30 Of The Worst, Horribly-Done Tattoos That Are The Pride And Joy Of This Dedicated Online Group (2024)

Fails, Funny

When I saw my colleague Jonas' story on the Facebook group 'That's It, I'm Inkshaming', I realized that for every good tattoo, there must be at least two terrible ones. And it didn't take long for me to find proof that I'm probably not that far off.

Turns out, there's a subreddit called 'Bad Tattoos' and it's filled with the worst designs to have ever been inked on the human body. Whether we're talking about cringy concepts or lines that look like they were done by a two-year-old, you can't help but feel sorry for the people who have to "wear" them.

I wonder how many people have asked if they're permanent!

To learn more about underwhelming tattoos and how to avoid them, we contacted tattoo artists Adam Grant of Gypsystables Tattoo and Josh Young of Highwater Gallery.

The process of inking your skin begins with homework; if you haven't researched your tattoo artist or studio, you've already made a mistake.

"In my opinion, what causes a tattoo to be 'bad' is perhaps not enough research," Josh Young told Bored Panda. "Nowadays, there is such an extensive range of different styles by such a huge variety of tattooists, and so you have to go to the best artist suited for the type of tattoo you are after."

"So many times customers have complained to me about bad work they have had done by tattooists who were ill-fitted for the type of tattoo they wanted, and so I try to encourage them to do some research and actively seek out the best for the job," Young explained.

"You wouldn't go to a carpenter to fix your boiler so why would you go to a black and grey realism artist and expect a traditional tattoo? Unless you go to an artist who excels at all styles, do some research, find out who specializes in what, and you more than likely won't be having any bad tattoos."

However, we must keep in mind that everyone's entitled to their own taste. Adam Grant, for example, thinks that if a particular design is tattooed well, then it's only bad as a matter of opinion.

"What makes any tattoo bad are things that show straight away that the 'artist' has little to no training in tattooing," Grand explained. "Wobbly lines, forgotten elements, overworking the skin, and blowouts are all things to look out for. Safe hygiene standards are an absolute must. Make sure you go to a professional by checking online reviews and their body of work on social media."

Young also added that if you are getting tattoos from your friend in his apartment from a two-bit machine he bought from Wish, that will also probably end up being a bad tattoo. "Stop that. Please," he said.

But if you aren't happy with the tattoo you already have, there are still a few things you can do.

"Firstly, don't go back to the artist who did it," Young advised. "A lot of customers I know have complained about work they have had from someone else, and yet, have returned to them for more, expecting a different outcome—that doesn't make sense."

"Secondly, there is always a cover-up option. Again, do some research, find a tattooist who specializes in coverups or at least a tattooist who has some experience in doing it. Not all artists can cover work, and not all bad work can be covered, so you need to find the right tattoo artist for the job."

Then, of course, there's the laser. Adam Grant said that if a touch-up can't remedy your disappointment, a trip to getting zapped is basically your last option.

"If the tattoo was executed as discussed but you don't like it afterward, then unfortunately, that's just tough luck," he explained. "If it was done how it was discussed beforehand, then the tattoo was done as asked."

All of this might sound too tedious for a tattoo, but sitting down in the chair having done the preparation is way better than spontaneously popping into a studio.

One study found that 3 out of 4 people with "tattoo regret" didn't plan for the tattoo beyond a few weeks.

"If you are indecisive even up until the day of a tattoo, then don't get one," Adam Grant said.

"Wait until you feel comfortable with altering your body. Once you're tattooed, it's done. There's no rewind. The only remaining options are to remove it or cover it up. It's a tattoo, not a haircut so be sure about what you want and who you're getting it from."

"Don't stand for the ego, don't get tattooed through intimidation or being made to feel uncomfortable, and don't go to someone just because they are 'the best,'" Josh Young said. "There are horror stories of tattoo artists out there who are horrific to be tattooed by and yet people still go to them purely because they have a large number of followers; the tattoo artist should be doing everything to make it the best tattoo experience for you."

"Don't rush into getting any work done, you will always end up enjoying and appreciating your tattoo more if you have thought carefully about it, and you have gone to the right tattooist for the job."

Plus, it's not uncommon to feel some regret immediately after getting a tattoo; after all, we get used to seeing our body a certain way, and when it all of a sudden changes, that can cause a little bit of anxiety. Give it a few days or weeks, maybe you'll grow into it!

Rokas is a writer at Bored Panda with a BA in Communication. After working for a sculptor, he fell in love with visual storytelling and enjoys covering everything from TV shows (any Sopranos fans out there?) to photography. Throughout his years in Bored Panda, over 300 million people have read the posts he's written, which is probably more than he could count to.

Load More Comments

Load More Comments