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Tattoos have never been as popular, and tattoo artists are having the best business of their lives. It's reported that, as of 2025, there are 23,774 tattooing businesses in the U.S. alone. However, not all artists will give you the tattoo of your dreams. Some might be the culprits of your nightmares.

Bored Panda has come across the "Tattoo Fails - Bad Tattoos Only" group on Facebook that shares terrible tattoo jobs that are as absurd and sad as they are entertaining. "A place to showcase horrible tattoo work," the group proudly declares in its bio. So, get ready to cringe, Pandas, and scroll down to see the worst of the worst.

More info: Facebook

#1

Tattoo of Calvin Klein underwear waistband on lower back, showcasing one of the worst tattoos shared by an online group.

Tattoo Fails - Bad Tattoos Only Report

Agfox
Community Member
1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Would have been cheaper & less painful to have bought a pair

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    The tattoos on this list are real doozies. It's generally true that the more your tattoo costs, the better the ink job will be. Novice artists usually charge somewhere between $80 and $120 an hour. A more established artist working for 5 to 10 years might take between $120 and $180 from you. And for a really experienced artist, you may have to splurge $150 to $250 or even more.

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    But bad tattoos aren't just a regular person's plight. Many famous people have pretty terrible ink on their bodies, and it just shows that money isn't always the problem. Sometimes, the idea can just be too ridiculous or too hard to execute. So, let's go through some of the most questionable tattoos that celebrities have gotten over the years, too.

    #5

    Face tattoo of a poorly drawn cow with the words save the planet, showcasing one of the worst tattoos causing cringe.

    Tattoo Fails - Bad Tattoos Only Report

    Cee Cee
    Community Member
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Well yes indeed let's save the planet but to have this dire inking on one's face is bizarre.

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    Let's begin with some celebrity tattoo inception – rapper T-Pain's tattoo of the confused Jackie Chan meme. It's certainly silly, but T-Pain doesn't take himself or the tattoo too seriously. He explained that it's pretty funny to see people react to it after he puts up his hand when someone says something stupid to him.

    "The hand just says it all: 'Stop talking to him,'" the rapper explained to Insider. T-Pain has around a dozen tattoos in total, and most of them are silly as well. One says, "You don't have to like me," alongside a Facebook "Like" button. He also has one on his neck that is pretty self-explanatory: "Tattoo."

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    Another celebrity who doesn't take his bad tattoos too seriously is Ryan Gosling. In an interview with The Guardian in 2007, Gosling said that people shouldn't take tattoos seriously at all. "A tattoo should never be meaningful because at a certain point you're going to hate it, and it might as well make you laugh."

    His supposedly "failed" tattoo is one that looks like a chicken's foot, although it was supposed to be a monster's hand with a drop of blood in the shape of a heart. "A lot of people think it's a cactus. It's become a bit of an ink blot: you see what you want to," Gosling explained in a 2011 interview.

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    #11

    Man with a tattoo of denim overalls covering his torso, showcasing a unique example of worst tattoos in an online group.

    Tattoo Fails - Bad Tattoos Only Report

    Phaiax
    Community Member
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    At first look I thought this was a dolphin wearing jeans. (The buttons are it's eyes)

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    Perhaps the most offensive celebrity tattoo is the one Chris Brown got that resembles his ex-partner Rihanna after their domestic violence incident in 2009. Although Brown has denied that it's Rihanna's face, saying that the "tattoo is a sugar skull (associated with the Mexican celebration of the Day of the [Deceased]) and a MAC cosmetics design" he saw. Still, many fans still called the tattoo out for its very poor taste and even described it as "despicable."

    Misspelled tattoos are probably the worst nightmare for those who are fans of the written word. Let actress Hayden Panettiere's mishap be a lesson to you. She wanted a tattoo in Italian that would mean "Live without regrets," or "Vivere senza rimpianti." However, her artist misspelled it and now she's stuck with "rimipianti" as the last word instead. "I literally have to live by that advice!" the actress said in an interview with Glamour.

    #16

    Person showing a tattoo with misspelled lettering on the forearm, part of worst tattoos shared in an online group.

    Tattoo Fails - Bad Tattoos Only Report

    Skogsrået
    Community Member
    Premium
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Oh i judges you, i judges you mucho.

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    #17

    Tattoo of a distorted face wearing a beanie with uneven features, representing one of the worst tattoos shared online.

    Tattoo Fails - Bad Tattoos Only Report

    Agfox
    Community Member
    1 day ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Never looking at your tat again would be a good start

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    A big tattoo that has received a fair amount of ridicule on social media is the colorful phoenix on actor Ben Affleck's back. However, Affleck himself has clarified that it's not a mistake or a bad ink job. To him, it's meaningful and "represents something important."

    "It's meaningful to me, I like it," he said on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. "I love my tattoo. I'm very happy with it. Luckily, I'm the one who has it."

    #21

    Poorly executed tattoo portrait with butterflies and dates, showing one of the worst tattoos featured in an online group.

    Tattoo Fails - Bad Tattoos Only Report

    Daisydaisy
    Community Member
    Premium
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Unless the artist is REALLY good at doing portraits from a photo, don't do them! Just a name and dates would be so much better

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    What do you think about the tattoo fails on this list, Pandas? Have they forever repelled you from getting ink on your own body? Tell us your unfortunate tattoo stories in the comments, if you have any, of course. Also, check out some bad tattoos that got a massive upgrade and these impressive tattoo removal before-and-after pics!

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    #23

    Tattoo with misspelled phrase no pen no gain on forearm, featured in an online group dedicated to worst tattoos.

    Tattoo Fails - Bad Tattoos Only Report

    Schnitzel
    Community Member
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This is true! I’ve penned many a deal and without that pen, I wouldn’t have gained.

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    #24

    Person getting a large wolf tattoo on their back, featured in an online group dedicated to the worst tattoos out there.

    Tattoo Fails - Bad Tattoos Only Report

    Paul C.
    Community Member
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Great! Now you look like you've got a hairy back, well done.

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    #25

    Tattoo of a poorly drawn wolf face above black shaded roses on a person's upper arm, showcasing one of the worst tattoos.

    Tattoo Fails - Bad Tattoos Only Report

    Hippopotamuses
    Community Member
    13 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This is so sad, it's difficult not to shed a tear. For the memory of the wolf, dog, or whatever this is supposed to be?

    #26

    Man showing a large, poorly done clown sun tattoo on his back, featured in a worst tattoos online group.

    Tattoo Fails - Bad Tattoos Only Report

    Borg
    Community Member
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Tell me you're mentally unstable without telling me you're mentally unstable.

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    #28

    Tattoo of a wolf with human-like eyes on a person's arm, showing one of the worst tattoos featured in a cringe group.

    Tattoo Fails - Bad Tattoos Only Report

    Motivated sloth
    Community Member
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    In honor of all of the wolves with human-ish eyes and balding around the snout and eyes (the balding around the eyes seems to be common)

    #33

    Tattoo of a cartoonish face with exaggerated features and colors on the side of a person's shaved head, worst tattoos.

    Tattoo Fails - Bad Tattoos Only Report

    Motivated sloth
    Community Member
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Hopefully it won’t take too long to grow his hair out to cover it.

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    #38

    Close-up of a neck tattoo featuring a spider and web, representing one of the worst tattoos shared in an online group.

    Tattoo Fails - Bad Tattoos Only Report

    Skogsrået
    Community Member
    Premium
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Not sure if spider or octopus climbing that web.

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    #43

    Tattoo of a crying eye with simple lines on a person's upper arm in an online worst tattoos group.

    Tattoo Fails - Bad Tattoos Only Report

    Motivated sloth
    Community Member
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It’s always cool to see blind people following their dreams. Even if they dream of being a tattoo artist.

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    #45

    Tattoo of a woman in a green bikini with distorted features, showcased in a group dedicated to the worst tattoos out there.

    Tattoo Fails - Bad Tattoos Only Report

    Nathaniel He/Him Cis-Het
    Community Member
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I feel like this tattoo should have a caption underneath it saying "Your mum."

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    #46

    Tattoo of a horror character with a hat and clawed hand, featured in a group dedicated to the worst tattoos out there.

    Tattoo Fails - Bad Tattoos Only Report

    Skogsrået
    Community Member
    Premium
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This is truly a nightmare on Elm street, actually a nightmare on any street.

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    #48

    Side-by-side photo of an older woman and a poorly done tattoo portrait highlighting the worst tattoos out there.

    Tattoo Fails - Bad Tattoos Only Report

    BeesEelsAndPups
    Community Member
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I like the comment under the image: "I've said it and repeat it, know your limits". Very true

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    #56

    Black and pink bow tattoo on lower back shown as part of worst tattoos shared in an online group.

    Tattoo Fails - Bad Tattoos Only Report

    Robert T
    Community Member
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Arsebow. Needs to be in the full spectrum of colours to do it justice. ;-)

    #59

    Tattoo of a mask with feathers and swirls in black ink, showcasing one of the worst tattoos in an online tattoo group.

    Tattoo Fails - Bad Tattoos Only Report

    Apachebathmat
    Community Member
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This just reminded me of a bad joke you can do at Christmas dinner, get a sheet of paper, rip two eye holes in it and cover ya face, ask everyone what you are… pay per view/ paper view

    #60

    Tattoo of a Medusa-like figure with snakes and an open mouth licking a lollipop on a person's thigh.

    Tattoo Fails - Bad Tattoos Only Report

    Jeolas1
    Community Member
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This might have some deep personal meaning. Medusa's story is pretty horrible.

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    #61

    Colorful dragon tattoo covering a man’s shoulder and upper arm, showcasing detailed scales and fierce expression.

    Tattoo Fails - Bad Tattoos Only Report

    David Morgan
    Community Member
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The dragon's head is actually not bad, it's the body that is bringing it down.

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    #65

    Tattoo of abstract woman with horns and tears on leg, showcasing one of the worst tattoos shared in online groups.

    Tattoo Fails - Bad Tattoos Only Report

    Sarah Belt
    Community Member
    1 day ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This appears to be a scar cover up with a very sad meaning to the image. Not really fair to list this here. Honestly, it looks quite good to me.

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