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“Absolutely Not”: 31 Times Tattoo Artists Drew The Line With Certain Requests
Getting a tattoo is a pretty lengthy experience, from idea initiation to finding a good artist, and not to mention the whole tattooing process.
Yet, not everyone even gets to that process. You see, there's always a possibility that the artist you choose won't want to fulfill your idea. And the reasons for this can be various. So, let's jump in to find out about them, shall we?
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#1
I once refused to tattoo a girl and her father complained to me by yelling at me from about 2 feet away.
She was 14 (legal age where I live is 18) and she wanted her boyfriends name above her eye.
She was willing to compromise to her hand though.
No.
Gingersnap In Iowa 1 month ago
I got my first tattoo at 14. I wish the tattoo artist would have said no.
RELATED:
#2
I won’t tattoo someone unless they can tell me themselves what they want. A lot of people’s friends/parents/partners do all the talking and tell me what the other person wants. If you want a tattoo, you gotta put on your big kid pants and tell me what you want.
#3
Couple times that stick out-
-refused to tattoo a young guy’s entire face blue ( I was actually the counter person at the time, not the tattooer. But I spoke with the client. )he was maybe early mid 20s and thought his parents would ‘like him better that color’ - several weeks later we got a thank you letter from him.
- I refuse to do any N**i, gang, white pride, etc tattoos.
- I will refuse someone if they make me uncomfortable
- I will refuse to tattoo someone if they can’t give ‘enthusiastic’ consent- basically meaning I’m not gonna let someone husband tell me the tattoo their wife is getting, while she hangs back and doesn’t say a word.
Knowing how common tattoos are, it’s likely that you know at least one person who has one, or you even have one yourself. Well, unless you’re living in a very conservative environment. Still, even there, tattoos are getting more and more accepted with time.
You would typically think that places like the U.S. Senate wouldn’t be places where a tattooed person would work, right? But John Fetterman is proof that they can. He has been the senior United States senator from Pennsylvania since 2023, and he has openly spoken about the ink he has and what it means.
#4
I once was refused a tattoo. I wanted two "W"'s on my butt cheeks (bent over = "WoW"). I'm thankful to the artist 20 years later for the refusal.
#5
The guy who walked in, placed his beer down in front of me and proclaimed "my mum died today, I need a tattoo" did not in fact get tattooed.
LakotaWolf (she/her) 1 month ago
I'm not sure the tattoo in the photo there is Jesus Approved™. As an aside, it's hideous XD
#6
One guy once asked me to tattoo "no ragrets" as a joke, my OCD a*s couldn't do it.
Or, let’s take South Korea, which is known to be a rather conservative society. In the past, tattoos were associated with gangsters and criminals, but with time, they’re now more and more accepted as a form of self-expression.
A big thanks for this societal view shift in Korea goes to K-pop stars like G-Dragon or Jungkook, who both have over 20 tattoos and are proudly showing them off. And if you know anything about pop culture, you know what a big influence K-pop stars, especially such big names as these, have on Korean culture.
#7
Client came in for a lip tattoo at my fiancé shop. He had everything set up, stencil, machine etc. when she pulled her lip down her entire lip was covered in herpes sores. Needless to say he politely declined.
#8
Not an artist but I've been denied a tattoo before. My friend was getting her foot tattooed and there was another artist at the shop who was free. I asked him how much to get #YOLO tattooed on my butt cheek and he flat out denied me, telling me he didn't want to give me a tattoo I would regret five days later. I really appreciated the guy's integrity. So I sat back down, five minutes later I asked for a Smiley Face on my chest and he did it.
Lily bloom 1 month ago
Having an a*s tattoo is a different experience than wearing a small flash tat that's visible most of the time. One says "I'm an idiot" the other screams "I'm actively showing you how much of an idiot i am proud to be"
#9
Faces. I will not under any circumstance tattoo someone's face.
Kelly H. Wilder 1 month ago (edited)
Gen/ Is the tat behind his ear a white supremacy tattoo? The dark center with thin outline design seems to scream neo-nazị. I am pretty certain the one on the front of his neck is also hịtlerian.
StPaul9 1 month ago
It's a bit hard to tell but I think this look is what ICE agents require.
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Also, another thing that kind of got in the way of South Koreans getting tattoos more often is the fact that only last month (September of 2025), it was allowed for non-licensed medical practitioners with a license to open tattoo parlors (the permission will take effect in two years). Before this, only people with medical degrees could legally do tattoos.
That means that technically, tattoos were deemed to be similar to a medical procedure, which might scare off some people from getting one. Now, with this new change, tattoo artists will be able to move out of the shadows, legitimating tattoos as valid self-expression even more.
#10
A lot of people get drunk beforehand because they think it will ease the pain. Not only it will bleed more, but the tattoo artist won't trust that you'll not regret that tattoo in the morning.
I turned drunk people away several times. Plus people wanting to tattoo their SO's names. Nope. Won't do it.
Starbug 1 month ago
A former colleague and her boyfriend went to get "matching" tattoos with each other's names, done at the same time but by different artists. He got her first name, she had his full name tattooed, and leaving the tattoo studio they had a huge fight because he didn't show enough commitment by only having her first name inked 🙄 That wasn't even the top 5 biggest red flag in that relationship
#12
Not a tattoo artist, but I once met a guy who had his receding hairline filled in with tattoo ink. Like, with stippling to look like a buzz cut to make it look like he didn't have a receding hairline. He kept his actual hair cropped really short to try to make it blend in. It didn't work. That's the only time I've ever seen that, but wow was that a terrible idea.
Uncle Panda 1 month ago (edited)
I knew a woman who had her eyeliner tattooed on permanently. It looked nice when she had makeup on but she always looked surprised when she didn't.
Yet, even if you go to a legal tattoo parlor, it doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed to get the tattoo you imagine. And we’re not talking about the fact that there’s always a risk that an artist might mess up the art, like in these cases. What we mean is that an artist can refuse to fulfil your idea.
It happens more often than you think. We have a whole list here today to prove this. It’s made by various tattoo artists sharing what kind of tattoos they have refused to do throughout their careers.
#13
The guy I go to won’t do certain things. He won’t go above the collarbone or past the wrists, onto your hands, unless you have a significant amount of visible tattoos or he knows you really well (shop regular or something). He won’t do anything on feet at all because people don’t take care of them, then they show it to someone and they’re like “that looks like s**t, who did that to you?” He’s got a reputation to protect! He is also very wary about doing anything where a bra strap would rub it while it’s healing.
#14
Got a funny story actually. I once tattooed a Queen of hearts symbol on this girl (It was just a red Q written with classic card font) and a crown with a heart in it. Two weeks later she came back and had a black eye. I was new to the area so I wasn't aware of gang symbols as much, but I realized it was a Latin King/Queen symbol (A famous Chicago Gang). I covered it up with a slightly bigger design for free. Refused any card symbols afterwards.
#15
Refused a tat on a woman’s [intimate] area as she smelled so bad it was caused me to vomit! I only do this as a hobby and an outlet for my art. But I’m sure anyone would have refused her.
From herpes on the designated area or an extremely poor design choice, each of them had a good reason to refuse service. And later it made entertaining stories for us to enjoy – a win/win situation, when you really think about it.
Has a tattoo artist ever refused service to you? Or maybe you've refused it to someone? Please, share all your stories with us!
#16
My good friend wanted a memorial tattoo for our other good friend on his shoulder. 1 problem. He wasnt dead.... so it was just plain as creepy. I was like "no dude. That's weird as f**k".
#17
It’s been said in this thread already, but hands unless you already have a significant amount of tattoos.
I was getting a tattoo by a buddy of mine who was the newest guy in the shop he was working at. This meant he would get a lot of the quick one to two hour walk-in tattoos. Some younger girl came in wanting something on her hands. He told her what the size tattoo would cost but said he doesn’t do hands. He said he’d do it elsewhere but not on her hands. I asked him about it after she had left and his exact words were, “you gotta earn that s**t.” He also told me he doesn’t like doing feet either since it’s tough for them to look nice. Regardless of how great the artist is. Definitely made me realize that at the end of the day tattoo artists have their reputation to protect.
Joseph Miller 1 month ago
My old tattoo artist must have been pretty good. My foot tattoo, hurt like hell, but still looks good going on 7 years later.
#18
We had a man come in with his 6-8 year old son and ask us to tattoo him.
He said that he “keeps getting lost because we keep moving houses” so wanted to get his address and phone number tattooed on the kids arm.
He couldn’t grasp the idea that they may move again, it’s incredibly stupid, the kid was completely too young, it’s still pretty stupid, phone numbers change and maybe if you weren’t dragging this kid through town by the arm telling each tattoo studio he was mentally disabled and so was a liability and instead paid a little bit of attention to your kid, maybe, just maybe, he wouldn’t want to not be around you.
Luckily I own the shop I work at so I got to explain to him what a dumb f***g idea this was and how he should probably re-evaluate his choices in multiple areas of his life.
LakotaWolf (she/her) 1 month ago
Yikes! When I was growing up, I remember some parents would get ID bracelets for their kids for this very reason XD I was always jealous because (for some reason) I wanted an ID bracelet too, but my mom said no, because she'd already taught me/made me memorize my parents' name, address, and phone number, so I didn't need the bracelet XD
#20
An artist once refused to tattoo how to use chopsticks on my arm. I'm very happy he did. 2008 was such a fun year, but also very unfortunate given how things have changed since then.
NoRestfortheQWERTY 1 month ago
The tat in the pic is starkly beautiful. I don't know if it celebrates Asian-American identity, but that might be a good design if you're looking to do that.
#21
I don't do the face at all or the neck. So many people regret those. I just covered up a set of eyelids that said just chill.
#22
When I was deciding on options for my tattoo, one of the ones I didn't go with was "Don't Tell My Mom" as a [lower back] stamp. Present me would be grateful if that were refused.
NoRestfortheQWERTY 1 month ago
I can see why the artist refused this idea, but I can't help but admit that this gets me a bit worked up. I've been intimate with women who had "For You" and "Enjoy Me" tramp stamps. Excessively refined women are not really my bag, if it wasn't obvious already.
#23
Colour realism portraits on very dark skin tones, props if you know how to do it and it heals well but I just can’t, more than happy for it to be black and grey but I’ve yet to see really well healed colour realism on dark skin tones and I don’t want anyone walking around with a cocked up tattoo.
#24
The guy I go to refuses to do infinity knots. He has a sign on his door that says "Infinity (k)not gonna happen!"
#25
Not an artist but back when it was popular I over heard an artist refuse to tattoo 'yolo' on some chick... It was an actual sincere move.
Con O Cuinn 1 month ago
My mate got YOLO tattooed about 2-3 years before the phrase became popularised. Twas quite funny
#26
My parents are pretty good friends with some local tattoo artists, they keep having to refuse a picture of a goblin smacking our PM. It's kinda funny, but it loses it's punch after a while.
#27
This guy who wanted a surfing bowser playing a guitar wearing sunglasses.
#28
My aunt is a tattoo artist and owns her shop. She had a trans woman come in and ask if they would tattoo a beauty mark on her face and how much. My aunt said "well I'm busy the rest of the day, but I'll ask my other artists. It will just be the $50 minimum."
The woman walked out at the sound of "$50" but we didn't know she wasn't coming back. Every artists said "no way am I tatting someone's face. I don't f**k with faces." My aunt was willing, but was doing my work the rest of the day. The lady never came back.
Ellinor she/they/elle 1 month ago
Why is the fact that she was trans any relevant to the story ?
#29
I'm not a tattoo artists but i wanted a picture of my dog and the guy said is was too hard.
Ellinor she/they/elle 1 month ago
Well it's better he told you no, some people would have done a butchered work instead.
#30
Look, if you really want to get a tattoo of the FreeBSD Daemon and Twilight Sparkle having happy fun [intercourse], you're gonna have to go to someone who is actually a tattoo artist and not just some dork posting on the intertoobs.
----
Seriously, if y'all go out and get this, it is totally not my fault.
#31
Im not a artist myself but when I went with my brother to get a tattoo he had a store about a guy named Jeff and he was a weird man and had many requests the the artist refused the one that was my favorite was when he had gotten a tattooed elephant and said that the trunk wasn't finished and we'll the trunk was uhh well you know and yea that was denied
LakotaWolf (she/her) 1 month ago
I'm operating on very little sleep, so I'm a little confused, but I'm pretty sure there's some implied pen!s shenanigans happening with this elephant and its trunk, in some way.
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Serena Myers 1 month ago
BP, you ignore these scammers, but your bot censors b**bs, p**s, k**l. Get wise and get rid of these nasty scammers.
BookFanatic 1 month ago
My first tattoo was the Chinese character for "book." I am not Chinese. I wish my tat guy'd talked me out of it. He did, however, do a cute little heart cover up with the outline of a book around it...ten years later. Lol
Serena Myers 1 month ago
BP, you ignore these scammers, but your bot censors b**bs, p**s, k**l. Get wise and get rid of these nasty scammers.
BookFanatic 1 month ago
My first tattoo was the Chinese character for "book." I am not Chinese. I wish my tat guy'd talked me out of it. He did, however, do a cute little heart cover up with the outline of a book around it...ten years later. Lol
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