I've seen too many friends have to do cover up art. The older you get the more you realize... how stupid young you was. And now that pot leaf has to be turned into shamrock or a rose, because what do you tell your kids? That's why it's good to know that there are tattoo artists out there with a conscience, and a brain to think for you when your's malfunctions.
Bad Idea
artist tattoo GIFGiphy18 year old girl wanted her considerably older bf's name just above her vagina for her first tattoo. Hard no, and had to explain why it wasn't a good decision.
That's a Limp Idea...
I was asked to put a full-fledged erect penis on someone's back, right above his butt crack. Veins and all. I would have considered it but there was some heavy breathing involved and... yeah, no, I do not want to spend hours and hours lovingly doing that, thanks very much.
Think Ahead!
I had a conversation with my tattoo artist about this. He said he wouldn't do any "instant tough guy" tattoos, mainly face, neck or hand tattoos, unless the person already had a good deal of coverage on other parts of their body.
Had an artist make an exception for my wife and I. Our wedding rings are tattooed on and (at the time) it was our only ink. He had the same rules generally, but was super nice and made an exception for that reason.
Not for Cash
My dad was a tattoo artist in the 80's/90's he was REALLY passionate about doing good artwork, especially mythological creatures (dragons & pegasus were both specialties of his) he refused to do partners names, when we needed cash he would do a bit of work in a bigger shop where he would have to basically ink whatever the customer wanted, he used to affectionately call it "wh*ring himself out."
Bless You
Judging No Way GIF by CameoGiphySevered Jesus Christ head on the butt cheek.
Seriously... what are people thinking? This ink is for LIFE. There is no body white out or eraser. Thank the Lord for the people willing to... just say no.
People Break Down The Best Loophole They've Ever Exploited
The Sting
Weekend Spider GIFGiphyI asked a scorpion in my hand, when I was 19. Had a hard no from tattoo artist. I thank him forever!
No Removals
It's not the whole shops policy, but my friend won't do names unless it's their children. They could have it tattooed over, but they'd still forever know what's underneath it. And the shop doesn't do removals.
This is a good policy. The guy who taught me to tattoo would refuse to do names unless it was of children's or parent's.
When he was planning to move to another country, he decided to not turn down any work as he needed as much money as he could make in a few months.
A young guy got his girlfriend's name tattooed on his arm, despite being warned not to and advised to think about it, he insisted so, that's what he got.
Three weeks later he wanted a cover up. It wasn't even healed yet. Six large black Olde English letters running down his forearm.
The only suggestion he was given was to find another girl called Nadine.
Bobby & Becky!
Story time!
I was in the shop shooting the crap and looking through the books, while my buddy was in the chair getting some new ink. Young couple walks in.
They're maybe 19-20 years old and pawing each other to the point that I thought they were going to fall down and have sex right there on the floor.
Girl says "We need matching Bobby and Becky Forever tattoos with hearts and flowers!"
Artist (also a friend) doesn't even look up "No, go away. You been together what? One month? Two? Come back in five years"
The girl argued for about a minute and then they left
Artist "I hate doing coverups of my own work".
Keep the $60
I wanted a tattoo on my finger back when those were popular. Went in for a consult, front desk quoted me $60. I get to my appointment, my artist looks me in the eye and told me no way in hell would he tattoo my hand, he would do an arm or I could go elsewhere. I agreed and said he was the expert and I'd do what he thought was best. He still honored the $60. I wish I remembered literally anything about him (that was a messed up year for me in general and my memories are fuzzy at best) so I could thank him, because he was right.
No Hate Here!
GiphyMy dad owned a tattoo shop despite not being an artist (his buddy was and my dad basically provided funding while his buddy ran the shop in the partnership) and their rule was that the only hate symbol they would do was a swastika, but it would have to be on your forehead so everyone could see what a sh*tty person you were.
Forget Her
My dad has mine and my brother's tattooed on his shoulder. When the artist asked if he wanted to add his wife's name my dad said "only if it's somewhere that can be cut off." He's been married three times and has a sense of humor about it.
I once considered getting my SO's initials as a tattoo. Since we share the same initials, I would simply end up with my own initials (though of course I'd know better). Didn't do it though.
Please Leave
I was a tattoo artist and I was asked to draw a dog with a human head, shark fins, cat legs, and a lizard tail, at first I went along with it but i asked to make sure that was what he wanted. He then said "give it a d***" i just asked him to leave. This was a few years ago and still remember it very clearly.
Bad Author
I was asked by a maniac to tattoo 4 years worth of his dead girlfriend's essays all over him until there isn't a spot with his skin color left.
No Refunds
When I got my first tattoo I complimented my artist's collection of Virgin Mary designs. He laughed and said people were shocked that he was Jewish when they saw them. I asked if that was ever a problem. He said, "Nope. I always take payment first anytime someone wants a swastika or something, then halfway through I tell them. If they still want it, it's just a job. But if they don't, they leave with half a hate symbol and I don't give refunds." I always loved that story.
WARNING!
Anybody who wanted swastikas or hate symbols. Anybody clearly messed up. Anybody who couldn't pay.
One tat artist here, on another askreddit thread, said they love doing that since it means they are installing a warning label on the person who clearly needs a warning label.
Not saying you should do that I am saying I laughed at the mental image of a guy excited to slap a "threat. Threat. This one is a threat" label on someone.
Oh Hell No!
This was about 30 years ago. I was getting a tattoo and all of the sudden from another chair erupted a "get the freak out of here" and a lot of arguing about a tattoo being halfway done. Dude was getting a name tattooed with a date. Artist assumed it was a birthdate or something. The dude told the artist halfway through that it was the name of someone he killed and the date he killed her.
Space Needed
sexy guy GIFGiphyI know a tattoo artist who has a very firm rule about not tattooing hands or neck unless there's no more room left on the person. Always thought that was fair lol.
That Girl
Not a tattoo artist, but my friends are. The one that sticks out in mind was this cashmeousside type of 18 year old white girl went into his shop and asked him to tattoo her knuckles, neck, and do a full sleeve. The reason he denied it upfront is because he knew she was basically attempting to ruin her social life and be denied jobs forever just because of it.
I think I've decided, I want some ink on my back, or right shoulder blade. I'm thinking... Madonna, Adele, Buffy walking hand in hand as they walk Scooby-Doo. Who can draw that for me? Who will paint me? Send DMs... ;)
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No to Molly
stephen kings it clown GIFGiphyThe tattoo of a clown holding a gun smoking a joint on my leg. It was done when I was a ten in an apartment.
Antler Art
I don't know the exact English word but in German it's called "butt antlers". I'm not sure what it's actually supposed to represent but it kind of looks like you've got a deer inside your pants.
Now I want to see actual antlers tattooed as a tramp stamp.
<googles>
OK, no, I didn't really want to see that. I wouldn't click this if I were you.
http://www.tattoonow.com/gallery/tattoos/keyword/realistic~133/ass-antlers-by-chris-dingwell~36951
Kissed
Lips on the neck.
I get it, you're a gangster with an attitude problem and probably want to fight.
You get a lot of people with Albuquerque and the New Mexico State symbol tatted on them as well. ABQ is notorious for sh!tty tats... a lot of the work I've seen since living here is really bad honestly.
Joke's on You
heath ledger joker GIFGiphyNothing says "I've been to prison for cooking Meth in my trailer" like a Joker neck or face tattoo.
I knew a guy who got a green question mark because his name was Maurice and because of that song. I'm a joker, I'm a smoker, I'm a midnight toker. I am a comic book fan and told him that's the Riddler's symbol, the Joker's symbol, if any, is the Joker's face. He hung his head and was like, yeah, I know.
Uncouple Please
Couple tattoos like portraits or names. Mostly when they proudly tell you it's because they've been together for 5 months and just know they stay together forever.
The more crap a couple does to prove they're gonna be together forever, the less I believe they're gonna be together forever.
Yeehaw Fail
Sayings, especially ones that span multiple limbs/areas.
I was in the Army with a guy from Texas that thought he was hard as woodpecker lips. Had 'Cowboy The F Up' tattooed across his forearms (ostensibly so if he put his fists up to fight you, you would read it and... I don't know, be scared or something? He never got in any fights that I know of.) But due to the size he wanted it and sh!tty planning, one arm said COWBOY THE and the other arm simply read F UP. And he immediately became known as Cowboy, the f-up.
Oh Karna....
Just saw a couple of days ago a writing on some dude: "Karna isn't a witch" - just as I wrote it.
He's just expressing support for his friend Karna. She might not be a saint, but she isn't a witch.
To be fair, Karna is one of the most interesting characters of Mahabharata, a Sanskrit epic. Oh, and "Karna" literally translates to ear.
Sure hope his ear isn't a witch! :D
Stay with Adults
GiphyThose creepy faces of babies, which looks like there's a little demon on your body.
Baby face are so hard to get right. They don't have the same proportions as adults. Even drawings of babies are creepy 9/10 times.
The Neck Area
I once stood in line behind a lady who had, like, the bad tattoo parade going from the nape of her neck. She had "Only God Can Judge Me", something in Asian characters, and an ugly, faded, poorly drawn crucifix.
I hope the Asian part wasn't her name spelled out in katakana. Really common and really weird. Like you are worried about turning up unconscious in a lost-and-found in Tokyo and this is the only way they'll be able to identify you. All our names sound stupid in the katakana version.
Don't Phone My Home
Sci-Fi Movie GIF by MANGOTEETHGiphyWhen I was in college my friend was talking to some girl he worked with and she brought her very trashy, older friend.
The friend had a tattoo on her shoulder of a face. I said "you must really like E.T, that movie scared the crap out of me as a child." I was being honest, I thought it was E.T. It turns out that it was her daughter. Her daughter looked just like E.T.
How Lyrical?
Knew of a guy once who had "DUBSTEP" tattooed on his chest in VERY VERY large letters. He also insisted that dubstep was the future of music and was here to stay.
Even if it was here to stay, that's still a really stupid tattoo. It would look equally stupid to have POP or HIPHOP on your chest too.
Objection!
phoenix wright objection GIF by CheezburgerGiphyA defendant in the courtroom I clerked in during law school had "homicide" tattooed on his face, over his eyebrow. Not a great look.
Afterlife....
I work with the deceased. I've seen a direct correlation between "ONLY GOD CAN JUDGE ME" tattoos and being a victim of gunshot homicide. Juggalo tattoos don't bode well for MVAs. Tasmanian Devils go hand in hand with gastric bleeds from chronic alcohol consumption. The clinically depressed seemed to like dolphins.
A Gift
Tattoos that are gifts from you to someone else. For example "For your birthday, I got your birth date tattooed on me!"
And tattoos with spelling errors. Example "Were you really there if you think you were their?"
I thought tattoo presents were just... paying for your friend's tattoo. I'm glad I didn't know that, and wish I could unknow it.
Oh CB....
Calvin from Calvin and Hobbes peeing on stuff. Except the one from Hot Rod with one stream of urine going on the TV set and one going on the FM radio with an AM radio safely dry in the middle on a magic carpet.
Stamped...
stamp GIF by South ParkGiphyI have a tramp stamp that says "no regrets" in very fancy cursive. It's the only tattoo my dad laughed at rather than cringed. I can judge no one.
Body parts
Ones where the person gets a tattoo of someone using either their real nipple or belly button to replace the tattoo of a person's nipple or belly button (e.g. Buddha with real belly button). That is really damn gross, don't get one.
"oh... alright let me go get set up"
My first tattoo I went to get my daughter's name and her birthday. The guy tried so hard to talk me out of it and I couldn't understand why. He goes "man a name and date is just gonna turn into a bad memory one day". And then I realized he thought this was a girlfriend or something. Told him it was my kid and he goes "oh... alright let me go get set up" haha.
More related story. My daughter's mom (ex) has my name tattooed on her wrist and I laugh to myself every time I see her.
FAQs: "he thought you were dating a child??" No I can't imagine. Probably figured it was an anniversary or just didn't look to see what the date actually was.
"Lie to Me"
I'm a tattoo artist. Had a regular come into the shop, he was an older swinger type and my coworker tattooed him.
He got Pinocchio tattooed above his junk with his penis as the nose, and script that said "Lie to Me"
I try not to judge tattoos but I figured you'd all appreciate this one ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Edit: Obligatory "wow this blew up" edit. Thanks everyone for correcting my shrug ♥️
Know what you mean....
mark wahlberg no GIF by Daddy's HomeGiphyAny tattoo with something in Chinese or Japanese written on it. I am learning Japanese coz why not, and I saw this dude with a tattoo saying sakana (fish). I was like, hey what does that mean and he said poison. He may have typed poisson into Google translate lol.
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The Next Chapter Mark
Tattooist here!
Its always rewarding being able to commemorate the end of trauma in someones life. To have someone trust you to help them close important chapters in their life is just so incredibly humbling.
The one client that really stands out to me is my cousin.
She was diagnosed with breast cancer a while back. She ended up beating it, but it was a hard journey for her.
Every year she celebrates the date she was officially declared cancer free. At the end of my apprenticeship, she flew out from Cali to Florida to have me do her one and only tattoo for her- the ribbon with her new birthdate.
My whole family doesn't really care for tattoos, so the support and trust from her solidified my dedication to this industry.
Feet ID
I tattooed a pig and rooster on a young couple's feet (he got the rooster, she got the pig). Traditionally, sailors would get these designs tattooed as a superstitious way to keep from drowning.
A few months later, he contacted me to let me know that a while after they got the tattoos, they broke up. She then took her own life.
He came back to me to get the pig tattooed on his other foot to match. It was a heavy day, for sure.
The Blue Dragonfly
My oldest ever client. She was 76, and had just received a bad diagnosis, so had come in with her son to cross off "get a tattoo" from her bucket list. She wanted a blue dragonfly on her collarbone, but couldn't stand upright and steady for long, so, with the help of her son, I had to lay her down on the bed to apply the stencil. Wherever possible you should always apply a stencil with a client standing naturally, so that the design isn't distorted when gravity shifts their body. She laughed hysterically when she stood up to check the stencil placement and it shifted from her shoulder and disappeared into her cleavage.
We had a great time during the tattoo, the three of us laughed and joked; she had a great sense of humor and was really positive despite her grim diagnosis.
Two and a half years later, she returned to the tattoo shop, now 78. Far less energetic this time, she asked me to add her sons name beneath the blue dragonfly. He had suddenly fallen sick and passed away before her.
Broken
I was an apprentice and I sold custom drawings at the same time. I once had a woman who wanted a rainbow heart that looked like shattered glass. She then explained me that it was in memory of her daughter, who died from a car crash. The day of her death, she came out to her mom as a lesbian, her mom didn't react well and the daughter went for a drive to vent a little. That drive is the one who killed her. I could tell through the mails how devastated her mom was, and how guilty she felt. It really broke my heart.
Story in the Letters
My brother passed a little over 10 years ago and one of his best friends is a tattoo artist. He used to be in the military and would write letters to us so we were able to get one of his favorite sayings in his own handwriting from piecing it all together. I also had him mix his ashes in with the ink. My brothers buddy broke down immediately when I opened the urn I have for him, needless to say he had to take a little break before he started.
St. George....
Not me, but my artist: a guy came in his shop and asks for a St. George killing the dragon tat, my artist did the job and that was it. Like a month after a girl came in the shop and she asked too for the same design, and my artist said something like "oh good I have done the same picture like a month ago, so I'm still fresh and can do a really good job", and as soon as he finish the sentence, the girl started crying really really bad. The guy was her brother that committed suicide one week before, and she wanted the tat for legacy. He did the job pro bono.
Full Body
Not a tattoo artist, just heavily tattooed, one of my artist friends told me a story about a guy who came in that'd lost his first born at 6 years old to childhood lymphoma. The guy wanted to have a full body suit done of all the kids drawings, the drawings were terrible but he never wanted to forget them.
M.I.A.
I managed a tattoo shop and we were about to close when a group of 6 well dressed people came in. I asked if they came from a wedding. Complete opposite, they were coming from a funeral.
All 8 of them got a paper plane tattoo. Most people this was their first tattoo. They kept getting call and 8 more people came totaling almost 16 people getting tatted plus guests hanging out.
I had to ask artists to work over time and stay back but they all wanted to help this family and group of friends go through this tough time.
For privacy I won't mention how the person they were paying tribute passed but the reason they got paper planes is because she looked exactly like M.I.A apparently and paper planes was their inside joke with her.
We let them take over the music for the shop and blast that song as loud as possible and to see sad broken people smiling and dancing and celebrating this persons life touched me.
"I love you"
I've been diagnosed with Leukemia since last year. I can't get a tattoo quite yet, but when I can I want to get a voice wave of my mom saying "I love you" tattooed where the central line used to be in my arm.
Edit: thank you all for the kind words! I'm currently in remission and if I find out if I'm still in remission next week!
Super....
My tattoo artist got asked to tattoo a kid (11years old) that has maybe 3 months left to live to tattoo the superman logo on his chest. He had to refuse because he is no medical tattooist. But he told them to paint his chest everytime he comes here for free. He is such a cool guy. He was invited to his funeral and tattooed some fake skin (don't know what he meant with that) and they put this in his casket.
Awesome but very sad.
The Memorial
My husband has a tattoo for his pervious fiancé who died of cancer at only 39 yrs old. It's a woman going up a staircase and a clock at the time she died. I always thought it was a really sad, but touching memorial.
And kudos to you for seeing it for what it is.... <3
A Sunflower
My tattoo artist once tattooed a sunflower on a man who lost his daughter from suicide. Apparently she was in a mentally abusive relationship. The ex drove her mad spiraling into depression and eventually she committed suicide. The last note, she wrote about being sorry as she would definitely disappoint her dad.
They were close. During the relationship however, the father was working abroad.
The sunflower on his side symbolizes the daughter will always be with him as he was one of the primary source for her happiness. You know how sunflowers always grow facing the sun? Yeah, that. A heartbreaking tale of a man wishing he could have done more, like maybe put his feet down and break the abusive cycle she was in.
Don't know what happen to the ex. I hope that scumbag has permanent Hemorrhoid.
The Last Talk
My best friend died a few years ago in a car accident. The very last conversation we ever had was a phone conversation of him telling me about his new tattoo. Obviously, he never got to show it to me, but his mom sent me a picture of it a few months later.
With her permission, I went and got the same tattoo a year and a half after his death.
The kicker is, I lived a couple hours away from the artist who did my friend's tattoo, so I went to her. It was so healing to get to talk to someone who had seen him, and now I have a great tattoo with a great story.
Name Me
A woman came straight from her father's funeral with his final will and testament and had me put his signature on her arm. She could hardly make out the words and we both cried the entire time. It was such a deep experience I couldn't charge her.
Together Again....
Simple but beautiful story.
Elderly man came in to the tattoo shop for his first tattoo. He wanted his wife's name. While drawing it up for him - he explained his wife of 45 years had just passed away a month ago. He told me she never wanted him to have a tattoo but he was in the service and always wanted one - of her name - but he never got it because she wouldn't let him.
He says "I don't mean to be ornery or disrespect her wishes, I just need a piece of her with me until we're together again."
EDIT: Wow - was tattooing and didn't expect this simple comment to blow up. Thank you, kind redditors - y'all have made my heart happy today. Special thanks for the award!
Emily Rose
I'm answering for my brother. He's a talented tattoo artist with his own shop in Colorado.
When my first child was born (at 23 weeks super preemie), he was 13. He drew a gorgeous name tag for her incubator in the NICU based on her name: Emily Rose.
She passed away from pneumonia when she was 3 years old. Years later my brother gave me a tattoo of a reimagining of that name sign. All free hand and it is gorgeous.
His art welcomed his niece into the world and his art celebrated her life when she left it.
Thank You Wolfgang
Not a tattoo artist - I have two floral and wildlife themed sleeves that cover 10 years of self harm scars. Many artists refused to tattoo over my scars and then I met Wolfgang - the nicest, coolest artist around. He does beautiful work and I now get compliments on my arms instead of stares or awkward questions. I never wore short sleeves in front of anyone before I got my first piece done. His work has given me a confidence that I wouldn't have had otherwise. Tattoos are cool, and Wolfgang is brilliant.
Invincible....
one of my favorite co-workers had medical problems as a young child & ended up adopting a cat sharing the same problems (I don't remember the name, sorry, but it was heart related). The cat grew up with her & died about 2 years ago, so she got a cat chasing a bell (their favorite toy) with a heart to the side saying "you can't stop me". It made me very sad, & it was a very pretty tattoo.
Making the Connection
A young woman came in wanting a belly button tattoo. When I asked what she wanted in her belly button she said, "I don't have a belly button, I want you to tattoo one on me." She was born with malfunctioning organs and as a newborn the doctors had cut her open from sternum to tailbone in order to remove said organs and then stitched her back up leaving two small holes in her side for waste. She was perfectly sealed up apart from those two holes.
After I had tattooed a dainty little grey and pink navel she got up to have a look, tears welled in her eyes and then she did a little dance as she squeaked, "I've never felt closer to my mother!"
The shop got a little dustier that day. That was just about the best feeling I've ever had after completing a tattoo.
Brainstorming
Illustration Brainstorming GIF by Jef CaineGiphyOne of my closest friends was killed by a drunk driver in a head on collision (she was only 23) and when I expressed to my artist a couple months after the accident that I wanted to get a piece done for her, he immediately began to help me brainstorm ideas. I am so grateful to have this guy in my life, he is incredibly talented but so humble. Which is why I'm writing this comment, someone's gotta represent for him.
This was the result:
My friend & I first met at a summer camp, boy did she love that place. For two summers I was unable to attend due to college sports and so she wrote me letters to keep me updated on the camp events. (For context, I have been attending this camp since 2004 when I was in 4th grade, and the same people tend to go every summer, so in a sense it is like a second family/home to me).
My amazing tattoo artist used one of these old notes & took letters and words out to form lines from my friend's favorite camp song in her exact handwriting (like seriously it is indistinguishable from her writing on paper), which I now have tattooed under my heart on my ribs.
The lines are:
For I only have a moment, and a whole world yet to see.....
Earmarks
I have a tattoo of a question mark behind my ear. My friend Buh had the same tattoo when I met her and I used to think it was so cool!
I was 16 at the time when she committed suicide, it was the first death I had experienced, hers was the first funeral I ever went to. The effect it had on me is something that I still remember 7 years later.
Last year I got the same tattoo in the same place in memory of her, my most sentimental tattoo and also one of my favorites.
Rest in peace Buh, you had more of an effect on this world than you could ever know.
Handprints
Ohh man. I figure this will get buried but here we go....
They weren't my clients but one day a couple comes in to get a handprint tattoo. They show us the handprint and the artist is like, dang that looks pretty muddled, is it possible to get another version? Nope. Not possible. It's their baby's handprint, and it was taken post-mortem. It's the only physical reminder they have of their child who only lived a few hours.
Working by a children's hospital was rough.
"Cheeky"
Ex gf is a tattoo artist. She came home WAY late from work one night...
2 British dudes, drunk off there butts, came into the shop a few minutes before the shop was going to close. They wanted to get tattoo'd right then, right there. My ex, she wasn't really having it, until they explained the situation. They were in the states, doing a cross country road trip that they had been planning for years. There was another buddy that was going to be with them, but he passed away a few months beforehand.
So they wanted to get a poorly done tattoo of his face (because all of the dead buddies tattoos were REALLY bad) on each of there "arse cheeks". So when they went to all these places that they had planned to see, they could show him.
Well, the ex popped open some whiskey, threw on some metal, and started getting to it. The dudes were apparently utterly hilarious and had everyone in tears from laughter the entire time. One of the tattoos she's most proud of, but the fact that it's so poorly done on purpose, she can't really have it in her book.
Hey Sailor
sailor jupiter GIFGiphyClient, not an artist. I am totally blind and I am a big fan of Sailor Moon; more specifically Sailor Jupiter, the Senshi of courage and strength. I got a tattoo of Jupiter on my arm with the word COURAGE under it, but what made it special is that the artist was able to make it raised up on purpose, so I can clearly feel the design of Jupiter and the word she represents. When I am feeling low, I can trace the word COURAGE on my arm and feel Jupiter's confidence resonate with me. I think it has helped save my life at least once.
EDIT: Including a pic of the tattoo, taken when I was at International Sailor Moon Day in 2017. https://i.imgur.com/VgiH8cB.jpg
the meaning of loss....
Not an artist. got my first tattoo, a simple heart on my wrist. Missed a couple dozen calls from my mom during the session - my dad had a heart attack and passed away. That tattoo took on a whole new meaning.
Ugh, my heart breaks for you reading this. I can't imagine that pain. I'm sorry for your loss, and I hope your life goes better. And you or anyone who needs some kindness from a stranger, feel free to reach out to me.
Post Surgery
My partner Pro Bono's tattooed nipples on women's reconstructed breasts.
She is a cosmetic tattooist and post operative breast cancer patients are referred to her.
They often cry when they see themselves after the procedure, they say they it is feeling whole again after so much trauma.
Luna Freedom
I once tattooed a Luna Moth on a cancer survivor. As he walked towards the mirror and saw the finished product, he started crying knowing that his nightmares were finally over and that the moth was a representation of himself fully free from cancer. It was hard to not cry watching this.
Canine Family
dogs monday GIFGiphyMy father in law had ashes from his dog put into the ink of his memorial tattoo. The artist is a member of the family so they were able to accommodate his request.
The + Sign
I tattooed a plus sign on a couple. The air was heavy but it wasn't my place to ask why. Once we put the stencils on, they opened up.
They had just miscarried. She told me they were excited to bring life into this world, together. And their favorite moment of joy was when she took the pregnancy test and they waited together... for their overwhelmingly positive response: for the plus sign.
For Him
When my little brother died I asked my tattoo artist for a memorial tattoo for him - a calico cat (me) and an angelic corgi (him, corgis were his favorite thing in the entire world) playing around an anchor (he was in the navy for years). It was personal to me and he did a lovely job. We both cried when he finished and I was checking it out in the mirror, and he gave me a really big hug.
Edit: For people asking for a picture... honestly I've put on some weight since I got the tat (grief + quarantine + bad hip) and it's gone blurry, plus it's hard for me to get a good close up due to the fact that the tat is on my bad leg and it's difficult to bend over. So here's a pic but it's not a very good one. I promise it looks better in real life. I also included a bonus cat head.
Angel Gabriel
Not a tattoo artist but my father in law was tragically taken from us. He was run over by a speeding motorcycle. Our family was torn apart, the crap responsible was wealthy, well connected and didn't even get a ticket/suspended license/asked to take a defensive course. Never acknowledged/apologized. My father in law was an amazing and somewhat known artist. While going through his studio we found a sketch of the Angel Gabriel, our son's name. My wife now has that exact sketch fit scale on her back. It is a beautiful homage and allows us to keep his memory with us. My mother in law is spending the weekend with us they raised their families and this was supposed to be their time together. Screw people who walk through the world that way.
Please slow down everyone and enjoy the times you have with your loved ones.
Matching Marks
fathers day dad GIFGiphyMy best friend is a tattoo artist and a client walked in. He asked for a tattoo of his daughter's scar in the same area so his daughter won't be self conscious about it.
Through out the appointment, he talked about his daughter and how proud he was of her.
102.....
I made my tattoo artist cry. Twice. I'd been in for a couple with them after my regular guy retired. I went in and asked for patch from 102 dalmatians with his paws up in the words 'you can beat this'. He asked why so I told him I'd spoken to an oncologist. I had leukemia. I'd bruise really easy so to cheer up my daughter I'd put my hair in pigtails and say i felt like being a Dalmatian today. I told him I'd be back when I went into remission to get the 'you can beat this' crossed out and 'see!' put underneath. I booked it last week and set him off for the second time!
Tramp Stamp
Apprentice here so didn't have much time to gather stories yet, but the client we had that had the most insane stories and basically ended up talking until we closed, was this 80yr old lady who came to us to have her tramp stamp retouched. Her husband gave it to her a week after they met, being drunk off their butts. Then she just continued to tell us all kinds of dumb fool they did while being drunk or on all possible drugs, ending up with 3 other spirals and butterflies added to the stamp, she doesn't remember how she got. But since she's so old, it started fading and now u can barely see it, so she wanted it retouched as to "keep the memory of those years alive and colorful as they were."
Oh and the really sweet one of this guy who came to us after he got out of prison, (before I was an apprentice) started talking about how he had no idea how to get the woman he loves back, while getting a tattoo of the bar sign from the bar where they met. He came by the shop with the woman (now his wife) and their kid, a year and a half after the tattoo, so that the woman could get the same tattoo from the same artist who tattooed him, because he apparently gave him the balls to go get her back.
Thank you Mr. B....
Back in 1999 I was taking courses at the local community college in a small city (50k people) and I chose to get the 2-yr degree in Communications/Media Arts and the head of the department was a really cool guy who taught a few of the classes and he had a tattoo going all around his wrist of flames that went up his arm maybe six inches and one day a student in my class asked him about it and it turns out he had a teenage son who died in a car crash and that was the tattoo his son was planning on getting so he went ahead and got it on his wrist to honor his son. No one expected that answer at all so it got really quiet in the classroom.
He's retired now but we still keep in touch as he was the reason I got my first job as a news cameraman because he told the news director at a local TV station that I got an internship at that I was a good student and had a good eye so the news director offered me a part-time gig shooting on the weekends and I ended up being a cameraman for 14 years between that station and one other one in another state. I always think of him and that tattoo as it endeared him to me and the other students as someone we could always go to when we needed help/advice beyond the classroom and he always treated us like we were his adopted kids. Thank you Mr. B....
A Mural
A local tattoo artist had a severe burn victim as a client. The client's leg was scarred and disfigured from the burns.
The artist did a whole mural on this guy's leg and it was beautiful. Couldn't even tell that the guy's leg was ever burned. Restored all esteem and confidence in the client and made the artist happy.
Red Balloons....
My sister is an artist she had a client she really liked did some good portraiture work on, the client was out at dinner one night when she suddenly got a headache, and died on the spot from a brain aneurysm leaving behind her young son. My sister did a charity event to raise money for her family and tattooed dozens of red balloons in her memory. I'm still really proud of her for doing that
Edit: holy crap guys wow. Just wanted to say: if you're having the worst skull-splitting headache of your life, do not hesitate, call 911. It's slim, but you do have a chance if you know what to do.
The Eyes
acid trip drugs GIFGiphyMy SIL got a tattoo of an owl and had my brother's ashes mixed with ink for the owl's eyes. My brother had very vibrant and striking blue eyes, and the owl has the same shade of blue eyes.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXO......
Not an artist, but I have several tattoos. The one that means the most to me, is three X's on my ankle.
When I did my driving tests, I failed a few times due to failure anxiety. One day my father decided to write me a note, telling me he believed in me, that I shouldn't let it get to my head and that I should look at it as if it was a driving lesson, not a test. He'd be in a meeting afterwards, so I should text him my results. He closed the letter with three kisses (XXX).
Now I'm highly superstitious, so I put that note in my pocket and went on to my driving test. And I passed. From that moment on, every time something important was about to happen, I'd put that note in my pocket. Unfortunately it went through the washing machine and I lost the note, but I had a photo of it in my phone. I reckoned I was less likely to lose my ankle than a piece of paper, so I got the three X's tattooed in my ankle in honor of my dad.
He's still alive, but it's my most valuable tattoo.
The Cardinal
I have a cardinal on my arm in memory of my stepdad. He had one leg, loved Christmas, and one of my fav gifts I've ever gotten from him was a dream catcher. My tattoo artist took all that and made a gorgeous one legged cardinal holding a dream catcher with some holly behind it.
John, if somehow the afterlife lets you see it, I got it because you made a mark on my life by choosing to help raise a little red headed demon. You didn't have to, but you did it anyways. Thank you for everything.
Lotus Proud
While he was working on his sleeve, I got bored and decided to get a tattoo that I'd always wanted. A lotus flower with the stem in the shape of the logo for the National Eating Disorder Association. I wasn't trying to put my business out there, so I tried to draw the shape, but I realized that wasn't working out.
So I showed the artist the logo, and obviously he saw what it was. We got to talking, and I told him my story. When it came time to pay, he didn't charge me anything. I tipped him $80, and he said he was proud to see someone successfully beat an eating disorder. It's still one of my favorite tattoos.
"Love you, Mackie"
I Love You Lova Ya GIFGiphyMy best friend passed away very suddenly on the 4th of July last year. She lost her 5 year battle with full systemic lupus, we knew she was sick but we never thought it would take her from us. We had been friends since we were 5 and she passed when she was 21, it completely shattered me.
I have my tattoo appointment this week to get a purple butterfly (universal symbol for lupus) and the words "love you, Mackie" traced from a letter she wrote me. It's going to be the most meaningful tattoo I have and I know she would have loved it.
Keep Adding....
A friend of mine (drifted apart) got a bouquet of roses tattooed across his back. One silver one for his mum, three black ones for his sisters, a red one for his partner and two green buds for his nephew and niece. His mum passed away a week after he got them complete but at least we will always have the memory of her look of shock when he showed them to her.
I wonder if he's added more....
The Moon & Beyond
Not a tattoo artist, but my husband passed away very suddenly. A friend of our's was a tattoo artist, and he was amazingly skilled. I asked him to tattoo "I love you to the moon and back a million times" in my husbands handwriting from a letter I had from my husband. I had every intention of paying him, naturally, but he didn't want payment. He did it for free. It is my favorite tattoo and it means the world to me. He is an amazing artist, and an even more awesome human being. I cherish it every day.
Edit: Oh my gosh guys, y'all are so sweet! Reddit has really been kind to me and helped me with the loss of my husband. I don't know if anybody remembers the infamous "Widow misses husband, wants to figure out how to obtain his Google data for voice recordings to hear his voice again" comment on an Ask Reddit post last year, but that was also from me, and they ended up doing an Endless Thread podcast episode that featured some of his voice recordings. You guys are amazing.. thank you for all the love!
One Leg Fool
Guy came in - he had one leg so I thought he was interesting, he wanted a tattoo on his hand and asked if it was ok to tattoo it since he had recently broken it (his hand), I said it was fine as long as it was healed up. I asked out of curiosity how he broke his hand and he said "I punched my dog". I got him to fill out the form with his name and address and asked casually where the dog was and he just said "gone now". Told him I was sorry that I couldn't do his tattoo and then turned his butt in to the cops. I should have just taken his other leg. Moron.
I just met you.....
Tattoo artist here. i just wanna chime in and say this : tattoos are a powerful tool for healing, for sure. but we aren't therapists. i get to know a lot of my clients over the years and we tell each other about our traumas and become good friends over time. but holy crap, do not use your tattooist as a therapist, especially on the first appointment, or through a long oversharing email.
I care about my clients but I am not prepared emotionally for them to blast me with their trauma right out of the gate. graphic details of death, loss, abuse, assault, buddy, I just met you. I have no training to be able to handle this internally, nor to help you in the way that a professional can. often times therapy costs about as much as a tattoo, and while it's less cool, it might be more helpful in the long run.
Oh Spike!
Not a tattoo artist but got a very meaningful tattoo this past February! I lost my 13 yrs old dog on January 4 and it broke my heart, he was with me more than half of my life and put a smile on my face every single day for 13 years. He was the most precious bundle of joy. I always let him sleep on my bed and he used to curl up and rest his head close to my ankle, so simple but it made me feel so warm inside. I got this right in the spot he used to rest at. One of my favorite pictures with him. Not a day goes by that I don't remember my little ball of fur, I love and miss you so much Spike!
Lyrical Momento
My mom got a tattoo of the main lyrics of the song she sang to our rescue dog who died of a preventable disease from the Dominican.
He was the most loving, thankful and well behaved dog anyone will ever have known, and he died at the age of 6 after only having him for 2 years because the vets said they could save us hassle for the disease treatment if we start it when it becomes active. By then it was too late. His last days were so sad, it broke my mom for a long time.
Like a Titan
the dark world thor GIFGiphyNot an artist, but this is a very personal story.
In 2015 I got Destiny: The Taken King and met five people to do a raid, four of whom I still play with today. The fifth was named Daniel. He played Titan class, and was the best sniper I've ever seen. But he was also a really, really nice kid. He always encouraged everybody and hyped us up. But in 2017 he died to cancer. And I'd never get to tell him how much I appreciated him.
He played the Solar subclass, which if you don't play, means you get a small flaming hammer, much like Thor's, to throw at people and cause havoc. Well, our other Titan Kyle also played the subclass. So, as a memorial to Daniel and his favorite class, he got a tattoo of the flaming hammer on his arm. Something simple and sweet, with a huge meaning.
The Angel
The most memorable tattoo that I've seen is one of my brother's. For background: my brother used to be my cousin but he had adopted him because his mom, dad, and little brother were all murdered. He had wanted a tattoo for most of his life and had sketched out a few designs. They went to the tattoo place and had the person there do a few touch ups to the desired design then came home with a cross with angel wings that had his little brother's name, date of birth, and death date. It is a very beautiful tattoo and is my favorite out of all of his.
Favorite Forever....
I was in a car accident and lost my brother.... got a portrait of him done on my arm.. it's a pretty tragic story, that I told to the artist. When he was done he gave me a minute alone (in a tiny studio surrounded by others getting work done), I spent a few minutes balling my eyes out. I kinda felt bad for everyone around, having to see that. He cut me a deal (which I didn't ask for or want). I have lots of tats, this one is obviously my favorite.. it's an amazing piece and very well done.
If you or someone you know is struggling, you can contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).To find help outside the United States, the International Association for Suicide Prevention has resources available at https://www.iasp.info/resources/Crisis_Centres/
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So they have some pretty amazing stories. As you'd imagine, A LOT of people later regret the tattoos they get. Sometimes it takes mere minutes before the horror of permanence sets in. Sometimes it takes a little time.
Either way, they come hobbling in asking for the artists to put in some extra work--to fix the recent mistake.
For the artist, that can be a bit annoying, or hilarious, or horrifying.
A recent Reddit thread beckoned the very juiciest stories that the world's tattoo fixers had to offer.
ProAssassin666 asked, "People who fix bad tattoos, what is the funniest/worst story of a bad tattoo?"
Karma
"Removed some terrible ones in my time."
"The worst was an entire back piece of swastikas and hanging black men from trees. Lots of hate all over."
"He booked over the phone. I sound like an average British white, which I'm not."
"When he came in, shoulda seen the look on his face. He had to apologize like a million times and say his disclaimer for almost half an hour before letting me see it."
-- NASTYOPINION
Been There, Done That
"I was in the shop shooting the sh** and looking through the books, while my buddy was in the chair getting some new ink. Young couple walks in."
"They're maybe 19-20 years old and pawing each other to the point that I thought they were going to fall down and have sex right there on the floor."
"Girl says, 'We need matching Bobby and Becky Forever tattoos with hearts and flowers!' "
"Artist (also a friend) doesn't even look up, 'No, go away. You been together what? One month? Two? Come back in five years.' "
"The girl argued for about a minute and then they left."
"Artist: 'I hate doing coverups of my own work.' "
-- Outlander56
The Scenic Route to a Butterfly Tattoo
"A tattoo artist who was working on my sister in law told me this one."
"So this affair couple comes in and they want to get each other's initials in huge letters just above their groins, under the belly button. The guy goes first, and when its done, the girl walks out and the guy chases after her."
"He comes back half an hour later, saying he needs to cover it up somehow. They were going to leave their spouses for each other, but she got cold feet and broke things off with him, so he didn't want to leave his wife now and couldn't go home with some girl's initials on him."
"The only thing they could think of thatd be big enough and bold enough to cover it was a butterfly."
-- lukekneip
A Record of a Toxic Narrative
"The funniest case that sticks in my mind is the woman who came in wanting me to cover up her ex-husband's name, which was part of a lower back rose design. I did so by extending some leaves and reworking it to balance out the new addition."
"A couple months later, she came back in to have her ex-husband's name re-added because, guess what, they got remarried. So I did it, but fortunately I convinced her to do it fairly small, just in case, you know."
"Surprise surprise, about a year later she's back to get it covered again! She was a pretty cool lady in general, as I remember, and we had a lot of good laughs and 'I told you so's.' "
"I haven't seen her since, or at least not for that expanding rosebush."
-- 100Dachsunds
Hebrew in Hebrew
"Not an artist here but an old buddy of mine was going through a really religious phase and wanted the word Jesus tattooed on him in Hebrew characters. So he used the internet to translate and copied the word, printed it and got it tattooed."
"Unfortunately, he copied the word 'Hebrew' in the Hebrew characters instead of the word 'Jesus.' We still bring it up every so often."
-- Shanamat
A Needed Service
"I live in Los Angeles."
"I know there's one shop that will cover up any gang tattoos and even laser removes gang tattoos for free."
-- NukedOut
A Sticking Point in the Relationship
"A 20 year old guy comes in with his girlfriend trying frantically to not go through with this and everything and when I see the tattoo I was floored. It was her name tattooed on his d**k!"
"While I was removing it we start talking (his gf had left for a coffee and she told him to think about it but he immediately told me to remove it once she was gone) and apparently she also was a tattoo artist and they were at the parlor where she worked at and they got drunk and he agreed to get the tattoo which she had been trying to convince him to get for a while and I guess he was way too drunk but he got it."
"Now when his girl came back it was almost gone and she freaked out saying she didn't think he would do it and SHE WENT TO GO GET A TATTOO OF HIS NAME ON HER WRIST so she lied and said she was getting coffee."
"She thought that was going to convince him to keep it, that was a sign of their love and a whole bunch of bs."
"But he came back with, 'Would a person who loved me get me drunk and tattoo my d**k?' and that shattered her because she knew she was taking advantage of him that night so he said we will talk at my place."
Mr. Sarafice
"I had a friend in the fire department that had the Maltese Cross with the words 'Honor... Duty... Sarafice.' "
"He was called 'Sarafice' the rest of his career."
-- Fyrepup
Don't Judge a Book
This mid 70s looking lady come in and asked for a tattoo cover up, usually we first see the tattoo to see the metrics and all that, but she passed through that and went straight to the new tattoo design..."
"...didn't wanted to push her or make her feel uncomfortable to let me see the tattoo immediately, but I ended the drawing she wanted a rabbit with roses by the side."
"Now this is where it all goes down, I go take a look on what I'm covering up and see a massive Nazi flag w a little heart by the side and the name inside was Hitler..."
..."I was shocked as f***, did the cover up and when i got to fill the name Hitler she started crying because she apparently was emotionally attached to a tattoo that had Nazi sh**..."
"...I did the whole thing and she left like nothing happened."
-- LuigiIsWeak
Overconfidence
"A guy from high school had 'no regrets' tattooed to his forearm."
"Then had it removed."
A Very Elaborate Prank
"Had a friend who got a temporary tattoo and as a joke tried to walk into a tattoo parlour and get the tattoo 'fixed up' That artist was about a quarter way through when he realized it was temporary."
-- PapaTrotzki
Cylindrical Animals
"My first one was done by a guy from prison with a tatttoooo machine made there! My snake looked like a worm. The second one on top of that-by an artist who was high...the snake is flat I need to fix it now again...🤣🤣🤣professionally, but a real professional would never fix, he would paint from scratch🙄😭"
Various Takes on an Unfinished Cross
"I had a friend who started to get a cross on his arm, halfway through he couldn't take it anymore and stopped. It looks like a bong or a side shot of a body with a boner."
Mellow Wolves and Daggers
"At one point before I decided to become a businessman I wanted to try tattooing for some extra cash and my friends dad is a professional tattoo artist and he agreed to take me as an apprentice."
"Two weeks in and a guy comes in with a I dont even know what it was but he got it while drunk. (Side note never get tattoos while drunk it's a bad idea.) Anyway my friends dad turned the what I think was a dog or whatever into a really cool wolf with a dagger hanging out of its mouth like a stick being brought back."
"The guy said he was wanting a tattoo and wanted to be 'mellow.' "
-- coolkage
Anatomical Errors
"I personally don't have any tattoos but an old friend decided to get his first tattoo, spent a few weeks drawing this dragon out, took it to the tattooist who said that will not fit on his arm, so he picked one off the display of a skeleton with a scythe, only thing is the skeleton has 5 fingers and a thumb on one hand, he got stick for year for that one."
Buyer Beware
"I don't fix tattoos, nor do I personally have a bad one. BUT, one of my good friend's wife was stationed in Germany, so they moved there. One of the first nights there, my buddy got hammered and wandered into a tattoo parlour."
"Basically just told the guy to give him whatever. Ended up being a giant naked woman with her hands tied behind her back and a dunce cap on."
The Golden Years
I have a friend who, shortly after high school, got a tramp stamp that said 'Ride 'em cowboy.' It fit her life at the time."
"Now, 20 or so years later, she's married with a family, and has since had it covered up with a sprawling full color nature scene with symbolism representing her kids."
Do you have something to confess to George? Text "Secrets" or "