A few decades ago, tattoos marked you as a sailor, a rocker, or a rebel. People with tattoos were viewed with suspicion if not outright discrimination. Nowadays, however, attitudes have changed. Everyone from office workers to teachers to mothers sport a bit of ink.
In many ways, it’s a positive change. Tattoos aren’t a deal breaker when it comes to jobs. However, along with the rise in popularity of tattoos in general comes the rise in popularity of bad tattoos in particular. By bad tattoos, we mean ones that should have remained a fleeting memory rather than a piece of permanent ink. Unfortunately, there are a lot of them out there – take a look below to see what we mean.
Don’t Worry, It’s Get Better
People love to get heartwarming, funny, or inspiring quotes tattooed on their bodies. These quotes can act as a visual reminder to focus on the important things in life and forget about all the other stuff that keeps you down.
That seems to be the reasoning behind this guy’s tattoo above. Unfortunately, the short inspiring quote was mangled in the grammar department. Instead of “It gets better,” he (or the tattoo artist) ended up spelling “It’s (it is) get better.” If he gets another one, we hope it does get better.
Seeing from Behind
We imagine the idea behind this tattoo was inspired by the phrase “eyes on the back of my head.” Now, that phrase can be taken in two ways: as a threat or as a joke. Considering the guy below looks like a hardened biker, it could be the former.
However, considering that he went through the trouble to add a tuft of hair for a moustache, it seems more likely that it’s the latter. We commend him for his commitment to spread a bit of laughter around.
The Tiger That Wasn’t Terrifying
Anyone who has ever seen a nature show knows that tigers are terrifying creatures. They have the mannerisms of a house cat but are ten times as large and far more dangerous. Although people are understandably scared of that, they also respect tigers for their power.
One way to show that respect is through a tiger tattoo. That’s what the guy above must have been thinking. Unfortunately, the terrifying tiger turned out looking anything but terrifying. Time for a redo.
The Sock Tongue Baby
People love all different kinds of art. Some are fans of the Renaissance masters, others like manga and cartoons, and others like creepy looking baby faces with a sock for a tongue.
It would take a true art critic to work out the depth of meaning behind this odd little image. Is it meant as a reminder to eat socks? Or to pay homage to a time when he ate socks? All we can hope for is that it was meaningful for the person who got the tattoo.
There’s a Spider on My Face
Most people don’t like it when spiders crawl all over their faces. The guy below, as you can see, is not most people. He loves spiders and doesn’t mind them crawling all over his face. That’s why he decided to get a permanent spider in the form of a face tattoo.
A Black Widow face tattoo. This infamous spider is feared for its deadly venom that causes agonizing muscle pain and discomfort. Although not as bad as the spider bite, we imagine the tattoo caused some pain as well.
The Nightmare Portrait
All the sketching, shading, and lines needed to make a portrait means it’s a tedious and easy-to-screw-up art. If you need an example, have a look below. Ostensibly meant to be a photo of his sweetheart, it turned out to be a sketch of a nightmare.
We aren’t sure exactly what went wrong. Maybe the arm was too small a canvas to get all the details needed. Or maybe the tattoo artist took a bit too much artistic license. Whatever the cause, it’s far from a pleasant portrait.
Permanent Designer Shades
Designer shades can run from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. Not everyone has that kind of cash, so they make do with what they have. What the guy below had was a desire for some RayBans and a love of face tattoos.
Rather than fiddling around with the possibility of buying designer shades only to have them break, he went for the permanent option. Although useful, we aren’t sure how much protection they provide from the sun.
Rainbow Eyes
Plenty of brown-eyed people dream of having blue eyes or a tinge of hazel. Colored contact lenses is one way to make that dream come true. Another way is to tattoo your eyeballs. It definitely shouldn’t be your first choice because there are plenty of risks, but some people decide to give it a shot.
In 2007, Luna Cobra and Shannon Larratt developed “scleral tattooing,” or the ability to tattoo your eyeballs. The technique is still developing so ophthalmologists caution against it.
The Permanent Moustache
Beards, moustaches, and goatees are back in style – in fact, there are whole competitions focused on facial hair. For some men, that’s great. For others, it’s a bummer because they can’t grow much of a beard or moustache.
The ingenious guy above figured out a (colorful) solution to that problem – face tattoos! It might not be the best solution for everyone, but it seemed to work out pretty well for him. Plus, there’s no need for all that messy grooming.
Alien Visitations
Sometimes being a human is far too dull. Despite all the shapes and sizes that people come in, at the end of the day we look all too human. For some (like the guy below) that’s a bit disheartening.
To fix the problem, he decided to become an alien – or at least to look like one. Judging by his smile, he seems happy in alien skin. Although we’re not sure what planet he traveled from, we imagine it was a pleasant spot.
Smiles and Frowns
Smiley faces are a popular way to show that you’ve done a great job. Frown faces are a popular way to show you’ve done a terrible job. The guy with the tattoo below got a mix of both to show he was doing a great and terrible job.
Although we admire the sense of balance, we don’t admire … really anything else about it. Next time, we suggest leaving the smiles and frowns to primary school teachers who grade homework for rambunctious kids.
Glasses That Never Leave Your Face
Nowadays it seems like nerds are the new cool guys. Glasses, which were once the domain of the much-maligned “four eyes”, are now chic fashion statements. They come in all different shapes and sizes, from old-school wireless frames to modern-day semi-rimless to, well, thick black lines tattooed around your face.
Although we applaud nerds getting recognition, we hope this new fad doesn't catch on because it seems like one of those decisions that you immediately regret. We suggest sticking to actual glasses, things you can put on and take off.
Dinosaur Scrawlings
Some modern art is incomprehensible to folks, and a common criticism is “my preschooler could have drawn that.” The same charge could be leveled at the following tattoo.
There are a few interpretations of this. The first is that a son or daughter drew it in art class and the father memorialized it. The second is that the father let the son or daughter play a tattoo artist. The third (and perhaps most horrifying) is that the guy doesn’t have kids, the tattoo artist was an adult, and the scrawled dinosaur was a conscious choice.
The Human Reptile
This next tattoo has to be one of the strangest we’ve seen yet. Rather than a misspelled word or a poorly designed portrait, it doesn’t have an easy explanation. It seems to be the exact design that this person wanted.
The only question is: why? It has us shrugging our shoulders and scratching our heads. Perhaps this person knows that deep down inside they are, in fact, a reptile. We can appreciate that even if a red-and-orange combo is not the best color choice.
Tattoo Text Messages
It’s no secret that many of us are deeply attached to our phones. It’s almost like they form an extra limb. When they vibrate from an incoming text, it can feel like our entire body is shaking with excitement.
That seems to be the idea behind the tattoo art above. Although we think it’s an apt concept, we also think that it should have been drawn on a sketchpad and shown to friends rather than tattooed on a leg and shown to the (internet) world.
She Loves Geometry
One of the subjects we loathed in school was geometry. Of course, no matter how much you despise a subject, there will always be other students who adore it. This woman clearly has a thing for shapes and lines.
Do you think her tat designer utilized a ruler? From intersecting to parallel lines and many shapes in between, this woman is a walking geometry class.
Lovely Flowers
While some tattoos on this rundown look like clear mistakes, this one is quite pretty. The tones are bright and the woman looks rational. However, it's such a bold pattern that we wonder if she’ll always be happy having it on her face.
She could have that superb tattoo on her arms or chest. It would be a dazzling contrast to her glowing face. One thing to remember is that certain colors (like pinks, reds, and oranges) don’t respond well to laser, so a tattoo like this may not be able to be removed.
When the Symbol and Phrase Don’t Match
In comparison to some of the tattoo fails we saw inked on skin above (we’re looking at you “it’s get better”), this next one isn’t that bad. It’s more an example of choosing the wrong symbol for the right words.
The phrase itself is poignant, uplifting, and clearly meaningful to the person who chose to get it placed on their back. The infinity symbol, on the other hand, just isn’t doing it for us. Is “love never fails” meant to go forever? Perhaps a heart next time.
Overly Accessorized
This man knew that one effective way to draw in ladies is to don a casual, smart look. After a few tries, he finally tracked down the ideal balance and made it look so easy.
When he got his first face tattoo, he knew something was lacking. When he ran his fingers over his face he realized it required texture. So, he complemented each tattoo with a piercing. He’s a firm believer in “the more, the merrier” when it comes to accessories.
Why Spelling Is Important
Not only is grammar important but so is spelling. Spell one word wrong and it causes an entire phrase to have a different meaning – or no meaning at all. If you need a concrete example of this, look at the following tattoo.
Although “belief” might make certain possibilities real, we can’t say the same thing for “belife” because we don’t know what it means. Is it the life of bees? Jokes aside, we think we figured it out – a “belife” is a tattoo artist who forgets to spell-check.
Receding Hairline? What Receding Hairline?
Men generally don’t seem to be under as much pressure as women to “stay young.” However, the one thing many guys are self-conscious about is their hairline. If they notice that it’s receding, they often go to great lengths to prevent themselves from going bald.
Rather than getting treatment or resorting to hats or toupees, this guy took a unique approach. That’s one very square hairline that will never recede.
Beatlemania, Tattoo-Style
Beatlemania was a term used in the mid-1960s to describe the obsession and excitement that (mostly female) fans expressed when John, Paul, Ringo, and George (aka The Beatles) rocked up on stage to play some music. It reached its height in the 60s, but, as you can see from below, it didn’t end then.
The ill-fated tattoo above is a more modern example of Beatlemania. Taken from the cover of their 1966 album Revolver, this tattoo tribute didn’t pan out right. Well, at least it only takes up his entire back.
Another Way to Wear a G-String
G-Strings are usually well-positioned pieces of fabric or satin meant to secure the bits down below. The man in the picture below, however, pushed aside that whole “made of fabric or satin” bit and opted for something more permanent. Something made of ink.
Although it’s hard to wrap our minds around why a man with a hairy back would get something like this, we choose to assume that he has an incredible sense of humor. What does his significant other think?
Jesus Saves, But He Doesn’t Give Tattoo Advice
Although the tattoo of Jesus below isn’t quite as bad as the tattoo of Coloring Book Jesus above, it still leaves a lot to be desired. The crown of thorns looks like lettuce, and the right eye isn’t looking right.
It’s true that Jesus might save, but he sure didn’t save this guy from getting a questionable tattoo. To be fair, it’s difficult to get a lot of detail into a small space, so that’s why we recommend getting a cross or some rosary beads next time.
Tattooing Your Favorite Song Lyrics
Even though the spelling might be a bit off, the sentiment is true – it’s your life. If you want to get a tattoo of your favorite song lyrics, that’s your choice. The only thing we ask is that you look up the lyrics before you get it tattooed.
This “Jon Bovi” fan clearly didn’t do that. Not only are the lyrics wrong – it’s supposed to be “it’s my life” – but so is the artist’s name – it’s supposed to be “Bon Jovi.”
Howling at the Moon, Kind of
Wolves are majestic (and terrifying) creatures who have been a source of artistic inspiration for hundreds of years. Most often they’re depicted all alone on a snowy cliff howling at the full moon. The tattooed wolf below, however, looks like he’s throwing up at it.
Not exactly the romantic image this person was going for. Rather than a strong and powerful animal ready to brave the cold world, this one looks like it has indigestion from eating one too many cookies.
Your Face Is with Me Forever
New parents are often so proud of their little ones that they want to get a tattoo of their tiny infant faces – something to remember them by. It’s a loving sentiment, but that loving sentiment doesn’t always turn out well. For the excited parent below, it turned out just plain creepy.
The expression is all wrong and the face is too large. Sometimes, it’s best to keep the pictures in a photo album and the memories in your mind –- or else you’ll end up with the bad memory of a terrible tattoo.
Mystical Chinese Turkey Sandwiches
If you were around in the 90s and early 2000s, then you probably remember that Chinese tattoos (and barbed wire tattoos) were all the rage. Often the person who got the tattoo didn’t read Chinese but they always swore it had some mystical or profound meaning.
Perhaps a certain percentage of them did. Another percentage of them were complete nonsense –- or, as you can see from the post above, a food order. Perhaps the tattoo artist got a bit hungry during the job. Or, more likely, the tattoo artist doesn’t know Chinese.
Freddie on the Arm
Freddie Mercury, the lead singer of Queen, was well-known and well-loved for his remarkable singing voice. Fans across the world flocked to watch him sing at Live Aid in 1985, and plenty more flocked to the movie theaters to watch that iconic concert reenacted in 2018.
To commemorate the impact that Freddie had on his life, this diehard fan decided to get a massive tattoo on his arm. Unfortunately, it turned out cartoonishly inaccurate – look at how big Freddie’s face is?!
A Deliberate Mistake or an Accidental Mistake?
We want to apologize to any English teachers who have made it this far down the list. From “no regerts” to “it’s get better,” there’s just too many misspelled words and bad grammar getting tattooed on unlucky people.
The case above is another example. The “your” should be “you’re” as in “when you are having fun.” However, the mistake has us questioning if he did it deliberately, or if he had a bit too much rum before getting his new tattoo.
A Galaxy of Regret
Quite possibly the most mainstream tattoo design you could ever choose is a star. They are not difficult to draw and they take little imagination. If you end up regretting having a tattoo done, you can conceal little stars pretty easily with make-up; unless you go over the top, that is.
This kid was so keen on stars she had a whole galaxy tattooed on the left side of her face. Her dad was understandably furious. Apparently, it took her four years and more than $13,000 to have them all removed. Ouch!
Some Nonsense Poetry
The best poetry attempts to describe the indescribable depths of the human soul. The worst poetry is written by pretentious and cringey folks who long to smoke cigarettes in 19th century France.
In between is the glorious tradition of nonsense rhymes. Lewis Carrol’s Jabberwocky is a classic example. Another (not so classic) example can be seen on Dave’s back. It’s a bit sweet, a bit absurd, and a bit microwave. It’s also something that should have been left in a journal rather than tattooed on the skin.
Another Spider-Guy
Niccolo Machiavelli says, “it’s better to be feared than loved.” Regardless of whether it be plundering, burning vehicles, or battering individuals, many gang members will go to such lengths to rouse fear.
This guy took a simpler approach and had a spider tattooed on his face. Nearly everybody fears those eight-legged creatures. We wonder how many times he’s been slapped in the face by someone thinking the spider is real.
No Mystery Here
This guy decided to put it all out there for everyone to see. Why hold back, right? Anyone who decides to give him a chance after reading his message must truly be a good person.
Still, we don't think anyone should undercut themselves like this. We hope he gets it removed. However, if he doesn’t, at least it will be a good conversation starter!
Stitch Yourself Together a New Tattoo
Stitch from the Disney animated film Lilo and Stitch is meant to be a cute little alien-koala mix. A fun creature who acts like Lilo’s dog as they go on adventures across Hawaii. The film was a massive hit that spawned everything from sequels to video games to merchandise.
It also spawned a desire for Stitch tattoos. Some are pretty remarkable. Others, well… you took a look at the picture above, right? Stitch’s cute and funky personality is nowhere captured in that squiggly and creepy rendition. Better luck next time.
An Eminem m&m
Unlike some of the amateur art in the tattoos above, the artwork done for this next tattoo is top-notch. Clearly, we are dealing with a talented expert rather than a lazy beginner who forgot to spell-check. The technical side is not what has us scratching our heads – it’s the idea behind it.
Yes, we get that the rapper “Eminem” and the candy “m&ms” have the same sound but different spelling. However, why plaster Eminem’s face on a piece of m&m candy? Are his rhymes that sweet?
A Man with a Plan
Openness to personal development is one of the most alluring characteristics we search for in a partner. They should have obvious objectives and must be headed to achieve every one of them. Take this person, for instance, who had spent almost $28,000 on his tattoos. He says he's not yet wrapped up.
With countless designs covering his whole body, we can't envision what other place he'll have his next tattoo done. He will have to clear up space. Any suggestions?
The Perfect Distraction
We can’t help but wonder if this guy and the last guy are friends. They’ve both taken their own approach to dealing with receding hairlines. This guy embraced it, creating tattooed tracks leading down from it and onto his face.
Can you imagine if your partner came home to you with a face like this? On closer inspection, you see that it’s not fake – it’s a real tattoo and that’s how he’s going to look for the rest of his life. Would you stick with him?
Just Don’t Do It
The Nike slogan is one of the most famous and popular slogans in all of advertising and business history. Nearly everyone associates the footwear with the slogan that encourages people to get out there and do something.
For the person above, that “something” was a (very questionable) tattoo. Beyond the uneven lines and the fact that it takes up his entire back, this tattoo is questionable in terms of copyright. Is it copyright infringement? Either way, we suggest wearing one of their famous t-shirts next time.
Have you heard of the Brutal Black Project? It was an attempt by two artists to break away from the prettiness that had crept into mainstream tattooing and explore the darker side of body modification.
Rough, dark lines are a feature of this style, just like the ones you can see on this man’s face, neck, ear, arms, and chest. Pain was also important in the Brutal Black Project, so this man truly suffered for that face tattoo.
Baby Face
Surveys suggest that more than 20% of people have tattoos nowadays. Even among the heavily tattooed folk, many people either save their faces for last or avoid tattooing them altogether. This guy took the opposite route and went straight for the face.
It’s such an odd idea to have someone else’s face tattooed on your own. We’re assuming it’s his child. However, it could be a baby photo of himself. Perhaps he just wanted to remain baby-faced forever.
Catwoman
This lady clearly loves tigers. We do agree with her sentiments. Tigers are incredible animals, and we wish there were more of them out in the wild.
However, none of us would go as far as having a tiger tattooed on our face! She can, at least, utilize her curly hair to cover that hunter on her cheek.
A Toad Tribute
Everyone has their own favorite Mario Kart or Mario Party character. Besides Mario, there’s Luigi, Yoshi, and, of course, Toad. Who could forget the cute and cuddly toad with the oversized hat?
Well, the person with the tattoo above certainly won’t forget Toad anytime soon. Their idea of paying tribute to the cute and cuddly character was to get a terrifying tattoo. To be fair, most of the blame lay in the tattooist’s hand – which has us wondering if the tattooist was an enemy of Toad’s?
Haters Gonna Hate
“Haters”, for those who don’t know, are people who hate. Often, haters seem destined to take away all joy from your life and replace it with criticism and negativity. The desire to understand why they do that has led to the common expression “haters gonna hate.”
Why do they hate? Well because they’re haters? It’s not the most elaborate explanation, but there’s some truth to it. For the moment, we’ll put aside our criticisms of the tattoo and just hope she sees a doctor soon because that red skin isn’t looking too healthy.
A Guiding Light
This man has a tough time at job interviews. He noticed that others with tattoos are similarly discriminated against. Determined to do something about it, he took to social media empowering people to stand up for the artwork on their bodies.
Many have reacted positively. They say they've felt confident to add more tattoos since reading this guy's posts. They are also getting real with employers who discriminate based on looks. Employment opportunities ought to be founded on merit, not tattoos.
Drake’s Boldest Fan
We don’t know who doesn’t love music. Some fans show support for their favorite singers through Spotify, while others feel the urge to make a more extreme gesture. Take this Drake fan for example.
It clearly wasn't fulfilling enough for this lady to start up a discussion with other Drake fans. Nor was it enough for her to simply listen to the rapper’s music non-stop. She felt that she needed to make her feelings known to everyone she meets before they’ve even had a chance to say “hi.”
The Visual Artist
John Yuyi, a Taiwanese visual artist, depends on the internet to communicate her presence. In contrast to individuals on this list, she creates impermanent body tattoos and applies them to her face in different looks.
The artist creates works that we imagine Andy Warhol would love if he were alive today. Thankfully, she can wash her face and be free of the tattoos at the end of the day. The next person on this list isn’t so lucky.
Any Clue for Blue?
Assuming you're a 90s kid, you would recognize the Nickelodeon show Blue's Clues. In every episode, you would go on a secret chase to discover his paw prints and sort everything out to translate Blue's message.
This guy’s face apparently presents our first clue. However, one look and it’s clear that this isn’t a game we want to keep playing as adults! You can keep your clues, buddy.
Never Enough
Some people are born beautiful. They don’t have to put any work into their appearance, and they’re often the envy of their friends. This guy was one of them, but he couldn’t leave well enough alone.
We could gaze at those heavy-lidded eyes all day. Those lips are beyond words, and that appearance is close to unblemished. The one saving grace here is that it’s possible those tattoos aren’t permanent. We hope for his sake it’s the work of a permanent marker, not permanent tattoo ink!
Wallpapered Face
This guy took the concept of being a wallflower far too literally. Not content with simply leaning against the wall to avoid conversations at parties, he decided to get his face tattooed in a way that would help him blend in.
To be fair, his tattoo artist has clearly worked really hard on all those intricate designs. The work doesn’t look bad, it’s just more the type of thing you’d expect to see on a high school kid’s notebook rather than someone’s face.
Time to Repeat the Time
This one isn’t as noticeable as some of the tattoo designs above, so we’ll give you a minute to check it out before coming back. See it? Sure, the tattoo might tell time, but that time is going to repeat itself – “III”, or 3 o’clock, comes twice a day.
That’s fine if you’re a fan of 3 o’clock, but not fine if you’re a fan of accurate timekeeping. For those people, we suggest a wristwatch when telling the time rather than a misleading ink watch that’s on your skin forever.
USA Forever
“Make America Great Again” is a slogan that was popularized by Donald Trump during his presidential campaign. It implied that America had lost its former greatness and was slipping into decline. This man doesn’t agree at all.
It’s great to see that he loves America, but it’s safe to say that he went a little over the edge with his sense of nationalism. We’re pretty sure the United States will do just fine without all that ink. However, we’d never say that to his face.
Brrr
Rapper Gucci Mane rose to stardom during the early 2000s. With an estimated net worth of $12 million, he can afford a luxury lifestyle. Oddly enough, that seems to include having a frozen treat inked on his right cheek.
There have been a few speculations about this design. Some say that it speaks to his cool lifestyle. Others claim that it’s a bold but ultimately meaningless move to attract attention. If he believed that an ice cream cone could make him more popular, he was sadly mistaken.
Android
This man wanted to create the impression that he’s more machine than man. So, he added a new face tattoo to his collection. The results speak for themselves.
With a face like this, you’d hope that he works as a mechanic. At the very least, he’d want to know his way around a car. Can you imagine how embarrassing it would be taking your car to the mechanic and not having a clue about what might be wrong with it if you had a face like this?
A Tribute to Seinfeld
The TV show Seinfeld was a massive hit during the 1990s. Over the course of nine seasons, this “show about nothing” led viewers into the daily life and hilarious mishaps of George Costanza, Elaine Benes, the notorious slacker Cosmo Kramer, and of course the central character: Jimmy Seinfeld.
Sorry, Jerry Seinfeld. It’s an easy enough mistake to make, and (hopefully) easy enough mistake to fix. Regardless, this diehard fan didn’t have time to double-check Wikipedia and went ahead with his gut feeling.
A Devout Believer
This dude attends church services every Sunday with his family, reads the Bible, and regularly shares God’s word. He has even served as a missionary. Can you imagine what you would do if he appeared on your doorstep?
Would you welcome this man to your Bible study group? However much we respect his earnestness, we don't comprehend why he needed to decorate his face to such an extent. It looks like he fell asleep at a party and had someone take to his face with colored markers, but alas, this is a far more permanent mess.
Why Spell Check Is Important
Although some people might regret the fact that they have a tattoo fail permanently inked onto their skin, the guy below seems perfectly fine with it. In fact, to use his own words, he has “no regerts.”
What he also has is a tattoo artist who doesn’t know how to use an online dictionary. That extra five seconds of double-checking where the letter “r” and “e” go would have saved this poor guy from a lifetime of “regerts” (sorry, regrets).
Wrinkle-Free
For women to be alluring, they have to be youthful, at least according to the ridiculous beauty standards pushed in the media and on social media. Many women spend thousands of dollars on all sorts of creams, pills, potions, and treatments to live up to these impossible ideals. This grandmother has a different solution for you.
To hide her wrinkles and droopy skin (forever), she had someone let loose on her with a tattoo gun. We can tell that she saves a lot of time and energy because she wouldn't even need to clean her face let alone bother with a beauty routine.
Crazy With Ink
Have you heard of the Brutal Black Project? It was an attempt by two artists to break away from the prettiness that had crept into mainstream tattooing and explore the darker side of body modification.
Rough, dark lines are a feature of this style, just like the ones you can see on this man’s face, neck, ear, arms, and chest. Pain was also important in the Brutal Black Project, so this man truly suffered for that face tattoo.
Goodbye Kitty
Apparently, this guy is all about Hello Kitty. However, he is hardly the type of character you’d expect to see watching such a show!
With this design permanently inked on his forehead, it’s safe to say that this guy never really outgrew his childhood. Is that supposed to be Pacman on his neck?
The Picture Doesn’t Match the Words
Anchors, for those who aren’t sailors, are great big heavy things that you throw over the side of the boat. They’re meant to sink to the bottom of the ocean, dig in, and give the boat some stability in rough waters. With that in mind, look at the following tattoo.
It might have you scratching your head a bit. Is the anchor refusing to sink? If so, doesn’t that defeat the purpose of an anchor? Why would you want an anchor that floats?
The Aspiring Spartan
From the look on his face, this man clearly sees himself as a warrior. He went to a tat shop and asked for the outline of a Corinthian helmet to be tattooed on his face. The result is pretty wild.
Whatever you think of this tattoo design, you have to admit, this man is capable of sitting through a whole lot of pain. All that blackwork on your skull would not be easy!
Can You Figure This One Out?
We have no idea what the original intention was with this face tattoo. Is it supposed to be religious? Is it to do with magic? We’ll probably never know.
It looks like that’s meant to be a star in the middle of her forehead, but those dots look more like something you’d see around a crop circle. The photo appears to be a mugshot, so all we can say is that we hope things got better for her from here.
Have Patients
Spelling isn’t everyone’s cup of tee (sorry, tea). Unfortunately, the same spoken English sounds can be spelled multiple ways. This is mostly due to the fact that English has borrowed so many words from other languages. When you misspell a word in pencil, it’s easy to erase it, but what happens when you write it in ink?
Well, you get the tattoo above. Regardless of whose fault it is (most likely the tattoo artist), it’s a good reminder to have some patience (and the ability to spell check) before making permanent decisions.
Heavy Baggage
There was a time when most people with tattoos were gang members. You could easily tell which crew they were in by assessing the design of their tattoos. Yakuzas would sport mythological creatures like dragons and koi fishes.
Which gang do you think this person had a place with? It doesn't help that he has a PVC pipe protruding from his lower lip. That massive nose ring is also quite distracting. Indeed, there are plenty of things to unpack here!
In Full Bloom
This lady was an adorable child. Family friends would squeeze her adorable, plump cheeks. Some would give her treats and coo at her. What a dazzling young lady! Such a sweetie!
Here's an image of her only a few weeks after her sixteenth birthday celebration. A red rose in full bloom! She now draws even more attention thanks to the eye-catching tattoo on her forehead.
When You Don’t Want to Wear Shoes
If you’re running a little low on cash and want to put off the appearance that you have shoes on, then we’ve got the solution just for you. Tattoo a pair of shoes on your feet. Sure it might sound a bit weird, but look at how well it turned out for the pair of feet below.
Alright, maybe it didn’t turn out so well. We just hope this person was able to strike up a sponsorship deal with a famous shoe company.
Face Tattoos Are Forever
YOLO, or “You Only Live Once”, has been a popular acronym for some time now. It’s kind of like “carpe diem” or “seize the day” – it’s meant to describe a person living life to the fullest. Some people like to say it in conversation or put it on their social media profiles. Other people like to, well, tattoo it on their faces.
YOLO, however, doesn’t mean you can’t think about the future. Although diamonds are forever, as they say, so are terrible face tattoos.
The Fly Stays
This father was taking a nap when he felt a smack directly across his face. His eyes shuddered for a couple of moments and acclimated to his little child gazing at him. He saw that she was moving her hand back once more, saying “keep still, Daddy!”
This new tattoo will definitely take some getting used to. It will forever look like there’s something on his face that needs to be shooed away. We hope he doesn’t mind getting slapped in the face by well-meaning friends and family members!
Let’s Play Chess!
Normally, when someone passes out at a party, the favorite joke is to draw on their face. This guy has beaten everyone to the punch by getting in first. So, the next best thing if he passes out is to pull out the chess pieces and have a game.
Of course, you might need to add something sticky to the bottom of the pieces to ensure they don’t fall off, especially when you’re playing on the outer edges of the board.
Not a Loyal Fan
This person is clearly unsettled which explains why he has so many flags all over his face. He's fast to lose faith in his team, supporting one football team one match, then swapping sides the next.
Then again, he could just be realizing that we’re all on “team human.” Why support one team over another? Instead, be like this man and make your face a colorful tribute to the human race.
For the Love of Shoes
Crocs have been a miracle for those who hate the slipperiness of sandals and the constriction of standard shoes. Sitting somewhere in between both, they offer breathability to your feet while looking respectable.
Some people show their admiration for Crocs by supporting the company. The person with the tattoo above chose to show it by tattooing the famous footwear onto his calf. That’s some hardcore brand loyalty that we have to admire even if we don’t particularly admire the tattoo itself.
The Design Styles
It’s important to see your tattoo artist’s social media accounts so that you can take note of the comments from their past clients. Verify whether their store is perfect and what sanitization measures are followed. Does their style jive with yours?
If you walk in and see this person waiting to tattoo you, it might be a good idea to express gratitude for the artist’s time and be on your way. Unless, of course, you like the overcrowded face tattoo look, complete with a tiny drawn-on mustache.
Wrongfully Tattooed
As any Jack Nicholson fan can attest, the eyebrows can express an enormous range of emotions. By raising them, lowering them, or dipping one down as the other goes up, we can show surprise, anger, and confusion. Those are relatively common, so take a look below for something more unique.
His eyebrows clearly show the feeling of being wrongfully convicted. Although we can’t say if that’s true or not because we don’t know the details of his case, we can say he’s guilty of a terrible tattoo.
The Psychedelic Business Man
Can you imagine how much more lively the office would be if you worked with this guy? We’re all for inclusivity and believe tattooed people have a right to pursue their dreams, even if they have a face full of ink like this gentleman.
It’s not a look any of us would go for, but who are we to tell others what they can do to their faces? The man is clearly happy, so does anything else really matter?
Coloring Book Jesus
Jesus has been a subject of artwork for thousands of years. His image has left an indelible mark on humanity – Renaissance masters painted him, mosaic artists have crafted him, and tattoo artists have created coloring book portraits of him on people’s arms.
This coloring book Jesus is the kind of thing you’d expect from a second-grader in art class. It’s something you hang up on your refrigerator to show you’re proud. This person, however, chose to hang it on their arm forever.
Never Forget Your Glasses Again
A couple of problems with wearing eyeglasses are that they may fall off when you bend over, or you may break them if you’re not careful with where you put them. This man came up with an answer for these issues.
We wonder how the scanners at airports handle this face tattoo. Usually, if you wear glasses, you’re asked to take them off to have your face scanned as you go through customs. This man would surely mess up the system!
A Tribute to Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe was a big star during her brief but memorable career. Although she died many decades ago, her image and persona still inspire those today. For some, it inspires them to get a tattoo.
For the person above, the result of that tattoo is best summed up in the words of Marilyn herself: “Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it’s better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring.” The tattoo artist seemed to capture all that mad imperfection in one ridiculous design.