Beauty might be in the eye of the beholder, sure, but some aesthetic decisions don’t deserve much mercy. The simple fact is that not all tattoos are inked equally well. Nor are all design ideas artistic marvels. Some of them are so cringy that their only benefit is to serve as a warning to others.
That’s where the ‘That’s It, I’m Inkshaming’ Facebook group comes in. Members of this community share examples of some of the most outrageous and awful tattoos ever. We’ve collected some of the worst recent pics to show you that not only does your idea have to be good, but you also need a stylist who knows their craft well. Scroll down to check ‘em out.
#1 Uhh, Thanks Fb But No Thanks. I Will Not Be Adding Friend
Image credits: anonymous
#2 Found On Instagram
Image credits: anonymous
#3 Egyptian Pink Panther
Image credits: Laura Cattani
When it comes to tattoo artists, reputation is pretty much everything. If you plan on getting inked, there’s nothing like the recommendation of a trusted friend. It’s worth it in the long run if you do some research about the artist before sitting down in their chair.
In this day and age, it’s rare for an artist not to have a social media page (or several) for their art or shop. So, it’s very easy to get a quick understanding of what their style and range is like. Meanwhile, their business likely also has reviews on Google and social media. You can read some people’s comments to get a feel for their (lack of) professionalism.
#4 Last Time I Posted Something By This “Artist”, A Few Folks Were Saying “It’s Actually A Style” But Like Can Someone Explain This To Me Then
Image credits: anonymous
#5 Now These Are Some Tats To Be Proud Of
Image credits: Mark McCall
#6 Everytime I See Her Tattoos I Cringe
Image credits: anonymous
If you’re still on the fence, you can always get in touch with the artist via social media, phone, or pop into their salon to have a quick chat face-to-face. They can answer your questions while you get a feel for them as a person. It’s really important that you trust your gut. If you don’t feel comfortable, you don’t have to pick that particular artist. It’s okay to ‘shop around.’
Tattoos might not be forever with the advent of laser removal, but it’s still your time, money, and health at stake!
#7 Sawtism
Image credits: anonymous
#8 Ba Da Ba Da Ba I’m Hating It
Image credits: Danielle Hartshorn
#9 Oh Medusa, You’ve Done It Again
Image credits: anonymous
According to Inked magazine, professional artists take the proper health and safety precautions. They take sanitation seriously. They wear gloves. They clean their machines. They keep a neat workstation. And they have an up-to-date certification for bloodborne pathogens.
Proper artists will also have good linework, can pack color into the skin well, and come up with their personal designs instead of just copying other people’s work.
#10 I Was Looking At Reviews On Dresses And Came Across This Gem
Image credits: Emily Brooks Polson
#11 Found This On Instagram They Did Get A Coverup Thank God.
Image credits: Aishya Pirches
#12 A Guy Is Advertising His Work… Yikes!
Image credits: anonymous
We could talk about the subjectivity and personal nuances of taste until the cows come home.
After all, folks have very different aesthetic preferences. One person might prefer clean lines and clear concepts. Meanwhile, someone else might love abstract concepts and chaotic, raw, intuitive art.
However, you’ll find very few people who are fans of kitschy and poorly inked designs.
#13 Sheeesh
Image credits: Cort Campbell
#14 Oof.. Got A Tattoo From This Chick And The Ink Literally Fell Out
Image credits: anonymous
#15 Saw This In The Wild And Just Knew I Had To Share It
Image credits: anonymous
At a certain low-quality threshold, bad art is simply… bad art—indefensible. Tattoos that are based on bad ideas and are executed without skill don’t deserve to be lauded.
They’re examples of what to avoid, both as the person getting the ink as well as the artist.
#16 Found On Marketplace
Image credits: Ali Mae
#17 Found In Person. It Was Worse Up Close.
Image credits: Katie Grace R
#18 Dear God
Image credits: Liz Sealion
The ‘That’s It, I’m Inkshaming’ private group, dedicated to making fun of ‘actually bad tattoos,’ is extremely well-known on Facebook. At the time of writing, it boasts nearly 390k members from all over the world.
However, the group doesn’t just focus on shaming other people’s ink. Members can poke fun at their own tats on Sundays, but this can’t be done anonymously. Meanwhile, on Wednesdays, the administrator team running the group lets everyone share good tattoos. There’s a different theme each week.
#19 Um… At Least It’s Not A Case!
Image credits: anonymous
#20 Found In The Wild
Image credits: Sabryna McLean
#21 Not Sure About This At All
Image credits: anonymous
Meanwhile, on the 1st day of every month, the team running the Facebook group allows everyone to share any tattoos they want, no matter the quality of the art. That being said, the photos still have to adhere to the social network’s standards. Meanwhile, the pics also have to be original: you can’t repost what’s already been shared on the group. However, the tattoos can’t be those belonging to the poster, and they cannot be their designs.
On the 13th of every month, the moderators and administrators share a topic and ask everyone to share pics related to it. It’s similar to what they do on Wednesdays. However, on the 13th, artists can share their own work, as well as their shop names and locations.
#22 ? So Nail Moi Wrists And Black Moi Eyesss? This Particular Jesus Swears It's Not A Phase Mom
Image credits: anonymous
#23 Lemme Guess…he Likes Chanel?
Image credits: Bee Bayer
#24 A Profile Picture On A Dating App
Image credits: Jasmin Pabst
According to the group, you should be prepared for criticism if you end up sharing your own work. At the same time, everyone’s expected to be at least minimally polite. “People can tell you your art sucks. While debate is expected, rude exchanges are not tolerated.”
Some themes and topics are outright banned on ‘That’s It, I’m Inkshaming.’ For example, you shouldn’t be posting anything related to Harry Potter, autism, the police, or Twilight. Meanwhile, you should not post any hate speech, nudity, or anything related to potential self-harm scars.
#25 Well...
Image credits: anonymous
#26 Wtf Is This Supposed To Be? All I See Is A Distorted 4 And Of Course The Rocket Penis
Image credits: anonymous
#27 That Looks Like Faded Sharpie
Image credits: Alissa Wigglesworth
There’s still a lot of freedom when it comes to posting, though. The mods and admins outright state that they don’t care where people’s pictures come from. They also won’t remove any pics, even if they belong to the person who has the tattoo.
“We will protect your identity by requiring identifying information to be absent, but if you identify yourself as the canvas that is your choice. You can ask the OP to remove the post, but we will not require them to, and you will be banned should you choose to harass them or other members,” they explain.
The point of the group is to discuss the quality of tattoo application and art design, not tease the people who got them or inked them. That’s why there’s zero tolerance for harassment or leaking someone’s face, identifying details, shop name, or social media handles. All of this info has to be censored. Meanwhile, the tattoos themselves have to be ‘bad enough’ to be shared.
#28 Found In The Comment Section Of A Post In A Mom Group
Image credits: Alexis Marie DuFour
#29 Everything About It
Image credits: anonymous
#30 Found On Tiktok
Image credits: Ali Mae
Which of the tattoos featured in this list made you cringe the most? What’s the very worst tattoo you’ve seen in person, dear Pandas? Have you ever gotten ink that you’ve genuinely regretted later on? What do you think everyone could do to boost their artistic taste?
If you’re feeling up to it, swing by the comments section to share your thoughts.
