experience of combat. It does, however, showcase the innovation and beauty that is inspired by ugliness.
From artistic ammunition to tank paintball, items that once symbolized destruction and obliteration are now items to be enjoyed. Explore these and other artistic pieces inspired by war below.
33 Artistic Interpretations of War

32
Inked Injuries
Wound and Bullet Hole Tattoos for the Wannabe Badass

31
Firearm Tattoos
Inked Lethal Weapons So You Look Tough, Even in the Buff

30
Aggressive Innovation
From Tank Paintball to Terror Fashion
29
Tank Tracks
Mattracks Convert Your SUV Into a Tank
28
Designer Ladies Weapons by Antonio Riello
27
Tank Paintball
26
Bullet Hole Shirts
Fashion on a Rampage
25
Bullet Casings as Charms
Unearthen Jewelry by Gia Bahm
24
The Tank Wheelchair
23
Painted Hand Grenades & Bullets
Army Trash Makes Fashion, Not War
22
Explosive Furniture
Grenade Drawers
21
Musical Weapons
From Trombone Revolvers to Grenade Maracas
20
Space Saving Capsule Seating
Cool Compact Patio Table and Chairs Looks Like a Bullet
19
All Terrain Wheelchair
Tank Chair Mk II (CES 2008)
18
Extreme Security Bed
Keeps Safe From Bad Guys, Bullets and Bio-Terrorism
17
Recycled Gun Shell Jewelry
Bullet Buddies
16
Killer Ice Cubes
The AK 47 Bullet Ice Cube Tray
15
Artistic Grenades
Decorative War Tools from DaWanda Make Aggression Stylish
14
Explosive Accessories
The Grenade Wristwatch
13
War-Inspired Snack Food Ads
‘Battle of the Beans' Pits Soybeans vs. Jelly Beans
12
Artistic Ammunition
Masterpieces That Illustrate The Creative Art of War
11
Bullet-Shaped Bottles
Bollinger Bond 007 Champagne
10
Ninja Weapon Fridge Magnets
Throwing Star Note Holders
9
Grenade Oil Lamp
Piet Houtenbos Makes Art from Army Surplus
8
Inflatable Violence
The Balloon Tank
7
Killer Bag
Mulberry Bag Also a Weapon?
6
Weapon-Inspired Accessories
Diesel's AK-47SCARF
5
Painting With Bullets
Military Folk Art by Matthew Stromberg
4
Real Weapons as Computer Gadgets
Grenade Mouse
3
Army-Inspired Decor
Tank U Vases
2
Cushy Weaponry for Kids
The 'Pillow Fight' Cushion
1
Weaponry Motifs in Kitchens
The Six Shooter Revolver Dishes For Cowboy Cuisine
Related Ideas
Baroque-Style Earbud Cases
'The Case' by Eslam Mohammed Turns Tech into a Work of Art
Beautiful Automotive Design Books
Auto Photo Manual drives the car design coffee table book trend
Expressive Well Balanced Furniture
hm-LI Studio Presents Expressive Artful Designs
Juxtaposed Materials Furniture Collections
The Around the Studio Wool Diaries Collection is Chic
Tranquil Design Coffee Makers
The 'Zenbrew' Coffee Maker by Suckhand Saren is Peaceful
Statement Street Art
Alex Chinneck’s Surreal Street Art Transforms Bristol's Urban Landscape
Beautifully Artful Chess Sets
Rory Noble-Turner Designs the Engaging Dune Chess Set
Oil Painting-Inspired Rugs
Antonio Santín Presents a New Collection of Intricate Rugs
AI-Generated Soup Can Art
The Campbell’s 'pAIntings' Initiative is Inspired by Artistic Greats
Blurry Abstract Photography Exhibits
Hiroshi Sugimoto Displays the Optical Allusion Exhibition
Militant Off-Road SUV Models
The Hennessey Jeep Gladiator Warhawk is Military-Inspired
Futuristic Imaginative Design Concepts
Toyota Introduces the Unique E-Collection of Products
Dazzling Art Design Exhibitions
Kiki Goti Showcases the Selene Exhibition at Alcova
Functional Streamlined Ceramic Tiles
Unknown, Untitled Introduced the UU Tiles Collection
Sneaker Fused Ceramic Exhibitions
Roberto Lugo Presents the Drip Exhibition in New York
Vibrant Design Collections
Ali Beletic and Her Studio Launch the Neon Primitivism Series
Samurai-Inspired Intricate Timepieces
Louis Vuitton Introduces the Tambour Bushido Automata
Artist Painting-Adorned Bottles
An Absolut Vodka Bottle is Adorned by an Andy Warhol Painting
Modernized War-Inspired Truck Designs
The Van Daryl War Truck Revives a Classic Silhouette
Terracotta-Inspired Art Installations
Gornace Brioni's Grounded Exhibition Features Wall Coverings
Artful Graphic Beach Towels
ZigZagZurich Presents the Artist Terry Beach Towel Capsule
Battle-Style Art Events
Secret Walls Relaunches its 'The Art of Competition' Tour
Sexuality-Exploring Artful Exhibitions
Faye Toogood Explores Sensuality with the Rude Arts Club
Japanese Inn-Inspired Apartments
Intheory Design Creates an Apartment Inspired by Ryokan
Fine Art-Inspired Sneaker Designs
Vans and Gallery Dept. Partner Through the OTW by Vans Line
Creativity Time Capsules
Crayola's Campaign for Creativity Reunites Adults with Childhood Art
Origami-Inspired Lit Table Concepts
Sonakshi Gupta Designs the Dynamic LightUP Concept
Intergalactic-Themed Furnishings
Djivan Schapira Presents the New Solar Sailor Collection
Earthy Sophisticated Lighting
Carmen Nash Designs the Folk and Flora Series for Troy Lighting
Pop Art Creative Collections
The KAWS + Warhol UT Collection Caters to Art Lovers
Creativity-Inspiring Kids Campaigns
Cra-Z-Art Inspires Young Creative Beauty-Focused Campagn
Music-Inspired Enlivening Parks
SoBA Draws Inspiration from Sizhu Music for the Orchestra Park
Easy Drawing Inspiration
Simple Drawing Ideas Offers Creative Prompts For All Skill Levels
Visual Museum Campaigns
MoMA’s New Museum Campaign Transforms NYC into an Art Lover’s Paradise
Detailed Ceramic Book Vases
Biblio Bloom Vases are Inspired by Timeless Literary Classics
Perception-Challenging Art Exhibitions
Raise the Moral Studio Presents the Becoming Familiar Show
Graphic Fashion Animation Campaigns
Louis Vuitton Remasters Takashi Murakami's Superflat Animation
Vibrant Artist Pop-Up Books
Poposition Press Brings Life to the Keith Haring Pop-Up Book
Ethnically Inspired Ceramic Vases
Silk & Snow x Solem Ceramics Vase Capsule Utilizes Organic Forms
Dynamic Art Exhibitions
The 'Art in Motion' Exhibition Features Moving Artworks
Self-Designed Tranquil Workspaces
Studio Saransh Designs the Oasis Workspace for Itself
Colorful Dynamic Acoustic Playgrounds
Yuri Suzuki Designs the Otonomori Playground in Shanghai
Geometric Wooden Art Sculptures
Aleph Geddis Creates the Series of Dimensional Wooden Art
Lunar New Year-Inspired Noteboooks
Moleskine Adds New Designs to the 3 Artists, 3 Countries Series
Expansive Modern Furniture Series
Lee F. Mindel Expands the Veritas Collection for RALPH PUCCI
Pop Art-Inspired Technical Sneakers
Mizuno Presents a Hiroshi Nagai Sneaker Series of Three Shoes
Sculptural Nature-Inspired Designs
Sukwoo Lee Designs the Drop Series Highlighting Eternal Beauty
Painterly Eyeshadow Sticks
Renaissance Art Inspired Ilia's Eye Stylus Shadow Stick Shades
Exquisite Circular Vases
Origin Made Spotlights the Salt Vase by Ladies & Gentlemen Studio
Custom Inspirational Quotes
Muse Combines Quotes with Creative Themes for Social Media
Water Movement Sculptural Instruments
The Inner Waves Installation is a Musical Light Show
Geometry-Inspired Vase Collections
Lorenz Noelle Designs the Triangle Vase Collection
Therapeutic Sunset-Inspired Cards
Sunset Spark Deck Offers Mindfulness Tools with Painted Sunsets
Artful Versatile Rug Collections
Nanimarquina Unveiled a Range of Rugs with Various Inspirations
Classic Architecture-Inspired Lighting
Zeynep Boyan Designs the Monumental Collection of Lamps
Global AI Art Contests
Shutterstock and the UN Partner for the Canvas of the Future
Artful Anime-Blending Split Sculptures
Daniel Arsham Creates the New SPLIT BUST Sculpture
Sneaker-Inspired Art Exhibitions
Roberto Lugo's 'Drip' Explores the Impact of the AF1 on Culture
AI Tattoo Generators
Tattoo Canvas Has Endless Creative Possibilities for Artistic Expression
Spiritual Meditation Chair Exhibitions
Andrés Reisinger Presents the 12 Chairs for Meditation Show
Community-Centric Art Galleries
The Tableau Gallery Will Host a Roster of Designe
Surreal Artist-Inspired Tech Accessories
CASETiFY Presents a New Salvador Dalí Collection
Updated Traditional Game Experiences
Admiral Clash Reimagines Battleship in New Angle
Large Structural Ceramic Lamps
Olivia Xognet Draws Inspiration from her Move to Vallauris
Airport-Based Retro Art Installations
Hong Kong Hosts Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In
Subterranean Courtyard Galleries
Buzz Designs the Hermit Space Yards in Beijing Park
Glass Beaded Intricate Artworks
Liza Lou's Painting Exhibition Debuts 12 New Pieces of Work
Terracotta-Highlighting Artful Exhibitions
Sam Baron Curates the Nossa Terra Exhibitino
Illuminated Curtained Light Installations
Lachlan Turczan Adds to Making the Invisible Visible
Young-Artist Graphic Rug Collections
Alf Bärbel Wit Designs the LineLinesLines Collection
Pop Art Skateboard Capsules
THE SKATEROOM Unveils a Collection Inspired by Roy Lichtenstein
Mushroom-Inspired Sleek Lamps
Danil Repko Designs the Bright Lunar Lamp Concept
Digital City-Inspired Art Works
New Digital Art is on Display in Grand Central Station
Exclusive Homeware Collections
Tiffany & Co. X Fondation César Fuse Artistry and Homeware
Ethereal Oil Lamp Systems
The TIWA Gallery is Beautifully Lit up by A Realm of Light
Italian Heritage Brand Identities
Sergio Soldano Launches Tableau D’Art in Cannes and Genoa
Art-Inspired Whisky Events
Bulleit Frontier Whiskey Partnered with Ian Woods for a Custom Design
Japanese Culture-Honoring Vases
Ryosuke Fukusada and Ceramic Japan Design the WATOJI Series
Visual Poetry Creation Tools
Poetique Boasts a Library of 80,000 Images to Complement Your Words
Military-Inspired Outdoor Fashion
N.Hoolywood Releases the Test Product Exchange Service
Biology-Inspired Porcelain Sculptures
Shiyuan Xu's Art Brings Tradition and Biology Together
Street Artist Digitalized Exhibitions
LG OLED and Shepard Fairey Showcase Digital Street Art
Cross-Cultural Artistic Exhibitions
Kasashima Gallery Presents 'Beauty in Every Fan' in Paris
Creatively Sponsored Art Events
Sharpie is Sponsoring the Upcoming Art Battle Event in Los Angeles
Artful Holiday Ceramics
Gunia Project's Holiday Collection Boasts Ukrainian Artistry
Historic Fortress Open-Air Museums
KOOP Architects Revives the Ottoman Seddülbahir Fortress
Artist Painting-Inspired Brick Sets
LEGO Introduces the Artful New Sunflowers Set
Sci-Fi-Inspired Classical Posters
Seán Donnan Illustrates Star Wars Characters in a Japanese Style
Museum-Inspired Tech Accessories
CASETiFY's Ancient Korean Designs for Devices are Elegant
Artful Flush-Mount TVs
The C1 Canvas Art TV Has No External Connection Box for a Clean Aesthetic
CD-Comprised Towering Art Sculptures
Tara Donovan Presents Her Stratagems Exhibition in New York
Public Bench Interpretation Exhibitions
Eight Designers Form the Works in Progress III Show
Palaeolithic Art-Inspired Collections
Taras Yoom Unveils a New Capsule Dubbed Echoes of Time
Generative Art-Wrapped Cars
Kaoru Tanaka Wraps the INFINITI QX80 in Digital Artwork
Planetary-Inspired Glassware Capsules
Pentagon Design Creates the Spherical Mars Collection
Sculptural Gallery Art Exhibitions
Kennedy Yanko Presents Two New Galleries in NYC
Woven Upholstery Textile Capsules
The Elemental Wright Collection Highlights Organic Architecture
Artfully Inspired Home Renovations
Reflect Architecture Designs the North Drive House in Toronto
Funnelled Light Forested Spas
Vector Architects Designed the Wulingshan Eye Stone Spring Spa
Mesmerizing Sand Pattern Sculptures
Ed Cano Designs the Crystal SANDSARA Blending Meditation
Artful Reflective Art Exhibitions
Rice Roshan Showcases The Space in Between Exhibit
War Boat-Inspired Timepieces
William Wood Designs the Dunkirk Watch with Various Commands
Vibrantly Abstract Rug Collections
Atelier Tapis Rouge Presents the Abstraction Collection
Experimental Ancestral Lighting Designs
Colony Presents New Lighting Designs by Kawabi
Artist-Inspired Flower Puzzle Sets
BelgianDesigner's LEGO Ideas is Inspired by Murakami's Work
Temple-Inspired Striking Galleries
Abin Design Studio Designs a Gallery with Temple Themes
Origami-Inspired Porcelain Art
Saori Matsushita Creates a New Range of Porcelain Pieces
Festive Light Painting Techniques
NASA Astronauts Creates Captivating Light Paintings
Spring-Inspired Colorful Vessels
Paola Sakr Designs the SŪRYA Collection of Artful Vessels
Illusion-Inspired Design Collections
Bo Zhang Introduces the New Ripples Collection
Sculptural Wooden Art Exhibitions
Joel Shapiro Presents His Out of the Blue Exhibition in NY
Artwork-Inspired Vibrant Watches
Swatch and Tate Join Forces on the Gallery Collection
Artsy Painting-Inspired Bottles
Absolut Introduces the Andy Warhol-Inspired 'blue' Bottle
Timeless Furniture Series
Artek Creates the Crafted Through Time Series to Build on Designs
Quote Design Tools
Quotable Turns Quotes Into Art for Social Media and Widgets
Artist-Designed Wool Blankets
Eike König Crafts a Series of Art-Inspired Blankets for Multi-Use
Human Connection Design Exhibitions
VERSO Presents the No Discipline Solo Exhibition
Anamorphic Fuzzy Glowing Vessels
Maxwell Mustardo Designs the Unique Bright Alien Vases
Community-Centric Sculptural Installations
Naoto Fukasawa & Jakuets Design the Playful Sculptures
Pottery-Inspired Artful Notebooks
Sutta Design Creates the Dynamic Kintsugi Art Notebook
Dynamic Structural Mirror Designs
Bo Zhang Designs the Zig/Zag Collection of Colorful Decor
Architectural Pottery Museums
1+1>2 Architects Designs the Bat Trang Pottery Museum
Stone Vaulting Glass Sculptures
AAU Anastas and Tomoko Sauvage Create the Serpentine Bell
Artfully Dynamic Vessels
Devin Wilde Explores the Function of Ornament with Artful Vessels
Beginner Artistic Inspiration
Drawing Prompts Helps Artists Develop a Consistent Practice
Natural Material-Transformed Artworks
Borrowed Earth Collaborative Uses Natural Materials for Art
Speaker Part-Garnered Art Installations
Juyong Shim Presents NEW CRAFTMANSHIP: A NEW WORLD
Collaborative Textural Ceramic Designs
Ronan Bouroullec and Mutina Create the Editions Series
Empowering Artful Basketball Courts
Na Chainkua Reindorf Creates Bright Art for NYC Courts
Geometric Ceramic Collections
Jessica Rust Designs the Limn Collection with a Modern Feel
Artistic Feedback Tools
Instant Art Review Provides Real-Time Feedback to Boost Artistic Skills
Tropical Modernism Stage Designs
A Team of Designers Form a South Asian Stage at Glastonbury
Chess-Inspired Ceramic Vase Capsules
Sara Khamisi and Sandro Lopez Milano Launch the Kish o Mat
Politically Artful Textile Shows
Barbican Hosts Unravel: The Power and Politics of Textiles in Art
Water Flow-Inspired Art Buildings
MAD Designs the Waterfront Nanhai Arts Center in Guangdong
Harmony-Motif-Inspired Jewelry Boxes
Trove Revealed its Colorful 'Yin & Yang Jewelry Box'
Daily Stoic Wisdom
Stoiczone Sends Daily Philosophy Quotes to Your Inbox
Chinese Tradition-Inspired Furniture
Sun at Six Designed the Wolo Collection of Sleek Furniture
Slaugherhouse-Transformed Unique Museums
Cave Bureau Creates the Anthropocene Museum 9.0
Stealthy Cold War Museums
AART Wraps the Cold War Museum Regan Vest in Black Metal