This article was originally published on VisualChase
Tattoos, like any other type of art, are subjective. What looks like a masterpiece to one person can look totally average - or even below average - to another. But sometimes, a piece of body art turns out so different from how it was supposed to that pretty much everyone can agree it's a flop. Whether it was the fault of the tattoo shop or the person who picked it, these people's permanent ink left us scratching our heads (and holding back some laughs).
What It's Supposed to Be Versus What We See
Sometimes someone has what seems like a pretty great tattoo idea, but the execution is just lacking a bit. For some reason, this person wanted an image of a man diving. Maybe the person skydives or something. We aren't very sure. However, when the tattoo artist finished, it came out looking like a duck that wasn't having a very good time. The issue might be with the bottom half of the tattoo.
The artist made the bottom half of the tattoo a lot thicker than it looks in the original image, causing it to resemble the bottom half of a duck (with something coming out of it).
Angelina Jolie Like We've Never Seen Her Before
Unlike many tattoos on his list, this one appears to be squarely the fault of the tattoo artist. The guy is clearly holding up an image of Angelina Jolie as Tomb Raider's Lara Croft. He wanted it tattooed on his arm, but what he got wasn't that. Instead, it appears the tattoo artist completely missed the mark and tattooed an image of a random person on this poor guy's arm.
The only kind of likeness we can see here is that the tattoo image is also holding a pair of pistols. Everything else looks completely different, even down to the bang placement.
"Hopeless Romantic" or "el Hopaness Romtic" ?
You have to be extra careful when you get a tattoo on your hands. While other parts can be covered up in the blink of an eye, your hands are one thing that is (for the most part) always exposed. And when you're getting finger tattoos, in specific, the placement is everything. It can make or break the entire design, which this person learned the hard way. They wanted to get "hopeless romantic" tattooed on their fingers.
But thanks to poor placement, it reads more like "El hopaness romtic." And while that might sound like Spanish to those who don't speak the language, we promise it's not.
What Your Housecat Thinks They Look Like Vs. What They Actually Look Like
As far as bad tattoos go, this one could've turned out a whole lot worse. This person wanted a tattoo of a tiger like the one in the first image, but they ended up just getting a very grumpy and chubby-looking tiger. To be fair, the tiger they got is actually pretty adorable, and it's probably a bit more original than the one they wanted to start off with.
However, it's definitely more humourous looking, which we don't think is what they were going for. Still, it could've been a whole lot worse.
This Guy Just Really Loves Eyes
Usually, when people get a tattoo of something, it's in the realm of fantasy or a tattoo of something memorable to them. Not this guy. He just wanted to get a couple of tattoos of eyes on top of his eyelids. Why? We're not entirely sure; maybe he wanted it to look like he was always watching or like he slept with his eyes open or something.
Either way, we suppose you could say that this person got exactly what they wanted and that this tattoo wasn't a flop. They wanted eyes on their eyelids, and that's what they got.
Love Less, Stress More
It's always nice to have a tattoo of an inspirational quote to remind you to try and live a little better every day. However, anything that involves words should first be spell checked and looked over by a second pair of eyes. And then also a third and fourth pair of eyes. This tattoo was supposed to say, "Love more, stress less," but for some reason, it came out reading "Stress more, love less," which probably isn't what they were going for.
We get that the whole thing forms a circle, which might be a little confusing at first, but the artist or designer completely messed up the entire word order here.
Is That a Girl Eating... Never Mind
This tattoo probably seemed like a good idea when it was designed, and we think it's supposed to be about embracing an absent loved one. However, it didn't quite turn out looking like it was supposed to. Maybe that's because the proportions all look a little off. We're not sure, but either way, this was probably not what this girl had in mind when she went in to get her tattoo.
Luckily, this tattoo doesn't look like it'd be too hard to cover up. The harder task might just be trying to unsee this tattoo after you've already seen it.
Dude, Your Watch Is on Upside Down
It's probably never a great idea to get a tattoo of a watch that says 420, but it's an even worse idea when you get it on the wrong arm. Now, every time this person goes to look down at their tattoo, it's going to appear as if it's upside down. The worst part is that everyone else is going to know, too, because you can't easily hide this tattoo.
Maybe he could get this covered up with something like a lower sleeve, but that's a big commitment for something that just started as a tattoo of a watch.
When You Accidentally Send the Tattoo Artist the Wrong Photo
We've seen better portraits of dogs, one of which is on this list. Still, it's hard to call this one a complete fail. The person got the tattoo they wanted, and it does look just like the first photo. However, the question is why they would want this tattoo or what this is even a tattoo of. It appears as though they took a photo of their dog in panorama mode.
Either that or someone went into photoshop and just stretched this poor dog out. It also kind of looks like Falcor from "Neverending Story," which might've been what they were going for.
She Got a "Dead Cats Sleeve" and We Just Want to Know - What Has She Been Doing to These Cats?!
Okay, we're sure this person isn't doing anything to harm their cats. It's far more likely that they're just adopting older cats that don't have long left, and they continually pass away. Still, it's kind of crazy to see the names of all of the cats they've had that have passed away, and we're sure the tattoo artist was a little suspicious, and this person had a bit of explaining to do.
We count around 17 or 18 names on this arm. It's really sad this person had to look after all those cats, and they all passed away.
Yeah, He Should've Stuck to Practicing on Fake Skin
This person got a tattoo kit as a gift and was practicing on fake skin until their brother wanted a real tattoo. And we know it's not the most professional, but we're actually kind of fans of this one. Yes, it's completely ridiculous, but come on. It's a tattoo of Bobby Hill from "King of the Hill" as a Bobby pin. Who wouldn't look at that and get a little chuckle?
It also looks like this guy has a couple of other tattoos, but they're kind of hard to make out, and we doubt that they're as cool as the Bobby pin.
This'll Really Impress the Ladies on the Dating App
We're kind of split on this one. On the one hand, this is just a ridiculous tattoo to have on your body, but on the other hand, it might just be a little genius. Think about it. You'd never have to worry about not having a tape measure ever again while you're out fishing. In turn, you'd never have to worry about a game warden coming up and ticketing you for keeping fish that are too small.
That is, if those measurements on this guy's leg are actually accurate. Considering that someone can change weight all the time, we're a little skeptical that they are actually accurate.
This Tattoo Artist's Penmanship Has Left Us Speechless
This might be one of the worst tattoos on this list. We're not sure if this woman just got a friend to tattoo or what happened, but she ended up getting the word "LoyAlTy" written across the upper portion of her back. As you can see, it turned out a little wonky looking. We're sure the idea she had in mind looked a lot better when it was drawn out on paper.
You can also see that whoever this person is talking about removing the tattoo or covering it up with is also pretty taken back by the photo. This is probably one of the worse they've seen.
Imagine if Other Animals Did the Stuff Humans Do
No matter your view on getting a tattoo of wings, we're pretty sure everyone can enjoy this little comparison. It shows what it might look like if pigeons did the same as humans and got a pair of hands tattooed on their backs. The results are pretty hilarious, although it might've been a bit funnier had they included a couple of different birds in there. Like, what about a chicken or a falcon?
Also, we're kind of curious about what a whole back piece would look like on a pigeon. It'd be cool to see hands that span the entire length of a pigeon's wings.
How Far Down Does This Tattoo Go?
This is probably legitimately one of the worst thought-out tattoos on this list. For some reason, this guy decided to get a pair of Calvin Klein boxers or briefs tattooed on his bottom half. We're not sure what the thinking was here, but we hope he still decides it's a good idea to put on actual underwear even after getting some tattooed on his body. However, from this photo, it doesn't look as though that's the case.
We also feel bad for whoever this tattoo artist was. It's honestly kind of surprising that this person was able to find someone that would tattoo this on them.
Looks Just Like the Reference Photo...
It might be kind of hard to tell, but this guy went to get the image on the left tattooed on his back. It's an image of a crab done in some kind of stylized, inky art. However, the image he actually got doesn't look anything like the crab on the left. Instead, he got what looked like a lobster or something outstretched over his entire back. The artist clearly has trouble with proportions.
It also looks like the artist also has trouble with shading because the crab on the right is nothing but black, whereas the one on the left has patterns on its shell.
This Person Deserves a Refund
Here's another tattoo that looks as if the artist totally messed up. It's supposed to be an image of what we imagine is a majestic-looking wolf. However, the wolf turned out looking like a meme, which probably isn't what the guy was going for. We can't imagine what was going through this customer's head when their tattoo was finished, and they looked down at the finished product, but it probably wasn't anything good.
It also appears as if the artist messed up the bottom of the tattoo, where the rose is located, because it's a lot darker than the rest of the tattoo.
Bye Bye "Ron," Hello "Wrong"
This is a pretty cool tattoo cover-up, all things considered. Someone go the name "Ron" on them set in front of a heart. We're guessing that relationship didn't last, though, because they eventually had it covered up with the word "wrong." Honestly, it's hard to think of a more appropriate way to cover up someone's name, especially the name Ron, than just getting it turned into the word "wrong."
They even went ahead and got their previous tattoo shaded again. However, we're sure they get a lot of questions concerning who "wrong" is and why they have a tattoo of it.
Cheaper Than a Hair Transplant
We actually think that maybe this was just done in sharpie instead of tattoo ink because it's so shiny. However, we wouldn't be surprised if this was, in fact, a tattoo. We've seen people get entire areas of their bodies covered in black ink, but it never looks this shiny. We've also never seen someone get their entire head covered like it appears this guy is doing or has done.
We suppose that if he really wanted to, he could just grow his hair out and hide most of it, but you'd still be able to see some of it, especially around the sideburns.
He Got the Latest Model From Nike
Here's another tattoo idea that should've been called into question before it was even started. This person decided that they wanted to get a pair of Nike shoes tattooed on their feet. Maybe so that they could walk into any store without having to wear shoes. We're not entirely sure. Still, it looks as though the tattoo artist did a pretty decent job of recreating the shoes, even if he probably shouldn't have.
There's also just something a little off-putting about staring at this tattoo; maybe it's the fact that the toes look as though they're coming out of the shoe in the front.
When That At-Home DIY Doesn't Go as Planned
We're not sure what it is, but there's just something off about all of these moons. They look a little off. It could be that all of the phases are placed at slightly different angles, but we're not entirely sure. Either way, it's probably not great to advertise that you're doing tattoos without masks, especially when tattooing is something that should be done in a really sterile and clean environment.
The moons themselves also just look like plain circles. If this person hadn't mentioned what this was a tattoo of, it might actually be difficult to tell that it was a bunch of moons.
That Kind of Ride or Die Love
We're in love with the caption this photo was posted with. It read, "this or nothing." We hope they were joking because if getting someone's name tattooed on you is a big no-no, then it must be a really bad tattoo sin to get someone's portrait tattooed on you. In addition, neither of these two looks especially happy to have the other's face tattooed on their body, which makes sense, we suppose.
Still, if that's the case, then why get a portrait of your significant other tattooed on you in the first place? Maybe names would've been a better choice in this situation.
USA's Founding Fathers Would Be Proud
Getting a tattoo of some of America's founding fathers is one thing. Granted, it's a thing you probably shouldn't do, but you definitely shouldn't get a tattoo of them if they're all going to turn out looking like this. It's actually kind of difficult to even tell exactly who these portraits even are. There's Benjamin Franklin on the far left, but the other two are less obvious. Maybe that's Jefferson on the far right?
Then again, that could also be Washington. The guy in the middle is definitely Andrew Jackson, at least as far as we can tell, and we can't tell much by looking at this.
Imagine Explaining This to Your Grandchildren
It doesn't matter how much you enjoy a meme; you probably shouldn't get one tattooed on your body, not even if the meme involves an adorable-looking cat. This tattoo is funny now, but in 10 years, people will probably not even be able to recognize what this even is. That said, at least the tattoo itself looks pretty good, especially compared to a lot of the tattoos on this list.
This person also got it somewhere that makes it pretty easy to hide or that isn't always in view, which makes it a bit better. If they ever want to, they can just throw on some socks or shoes, and nobody would know.
I Do Have Am Enough
We're glad that some of these photos include a meme of a cat because, without it, some of these are hard to read. This tattoo was supposed to say something along the lines of "I do enough," "I have enough," or "I am enough." Instead, it reads, "I do have am enough." Honestly, this one is on everyone that was involved, but the tattoo artist probably should've still pointed it out.
Yeah, this one is just hard to unsee if you're a fan of grammar or even being able to read something clearly. Hopefully, they were able to get it fixed.
This SpongeBob Needs an Exorcism
There are a couple of different cartoon characters on this list that look like crosses between whatever they're supposed to be and Beavis and Butthead. This one involves Spongebob Squarepants. And honestly, it makes Spongebob look like a bit of a maniac. You wouldn't want to run into this version of Spongebob in Bikini Bottom late at night, or else you might end up on a missing person's poster.
Still, this tattoo is pretty original, and it beats having a regular tattoo of Spongebob, which honestly is a bit overdone. Okay, that's not true; there can never be too many SpongeBob tattoos in the world.
When You're Worried About Copyright so You Just Spell Their Names Completely Wrong
Honestly, we aren't too sure what happened here. These two tattoos could be meant to look like this, or they could just be flops. It's supposed to be two tattoos of Homer and Bart Simpson, but there's clearly something a bit off about both characters besides just the spelling of their names. For one thing, Bart isn't supposed to be wearing glasses, and Homer's mouth is entirely too large.
Homer is also spelled "Horme," while Bart is spelled "Brat," which isn't entirely wrong. That leads us to believe that maybe this was intentional, but that begs the question as to why?
They'll Need Another Coat of Paint to Completely Cover This Mistake
It's never a good idea to get someone's name tattooed on you, but come; cover-ups are certainly better than others. This one isn't too bad as far as they go. This guy got the name "Karla" on him when he was presumably dating someone named Karla. However, after things went sour, he covered it up with a roller and a fresh coat of paint, which might be one of the more original ideas we've seen.
However, you can kind of still see the name through the tattoo, meaning he might want to get the artist to add another coat of ink or paint to this cover-up.
A Wizard Kitty
Here's another tattoo that isn't really all that bad as far as bad tattoos are concerned. Someone decided to get an adorable tattoo of a cat wearing a wizard hat and holding a wand. We're not sure if the cat was modeled off of an actual pet or not, but it's still a really cute tattoo. And it was obviously gotten by someone who really likes both cats and wizards.
The person who posted the photo says that it was both their "first" and "best" tattoo, and it's kind of hard to disagree with them, although we didn't see their other tattoos.
When Mom Says Not to Get a Tattoo
We're pretty sure that this wasn't the advice mom was trying to give, but the person getting the tattoo took her literally anyway. They text their mom asking what kind of tattoo they should get, and their mom gives them a pretty typical mom answer. They ran with it and just got a tattoo of her entire response on their arm. To be fair, it's not the worst advice you could get tattooed on you.
Still, we wish they would've included their mom's response to their tattoo. We're sure that she probably wasn't very pleased their child just took her words and made them into a tattoo.
No, This Isn't for the Live-Action SpongeBob Film
We had a bit of an issue spotting the difference in these two photos at first, but obviously, the seahorse is a different shade in both. Jokes aside, this isn't the worst tattoo on this list. In fact, it's not even that bad for what it is: a tattoo of a purple seahorse. However, it's pretty specific, and unless you were a huge fan of Spongebob, you probably wouldn't get it.
We wonder how often this guy finds himself trying to explain to people why he has a tattoo of a seahorse, despite the show itself being pretty popular.
This One's Alarming Until You See the Adorable Doggie It's Based on
Okay, so this tattoo is nowhere near as bad as many others on this list. In fact, it's actually quite cute. The tattoo artist was able to recreate this dog's adorable look using only a couple of different lines. Even if you'd never met this dog or seen a photo of him, you'd still be able to tell what the tattoo was actually trying to depict. It's just a dog with an adorable smile.
However, every portrait, no matter if it's of a dog or a person, is only as good as its subject, and this dog certainly has his pose down to a T.
An Animated Twist on the Tribal Tattoo Trend
Most people who've ever gotten a tribal tattoo probably regret doing so to some degree. So, it makes sense that we'd now start seeing all kinds of different cover-ups for tribal tattoo work. These two are probably some of the most original we've seen. They show Homer Simpson and Garfield munching down on a tribal tattoo, and they're actually pretty hilarious. We can just hear Homer going, "Mmm, tribal."
These don't completely get rid of the tribal tattoo, but they do turn them into something that's a bit funnier, and the tattoo work itself isn't half bad on either of these.
They Should've Saved It as a PNG
This tattoo is pretty clever. For whatever reason, someone decided to get a tattoo of a computer file on what appears to be their leg. We're sure it gets a couple of laughs every time they show it off, and it also looks as though it was really simple for the tattoo artist to complete. Maybe this person just couldn't decide what they wanted, so they got this instead.
In a strange way, it's both extremely generic and also really original, all at the same time, which might just be the point. Next, we're waiting to see someone with the "save" floppy disk.
Hello Kitty Knock-Off
This tattoo is a little hard to figure out. Either they were going for an image of Hello Kitty and got something that looked nothing like what they wanted, or they wanted a cross between Hello Kitty and Beavis and Butthead from the start. Either way, it's certainly more... original than just getting a Hello Kitty tattoo on their body. There probably aren't too many people who can say they have something like this.
Of course, there's a good reason for that, but as long as this person is happy with their tattoo, then good for them. And they can always get something this small easily covered if they want to.
Guess We Know Who He Voted for
As far as political tattoos go, we suppose you could do a lot worse than this one. Still, you should probably never get a tattoo, no matter what it is, on the back of your head. That includes tattoos of Bernie Sanders. In a decade or so, people aren't even going to remember what this tattoo is supposed to reference, at least not unless you Google it or show them a photo.
We also suppose that this guy could just grow his hair out if he really wanted to cover it up, but still. It's always going to be there, right underneath his hair.
If Picasso Had Drawn Homer Simpson
This tattoo is actually pretty clever. It's a drawing of what Homer Simpson might look like had Pablo Picasso drawn him. It's also very simple and only uses a couple of different lines, which makes it strangely almost elegant. We're not sure that we'd ever imagined ourselves saying that about an image of Homer Simpsons before, but there you have it. We suppose Picasso could make anything look good.
We're sure that you probably do something similar with all sorts of different animated characters, and they'd come out looking just as cool as this tattoo, provided their simple drawings.
The Cross-Over We Never Knew Was Possible
Okay, so there are plenty of things a bit out of place with this image, but we have to wonder how Batman and Shrek are able to make a Sonic. If there's a connection here, we're not seeing it. Also, why are Batman and Shrek together a thing? As far as original ideas for tattoos go, this might just be one of the more original ones on this list, though.
There's no denying that not many people out there can say they have an image of Batman caressing Shrek, who is about to give birth to Sonic.
This Person Is Embracing Their Couch Potato Lifestyle
We understand and really love your couch. After all, for some people, it's where they spend most of their time. However, there comes the point when an obsession with a couch moves into the slightly unhealthy phase, and getting a tattoo of your couch on your hand might constitute that point. Still, we'll give credit where credit is due; that's a pretty accurate tattoo of this guy's couch, even without color.
All the same lines and indentions appear to be incorporated into the tattoo. However, if he ever decides to switch sides, then the tattoo is no longer going to be as accurate.
If "king of the Hill" and "Dragon Ball" Had a Baby
Okay, so as you might've guessed, we're actually kind of fans of this one. Just imagine if this were actually an animated series, and you got to see super Saiyan Boomhauer in action. The dialogue for that series would be hysterical. That is, if you could actually understand what the dialogue was actually saying. Still, this is a pretty funny tattoo and a lot more original than a simple "Dragonball Z" tattoo.
Still, we're probably going to have to wait a little while to actually get this crossover, but hopefully, someone out there with some power sees this and puts the idea forward.