Getting a tattoo can be a sort of leap of faith. As wonderful and clear as the drawing may be, it ultimately comes down to the tattoo artist’s ability to use their machines. Unfortunately, that means that some folks out there have ink that serves as a warning to always do your research beforehand.
This Instagram page is dedicated to some of the most questionable, bizarre and downright terrible tattoos out there. So get comfortable as you read through, prepare to be deeply confused by how someone could want that, upvote your favorites and be sure to share your thoughts below.
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Mind-Bending Ink
It is well done! Makes me like it! - not in a way I'd want to replicate it on my noggin... But in the kind that it's ok to look at from a far lol
Load More Replies...How is this a fail? Executed wonderful with some dose of humor.
Yeah I’m mesmerized. Would like to see in person.
Load More Replies...But... I want to see what it looks like if one is standing on his other side... Optical illusions are great, from the perfect angle, but they don't always work in three dimensions.
My first thought exactly. Trompe l'oeil and anamorphis only work if the artwork is viewed from the right angle.
Load More Replies...No Shame Zone
Upvote for the comment and that my dog's name is also Mavis. 😊
Load More Replies...Muscle Goals, Kinda Reached
Agreed. Great for a novelty, but not a life sentence.
Load More Replies...Tattoos are evidence that no matter how long something has been around, ultimately it comes down to human artistic skill to make it look good. We have evidence that people had some sorts of tattoos over 5000 years ago, for example, “Ötzi” whose mummified remains were found in the Alps, had a number of simple, line tattoos on his corpse.
We have more evidence from the ancient Egyptians, who put in more work to preserve their bodies after they died. One example had multiple animals, a bull and sheep, showing that the ancients weren’t that different from us and liked modifying the way they looked.
Blue Collar Rapper Vibes
Guess no one in here has tattoos enough to get silly shít like this done 😆 I have smiley faces on my big toes because "angry toes" is a silly way to say smelly feet in Danish.
I actually like the play on his name there and it is far from a bad tattoo.
Another well executed tattoo. Only a fail if the canvas didn't want this.
Built-In Excavator Skills
My husband used to work for a construction company, parts, and he thought this was cool. He didn’t have the qualifications to drive so duh but off site the guys would let him climb up in the cabs and sometimes drove him around when they needed to move them. I can totally see them all getting this. I also have a pic of my husband he sent of him at a site next to a construction vehicle tire about 10 feet tall. He’s 5’ 10” when he jumps high enough 😂
My Dad, Uncle, 2 brothers and BIL, have all spent years in construction, brick laying, masonry and BIL works at a rock quarry. I'm sending this pic to my BIL, because he's tatted up and this is the kind of thing that he would LOVE to have done.
Load More Replies...Waves of Irony
It's a medical condition called cutis verticis gyrata. And that's a Shel Silverstein poem in the tattoo.
Load More Replies...Using humor against all the jerks that want to body shame him for having a medical condition.
Sir, we've discovered you have no skull. That's your brain under the skin.
This means that humans have been developing this skill for thousands of years, yet there are still tattoos being made in 2024 that are absolutely terrible. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but, importantly, the person requesting the tattoo is almost never the person making it, so there is always the question of if this was what they really wanted.
The Half-Hearted Haircut
It looks like something "fraternity bros" might do to each other if one is passed out drunk.
Wow! Too self-conscious to be bald, but confident enough for this atrocity? This is a red flag.
i don't care about the tattoo, what's that weird lump in the middle top of his skull?
Hidden Art Confusion
Fun fact: there is a song called “it’s ok to punch nazis”. It’s by a band called Cheap Perfume. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-sOSr7n_8YU [edit, my phone isn’t letting me use the hyperlink so just copy and paste the address. Sorry about that]
Load More Replies...I feel like this picture was probably taken at a piggly wiggly on the western coast of Florida.
Unsollicited advice from a non American... Remove the 2 party system. Add more parties... ALOT MORE...Cus ppl are not a 0 and 1... You need ALOT of 0s and 1s to "define" a person if that is even possible XD It is what generates That whole "US vs Them" vibe and radicalization... The main thing you hear from the USA is how everyone is either a marxist or a nazi... There is no in between...Vote left you are a communist who hates men and wants to save the poor lesser weak pathetic minorities...Vote right you are a nazi who hates women and wants to remove the poor lesser weak pathetic minorities... Whatever "minorities" even means in this global age.
Load More Replies...When someone said "F**k the Nazis", I am pretty sure that was not what they meant...
Maybe Hindi symbol poorly placed? Am I being too naive, here? Love to you all.
I wouldn’t say naive, I’d say hopeful. It’s not impossible to hear stories of people having swastikas (the Hindu symbol) and following Hindu beliefs or even beliefs from other cultures (that particular symbol is common in various cultures, and I do know of one example where it can face either way and not be a Hakenkreuz (the Nazi symbol), though I don’t know of any that are tilted at 90 degrees and aren’t the Hakenreuz).
Load More Replies...Regrets in Ink
Что там мило.У вас в голове не мило.К врачу сходи.
Load More Replies...I love this! My husband went out and got a tattoo after his divorce. Even he admits it’s terrible. We started dating 4 years later. We worked together for a few months but I never saw it. Omg it’s bad 😂 But he had 3 kids to support so they came first of course. Even when we’ve had the money to cover it up it’s just not been a priority. And now I’m so used to it it’s more fun to make fun of it. I just asked him if we could do something like this because it would be cheaper. Like GOT DIVORCED IN THE 90’S AND THIS HAPPENED
Me too, I just wondered if I was missing an allusion to something
Load More Replies...This underscores just how important it is to do one’s research. Good tattoo artists tend to charge a lot of money, but it’s best to think twice before entrusting someone’s roommate who happens to have a tattoo machine. This list stands as a warning as to what can happen. Remember, getting it removed is not at all fun either.
When Ink Goes Wrong
I think the boy has more of a rare steak look and the girl makes me think roast beef.
Load More Replies...WHY would you have children of the corn tattooed on your frickin' back??? Should have had that done on your a*s cheeks!!!
Tentacle Trouble
It's comedic, and creative, so it gets a minor pass. That said, the artist could have tried to get more colour or shading in.
The artist knew what they were doing. tattoos on a foot fade fairly quickly because of the nearly constant friction against the skin. Their decision to pack in as much color as possible, while avoiding getting too close to the outline was a great call; the color will eventually fade into the bare skin, while preserving the image.
Load More Replies...A very painful area for a tattoo given the number of bones and nerve endings.
Permanent Eyebrow Goals
I'm sorry, why is the comment below getting downvoted? It's not that he is using them for bad things, he just thinks they are cool.
Load More Replies...Before my eyesight went bad, I loved shooting, but never enough to get guns tattooed on my body. This love of guns is beyond my understanding.
He doesn't give a shlt what you think, he's gettin' him some ammo...(look in the back)
I think the biggest problem with his eyebrows is that the guns are pointed in the wrong direction. Think about it. Our eyebrows have the thicker part towards the center of the face. Above the nose. bad-tattoo...8ef0ec.jpg
You think the biggest problem with having guns as eyebrows is the direction they're pointed?
Load More Replies...On the flip side, doing your research might take time and cost a bit more, but you can discover actually awesome artists who you maybe never would have known existed. Unless you have a very, very particular idea of what you want, it can be beneficial to explore some other art styles and see what a creative professional can suggest.
Artistic Oops Moment
It's so bad I hadn't even realised who/what it was supposed to be.
Load More Replies..."Thank you so much for trusting in my talent".... yeah, this is why trust is earned. XD
My husband thought it was a monkey. So glad he doesn’t do tattoos.
Load More Replies...The lion and tin man on the bottom and Jesus and the joker on top. It’s in the Bible.
That's the tin man? Why does it have pointy teeth?
Load More Replies...Going back to the same bad tattoo artist. Once, shame on them. Twice, shame on you. Thrice, you're a dumbf*ck. Fourth, what the heck bro?!?
Belly Button Takes Center Stage
I've seen so many variations on this crude theme. Remember, these people walk among us.
Birds of a Forehead
What the hell?? Why does this human have my wife's face on his forehead??? 1fqdrg-672...c51547.jpg
Birds of a feather tattoo together
I don't think they actually draw on the birds, I think it's edited.
Load More Replies...The hands should be a structural mess to make it even. All of these wings are anatomically awful.
I’m assuming the tattoos on the birds are Photoshop. Or drawn on. Wouldnt it disappear as the feathers fell out?
Yeah, somebody photoshopped it as a joke about humans getting wing tattoos :)
Load More Replies...Technically the hand tattoos should be on the pigeons’ bellies but I understand that that would be difficult to photoshop. you don’t see a lot of pigeons sunbathing on their backs.
why would they be on the belly??? that doesn’t make any sense
Load More Replies...Tangled Thoughts Only
The irony is that this is a linear sequence with an end. All you have to do to 'escape' is read it. The lines are supposed to connect up so that it's a closed loop.
Quirky Ink Surprise
Face Swap with Ink
Hidden Faces Revealed
You must not be a Dragon Ball Z fan. The guy is super cool with this tat. 😍
Load More Replies...Bandana, But Make It Permanent
Y'know, an actual neckerchief is both cheaper and more aesthetically pleasing.
Yes bit how will he know where it's supposed to go without guidelines?
Load More Replies...Quirky Confidence Unleashed
Modern Art or Brave Choice?
Likely his cellmate serving 5 years, probably for impersonating a tattoo artist
Load More Replies...Looks like this done in prison, in the dark, using a paper clip, by a 5 year old.
Expectation vs Reality Ink
Chicken Wings, But Make It Literal
Permanent April Showers
A case of 'good concept; poor execution'. The clouds are ok, they have a certain style, but the rain....
Looks like it could have taken inspiration from, like, a Japanese print or something?
Load More Replies...I want to swat his back or spray him with insecticide!
Load More Replies...Would probably be a lot better if the 'rain' had been inked in light blue.
Checkmate or Just Checking In
This man has mental problems. The tattooist should have realized and refused to ruin the poor guy's life
The face only a mother could love...with a few shots with a Louisville slugger!
Tattoo Oops Moment
Nah, just a little edit to make it say "hottie" and he's good for life. It's not even gender-specific!
Load More Replies...Ooooo I'd NEVER get someone's name tattooed on me. I have a lot of tattoos. I've been with my SO for almost a decade and still going strong. Still a hard pass.
Same. Got over 20 tattoos, been with hubby 25 years, still won't get his name. I got a Hebrew phrase that we used in our wedding, along with our wedding date. That's as close as I'll come. The only names I have tattooed on me, are my son, and two of my beloved pets. Never a SO. Never never never. I love my husband with all my heart, and I'll never leave him. But still, no.
Load More Replies...It does, doesn't it? It makes it sound like Megan changed their identity and this is snark.
Load More Replies...Once Hollie is not in the picture, he's going to run out of skins and body parts to display his commitment.
That reminds me of Diary of a Wimpy Kid: "I am not in love with Lydia anymore"
Six-Pack Goals
Oh god I hope that was taken before the Dylan/Bud light debacle. He looks like the kinda guy that did not take that well. XD
I think at this point you can quit the "light" beer and just go with the good stuff.
Actually, any joke taken to this extent gets old real quick. Bud Light isn't even beer. It's badly flavored water.
How can they both be round at the top AND square at the bottom??
Leg Day, Every Day
These tattoo artists should have their ink taken away and be banned from ever touching a needle again.
Nah, let the fools and trashy people identify themselves visibly so we can all avoid interacting with them XD
Load More Replies...Silent But Spiky
Except in the southern US and probably with like minded a******s.
Load More Replies..."What can I do to make my parents proud of me, and show them they thought me to make good desicions..."
What do I think? I think he'll fit in quite well with the Aryan Brotherhood when he gets to prison.
Burger Brain Energy
Another example of really neat idea if this was done for a Halloween party or something with makeup, but as a permanent tattoo? Perhaps not the best choice
Judging by the lightness of some areas, i.e. lighter than the natural skin tone, I suspect (and hope) that it was indeed just temporary.
Load More Replies...Permanent Ice Cream Rant
It's not just milk and fruits - it also contains sugar and cream which are expensive. Plus you have to buy a lot of freezing and mixing equipment which eventually pays off but is a big initial investment. Source: work in an ice cream shop
Load More Replies...It's double cream, milk, and sugar (or substitute Honey) for the basic consistency. Then there is the Vanilla, to make that edible. Then the Fruit (or chocolate), needs to be prepared (depending on the fruit). It's the double cream that's bankrupting me since I got my Ice cream machine.
Unlikely Crew Goals
No no no, everyone knows this is how the green lantern was born....c'mon
Blink and You’ll Miss It
If this was done with eyeliner pencil for a party or something, cool. Permanent tattoo? Oh my god.
I'm long since trained (acting classes) to look into peoples' eyes when they talk, 1.) because that shows you're interested and listening, and 2.) then you're not staring at any facial differences they might have and being rude. With this guy's tattoo, it's AROUND his eye, so I'd be staring at Plankton flopping up and down the entire time with each blink and raise of the eyebrow. I wouldn't be able to concentrate on a single word this person said.
Load More Replies...How high do you have to be to do something like that?? (if permanent of course)
List of Exes, Meet the Marker
Such a good taste/s. And just to add, as this is Italian, where there's the name Daniela written, there's also written slût (troia). Disgusting
And as I continue, you know they gettin' sweeter
Load More Replies...Shoot, I thought this was Freek-A-Leek by Petey Pablo!
Load More Replies...Can't look at this without hearing "Mambo Number 5" playing in the background.
Ink Dreams vs Reality
Hopefully it's just becuase the artist is pulling on the skin. But it would be amazing if it was crooked as well as a great idea. XD
Load More Replies...If you’re going to do this at find an artist that understands basic anatomy.
Abstract Art Gone Wrong
I have a feeling this person let their kid draw wings on their back and then had that tattooed. It's the only way I can get my head around letting this happen.
Have a feeling that the guy that did this was really really angry with him?
His daughter drew the wings before she died and he got it tattooed.
Load More Replies...His daughter drew the wings before she died and he got it tattooed.
Load More Replies...His daughter drew the wings before she died and he got it tattooed.
Load More Replies...Example of: I will do my own tattoo thanks and I will use an Etch-A-Sketch and a mirror to do it!
At least they stopped at outline. That can be fixed. (Though very expensively.)
Why would he want to fix it? His daughter drew those before she died btw
Load More Replies...Sunburn with a Statement
Very. Inherited classic British complexion. Does sunscreen come in 5 gallon buckets? Asking for a friend
Load More Replies...I think he needs to be more concerned about when suncream was created
Ooooh, i thought it is man chest, like he is proud of his man boobs..
Manchester is written correctly big/small. It's on a wall in Manchester from the Madchester days.
Sunshine With a Twist
i'm glad no one made any attempt to clean the ink smudges off from around this before the picture was taken
Tattoo or Optical Illusion?
It's not just a bare hole cut out, either. I see a hemmed edge. He had that thing tailored XD
Load More Replies...Ink Meets Stubble Drama
Looks like hobo clown makeup, lol. Giving Emmett Kelly vibes.
Sketchbook Came to Life
margro sinson, linso sinson, trabo sinson, and magigo sinson. they're not the best, but they rhyme (sorta)
Load More Replies...That's what the Simpsons characters actually looked like in the earliest "The Tracey Ullman Show" shorts.
Done by a competent artist it would be fine. This artist evidently was not competent.
Never underestimate the idiocy of some clients. Might not be artist’s fault.
Load More Replies...Palm Party Starfish
That's going to be gone in about 6 months. There's a reason you don't tattoo the palms of your hands. The ink doesn't stay.
Yup. A tattooist told me about that being an issue.
Load More Replies...OK I'm gonna get real crude here so look away if that offends you: "I wish I were a finger / On my sweet Mary's hand / Then every time she wiped her a*s / I'd see the Promised Land." (I'll be quiet now.)
Not to worry, folks, this will fade. Palm tattoos don't last for several reasons, one being that palm skin regenerates at a faster rate than skin on other areas.
I have palm tattoos, it's survivable. Hurts like hëll but at least it's over quickly 😆
Load More Replies...Sketchy Celebrity Mix-Up
When Tears Don’t Come Easy
It actually looks like REALLY realistic wax. I would think it was real wax at first. It's a well done tat - if it were intended to be wax. But it's not XD
Load More Replies...The red will fade, be impossible to laser off and after 5 years lose all significance.
The bible verse is probably Joshua 1:9. "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go".
Isn't there one where he tells everyone not to mark their skin, too?
Load More Replies...The expert application and shading makes this appear 3-dimentional, but it doesn't explain the choice.
Aw no and such a handsome guy ☹️ I'll never understand face tattoos, and I say that as someone with a lot of tattoos
Facial tattoos are part of the culture in my country. They are very beautiful. Definitely not this one though 😂
Load More Replies...When Art Goes Off Script
It looks like Ben Franklin's outfit, and is giving me Brando in 'Godfather' vibes.
Load More Replies...Ok here goes...dude's crying blood because he has ebola and Marlon Brando mini-me is face-palming cuz he's stuck to that poor bastard.
Permanent Prescription Problem
Do you think he's had that since he was young? No matter the cost, I would have found the money to get rid of that.
Bold Statements, Bald Canvas
That's an old school skinhead. Not necessarily the racist kind. The Oil! and ska gives it away.
The one next to the "ska" is a Trojan Records logo with "skinhead reggae 1969". (I got curious and found an earlier pic of the same guy where the tat was clearer.) Still, personally I don't find the "Chelsea Chelsea Chelsea" to be a reassuring addition ....
Load More Replies...Nailed The Detail
Back when I worked inpt psych, way back in the day, people would use nails like this to snort d***s.
Load More Replies...I'm not as yucked by the tattoos as much as the nails. Ma'am! What is happening right now?
Not a ma'am. Those are his nose candy spoons.
Load More Replies...Never mind the nails . . . did someone tattoo on the knuckle lines or - no, it couldn't be - they're just FILTHY?!?!
Honestly looking at the line work I don't think so. It looks more like the Audi tattoo is brand new and the wiping while inking might have moved some ink into the crevasses seeing as her other hand doesn't have the same markings.
Load More Replies...Frankling
Judging by the ink in other places, this guy should really be leery of falling asleep around people with tattoo guns.
Just like a snowstorm, schools canceled...absolutely NO CLASS today folks..
I may be Mandela-Effect-ing this, but isn't that Ray Winstone in Sexy Beast?
At no point does Ray Winstone's character have "f**k off" tattooed on his back lol! Good film though.
Load More Replies...The Tattoo Was Placed Perfectly 👍
Cool Guy Alert
Thoughts? He Doesn’t Need A Barbershop Anymore
Eagle 🦅
Why Go To The Gym? If You Can Get A Tattoo Of A Beautiful Body
Although I wouldn't recommend it, this tattoo is not terrible
The stippling shading is a nice choice for something like this, actually, as it causes the outlines to be smoother than if they were solid lines and the shading is more natural.
Load More Replies...Lara Croft Tattoo
I think he was ONLY looking at the picture. Looking at the arm might have helped.
Load More Replies...Seriously, what do you say when you see the finished product is SO BAD? Do you lie and tell the tattoist it's fine? Demand your money back? Take em to court? Just cry?
Always Smile Widely
2.1% Neandertaler
Neanderthal in their language. Note the comma instead of the period decimal, it’s European
Load More Replies...In Europe, that's about right. In other parts of the world less so. In Asia more often Denisovan. Humans really don't know how to keep it in their pants.
Load More Replies...The Dude Loves Lettuce
What Are Your Thoughts On This? 🤔
Maybe he's not that old yet. Wait until he's past 40, lol.
Load More Replies...I think they're tracing a lot of colon cancer to the taurine in these drinks.
This is why you don't buy a tattoo machine on the internet and practice on your friends.
Sucky Backwards Wolf 🐺
That's supposed to be a picture of my cousin Theo :( You can't even tell it's supposed to be him!
How Much Do You Like Hot Dogs? 🌭
Any placement but middle of forehead, and this wouldn't be SO bad
Maybe this is a pic of just the stencil because the guy took a look before tattooing started and said "maybe this isn't such a good idea".
"...and this is your brain on dr*gs." -- Old PSA commercial.
I used to know a guy who had a full English breakfast tattooed on his head. It was well executed but looked ridiculous lol
Load More Replies...Windy, he'll just get a tattoo of hair to bring it back up to the lawnmower's level if that happens! :D
Load More Replies...Whilst it must have hurt, this one is self-deprecating, fairly funny, and easily concealed. Not bad.
Beautiful Eyebrows By @vidocorp
Since when has it be okay to use a question mark after an exclamation mark!?
Known as an interrobang, it was at one time proposed as a new punctuation mark.
Load More Replies...Is this like being named Brandy or Margaux, in commemoration of the inebriation that began one's life? And I wonder... does having been conceived while "Mom + Dad" were hyped up on Monster bestow more or less bragging rights than having been conceived while they were drunk?
Judging by the result of the process, they'd have had to be seriously inebriated to begin it
Load More Replies...Slag Tag
Lion, Tiger Or Bear? Oh My
Sucky Reveals
Yeah that's bad, but maybe try wiping the tat properly before taking pictures
Done By @themojaveroom & @hairynscary
Wrist tattoos were bad enough, I don't even want to try and imagine what this felt like.
Are There Any One Piece Fans Here?
Yin Yang
Is This True Love?
They are, you've just had your standards eroded by the thread. (They're kinda sweet though.)
Load More Replies...Only people who are truly committed to each other, could do that to themselves.
What’s Your Favorite Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Character?
You have THE ENTIRE BODY to ink and you tattoo your forehead? I'm sorry, but a face tat tells me that person is not that mentally stable
Just what I was thinking. I wouldn't employ any of these people for an office or customer-facing job.
Load More Replies...You have THE ENTIRE BODY to ink and you tattoo your forehead? I'm sorry, but a face tat tells me that person is not that mentally stable
Just what I was thinking. I wouldn't employ any of these people for an office or customer-facing job.
Load More Replies...
