‘That’s It, I’m Inkshaming’: 50 Times People Got Hilariously Bad Tattoos And Didn’t Even Realize It (New Pics)

To learn more about how That’s It, I’m Inkshaming (Actually Bad Tattoos) came to be, we reached out to the administrators and moderators of the group on Facebook. “There’s another group on Facebook called That’s It, I’m Inkshaming. Several members of that group were disappointed by the rising level of quality of tattoos in that group, so they splintered off and started this page, That’s It, I’m Inkshaming (Actually Bad Tattoos),” the admins told Bored Panda. 

“The modmin team works hard to weed out submissions that are bad in concept, but are technically applied well,” they explained. “There’s another group for that type of tattoo, called Eh, It’s Not Really A Bad Tattoo, I Just Don’t Like It.”

“Since the inception of our group, the page has far surpassed the original group in membership, engagement, and posts per day. We even have a couple copycat groups that try to emulate our formula, to varying degrees of success,” the modmin team shared.

We were also curious if the administrators and moderators of this Facebook group actually have any tattoos themselves, and as it turns out, despite being a diverse group, they all do! “We’ve got folks working in Project Management and Administration, a Senior Technical Support Analyst, a Senior Editor for a pop culture news site, a beertender, a salt bagger, a cat rescuer, a few full time parents,” they shared with Bored Panda. 

“Working full time jobs (or several part time jobs) and finding time and energy to manage a page like ours is challenging, but is usually rewarding and worth the effort,” the modmin team noted. 

“We all have tattoos, and love them because they’re snapshots of our individual life experiences,” they explained. “There are some really bad ones that we got when we were young and dumb, and some really spectacular pieces that represent other phases in life. Tattoos can be anything, and represent anything. There really is no end to the creative possibility.”

We also asked the administrators and moderators why they think it’s so common to end up with a tragic tattoo. “At this point, tattooing is a very common artform. If you don’t have a tattoo, you know someone who does. And if you have one yourself, you probably have several. It’s not the type of thing people usually give up on after just one,” they pointed out. 

But if you’re unhappy with one of your pieces, know that you’re in good company. “It’s very rare that anyone with tattoos doesn’t have at least one that’s really bad,” they added. “Whether it’s the first tattoo that they got on their 18th birthday because they were young and inexperienced, the unrecognizable blown out vacation tattoo, or the bad decision made on their cousin’s kitchen table, almost everyone who’s inked has one terrifically bad tattoo.” 

We also asked the modmin team if they think people often realize when they have a bad tattoo, or if it’s all just a matter of preference. “Most people do recognize these pieces are bad, but either haven’t thought of the perfect cover-up yet, or just don’t have the money to have it lasered off or blasted over,” they told Bored Panda. 

“It becomes sort of a conversation piece for the rest of their lives. The majority of folks in this situation will tell you the tattoo is bad, and crack jokes on it. That’s the reason behind Self Shame Sunday on the page. Members bring their own tattoo pics to the group, and we all have a good laugh together.” 

“Of course, there are some who don’t recognize that their terrible tattoo is terrible, and others who just love bad tattoos and get them intentionally,” the modmin team added. “There’s actually a sort of bad tattoo movement called ‘ignorant style.’ It was popularized by a street artist named Fuzi, and the pieces mimic the kind of terrible tattoos one would get in the basement of a friend’s house at a keg party. It’s… definitely a choice.”

And when it comes to what qualifies as an “inkshame” worthy tattoo, the modmin team told Bored Panda that they “really try to focus on the quality of art and application, rather than content".

“There’s no room in our group for racism, ableism, homophobia, transphobia, content shaming, kink shaming, body shaming, or any other lifestyle judgments on canvases,” they added. “The modmins don’t care that it’s a Twilight tattoo, or that someone wanted the Nickelback logo across their entire back. We’re looking for wonky lines, blowouts, unconnected lines, messy shading, unrealistic anatomy… actually bad tattoos.”

We were also curious if there were any particularly bad pieces on the page that are permanently tattooed into the modmin team’s minds. “The most recent tattoo that really stands out is the one we’re currently using as our banner image,” they told Bored Panda. “It’s a woman who got a tattoo of a sun on her hip, but the orientation and application are so bizarre, it’s unbelievable. The sun is right side up if she’s on all fours. There are rays coming off the sun, through her thigh, and into her calf, ankle, and foot, but only if she’s squatted down, naked, in the weirdest, most awkward position you can imagine. It is gloriously bad, for so many reasons.”

The modmin team also shared what they think the most important things to consider before getting inked up are. “Always plan ahead. Once you’ve figured out what you want, search engines are your friend,” they noted. “Find examples of the style and subject that you’re looking for, and research local artists that specialize in that specific style, and that are at least aware of the subject. If you want an American Traditional Cyberman head with a sonic screwdriver handled dagger plunged through its metal skull, make sure your artist does AmTrad and has a favorite Doctor Who villain before dropping that deposit.”

“Communication with the artist is key,” they added. “Bring reference photos. Discuss what you like and dislike about each image, and ask questions. Any artist worth their salt will listen and give feedback before producing their own image based on your preferences.” 

“Once the stencil is prepared and applied, if there’s something that rubs you wrong, SPEAK UP,” the modmin team told Bored Panda. “Odd placement? Details different than discussed? Smaller than you wanted? Bigger? This is the time to say something. Be open to suggestions from a reputable artist, but if they aren’t able or willing to do exactly what you want, consider a different tattoo, or a different artist.”

“If anything makes you uncomfortable about the stencil, it will continue to make you uncomfortable for the life of the piece,” they noted. “Patience is also a big factor in the quality of a tattoo. If an artist is booked out two months, but you’re certain they’re the artist you want to work with, drop that deposit and wait it out. The books are full for a reason. Respect the wait.”

“Ultimately, our group is about having fun in a safe, like-minded community,” the administrators and moderators told Bored Panda. “We encourage group participation and have special share days that don’t follow the usual rules for submission (except the ones about hate speech and banned subjects).” 

“We already mentioned Self Shame Sunday. That’s a fun one, where members put up their own terrible tattoos to have a laugh at their own expense,” they shared. “There’s also Humble Hump Day, where members can display their own personal tattoos for praise OR shame, Brag or Bomb, where tattoo artists can post their own work, and OP vs. Modmin, where members can post any tattoo, even if it was previously rejected by the modmin team, to get the group’s reaction.” 

“We also have a dedicated message box, where members are always welcome to ask questions, make suggestions, or present concerns. The door is always open. We want to hear what we're doing right, and what we may be able to improve upon,” the modmin team shared. If you’d like to join the group and get involved in the mocking, you can find That’s It, I’m Inkshaming (Actually Bad Tattoos) on Facebook right here!

Are you feeling terrified to ever get a tattoo? Don’t worry, you don’t have to live with the “artwork” featured on this list, so you can enjoy upvoting the most painful pictures and feeling relieved that you haven’t made the same mistakes as these people. Let us know in the comments what the most tragic tattoo you’ve ever seen was, and then if you still haven’t checked out Bored Panda’s previous article featuring That’s It, I’m Inkshaming (Actually Bad Tattoos), you can find that right here!