As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 14, 2001
                                                           Registration No. 333-
================================================================================
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                   ----------

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      Under
                           The Securities Act of 1933

                                   ----------

                            ARTISAN COMPONENTS, INC.
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

                                   ----------

              Delaware                                        77-0278185
  (State or other jurisdiction of                          (I.R.S. Employer
   incorporation or organization)                       Identification Number)

                                141 Caspian Court
                        Sunnyvale, California 94089-1013
                                 (408) 734-5600
               (Address, including zip code, and telephone number,
        including area code, of Registrant's principal executive offices)

                             1993 STOCK OPTION PLAN
                       1997 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
                            (Full title of the plan)

                                   ----------

                               MARK R. TEMPLETON
                     President and Chief Executive Officer
                            Artisan Components, Inc.
                               141 Caspian Court
                        Sunnyvale, California 94089-1013
                                 (408) 734-5600
 (Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code,
                             of agent for service)

                                   ----------

                                   Copies to:

                              ROBERT P. LATTA, ESQ.
                        Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
                            Professional Corporation
                               650 Page Mill Road
                               Palo Alto, CA 94304
                                 (650) 493-9300

                                   ----------

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
========================================================================================================
                                                           Proposed         Proposed
                                                            Maximum         Maximum
                                             Amount        Offering         Aggregate        Amount of
          Title of Securities                to be           Price          Offering        Registration
            to be Registered               Registered      Per Share        Price (1)           Fee
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                        <C>              <C>           <C>                 <C>
1993 Stock Option Plan, Common Stock,
$.001 par value (2)...................     1,046,837        $15.245       $15,959,030.06      $3,814.21
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1997 Employee Stock Purchase Plan,           544,215        $15.245        $8,296,557.68      $1,982.88
Common Stock, $.001 par value (2).....
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                  Aggregate Registration Fee                  $5,797.09
========================================================================================================
</TABLE>

(1)  Estimated  in  accordance  with  Rule  457(c)  solely  for the  purpose  of
     calculating the registration fee based upon the average of the high and low
     prices of the Common  Stock as  reported on the Nasdaq  National  Market on
     December 10, 2001.

(2)  Pursuant to Rule 416(a) of the  Securities  Act of 1933,  as amended,  this
     Registration  Statement  shall  also  cover  any  additional  shares of the
     Registrant's  Common Stock that become issuable under the 1993 Stock Option
     Plan and 1997 Employee Stock Purchase Plan by reason of any stock dividend,
     stock split, recapitalization or other similar transaction affected without
     the receipt of consideration  that increases the number of the Registrant's
     outstanding shares of Common Stock.

================================================================================


<PAGE>


             PART II: INFORMATION REQUIRED IN REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3 Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

         Artisan   Components,   Inc.,  which  is  referred  to  herein  as  the
"Registrant,"  incorporates  by reference  in this  Registration  Statement  the
following  documents and  information  heretofore  filed with the Securities and
Exchange  Commission (the  "Commission"):

     (a)  The Registrant's  Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
          September 30, 2001,  filed December 11, 2001 pursuant to Section 13 of
          the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "1934 Act");

     (b)  The  description  of the  Registrant's  Common Stock  contained in the
          Registrant's  Registration  Statement on Form S-1 (Reg. No. 333-41219)
          declared effective by the Commission on February 2, 1998; and

     (c)  The  Registrant's  Definitive  Proxy  Statement  on Schedule 14A filed
          January 26, 2001.

     All documents filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14
and  15(d) of the 1934 Act on or after the date of this  Registration  Statement
and prior to the filing of a  post-effective  amendment which indicates that all
securities  offered  have been sold or which  deregisters  all  securities  then
remaining  unsold  shall be  deemed  to be  incorporated  by  reference  in this
Registration  Statement  and to be part  hereof  from the date of filing of such
documents.

Item 4. Description of Securities.

     Not Applicable.

Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

     Not Applicable.

Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

     The  Registrant's  Certificate  of  Incorporation  limits the  liability of
directors to the maximum extent permitted by Delaware law. Delaware law provides
that  directors  of a  corporation  will not be  personally  liable for monetary
damages for breach of their fiduciary duties as directors,  except for liability
(i)  for  any  breach  of  their  duty  of  loyalty  to the  corporation  or its
stockholders,  (ii)  for acts or  omissions  not in good  faith or that  involve
intentional  misconduct  or a  knowing  violation  of law,  (iii)  for  unlawful
payments of dividends or unlawful  stock  repurchases or redemptions as provided
in  section  174 of the  Delaware  General  Corporation  Law,  or  (iv)  for any
transaction from which the director derived an improper  personal  benefit.  The
Registrant's  Bylaws provide that the Registrant  shall  indemnify its directors
and officers and may  indemnify  its  employees  and other agents to the fullest
extent  permitted by Delaware General  Corporation Law. The Registrant  believes
that  indemnification  under its  Bylaws  covers at least  negligence  and gross
negligence on the part of  indemnified  parties.  The  Registrant's  Bylaws also
permit the Registrant to secure insurance on behalf of any person that is or was
an officer, director, employee or other agent for any liability arising out of


                                                                            II-1
<PAGE>


his or her actions in such capacity,  regardless of whether the Registrant would
have the power to indemnify him or her against such liability  under the General
Corporation Law of Delaware. The Registrant currently has secured such insurance
on behalf of its  officers  and  directors.  The  Registrant  has  entered  into
agreements  to  indemnify   its   directors   and   officers,   in  addition  to
indemnification  provided  for in the  Registrant's  Bylaws.  Subject to certain
conditions,  these  agreements,  among other things,  indemnify the Registrant's
directors  and  officers  for  certain  expenses  (including  attorney's  fees),
judgments,  fines and  settlement  amounts  incurred  by any such  person in any
action or proceeding, including any action by or in the right of the Registrant,
arising  out  of  such  person's  services  as a  director  or  officer  of  the
Registrant,  any subsidiary of the Registrant or any other company or enterprise
to which the person provides services at the request of the Registrant.

     At  present,  there is no pending  litigation  or  proceeding  involving  a
director,   officer,  employee  or  other  agent  of  the  Registrant  in  which
indemnification  is being sought,  nor is the Registrant aware of any threatened
litigation  that may  result in a claim  for  indemnification  by any  director,
officer, employee or other agent of the Registrant.

Item 7. Exemption from Registration Claimed.

     Not Applicable.

Item 8 Exhibits.

  Exhibit Number                     Documents
  --------------                     ---------

       4.1*         1993 Stock Option Plan, as amended.

       4.1.1**      Form of Stock Option  Agreement  under the 1993 Stock Option
                    Plan.

       4.2**        1997 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

       5.1          Opinion of Wilson Sonsini  Goodrich & Rosati, a Professional
                    Corporation.

       23.1         Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers, Independent Accountants.

       23.2         Consent of Counsel (contained in Exhibit 5.1).

       24.1         Power of Attorney (see page II-4).

----------
*    Incorporated  by reference to the Company's  Definitive  Proxy Statement on
     Schedule 14A for the Company's  1999 Annual Meeting of  Stockholders  filed
     with the Commission on January 28, 1999.

**   Incorporated  by  reference  to  the  Exhibits  filed  with  the  Company's
     Registration Statement on Form S-1 (Registration No. 333-41219) as declared
     effective by the Commission on February 2, 1998.

Item 9 Undertakings.

     (a) Rule 415 offering: The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

          (1) To file,  during  any  period  in which  offers or sales are being
     made, a post-effective  amendment to this registration statement to include
     any  material  information  with  respect to the plan of  distribution  not
     previously  disclosed in the registration  statement or any material change
     to such information in the registration statement;

          (2) That,  for the  purpose of  determining  any  liability  under the
     Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective  amendment shall be deemed
     to be a new  registration  statement  relating  to the  securities  offered
     therein,  and the offering of such  securities at that time shall be deemed
     to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.


                                                                            II-2
<PAGE>


          (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment
     any  of  the  securities  being  registered  which  remain  unsold  at  the
     termination of the offering.

     (b) The  undersigned  registrant  hereby  undertakes  that, for purposes of
determining  any liability  under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the
registrant's  annual  report  pursuant to Section  13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Exchange Act (and, where  applicable,  each filing of an employee benefit plan's
annual  report   pursuant  to  Section  15(d)  of  the  Exchange  Act)  that  is
incorporated by reference in the registration  statement shall be deemed to be a
new registration  statement relating to the securities offered therein,  and the
offering of such  securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

     (c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities
Act may be  permitted to  directors,  officers  and  controlling  persons of the
registrant pursuant to the foregoing  provisions,  or otherwise,  the registrant
has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities  and Exchange  Commission
such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act
and is, therefore,  unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such  liabilities  (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses
incurred or paid by a director,  officer or controlling person of the registrant
in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director,  officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
has been  settled by  controlling  precedent,  submit to a court of  appropriate
jurisdiction the question whether such  indemnification  by it is against public
policy as  expressed  in the  Securities  Act and will be  governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.


                                                                            II-3
<PAGE>


                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant,
Artisan  Components,  Inc.,  certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe
that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused
this  Registration  Statement  to be  signed on its  behalf by the  undersigned,
thereunto duly  authorized,  in the City of Sunnyvale,  State of California,  on
this 14th day of December 2001.

                                    ARTISAN COMPONENTS, INC.

                                    By:   /s/ Mark R. Templeton
                                       -----------------------------------------
                                         Mark R. Templeton
                                         President and Chief Executive Officer

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE  PRESENTS,  that each such person whose signature
appears below constitutes and appoints, jointly and severally, Mark R. Templeton
and Joy Leo his/her attorneys-in-fact,  each with the power of substitution, for
him/her in any and all capacities,  to sign any amendments to this  Registration
Statement on Form S-8  (including  post-effective  amendments),  and to file the
same, with all exhibits  thereto,  and other documents in connection  therewith,
with the Securities and Exchange Commission, hereby ratifying and confirming all
that each of said attorneys-in-fact,  or his/her substitute or substitutes,  may
do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

     Pursuant  to  the   requirements  of  the  Securities  Act  of  1933,  this
Registration  Statement  has  been  signed  by  the  following  persons  in  the
capacities and on the dates indicated.


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
             Signature                                   Title                                  Date
             ---------                                   -----                                  ----

<S>                                    <C>                                                 <C>
 /s/ Mark R. Templeton                 President,  Chief  Executive  Officer and           December 14, 2001
---------------------------------      Director (Principal Executive Officer)
       (Mark R. Templeton)


 /s/ Joy E. Leo                        Vice President, Finance and Administration,         December 14, 2001
---------------------------------      Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial
       (Joy E. Leo)                    and Accounting Officer) and Secretary


 /s/ Lucio L. Lanza
---------------------------------      Chairman of the Board                               December 14, 2001
       (Lucio L. Lanza)


 /s/ Scott T. Becker
---------------------------------      Chief Technology Officer and Director               December 14, 2001
       (Scott T. Becker)


 /s/ Leon Malmed
---------------------------------      Director                                            December 14, 2001
       (Leon Malmed)


 /s/ Morio Kurosaki
---------------------------------      Director                                            December 14, 2001
       (Morio Kurosaki)
</TABLE>


                                                                            II-4
<PAGE>


                                INDEX TO EXHIBITS


  Exhibit Number                          Documents
  --------------                          ---------

       4.1*         1993 Stock Option Plan, as amended.

       4.1.1**      Form of Stock Option  Agreement  under the 1993 Stock Option
                    Plan.

       4.2**        1997 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

       5.1          Opinion of Wilson Sonsini  Goodrich & Rosati, a Professional
                    Corporation.

       23.1         Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers, Independent Accountants.

       23.2         Consent of Counsel (contained in Exhibit 5.1).

       24.1         Power of Attorney (see page II-4).

----------
*    Incorporated  by reference to the Company's  Definitive  Proxy Statement on
     Schedule 14A for the Company's  1999 Annual Meeting of  Stockholders  filed
     with the Commission on January 28, 1999.

**   Incorporated  by  reference  to  the  Exhibits  filed  with  the  Company's
     Registration Statement on Form S-1 (Registration No. 333-41219) as declared
     effective by the Commission on February 2, 1998.
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "filename": "d70679_s-8.txt", "description": "FORM S-8", "secsgml_size_bytes": 18116}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "ARTISAN COMPONENTS INC", "cik": "0001048982", "assigned-sic": "3674", "irs-number": "770278185", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "0930"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-75224", "film-number": "1814645"}, "business-address": {"street1": "1195 BORDEAUX DRIVE", "city": "SUNNYVALE", "state": "CA", "zip": "94089", "phone": "4087345600"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "1195 BORDEAUX DRIVE", "city": "SUNNYVALE", "state": "CA", "zip": "94089"}}
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 14, 2001
                                                           Registration No. 333-
================================================================================
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                   ----------

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      Under
                           The Securities Act of 1933

                                   ----------

                            ARTISAN COMPONENTS, INC.
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

                                   ----------

              Delaware                                        77-0278185
  (State or other jurisdiction of                          (I.R.S. Employer
   incorporation or organization)                       Identification Number)

                                141 Caspian Court
                        Sunnyvale, California 94089-1013
                                 (408) 734-5600
               (Address, including zip code, and telephone number,
        including area code, of Registrant's principal executive offices)

                             1993 STOCK OPTION PLAN
                       1997 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
                            (Full title of the plan)

                                   ----------

                               MARK R. TEMPLETON
                     President and Chief Executive Officer
                            Artisan Components, Inc.
                               141 Caspian Court
                        Sunnyvale, California 94089-1013
                                 (408) 734-5600
 (Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code,
                             of agent for service)

                                   ----------

                                   Copies to:

                              ROBERT P. LATTA, ESQ.
                        Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
                            Professional Corporation
                               650 Page Mill Road
                               Palo Alto, CA 94304
                                 (650) 493-9300

                                   ----------

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
========================================================================================================
                                                           Proposed         Proposed
                                                            Maximum         Maximum
                                             Amount        Offering         Aggregate        Amount of
          Title of Securities                to be           Price          Offering        Registration
            to be Registered               Registered      Per Share        Price (1)           Fee
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1993 Stock Option Plan, Common Stock,
$.001 par value (2)...................     1,046,837        $15.245       $15,959,030.06      $3,814.21
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1997 Employee Stock Purchase Plan,           544,215        $15.245        $8,296,557.68      $1,982.88
Common Stock, $.001 par value (2).....
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                  Aggregate Registration Fee                  $5,797.09
========================================================================================================
(1)  Estimated  in  accordance  with  Rule  457(c)  solely  for the  purpose  of
     calculating the registration fee based upon the average of the high and low
     prices of the Common  Stock as  reported on the Nasdaq  National  Market on
     December 10, 2001.

(2)  Pursuant to Rule 416(a) of the  Securities  Act of 1933,  as amended,  this
     Registration  Statement  shall  also  cover  any  additional  shares of the
     Registrant's  Common Stock that become issuable under the 1993 Stock Option
     Plan and 1997 Employee Stock Purchase Plan by reason of any stock dividend,
     stock split, recapitalization or other similar transaction affected without
     the receipt of consideration  that increases the number of the Registrant's
     outstanding shares of Common Stock.

================================================================================
PART II: INFORMATION REQUIRED IN REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3 Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

         Artisan   Components,   Inc.,  which  is  referred  to  herein  as  the
"Registrant,"  incorporates  by reference  in this  Registration  Statement  the
following  documents and  information  heretofore  filed with the Securities and
Exchange  Commission (the  "Commission"):

     (a)  The Registrant's  Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
          September 30, 2001,  filed December 11, 2001 pursuant to Section 13 of
          the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "1934 Act");

     (b)  The  description  of the  Registrant's  Common Stock  contained in the
          Registrant's  Registration  Statement on Form S-1 (Reg. No. 333-41219)
          declared effective by the Commission on February 2, 1998; and

     (c)  The  Registrant's  Definitive  Proxy  Statement  on Schedule 14A filed
          January 26, 2001.

     All documents filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14
and  15(d) of the 1934 Act on or after the date of this  Registration  Statement
and prior to the filing of a  post-effective  amendment which indicates that all
securities  offered  have been sold or which  deregisters  all  securities  then
remaining  unsold  shall be  deemed  to be  incorporated  by  reference  in this
Registration  Statement  and to be part  hereof  from the date of filing of such
documents.

Item 4. Description of Securities.

     Not Applicable.

Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

     Not Applicable.

Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

     The  Registrant's  Certificate  of  Incorporation  limits the  liability of
directors to the maximum extent permitted by Delaware law. Delaware law provides
that  directors  of a  corporation  will not be  personally  liable for monetary
damages for breach of their fiduciary duties as directors,  except for liability
(i)  for  any  breach  of  their  duty  of  loyalty  to the  corporation  or its
stockholders,  (ii)  for acts or  omissions  not in good  faith or that  involve
intentional  misconduct  or a  knowing  violation  of law,  (iii)  for  unlawful
payments of dividends or unlawful  stock  repurchases or redemptions as provided
in  section  174 of the  Delaware  General  Corporation  Law,  or  (iv)  for any
transaction from which the director derived an improper  personal  benefit.  The
Registrant's  Bylaws provide that the Registrant  shall  indemnify its directors
and officers and may  indemnify  its  employees  and other agents to the fullest
extent  permitted by Delaware General  Corporation Law. The Registrant  believes
that  indemnification  under its  Bylaws  covers at least  negligence  and gross
negligence on the part of  indemnified  parties.  The  Registrant's  Bylaws also
permit the Registrant to secure insurance on behalf of any person that is or was
an officer, director, employee or other agent for any liability arising out of

                                                                            II-1
his or her actions in such capacity,  regardless of whether the Registrant would
have the power to indemnify him or her against such liability  under the General
Corporation Law of Delaware. The Registrant currently has secured such insurance
on behalf of its  officers  and  directors.  The  Registrant  has  entered  into
agreements  to  indemnify   its   directors   and   officers,   in  addition  to
indemnification  provided  for in the  Registrant's  Bylaws.  Subject to certain
conditions,  these  agreements,  among other things,  indemnify the Registrant's
directors  and  officers  for  certain  expenses  (including  attorney's  fees),
judgments,  fines and  settlement  amounts  incurred  by any such  person in any
action or proceeding, including any action by or in the right of the Registrant,
arising  out  of  such  person's  services  as a  director  or  officer  of  the
Registrant,  any subsidiary of the Registrant or any other company or enterprise
to which the person provides services at the request of the Registrant.

     At  present,  there is no pending  litigation  or  proceeding  involving  a
director,   officer,  employee  or  other  agent  of  the  Registrant  in  which
indemnification  is being sought,  nor is the Registrant aware of any threatened
litigation  that may  result in a claim  for  indemnification  by any  director,
officer, employee or other agent of the Registrant.

Item 7. Exemption from Registration Claimed.

     Not Applicable.

Item 8 Exhibits.

  Exhibit Number                     Documents
  --------------                     ---------

       4.1*         1993 Stock Option Plan, as amended.

       4.1.1**      Form of Stock Option  Agreement  under the 1993 Stock Option
                    Plan.

       4.2**        1997 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

       5.1          Opinion of Wilson Sonsini  Goodrich & Rosati, a Professional
                    Corporation.

       23.1         Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers, Independent Accountants.

       23.2         Consent of Counsel (contained in Exhibit 5.1).

       24.1         Power of Attorney (see page II-4).

----------
*    Incorporated  by reference to the Company's  Definitive  Proxy Statement on
     Schedule 14A for the Company's  1999 Annual Meeting of  Stockholders  filed
     with the Commission on January 28, 1999.

**   Incorporated  by  reference  to  the  Exhibits  filed  with  the  Company's
     Registration Statement on Form S-1 (Registration No. 333-41219) as declared
     effective by the Commission on February 2, 1998.

Item 9 Undertakings.

     (a) Rule 415 offering: The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

          (1) To file,  during  any  period  in which  offers or sales are being
     made, a post-effective  amendment to this registration statement to include
     any  material  information  with  respect to the plan of  distribution  not
     previously  disclosed in the registration  statement or any material change
     to such information in the registration statement;

          (2) That,  for the  purpose of  determining  any  liability  under the
     Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective  amendment shall be deemed
     to be a new  registration  statement  relating  to the  securities  offered
     therein,  and the offering of such  securities at that time shall be deemed
     to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

                                                                            II-2
(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment
     any  of  the  securities  being  registered  which  remain  unsold  at  the
     termination of the offering.

     (b) The  undersigned  registrant  hereby  undertakes  that, for purposes of
determining  any liability  under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the
registrant's  annual  report  pursuant to Section  13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Exchange Act (and, where  applicable,  each filing of an employee benefit plan's
annual  report   pursuant  to  Section  15(d)  of  the  Exchange  Act)  that  is
incorporated by reference in the registration  statement shall be deemed to be a
new registration  statement relating to the securities offered therein,  and the
offering of such  securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

     (c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities
Act may be  permitted to  directors,  officers  and  controlling  persons of the
registrant pursuant to the foregoing  provisions,  or otherwise,  the registrant
has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities  and Exchange  Commission
such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act
and is, therefore,  unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such  liabilities  (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses
incurred or paid by a director,  officer or controlling person of the registrant
in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director,  officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
has been  settled by  controlling  precedent,  submit to a court of  appropriate
jurisdiction the question whether such  indemnification  by it is against public
policy as  expressed  in the  Securities  Act and will be  governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.

                                                                            II-3
SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant,
Artisan  Components,  Inc.,  certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe
that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused
this  Registration  Statement  to be  signed on its  behalf by the  undersigned,
thereunto duly  authorized,  in the City of Sunnyvale,  State of California,  on
this 14th day of December 2001.

                                    ARTISAN COMPONENTS, INC.

                                    By:   /s/ Mark R. Templeton
                                       -----------------------------------------
                                         Mark R. Templeton
                                         President and Chief Executive Officer

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE  PRESENTS,  that each such person whose signature
appears below constitutes and appoints, jointly and severally, Mark R. Templeton
and Joy Leo his/her attorneys-in-fact,  each with the power of substitution, for
him/her in any and all capacities,  to sign any amendments to this  Registration
Statement on Form S-8  (including  post-effective  amendments),  and to file the
same, with all exhibits  thereto,  and other documents in connection  therewith,
with the Securities and Exchange Commission, hereby ratifying and confirming all
that each of said attorneys-in-fact,  or his/her substitute or substitutes,  may
do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

     Pursuant  to  the   requirements  of  the  Securities  Act  of  1933,  this
Registration  Statement  has  been  signed  by  the  following  persons  in  the
capacities and on the dates indicated.
Signature                                   Title                                  Date
             ---------                                   -----                                  ----
/s/ Mark R. Templeton                 President,  Chief  Executive  Officer and           December 14, 2001
---------------------------------      Director (Principal Executive Officer)
       (Mark R. Templeton)

 /s/ Joy E. Leo                        Vice President, Finance and Administration,         December 14, 2001
---------------------------------      Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial
       (Joy E. Leo)                    and Accounting Officer) and Secretary

 /s/ Lucio L. Lanza
---------------------------------      Chairman of the Board                               December 14, 2001
       (Lucio L. Lanza)

 /s/ Scott T. Becker
---------------------------------      Chief Technology Officer and Director               December 14, 2001
       (Scott T. Becker)

 /s/ Leon Malmed
---------------------------------      Director                                            December 14, 2001
       (Leon Malmed)

 /s/ Morio Kurosaki
---------------------------------      Director                                            December 14, 2001
       (Morio Kurosaki)
II-4
INDEX TO EXHIBITS

  Exhibit Number                          Documents
  --------------                          ---------

       4.1*         1993 Stock Option Plan, as amended.

       4.1.1**      Form of Stock Option  Agreement  under the 1993 Stock Option
                    Plan.

       4.2**        1997 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

       5.1          Opinion of Wilson Sonsini  Goodrich & Rosati, a Professional
                    Corporation.

       23.1         Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers, Independent Accountants.

       23.2         Consent of Counsel (contained in Exhibit 5.1).

       24.1         Power of Attorney (see page II-4).

----------
*    Incorporated  by reference to the Company's  Definitive  Proxy Statement on
     Schedule 14A for the Company's  1999 Annual Meeting of  Stockholders  filed
     with the Commission on January 28, 1999.

**   Incorporated  by  reference  to  the  Exhibits  filed  with  the  Company's
     Registration Statement on Form S-1 (Registration No. 333-41219) as declared
     effective by the Commission on February 2, 1998.