Putting some ink on your skin in the form of an ever-lasting tattoo is a big, big decision. Needless to say, it's one you must take calmly and confidently. Unless you're 100% sure you want a tattoo, it's better if you simply pass on the opportunity. But in this crazy, crazy world, there's no shortage of stories about impulsive people who can't avoid making gross mistakes. And when it comes to tattoos, there's a lot of regrets involved.
Yes, unlike our other childish mistakes, a bad tattoo will stick with us forever, sometimes literally engraved on our forehead for the rest of eternity! And since 'forever' is such a big word, we shiver every time we look at the breathtaking—and not in a good way—designs some of the wild people on our list have decided to carve on their skins. From blatant typos to horribly-drawn portraits, there's a little bit of everything here in our dismal list of bad tattoos!
Going Viral
How can we not feel sorry for the young men and women who keep getting terrible face tattoos just to impress their friends and enjoy some instant, viral success? We don't know how popular this kid got after submitting his forehead to a Covid-19-related gag, but we're pretty sure it wasn't worth it.
We don't know the future, but we guess it's going to be weird seeing this generation get older. Can you imagine how bizarre nursing homes are going to be? We project a booming success for the tattoo removal industry in the future!
The Face of Innocence
What to do before your preliminary hearing? Why not drive by the tattoo shop and get yourself some ink arguments to convince the judge? We all know nothing screams 'innocent' like tattooing the words 'wrongfully convicted' on the place where your eyebrows were supposed to be. Right?
Wrong! This man is clearly trying to appeal to the judge's emotions with his kind eyes and matching tattoo, but we don't think he's pulled it off. Judging by the orange jumpsuit, this guy is going to spend the next few years trying to grow his eyebrows back... in prison!
Buying Shoes? That's For Shmucks!
We love the classic Converse All-Star's design as much as the next person, but tattooing a pair on your bare feet? That's like tattooing your favorite t-shirt all over your torso. Yes, it's a cool t-shirt, but why would you glue it permanently to your body when you have the choice of wearing it occasionally?
This guy was probably trying to make a joke out of his All-Star covered feet, but the result is as regretful as any other tattoo on our list. Talk about a beach body for the Summer! Those feet are going to look horrible in a pair of flip-flops.
First He Wanted To Remember Her, Then He Wanted To Forget Her
Making a family-related tattoo can be an emotional rollercoaster. This man wanted to honor a special person with a portrait of her in his right arm. However, the result is so gruesome all he wants now is to forget he ever made this tattoo.
The shading is horrible and gives this once-beautiful woman a look that's not even worthy of a good-looking zombie. When you add the crispy-looking hair, the beaver-like scary eyes, and the half-rotten teeth, you have a recipe for disaster. This should be a tribute to someone who already passed but ended up being an accurate portrait of her post-mortem look.
You Only Live Once, So Get a Face Tattoo... or Two!
Besides being the guy every mother dreams of having as a son-in-law, this man is the proud owner of a face tattoo containing the initials YOLO. The YOLO movement, meaning 'you only live once,' was supposed to focus on the ideals of carpe diem (enjoying the moment), living life to the fullest, and pursuing happiness.
But when you use the words YOLO to justify stuff like regretfully tattooing your face and ending up in jail, that's because you're not getting the message... Judging by how "happy" this fella looks, though, a face tattoo doesn't seem to be the worst of his problems.
Skills Matter
Inexperienced tattoo artists can make some convincing designs and smaller tattoos. But they may not have the skills to deliver on that overly-ambitious tattoo you always wanted to make. This Marilyn Monroe fan is an excellent example of someone who probably regrets not saving money on a good tattoo artist.
The result of having a few extra dollars on your purse after a visit to the tattoo shop may well be this: a gross representation of female symbol Marilyn Monroe. The tattoo just turned the face of the ever-lasting beauty icon into something worthy of a horror movie.
Portrait of Jesus By a 4-Year-Old
Tattooing something your child drew is a new trend among parents, and it's a super sweet one as well! Still, there's a limit to what a 4-year-old can convincingly draw. A house on the prairie? That's nice. A shoulder-long portrait of Jesus? That's probably too much.
Blinded by his faith, and possibly by the love he has for his children, this man got himself one of the ugliest tattoos on our list. His intentions may be right, but most times, the means don't justify the end. And is it just us, or is Jesus wearing dreadlocks?
The Bipolar's Choice
In this world, the best things come in pairs. But that doesn't mean everything that's paired up is great. Sometimes, you can make a real mess out of simple ambiguities. This tattoo may be happy on one side and unhappy on the other, but our feelings about it are as clear as water.
No, we don't like it, and we can assume with certainty that the man who did it doesn't either. Maybe he's bipolar, and he's trying to represent his condition in a cool way. If that's the case, he gets our sympathy, not our respect! Please try to wear more pants and fewer shorts in the future, sir.
He Wanted a Lion But He Got a Picasso
We know what you guys are going to say. Why is this lion tattoo considered to be bad art when cubism and other forms of abstract paintings end up being sold for millions? The answer is quite simple: While abstract art is trying to be the way it is, this lion is the sheer result of some very irresponsible tattooing.
We believe this man wanted to have the king of the jungle on his shoulder, but he ended up being treated like he's the king of the fools. Good luck wearing long-sleeved shirts for the rest of your life!
Trademark Infringement
This one is a mystery. This person loves the comedian Jerry Seinfeld so much he/she decided to spend some bucks (and skin cells) on this gigantic portrait of the man. The tattoo is actually pretty slick, with a finely-crafted classical black-and-white style honoring 1990's most iconic sitcom.
But if the person who made this tattoo is such a big fan of Seinfeld, why didn't he/she got something as basic as the guy's name, right? Jimmy Seinfeld? We've never heard of him, as did no one else but your tattoo artist. Maybe this person was worried about trademark infringement? That's the best explanation we have for this travesty.
He Always Wanted a Brother...
You got to be a real-life troll to go through so much trouble just to freak everyone else out! This man is the hero of every online jokester because he's taking Internet trolling to a whole new level, and he's doing it AFK (away from the keyboard).
Please keep in mind this tattoo requires some careful daily trimming of your back hair to fully work. Yes, that's how much this crazy guy loves to be the scariest person in every room. We guess the message here is "I can't see you, but I'm watching you... I'm always watching you...".
Where One Sees Tackiness, Others See Beauty
We're pretty sure the man behind this tattoo was simply trying to get on everybody's nerves. On the other hand, there's a slight chance he did this out of genuine love for Crocs. Either way, we don't know what's worse!
Rightfully so, Crocs have become a sort of meme in recent years, a symbol of tackiness and, as an online user has put it, "of a man who has completely given up hope." Whether you wear Crocs in public or not, that's up to you. But please allow us to repeat the buzzword of a Crocs-hating generation: see those little holes? That is where your dignity leaks out.
Impressing The Guys At The Bar
Some horrible tattoos can work in a specific context, and this guy is an excellent example of that. While at the bar, his g-string tattoo is a hit, being the reason behind one or two good laughs in the past. But as soon as he steps out of Joe's Pub, you know he's got to put a shirt on.
It's the type of ever-lasting joke that will end you up fired! Do you know those guys who keep telling the same joke over and over, year after year? Getting a funny tattoo is a little bit like that, and we bet this man doesn't even find the gag funny anymore.
"Tigers Are Hard, Man"
It's hard to criticize someone for something we're not able to do ourselves. But looking at this nightmare-inducing tat, how could we not? Yes, we don't know how to draw tigers either, but that's why we're not selling our drawing skills on the street in the form of ever-lasting skin inscriptions!
Was that supposed to be the image of a tiger who was just run over by a massive monster truck? No? Then you are a terrible tattoo artist, and you should stop ruining other people's lives! And before you say we're mean, please consider this is someone's chest and that tattoos last forever.
All Babies Are Beautiful
Giving birth is a miracle, and all babies are beautiful. But that doesn't mean all the representations of babies are beautiful as well. Even though real babies never fail to be cute, baby tattoos have a way of creeping us out and sending a shiver down our spine.
If we consider some of the tattoo disasters on our list, this black-and-white baby portrait could've been a lot worse! But it's still a crime against humanity to take something beautiful like a baby's picture and turn it into something this ugly. Parenting has just gotten even harder!
Confusing Cover-Up
We believe this man had an ugly spider tattoo on his arm that he decided to cover-up at some point. And out of a limited list of possibilities, he chose to go with an odd Ryan Gosling tat.
We don't know for sure how it happened, but that's the only explanation we can find for this mysterious tattoo. Because if this is a one-time order, it's bizarre, to say the least. Tattooing the face of an A-list Hollywood actor, except it has spider legs? That's just too weird of a request!
The Easy Way Out
Getting some rock-solid abs on your torso is more than just a goal. It's a life-changing decision. To get some superstar abs on your body, you need to exercise a lot, eat healthily, and dedicate a ton of time and energy to get rid of that extra belly fat.
The alternative is much easier, although far less impressive. Just drive by the tattoo store and get your lazy behind on the tattoo artist's couch. Then, tell him you want to look a little bit more like Zac Efron and a little bit less like yourself. He will understand.
An All-Time Classic
You've probably seen this tattoo disaster before, but it encapsulates everything that's wrong with the tattoos on our list in such a perfect manner that we needed to include it. This is the classic "no regerts" tattoo, which has been shared over the Internet thousands of times over the years.
The "no regerts" tat will always be funny because it's an almost literal description of what it feels like to have a bad tattoo. First, you think you're settled for life, now that you have a cool quote on your skin. And then, you "regert" it immediately.
Symbology Done Wrong
There's nothing like celebrating a life milestone with an inspiring tattoo. After overcoming some personal issues, this man decided to do just that and picked out the lovely quote, "refuse to sink." How has he chosen to illustrate that thought? With an anchor...
Tattooing an anchor next to this quote is kind of self-defeating. After all, if there's something out there that DOES sink, that's an anchor! This is like engraving the words "hope never dies" on your skin and putting a gravestone with the name "hope" right on to it. Sorry bro, but this tattoo is a shipwrecking mess!
Allergic To Mushrooms?
You don't need to know a lot about tattooing to realize there's something truly off going on here. And, believe it or not, we're not even talking about the bizarre design choice, which was probably inspired by an old Super Mario Bros. videogame.
While it's an extremely rare condition, some people may be allergic to the ink used by tattoo artists, and the symptoms include nasty stuff like swelling, itchiness, irritation, and even small blisters! Please stay safe when getting a tattoo and remember to pick a clean, professional, and certified tattoo artist you can trust.
(Not) Seeing Clearly
The worst thing about fads is that you can end up taking them too seriously. Remember when all the hipster kids used to wear glasses with no lenses, back in 2017? Well, this man thought that hipsters were going to rule the world forever, and he decided to commit himself wholly to the trend.
Now, we bet he's not smiling confidently anymore. His mom never approved of his tattoos, but even she was forced to admit he looked kind of cool. But that was before he decided to put those glasses on, and he instantly went from being one of the cool kids to becoming "that weird guy."
The Nike Ad They Never Released
Besides being one of the world's best-known footwear companies, Nike is also the name of the Greek goddess of victory. Well, this tattoo is humiliating for both. It's bad for the brand Nike because it distorts their well-known 'Just Do It' campaign, providing it with a sense of irony and horror. It's also bad for the goddess Nike because it's an absolute fail.
In this race we call life, this man is coming last. You need to have absolutely no love for your back to engage in something like this. And this guy is such a nihilistic character he even added those lines for four additional life-ruining lines!
The World's Worst Tongue
This guy decided to get a tattoo of his son's face (we hope that's his son!) with his tongue sticking out, but he got a "sweet" surprise when he saw the final result. Instead of being given a normal tongue, his son is now represented as an alien-like monster with its distorted tongue.
Or maybe we see a tongue where there isn't one. Perhaps this dude's son is simply a passionate sock-eater, and he's celebrating his favorite hobby. Has this man never heard of planning things carefully before making a tattoo?
Well, It's Get Worse...
The thing about tattoos is that they don't get better. Once you make one, you need to accept the fact you're going to live with it for the rest of your life unless you cover it up or get it lazer removed. So yeah, this tattoo with a typo is doing all but "get better."
There's no excuse for this crass mistake, but we can assume this tattoo was made in a non-English country by someone who didn't understand the language very well. Maybe one day, he can do a cover-up job and include the words "going to" on top of the quote to make it right.
How Can We Not, Though?
Do you really want to mess with the haters? Try not to feed them a blatant reason to make fun of you. Whether you think spelling is important or not, why on Earth would you choose to have a tattoo with a typo on it?
Our best guess is that this was a gross mistake by the tattoo artist that was quite poorly "corrected." Either way, we wouldn't be good citizens if we didn't hate that "gon' hate" disaster. By the way, according to the Urban Dictionary, the word "gonate" means "to donate with your gonads." Think about that the next time you decide not to pay attention in English class.
One word: Microwave.
Some tattoo fans find it annoying when people ask for the meaning behind their precious tats. They believe that not all tattoos need to have a deep, inspirational story behind it. Some tattoos are just there to look cool, and that's all.
We have nothing against that, but we do believe some tattoos are meaningless beyond justification. This poem is a fine example of that. In the end, it's just a poor collection of random words that end up rhyming with 'microwave.' At least Dave included his name, which can be handy.
A Missing II
We can picture the entire client to tattoo artist interaction in our heads. The client asked for a pirate-themed Sun watch, and the tattoo artist suddenly realized he missed the II.
With a third I already carved in eternal ink, the tattoo artist decided to make things right by simply ignoring his mistake. After all, who needs 2 o'clock? It's better if it goes from I to III to III again and then to IV. And by the way, isn't this pirate-themed design a complete rip-off of the Pirate Bay logo?
An Exact Copy
It's refreshing. We can finally see a tiger tattoo made by a tattoo artist that can call himself a professional. You may think this tiger is poorly drawn, but it looks exactly like the tiger in the reference picture!
Photoshop may have been involved in making this perfect tattoo because last time we checked, tigers don't exactly look like that. But since there's nothing positive to say about this feline-inspired disaster, let's just ignore the obvious and call it great. Step aside, Joe Exotic; there's a new tiger king in town!
At Least It's Funny
This man had that wart for his entire life. And when it came the time to remove it, he decided he wanted to do something else. Being a guy who doesn't care much about how attractive he is anymore, he decided to make something good out of that wart, and what can be better than a funny basketball-related tat?
We obviously wouldn't do this ourselves, and we don't recommend it. But in our list of crazy tattoos, in which so many life-ruining mistakes can be seen, this tat stands out for not being that bad.