20 Of The Worst, Horribly-Done Tattoos That Are The Pride And Joy Of This Dedicated Online Group

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."

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