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If you ask some people, they might jokingly say that finding the perfect tattoo and tattoo artist is harder than finding true love. And when tattoos take a wrong turn, the results can be both cringe-worthy and comically unforgettable. From words hilariously misspelled to designs that didn’t quite hit the mark, we’ve scoured the internet to compile some of the most epic tattoo fails. Whether it’s an ambitious idea poorly executed or a design that didn’t age well, these stories will have you laughing, gasping, and reconsidering the tattoo you’ve been planning. Keep reading for some of the internet’s funniest tattoo disasters and lessons learned the hard way!
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#1
StarCrossedFriday 11 months ago
If it weren’t for the abundance of ‘will’s, I’d be more than fine with this.
LonelyLittleLeafSheep 11 months ago
Downvoting it because it is most definitely NOT a fail! I wouldn't get it, but it's really well done.
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#2
Joshua David 11 months ago
Is it a fetus growing on thier hand? Must be a liberal thing. That was a joke. Im very liberal.
Fellfromthemoon 11 months ago
Is that a pregnant hand? Some sort of reference of, khm, self-love?
#3
Subaru645 11 months ago (edited)
More like, “Get the MFin Dino’s and balloons out my MFin face”
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She who must not be named 11 months ago
I don't know whether she's trying to find her 'precious', maim her brother or call someone a motherfluffer 😅
Id row 11 months ago
Samuel L. Jackson is Wednesday Addams. "Call me spooky one more time, motherf***er!" samuel-l-j...a4ea8a.jpg 
When it comes to tattoos, many people spend months—or even years—contemplating their perfect design. Others? Well, they might walk into a studio on a whim, carried by the rush of spontaneity.
To explore this fascinating mix of planning and impulsiveness, Bored Panda spoke with Harkesh Rajpoot, a seasoned tattoo artist with over a decade of experience. With an impressive Instagram following of 34k and additional expertise as a mehndi artist, Harkesh gave us an inside look at the world of tattooing.
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Cthulhu Kitty 11 months ago
I really hope this is a memorial tattoo that someone's kid drew and they recreated for a tattoo
#6
Cpt. Christan "Panda Bombero" 11 months ago
This is why learning proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation are important life skills.
Steve Robert 11 months ago
Not sure how to figure out the combination to his brain on what he was thinking.
“There are two kinds of people who come to us,” Harkesh began. “Some know exactly what they want, often bringing references and discussing details. Others are first-timers, excited and sometimes even spontaneous. They see it as an adventure, which can be fun but also tricky.”
When asked about guiding these newcomers, Harkesh revealed: “We always give suggestions. For example, we recommend darker ink for people with darker skin tones so their tattoos pop and age well. Unfortunately, not everyone understands this—it’s purely to ensure the tattoo looks its best. But some people insist on their choices, and while we know they might regret it, we can’t say no if they’re firm.”
#7
JoMeBee 11 months ago
Definitely has Simpson vibes. What's with the slippers?
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#8
mooshoflove 11 months ago
>_> to be fair.. as far as I know, no one reeaally knows what Jesus looked like... :')
#9
ABC no seven FCK CENSORING 11 months ago
Again - terrible idea, but the tattoo itself is really good.
Combfish McComish 11 months ago
More like terrible placement rather than idea
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Harkesh shared that balancing client expectations is often the hardest part of the job. “The sky’s the limit for tattoo designs these days,” he explained.
“But when clients bring highly detailed animated images, they sometimes think it will look identical on their skin. Skin is not paper, and designs adapt differently. We do our best to explain this upfront to avoid disappointment later.”
#10
E. Hamilton 11 months ago
Actually, it's a very accurate, and well done, tattoo of a stripper from Tampa.
#11
Damned_Cat 11 months ago
OK, so, I'm pretty tattoo ignorant, but when you get ink, don't they use a stencil most of the time? Don't you get to approve the words and spelling? Even if they were doing it freestyle, they should at least write out the words so you can verify that they have it correct.
LizzieBoredom 11 months ago
They don't allow stencils or dictionaries in prison.
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LonelyLittleLeafSheep 11 months ago
Yeah, a good artist will be able to turn that last "e" into a "t" with no problem. At least the lettering is clean.
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Ash 11 months ago
I was just thinking that. Extend the lefthand curve upward to the height of the "L", then add a bit on the left to make it look like T's crossbar just has a curve on the end.
Load More Replies... Cpt. Christan "Panda Bombero" 11 months ago
Once again, this is why learning proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation are important life skills.
#12
Crystal Spencer 11 months ago
Metal version of Gangnam style can be heard if you put your ear up real close to the tat.
Pheline 11 months ago
Thank god. By photoshopping his face onto his hair I guess they covered the beard.
Load More Replies... Harkesh spoke about emotional tattoos as well. “Love and relationships inspire a lot of tattoos. Names, special dates, matching designs—you name it.
But when the relationship ends, those tattoos become painful reminders. It’s the same with friendship tattoos. I’ve seen three friends get the same design, only for the bond to break, and suddenly, they all want cover-ups.
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ABC no seven FCK CENSORING 11 months ago
Guys can wear pink, too. Just never get a tattoo from someone in Crocs.
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Cover-ups, according to Harkesh, are an art form in themselves. “If someone regrets a five-inch tattoo, we’ll often design a seven-inch piece to cover it seamlessly. It’s about creating something they’ll love, not just hiding something they don’t.”
#16
Panda Kicki 11 months ago
Nonono...we dont talk about Bruno. Also looks like his unknown cousin Kruno.
#17
Kathrin Pukowsky 11 months ago
Oh. I happen to have that very comic lying next to me on my footstool right now. I loved Michael Turner's art back in the day, and while I can't say that it aged well (although not quite as bad as Rob Liefeld's), it's still leagues better that this tattoo.
#18
Nikki Private Citizen 11 months ago
Thank you for the commas comment. I was so confused trying to figure out what it was supposed to be lol
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When asked for advice for aspiring tattoo enthusiasts, Harkesh emphasized the importance of preparation and trust. “Take your time choosing a design.
Think about how it will look 10 or 20 years from now. And listen to your artist—they’ve seen it all and can guide you toward something timeless and meaningful.”
#19
JB 11 months ago
Cicely Mary Barker! I’d almost forgotten how much I loved her flower fairies as a child.
MadRatter 11 months ago
My sister had the books, and the illustrations are gorgeous
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Paulina 11 months ago
I can never understand how things like this happen. You use a stencil COPIED directly from the picture, why not follow it?! 🫣
#21
David Morgan 11 months ago
It already does - a smock is a type of baggy outerwear.
Load More Replies... Cpt. Christan "Panda Bombero" 11 months ago
Tattooing oneself while on d***s is not recommended. And, depending on which state that you reside in, wearing a weed smock every day would also not be recommended.
As we wrapped up, Harkesh left us with this nugget of wisdom: “A tattoo is a story etched on your skin. Make sure it’s a story you’ll be proud to tell.”
So, what’s your tattoo story? Share your experience or dream design below—we’d love to hear it!
#22
#23
oblong mongoose (they/them) 11 months ago
i just wanna be part of your SYMPHONYYYYYYYYYYYYyyyyYYYyYyYYyYyyyYyYyY
#24
CD Mills 11 months ago
This doesn't look much different than most other 'spacey' abstract tattoos I've seen. It looks like this might have been done freehand as it doesn't sit straight on the arm and a lot of lines are wobbly, with some lines too long and others too short. They definitely need to use stencils.
painttheyellowsubgreen 11 months ago
Tattoos that are done "free hand" are still drawn on with marker before being tattooed. Sometimes those drawings aren't very detailed and are more referential, like for rocks or clouds. But for the most part free hand just means they didn't use a stencil.
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painttheyellowsubgreen 11 months ago
Not all tattoos are designed to be perfect.
Load More Replies... MoriahPapaya 11 months ago
I thoughts are, they put the stencil on while the client was seated and didn't check the placement in any other position.
Kayci Styles 11 months ago
It's not though. If his shoulder was North and his hand South, West would be there.
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Ellen Woods 11 months ago
I see an owl. It’s face the wings. The eyes, nose and mouth are the scales.
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Amy S 11 months ago
I'm not sure about the back fingers on the bottom (god's?) hand, but I like it too. I assume it's a reference to The Creation of Adam
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Graf666Orlok 11 months ago
Why is this bad? Its really pretty cool. Like the Artists rough in before beginning the actual work. Its a great concept.
CD Mills 11 months ago
This isn't a fail, this is often how a painting looks before pigments are added. The Masters were the Masters for a reason, all of those marks are made to get angles correct so things can be refined. Think about that for a minute, the Masters used the most basic of drawing techniques even AFTER they became Masters. That is because those techniques are the bedrock of drawing/painting correctly.
Jeff Jozsa 11 months ago
It's Davinci's 'Study of Hands'. It's a sketch, thus the lines coming out of the hands. It is done fairly well but the sketch lines should have been done much lighter.
Luis Hernandez Dauajare 11 months ago
This is really original and the style is excellent. I could get that...
#28
#29
Jen F 11 months ago
Boil em, mash em, stick em in a stew! (As I'm literally watching The Two Towers lol).
Load More Replies... Ash 11 months ago
Okay so I looked it up, and the story on this one is actually kind of adorable. "When my little brother was 6, he had an xmas list full of really expensive items like the latest games and consoles, and at the very bottom of the list he wrote “mashed potatoes.”" So that is literally a 6-year-old's handwriting, a family in-joke, doubtless something that makes him laugh, and a tribute to his brother, and I think that's great lol
WickedLibra70 11 months ago
Dang saw your comment after I posted a LOTR reference too lol
Load More Replies... Sara Frazer 11 months ago (edited)
Sam Gamgee is this you?? ETA I can never read or say the word "potatoes" in any other way
Cass Malone 11 months ago
Pretty sure this one is a parent/uncle or aunt that is being a canvas for someone and asked their kiddo what to tattoo and had said kid write it too
Rebecca McManus 11 months ago
I think it's one of those ones based off something a small child did, like first "legible " writing
#30
m6nbtfpx7q 11 months ago
Some people have drawings their children made tattooed on them, that’s what this makes me think of
Blaze Onyx 11 months ago
Yeah! My first tattoo next October is gonna match with my dad. He and I are both getting butterflies that I drew for him when I was around 3 to get tattooed on him. He never got around to it, so we're gonna get them matching
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#32
#33
DforDory 11 months ago
Just because half her tits are out? Did you even realize she's got a right leg that's not right at all, plus a hip dislocation? What are you Ike 12?
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Gwynne Greene 11 months ago
This just reminds me of a Skip crisp lol (Google it if you arnt familiar or not from Europe/ England) lol 😆 And he's full committed and dedicated to the crisp !!
#35
DEW 11 months ago
Is the spider molting? What's the white dry stuff in the spider and will it stay?
She who must not be named 11 months ago
It's exactly that, the tattoo hasn't been looked after very well and it's gone dry and scabbed up. The scabs will fall.off eventually but there's a high chance ink will too leaving it looking patchy
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#37
AisForRebel 11 months ago
Deadpool & Wolverine trailer, there's a store named Liefeld's Just Feet. This is a reference to the fact that Rob Liefeld doesn't know how to draw feet properly and in an alternate universe, he opened a shop that provide anatomically correct prosthetic feet and footwear.
Remi (He/Him) 11 months ago
Dude doesn't know how to draw anything properly tbh. The first time seeing his Captain America, I legit though it was a piece of fan art by some ten year old with bad vision and worse pens
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Michael Melfa 11 months ago
Looking at how detailed the rest of the tattoo is, this might be a comic nerd joke. Deapool's creator Rob Liefeld is known to be really bad at drawing feet.
LadySparre 11 months ago
They either ran out of talent the further down the tattoo they got or it's a learning curve going from the feet and up.
#38
Space Invader 11 months ago
Then again, The Tattoo Artist does kinda sound like an on-par villain for the Adam West era....
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#41
Awkward lady 11 months ago
I don't really want to know why there are arrows coming out of the women's navels...
#43
CooperDooper81 11 months ago
This looks like it was done with a pin or scalpel and ink. Bloody awful.
#44
#46
Ann Kapoxeet 11 months ago
Why is that love? To me, cleaning the toilet would be so much more powerful.
Apatheist Account2 11 months ago
Hard to cover up when they split up. The only safe ones to get are your children (once you're sure they're yours).
#48
dan gerene 11 months ago
Daughter's got one similar on her calf. From a distance it looks like she took a line drive there.
#49
Rachel Pelz 11 months ago
A lot of skin left for new girlfriends...since it is so easy to void a tattoo.
#50
#51
Kalikima 11 months ago
I think it's supposed to be "only the dark one..."
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#52
Mickipickie 11 months ago
Amazing color choices. Kinda takes your eye away from the image detail for a moment. I suppose.
#53
Tanja Follmann 11 months ago
I think it should look like his skin opens up and underneath is a weird bug and machines?
Radosław Podgórski 11 months ago
takes some time to understand that it is a rocket to another dimension :D
#54
#55
Ann Kapoxeet 11 months ago
Why do I have to learn to write Teacher? I'll never use this stuff!
Rachel Pelz 11 months ago
Maybe the equivalent to a "this Chinese sign means XY" google translate error? (and of course the Chinese sign doesn't mean XY but "twice used toilet paper")
my sox are in flux 3 weeks ago
I'm not crazy about the 80's wedding invitation font, but at least the lettering is clean.
#56
m6nbtfpx7q 11 months ago
I always think about how cool space pictures would be to get tattooed, then I look at the results of such endeavors
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#58
SoMrHarris 11 months ago
This is the chance of the anti-trans lobby with a certain author who lives in a castle as a key figure. So yeah, incredibly cringe.
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#62
CooperDooper81 11 months ago
What sort of d*cks are you looking at with hair all over them?
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dan gerene 11 months ago
That is the symbols for the time, location and date of the abduction by the E.T.s. They don't want you twice.
CooperDooper81 11 months ago
This is someone who's been bored and had a go at home themselves.
#64
my sox are in flux 3 weeks ago
It's okay, I guess, but I can see this fading into a muddy mess.
#66
Awkward lady 11 months ago
No, I think it's just meant to be the bulldog breaking out of his skin, to show that the guy is British to the core. Just lousy work.
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#70
StarCrossedFriday 11 months ago (edited)
“People who matter don’t mind [,] people who mind don’t matter”. I think. A comma might have helped.
Paulina 11 months ago
I can't imagine where that comes could be for this text to make sense 😂
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Panda Pandemic 11 months ago
This one does not belong on this list. It is exceptionally done. A very talented artist.
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m6nbtfpx7q 11 months ago
The part that bothers me most (yes even more than the terrible lettering) is that this appears to be something his dad said instead of him saying it to his dad. Why don’t tattoo artists know about commas?
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Mickipickie 11 months ago
Ok, is this photo taken on an AIRPLANE? Because that feels like an omen to me.
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What do you think ?
Auntriarch 11 months ago
Did AI choose the pictures for this title? Some of them are rather good
Apatheist Account2 11 months ago (edited)
The only one I'll ever get is "DNR". Whatever it is, you'll grow out of it and away from it (or them) as you age.
Rick Seiden 11 months ago
I think some of these are exactly what the client wanted, extremely well done, just in poor taste. The Mario tattoo is a really well done tattoo, for example, that's just (in my opinion) stupid.
Auntriarch 11 months ago
Did AI choose the pictures for this title? Some of them are rather good
Apatheist Account2 11 months ago (edited)
The only one I'll ever get is "DNR". Whatever it is, you'll grow out of it and away from it (or them) as you age.
Rick Seiden 11 months ago
I think some of these are exactly what the client wanted, extremely well done, just in poor taste. The Mario tattoo is a really well done tattoo, for example, that's just (in my opinion) stupid.
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