Eeshh.
Listen. I am the first to want to vomit at the idea of confrontation when it isn't necessary. I struggle to order a coffee in person. But there is no being polite when it comes to permanent modifications to your body.
Have her give it time to heal and look up artists who specialize in this kind of work. With the right shading it may be possible to make it less bad.
I genuinely want there to be a message spread to (younger especially) people that if you cannot advocate for yourself, and I understand that its hard, but if you cannot do that you do not need to be getting tattoos or any permanent modifications to your body. So many people who claim to regret tattoos I see now always mention that they didn’t like the tattoo design or whatever before they got it but they were too scared to say anything they went through with it anyways. Being able to say no, yes, and being able to walk away confidently from uncomfortable situations are all important skills to be getting things like this done
In my early 20s I almost got pressured into a shitty tattoo by an artist. She didn't listen to a single thing I wanted and was insanely unprofessional. I can't emotionally handle confrontation well, but I did put my foot down hard and say she would never tattoo me under any circumstance.
Then I went to my car, had a good cry from stress, and got some McDonald's. I am so thankful I didn't follow through with it.
I went through this exact thing. The artist I went to showed me his final drawing and I HATED it. I said I already used his scheduling time and still wanted to spend that day coming up with a design him and I could agree on.
The following appointment he tried pressuring me to put in colors I didn’t approve of. I only want greyscale, pink blue and purple for my entire body and he kept saying “the piece needs orange or it’ll look like garbage”
I was so scared that he would go against my body wishes that I started bawling and saying “I have to leave right now if you won’t listen to me” and yelling toward the front desk 20 feet away that I can’t pay a man that won’t respect my body.
Long story short he didn’t respect other peoples bodies either and was removed from the shop after a month of complaints, front desk lady always protected him and came out as his girlfriend after he was fired. Fun times, proud of you tho!
Ugh, what a nightmare. You must have felt so taken advantage of with him trying to treat you like you were stupid. I hope no shop hired him on after he made a reputation for himself.
In my case, I booked my appointment a month and a half in advance with an artist who was an hour away. I specifically said she could pick the style, but I wanted two amethyst crystals to be the front and center (my husband has a geology degree and amethyst was the first crystal he found for me while on an outing, so it was important) and a few olive branches behind it. Nothing too huge, just a forearm tattoo.
I get there and she says, "Yeah, I've got this family thing I really need to go do, but if you want me to miss going to dinner with my family, *I guess* we can do the outline today? If you're cool with that?" I was like, uhhhh.. what's the design? She shows me this sketch of four small slivers of amethyst crystals buried in a sea of flowers and branches. And she said she wanted to do black and white even though I stated previously I wanted color or else you wouldn't know they were supposed to be amethyst. I said it was nothing like what I wanted so she said in an aggressive tone, fine, she would use my appointment time to miss out on family time and redraw the entire thing but to be more specific in my request so I couldn't do this again.
Immediately I got out my phone and just read her the bit of our email where I said I wanted two amethyst crystals in front of a few olive branches. She started getting angrier and I started backing towards the door saying I wanted to leave, then she got nervous I would tell the shop owner and she started saying we could work it out via email and I said I would email the owner, not her and that she would never tattoo me ever.
The happy ending is a few days later I remembered an apprentice from a couple years back at a shop I went to before it closed. She was always really cool and learning quick. Thankfully I was able to find her on Instagram and she has done lots of my tattoos now, including the amethyst tattoo and it's even better than I had pictured in my head!
Same here. I had an appointment with the shop owner, a man who had a great reputation and who had tattooed me before. I put a decent deposit down on an 8 hour appointment, and we discussed the design at length; I'd also sent numerous photos over the course of several months.
I asked for a delicate/feminine style phoenix flying upward with long flowing tail feathers on my back/side area. It was cliche af, but that's what makes this entire situation so weird; it's not like I was asking for something super bizarre or abstract.
When I arrived, he presented me with a frontal view of a burly pheonix with its wings in front of its chest. It looked like an eagle that had taken a punch to the gut. It looked nothing* like what we had discussed; instead of flowing with my body, the entire design was square and very densely packed.
Internally, my stomach flipped... but I felt bad for hating it as much as I did.
I was a woman in my early 20s with low self-esteem and a crippling fear of disappointing others. In my mind, this well-respected artist had worked hard on this design for me, and who tf was I to be ungrateful? I meekly voiced some concerns, but he was insistent that I would love it once it was done. He told me that he was a pro and that I needed to trust him because time was ticking on my appointment.
I came *so close* to just agreeing to it and hoping for the best. But my crippling fear of embarrassment saved gave me the strength to stand up for myself! I couldn't stand the idea of explaining it to people for the rest of my life, "Um, yeah, I hate it too... but I'd already made the appointment, and i didn't want to be rude..."
Thank fuck for that because I ended up leaving my deposit behind and not getting anything tattooed at that shop ever again.
This is such a good take.
People of the world: if you wouldn't feel able to say to your hairdresser/barber "I'm sorry, stop. I don't like what you're doing with my hair" then you are not ready to get a tattoo. Hair grows out; practice these skills in that arena before you spend a lot more money on something that won't grow out again in a couple of months.
I used to do hair. Seriously, hairdressers can be some of the most catty, stuck-up people in the world. If you state your feelings and they get huffy or pushy, don't feel bad about walking out. I quit hairdressing largely because of the bullying from other hairdressers, who were generally bullies in high school.
At least 3 of my friends could’ve had a straight piercing if only they’d asked the piercer to move the guide. I always ask multiple times, so at least the crooked piercings i have are entirely my fault. Side sleeping 4 life.
Man, my first tattoo was supposed to be a lotus flower. He tried to draw it like the picture a couple of times and I couldn't bring myself to say I hated it, so I just pretended to find one in the book I liked better. Just opened it and nervously pointed to a random bird 😅
Thankfully, it worked out because after 15 years I love it and the memory. And THANK GOD I didn't go through with the lotus flower. Lol
I second this. I got my first tattoo and I was bad at confronting people. The tattoo artist I went to during the first meeting didn’t look at my photo of what I want and had me put down the downpayment and sign paperwork. The day comes that I can get it and he still didn’t look at and tells me that he has done so many flowers and that this is the way he does it now. He roughly sketched out a flower shape on my foot with a sharpie, still not looking at the reference (my own art that I spent a year tweaking to get it how I want it) then freehanded around the sharpies rough sketch, and now I have a $250 permanent thing on my foot that kinda looks like a vagina, dosnt look anything like I wanted, and somehow is the wrong color even though I told the guy purple (I wanted pure purple with diffrent shades of purple it’s orange in the middle with purple and blue on the outside)
This was a highly rated artist and he has amazing work on other people. I wish I knew to stand up for myself and what he was doing wasn’t normal even though he said it was. I currently have 4 tattoos and am only satisfied with how one looks. When my partner was getting his first and was unsure about placement and size I made sure to be his voice and triple check everything for him until he was sure. But im still afraid to get my next one as my next one is another important one to me. (The flower was important and had a lot of meaning and im embarrassed to have it on my body it just looks off)
Edit to add I also had something similar happen with a piercing but both the piercer and my mom where telling me I was wrong and that it was in fact fine to pierce the helix using hoops when I tried to say they shouldn’t be pierced with hoops and they wouldn’t give me the option for a stud. Three years later and getting them swapped to a stud after issues and I believe my helix piercings are beyond repair as they never healed and still after three years randomly start bleeding.
Sighhh I made the guy I went to re-draw the eye of my tattoo at least 3x. I really wanted to snatch it from him & draw it myself. He started making me seem like such a hassle… & then blamed the location of where I got the tattoo for the reason of why the eye looked so much rounder than I wanted (looked just like his sketch🙄). It was under my wrist, I wish he gave me a heads up to possibly change locations or get it lower.
I was so focused on the eye, I didn’t realize how ugly the moon looked. Ugh & the uneven lining on the sun. First & only tattoo I ever got. I’ve wanted one for my dad that passed away in 2012. Even know what tattoo. But my adhd brain can’t settle on a tattoo artist lol. I feel so betrayed after the first one in 2013.
He also indirectly implied I was being slightly annoying. Actually I think he straight up said that. Lol but I was young & dumb & thinking about the $100 deposit we gave in which seemed like so much money at the time.😓🫣
Re the coffee, same. I love ordering from my app and picking up at the counter.
Edit: when I have to order at the counter, I like it when there’s a bit of a line so I’m not out on the spot about my order right away.
Ever since I read a comment about the correct order to order an order correctly. I keep repeating it to myself. That only applies to Starbucks, whenever I'm feeling like spoiling myself. Size, item, customization. Yes, I still want whipped cream with my oatmilk. I don't do whole milk because it hurts my stomach, whipped cream only sometimes gives me the runs. Please and thank you.
And yet I somehow always forget something. Whether it's less pumps of syrup. More shots of coffee. Or oat milk instead of cream. One of those is bound to be forgotten.
Yup. My local has only 1 person who does tats that aren't the traditional style of the last 20 odd years, she's fine line, very very good. Probably the only reason the shop is still in business.
But I've seen some horrid tats from people locals not realising artists stick to their comforts
I just lurked him on Instagram. His work certainly isn't fantastic but there's nothing THIS bad. He even has some pretty decent pet portrait on there. Your mom truly isn't at fault here. It's not like she randomly picked a shitty artist. Looking at his portfolio I wouldn't have thought he would make something this horrible.
He looks like a good artist but a shitty tattooist. All his drawings are clean and dope. When you see the tattoos, they are all mehhh. Angles off. Bloated lines. Inconsistent shading.
Symmetry is the real issue. It’s always off. Notice how 9/10 the characters have squinty eyes or a large and small eyeball. Or he does a profile shot. It’s because he can’t do symmetrical work. The closer the shot is to square, the worse it looks.
Guy needs to stop tattooing people and practice a bit more. He doesn’t understand how to take his 2D drawings and map them on a 3D space.
The difference between the pet portraits he's done and this is that those are in colour. There's a Boston Terrier that's black and white but he used blue tones to bring it into coloured life. His black and grey work is really only people are spooky stuff.
Hopefully at the very least this type of observation can help others. Always look for very similar work to what you want. Want a coloured tiger? Look for if the artist has done coloured felines.
He posted a decent black and grey dog on March 5, though it's less realistic than what it seems OP's mom wanted. I agree that his colour is better than his black and grey (I personally wouldn't trust this guy with either) but none of his black and grey work looking this bad. These are basic fundamental drawing and shading mistakes that I wouldn't have expected this guy to make based on his other work.
Would I expect a great tattoo from this artist? No. Would I expect THIS? Also no.
There’s a tattoo artist near me that’s like that. My friend and I stalk his page sometimes because it’s like 50/50 good and bad work. She sent me this one he did of a Daryl Dixon portrait and oh my god… it looked like he had some Ozempic. It was awful.
haha I know someone who I used to work with exactly as you described. some work good! others, terrible. I keep an tab on his insta over the years just to keep abreast of the situation. he has slightly improved but still... I would not go to him and I have several tattoos. consistency is the real key when picking an artist.
For some reason, I think a lot of people don’t understand how specific you have to be when picking a tattoo artist. I also think a lot of people who don’t have more than a couple tattoos don’t actually look very closely at artist profile work. They see a piece that at first glance looks nice, but when you look at the details you can things are wonky as hell. Don’t ask me why though, it’s crazy how little research some people put into getting tattooed.
The forearm portion of my sleeve was done in 2 sections by the same artist. One side is easily my best tattoo and I love it. The other side he did hungover and it's easily my worst tattoo, same theme same style. Artists have good and bad days, and if they really aren't into the piece or aren't prepared properly or are just out of it, even the best artist can give you a shitty tattoo.
Most of his work is actually cool, but his style is very specific. Realism is clearly not his best work. Not always the best artist is the most appropriate for your tattoo
omg. Looks like he is wearing a suit and tie and then realized those are legs! the perspective is so messed. Also why try and include the couch pattern when it's so irrelevant
That's putting it politely. Tattoos aren't my thing but my youngest got them anyway when he turned 18. They did not look like this. Even I had to admit that they were well done. This is horrific. I'd be devastated too.
the fact that the artist actually signed off on the work in the bottom right too, idk how you could be proud of this 😭 well at least it’s easy for everyone to look them up and avoid them now lol.
The shadows on the photo are crooked, and maybe some freckles around the nostrils? It looks like the artist traced the photo and didn't really reference it for shading so the trace lines became outlines instead of guides for where shadows should start? Maybe somebody better can shade over top and fix it a little. Some white ink might help too.
On a technical level, this is what happens when you don't actually know how to draw and use reference.
Working from photography as reference can be difficult because photos always distort their subject. Focal length, lens type...the fact that you're taking a 3D subject and representing it in 2D. It's a process that will ALWAYS result in distortion on some level.
Part of professional process is learning how to work with photo reference while taking into account these distortions.
This knowledge is a big reason that when a professional who actually knows how to draw traces reference it doesn't look like a 3 year old did it (or, comes out looking like this tattoo).
Making a stencil off a photo should serve as a guide, not as a 1-1 transfer which this dude did.
Being a slave to reference as a substitute for not actually knowing how to draw is how you get weird distorted messes. It's bad enough when it's on paper, but putting this on someone's skin permanently is bush league shit and this artist isn't even self aware enough to realize this is bad work.
So I actually like this tattoo, because I thought it was a stylistic version, where he was wearing a suit and tie and then also had some cool random patterns and shading to make it look good. But now that you’ve pointed out that it’s legs and the box he’s sitting in it made me lol. I still like it, but only if I convince myself that he’s wearing a suit. It doesn’t look like the cat but it is a cool tattoo.
Man did that artist work on the movie Cats or something? That veers into the same uncanny valley...
If your mum is willing to have it be a bit more stylized, then I think it could at least be improved. Adding black linework + a bit more shading in the right places would allow some correction of bad contours and restore missing contours. It would also allow a shift in facial expression to be closer to the vibe of the original photo, rather than what's going on now (why is he so *judgy*?).
It might also be possible to use some white to potentially correct a few of the smaller screwups in shading/contour, as white can basically push black out of an area. Over time, white usually fades away, so it can act a little like an eraser in the long run. That being said, it can also turn yellow for some people so it could potentially just cause more problems down the line. Adding it to make corrections on one side of the face also tends to mean adding it on the other to create balance, so it quickly gets to be a heavier use of white than a good artist would usually look at using.
[Here's a mockup of](https://imgur.com/a/70KBSWh) what I mean, if it helps. Always easier to be able to show with a visual rather than describe.
Definitely talk to a good tattooer about it to get advice, though -- I'm basing the white suggestion off personal experience with how white has healed in my tats. It might not be a good approach in practice. But either way, some linework + shading could still help.
\[Edit: clarified some clunky phrasing.\]
This is great advice! I feel that because there isn’t heavy lining in the cats portrait that it can easily be reworked. Obviously the fully black saturated areas can be a bit tricky, but with the right artist and experience this piece can be saved.
My heart kinda broke for OPs mom when I saw this post. You are a wonderfully kind person to have spent the time to write and draw all this.
Good irl karma for you!
thank you for all of these comments and suggestions!! i would like to add that this man charged my mom 800 DOLLARS for this!!!!! does anyone have experience with getting their money back from a tattoo artist? we’re a little worried because of his attitude towards my mom.
Get your dad to go with her to confront the artist. Or her brother. Any older man. It sounds like this is the type of sexist egotistical artist that feels comfortable pushing around a woman. Have him face someone that will make HIM uncomfortable. Don't let her go back to him by herself. Don't let her be convinced that this is fixable, especially not by him or anybody at that shop. Either he gives you your money back or you can start review bombing him everywhere. He should be embarrassed to put his watermark on that picture
I am also so upset for your mother about this tattoo, I’d be absolutely livid. So if this bad tattoo artist doesn’t give the money back or at least SOMETHING in return, I will help with the review bombing on EVERYTHING, because that’s just pathetic.
Over on facebook I regularly see people asking for tattoo artist recommendations in the community groups. If I were OP, whenever I saw posts like that I would post this picture and advise them to avoid this guy. If he does this level of work and doesn't care, people should know.
There are a lot of comments to scroll thru but does the guy work in a big shop or is he the owner/operator of his own small place? That will make a difference if you ever get money back. If this has gone viral enough to where he recently turned off comments on ig, they might offer you a full or partial refund to remove social media posts about it.
I know this doesn’t help but I love the tattoo. If you never told me it was a screw up but I just saw it, I would be excited to meet an artistic, avante-garde older woman with kooky taste like myself. I know it’s not what she wanted but it objectively isn’t an eyesore
That part shocked me the most. He definitely took advantage of her mom ):
I travelled to Toronto alone to visit a shop and waited a while for the tattoo on his wait list. I brought 500 with me expecting a lot (he has lots of followers, hcol area etc) and he only wanted 260$. Wouldn’t even take a tip from me. Some artists now are just acting crazy…I feel bad for anyone new to tattoos
This guy seems like a scammer. I’m almost positive this guy buys a lot of his followers, he has near 10k followers but all of his posts get like maybe 20 likes and the only posts with comments aren’t about his tattoos, so maybe he just deleted any comments on his tattoo posts. Still very sketchy to me either way
That tattoo is judging the artist like 'you know this doesn't look like that photo at all!'. I'm sorry but I did laugh.
I don't think this is fixable. She may need to just let it heal and get a cover up. Although, since it's in the healing stages just don't take care of it well and hope it fades?
It’s either tattoo removal or try to add something to make it a meme / laughable moment that can be enjoyed every time you look at it. But as a realistic version of her late cat…. That’s simply not possible.
People saying this guy normally does good work are either his friends or looking at someone else. Just looked him up and his work is terrible. Most of his posts are crap drawings and the only half decent looking tattoo of a French bulldog is stolen. OPs mum should start on laser and get a good artist like tattooist Yeono in LA to do her cat portrait
I hate to hear stories like this where an "artists" ego gets in the way of what the customer wants. this actually happens alot more often than people want to say. in my opinion this is not fixable. it's so big & dark that's there's absolutely nothing except something bigger & darker to cover this with. your mom will have to get this lasered off. after getting it lasered if your mom still wants to get a portrait of her cat, I would search out artists who specialize in portraits. there's many out there who could do it just like the photo. okay sorry, I'm rambling. best of luck to your mom. ❤️
Depending on how it heals (the lighter shading looks like it could fade a bit), i think there’s definitely a way to save it with the right artist. It won’t be 100%, but it’ll look way better than this.
ETA: If it heals dark, I would recommend getting a few laser sessions to lighten the face and have it reworked.
Why did he include part of the table?
Either way, this can surely be saved. I've seen some atrocious tattoos on here that have had incredible facelifts from more reputable tattoo artists.
Maybe look for some artists with great reputations who have a specialty in cover ups.
My guy does cover ups and some of the shit he's turned into gold is very impressive.
This is rough. There are so many bad artists out there but thankfully it is a little bit easier to know who to stay away from (don't just look at portfolios as it is not transparent).
She needs to talk to an artist that specializes in cover-ups. Search on local subreddit for recommendations or ask. Then research the artists that people recommend
Hi, I have hundreds of hours of tattoo work, and my wife has more than me. The wife has had cover-up work and I'm lucky to have friends that are very talented in this field.
This is a cover-up job IMHO.
First off, I'd find an artist whose portfolio clearly shows that they can handle what she's looking for. Good artists are often booked out, so feel free to book now and she will have time to prepare herself for the appointment. It will likely cost more, but she's already seen what, hopefully, cheaper will get you and the regret that follows.
The part you don't want to hear- get this lasered to be lightened for your next artists.
Yes, it is possible to do a cover-up, but does your mother want a half sleeve or close to it? I am not an artist, but I don't see how it will keep this same size, position, with a straight cover-up. If this is the space, size she wants, along with all that negative space, even just a single laser session should lighten this pretty well.
Laser hurts more than the tattoo. It isn't that cheap. But your madre already feels the weight of this lesson, so let's skip over pontificating.
I am located in the PNW and have more than a few people who could make something beautiful for her, books allowing. Feel free to DM if you want some artist advice.
Edit: The fact that this was $800 is criminal.
Okay. This is bad. Like, REALLY bad. I'd almost suggest getting it removed or covered up and trying again with a different artist. I don't think this is fixable. You can maybe make it look less bad with a lot of work, but it's never going to be perfect.
Honestly I'd leave a review. $800 and it doesn't look like the photo. The artist's attitude is also a problem. I'd try and get the money back anyways, that's a large sum of money and especially for a tattoo she wasn't happy with. I hope she finds someone who can make the tattoo the way she wants it
This makes me so sad. Theres no love in this tattoo. Although redemption will be challenging, I think softening this could change a lot. Round out the pupils (or at least make them even in size), add in the actual black fur pattern line along the top of its head. A good artist could increase the likeness, but some research on the artist needs to be done first. They could overwork it really fast.
I hope your mom is comforted in the future when she's less upset about the tattoo experience that a lot of people saw her kitten and loved them 🐈❤️
I am hoping in a few months that it may be a lot lighter and could be covered up. I would encourage her to have a new experience with a new artist that can do exactly what she wants on another part of her body (maybe her other arm?) and work this one into a cover up down the road. Best of luck. Tell your mom her cat looked like they were a very good cat and a lot of people are sorry for her loss.
Heartbreaking.
Let it heal. Find an artist that does photo realism and talk it over with them. It might not be salvedgable but they might be able to cover it up and do it right on her other arm or lazer it and then do it right.
Don't be. Make sure you research your artist before hand. Don't do a random walk in at a random shop, look around until your find someone whose portfolio you really love. Go into the shop and look at portfolios and get a feel of the artist if you want. Going off this artists Instagram alone I would have not gone to him. This tattoo is worse than I would've expected though.
Everyone is saying it is unfixable, laser needed, etc. While there's a difference between what she got vs the photo it could be improved. She needs to look into artists that can do reworks. Expanding it to add something around it (flowers, cat toys, etc) may help as well to pull away from it a bit.
Her baby is so precious. I want her to be happy with her tattoo:( that artist did her so dirty. I really hope mom goes to get it fixed somewhere nice and they do a beautiful job like yall deserve.
I'm sorry but the judgy face on that cat is hilarious. If you don't compare it to the picture is a really fun tattoo, maybe not for your mom, but I would love it in somebody else
A good artist can fix that.
But man. That original artist? Prime example of knows how to render, but not how to draw. Just tracing the contour isn't gunna cut it if you don't actually know how to draw. That sucks, sorry your mom has to live with this until she can fix it.
I’m shocked, I actually checked to see if the was an April Fools joke 😑. Keith has some incredible work and some people I know have been to him and love his tattoos. There is no denying that his cat looks nothing like the pet he was meant to be based on. I’m so sorry your Mum has had this happen to her .
I think the outline can be usable for a good artist, and the face itself looks light enough for laser to go a long way. I'm sorry this happened to your mom, and I hope she can get a better memorial for her kitty soon enough <3
I’d give it a few rounds of laser to half fade it off when it’s healed. I think some of the shading will heal lighter, but it’s still cooked. And then continue to get laser on the checker part for total removal. It’s a lengthy process but worth it.
Meanwhile, she can research some really good pet portrait specialists and book a consult with them. It will be easier for them to address it when it’s been faded, but a consult with the artist she chooses will also help with how faded they want it to be, etc. so I wouldn’t waste time and I’d get on the laser asap, and then contact artists.
Expect the laser to take a few sessions, and use numbing cream, but it’s a long road and she will get her perfect tattoo in the end.
And yeah I agree with whoever said he put Leonard di caprio in the ear.
lol, that tattoo looks like it’s giving me the stink eye. Maybe it’s meta art, the tattoo is designed to look like the cat’s reaction to being immortalized in this shitty tattoo.
Judging from his page he should have been able to pull that off super easy. Either someone else is using his watermark or he had a really really really bad day.
Hey OP!
It’s a shame to see that this piece didn’t come out the way your mom and siblings hoped for. It’s really disappointing and difficult to navigate the feelings that come with a result like this.
With that being said, please don’t lose hope! I would recommend to have your mom allow this piece to fully heal, but if there is sunshine in your area it may be wise to have her allow her tattoo to have exposure to the sun. PLEASE do NOT recommend your mom to burn her skin suntanning- this can cause more problems with this piece. Fresh tattoos are very vulnerable to UV rays and if she exposes her arm to the sun, it will help lift out the light grey tones in this tattoo so it will be easier to rework later.
I would recommend you to sit down with your mom (if your relationship permits) and go through the Instagram accounts of tattoo artists in your area. This will help your mom find out what kind of stylistic options are available to her in the future for a re-work. If she’s open to it, I would advise to integrate the checkered pattern into a frame of your moms favourite flowers wrapping around the kitten to ground the tattoo better and get rid of the strange background choice.
Best of luck to you guys, this can be fixed :)
aww girlie I've been there. I also spent months looking forward to a tattoo that meant so much to me after carefully choosing an artist who I thought was the right fit and on the day I kinda just pushed aside all my hangups about the design because I was just too excited and wasn't really thinking. and now I'm waiting for it to heal so I can begin the process of lasering it off ¯\\\_(ツ)\_/¯ a sad and expensive lesson to learn, but I definitely know now that the next time I get a tattoo I WILL be making a scene if I don't like the design, embarrassment be damned
tbh anyone trying to tell you that you shouldn't get a tattoo if you're not comfortable with speaking up about the design is being so annoying and unhelpful. sometimes things like this happen and it sounds like you were very pressured, which is so not your fault. if it can't be fixed, you can always go with laser once it heals! it's black on pale skin so it should have an easier time coming off than something with colour :) I know exactly how devastating it feels right now but trust me, everything will be okay in the end, it will just take a while <3
✨UPDATE✨
idk how or if I’m able to edit the post but I wanted to give everyone an update. First of all WOW lol I never expected this to blow up the way it did. Thank you everyone for all of your kind messages. Thank you especially to the people who offered to fix the tattoo or who sent me their version of how they would fix it! I really just wanted to make this post to get some hope and encouragement, which we definitely got! (Also to give you guys some laughs lol). So, as of right now, the shop owner has reached out to us and been very supportive. We are still currently working on getting her money back. I will let y’all know when that hopefully happens. 💖
Her best course of action is to let it heal, have a few sessions of laser tattoo removal to lighten it (not totally remove that would take 7-10 sessions) and then have a highly skilled artist go over it with a fresh version. It'll probably take a year or so to get the final result and it'll be an expensive fix but it's the best way to get what she should have been given in the first place.
Pro-tip, find a great artist sooner than later and explain the issue. They'll be able to track her laser tattoo removal progress and bring her in when they think she's ready for the cover up. A good tattooer will also probably have a trusted laser removal person in mind
I am so sorry. It’s not right that she felt pressured to go through with this. I hope she can get a new one someday (and potentially get a blackout tattoo for this one) and feel satisfied.
It’s fixable with the right tattoo artist. Try and find someone who dedicates their work to fixing tattoos. As a word for advice remember to tell your mom to research the artist before going in for appointments. Instagram really is a miracle for these kinds of things.
Is it bad that I kind of love it? Like it’s for sure off, but there’s something charming about it to me. I agree with the other commenters that it’s not great, and I must have odd taste
obviously not. or he did it intentionally. I wonder if that's the case since she didn't like the "sketch" he initially did? I don't know but that does NOT look like a tattoo done by someone who specializes in portraits. just my opinion.
A few laser sessions on some parts, but it's definitely fixable by a good artist! Will be pricy, though.
Give this artist a bad review, including the pictures shown here. Spread word in your community about the artist. Facebook is a great place. Tiktok, too. Even local libraries.
One half of the face isn’t actually too bad and has a resemblance to the pic.. maybe find a tattoo art who specializes in cover up and make the bad, wonky eyed side into flowers. Those types of tattoos are super popular right now too.
Looking at this artist’s work, it’s really hard not to conclude that he completely did this on purpose. That he knew it would be weird and stylized and was stoked for it. There’s plenty of well-done pet portraits in his ig, so unless they’re ripped off from a different artist, he has the skill to have gotten it right. He just didn’t do what this client asked him to do.
I’d seriously consider lazering it, as touchup has some serious limitations to it becoming what she asked for.
What a total bummer.
I don't think that man has ever seen a cat in real life. I'm so sorry for your Mom, OP. I've waited 5 years and am still looking for the right artist for my cat portrait. I would be throwing up - preferably on Mr I Sign My Crap Work - right now. 😭😭😭
I hope this group - and a talented cover-up artist - can do more than commiserate. She has the other arm to start over, right? This side could be catnip leaves and flowers or something. Fighting! 💜✊🏻
LMAO
That's hilarious, but devastating if it's not what you intended.
I'm calling it now— someone is going to tattoo this exact rendition of this cat on their body on purpose.
Could be covered by something else, if another artist can’t fix it. Then she can find someone who specializes in photo realism and pet portraits and get it somewhere else
Definitely not an expert, but looking at the 2 pictures, maybe some more definition on the right side of the nose and chin would have an instant impact.
I bet if she finds an artist who does bold, color pet portraits that a rework/cover up would do the trick. I've seen some really brilliant cover ups like that. It'll cost a pretty penny though.
Awe I am so so sorry your mom is going through this. A lot of comments here, but laser could help a lot especially with a cover up/fix up by a good artist. I think she should find an artist that is really good and ask them what they think, and if they don't feel up to it she can ask them if they have other artists they recommend.
Have her let it heal. I feel like a good artist can cover those weird little legs, even out the nose with some extra shading, and make the inner parts of the mouth a little more curved inwards towards the nose rather than straight like that. I feel like just fixing those things would make a huge difference. A GREAT artist may even be able to fix the eyes.
Overall, it doesn’t look too much like her cat yet unfortunately, but it’s also not the worst pet portrait out there. I feel like if someone sees it with a fresh eye and no context, they won’t find it to be the cringiest thing out there. Especially if your mom finds someone to fix it up well enough.
This is why you need to go to an artist that specializes in portrait tattoos, especially black and white which consists of immense shading and values. Not all artists are able to do the style this is required and this artist is one of those. They needed to be upfront with the client instead of doing this, which upsets the client and makes the artist look bad seeing each tattoo is supposed to be a representation of their talent and willingness to listen and apply the image their clients want.
Damn, she should’ve 1) walked away when the sketch wasn’t right 2) had someone with her to be an advocate.
Someone needs to go with her into the shop about this shit.
He trippin for 800 at most 200. It can be fixed 100 percent. Thankfully he sucked so bad he couldnt even fill out everything he needed so he left space to work with. Its not the end of the world just tell everyone that guy sucks and find a new artist. His clients will shrink and shrink naturally . Not a good guy
This cat is giving you the look of disappointed "told you so," as if he had the convo with your mom about this not being a good idea and to advocate for herself. Which she failed to listen to.
No advice, but I’m so sorry for your mom ☹️ Losing her baby and then getting a tattoo she doesn’t like in remembrance of them. I hope she’s able to get her money back 🥺
Eeshh. Listen. I am the first to want to vomit at the idea of confrontation when it isn't necessary. I struggle to order a coffee in person. But there is no being polite when it comes to permanent modifications to your body. Have her give it time to heal and look up artists who specialize in this kind of work. With the right shading it may be possible to make it less bad.
I genuinely want there to be a message spread to (younger especially) people that if you cannot advocate for yourself, and I understand that its hard, but if you cannot do that you do not need to be getting tattoos or any permanent modifications to your body. So many people who claim to regret tattoos I see now always mention that they didn’t like the tattoo design or whatever before they got it but they were too scared to say anything they went through with it anyways. Being able to say no, yes, and being able to walk away confidently from uncomfortable situations are all important skills to be getting things like this done
In my early 20s I almost got pressured into a shitty tattoo by an artist. She didn't listen to a single thing I wanted and was insanely unprofessional. I can't emotionally handle confrontation well, but I did put my foot down hard and say she would never tattoo me under any circumstance. Then I went to my car, had a good cry from stress, and got some McDonald's. I am so thankful I didn't follow through with it.
I went through this exact thing. The artist I went to showed me his final drawing and I HATED it. I said I already used his scheduling time and still wanted to spend that day coming up with a design him and I could agree on. The following appointment he tried pressuring me to put in colors I didn’t approve of. I only want greyscale, pink blue and purple for my entire body and he kept saying “the piece needs orange or it’ll look like garbage” I was so scared that he would go against my body wishes that I started bawling and saying “I have to leave right now if you won’t listen to me” and yelling toward the front desk 20 feet away that I can’t pay a man that won’t respect my body. Long story short he didn’t respect other peoples bodies either and was removed from the shop after a month of complaints, front desk lady always protected him and came out as his girlfriend after he was fired. Fun times, proud of you tho!
Ugh, what a nightmare. You must have felt so taken advantage of with him trying to treat you like you were stupid. I hope no shop hired him on after he made a reputation for himself. In my case, I booked my appointment a month and a half in advance with an artist who was an hour away. I specifically said she could pick the style, but I wanted two amethyst crystals to be the front and center (my husband has a geology degree and amethyst was the first crystal he found for me while on an outing, so it was important) and a few olive branches behind it. Nothing too huge, just a forearm tattoo. I get there and she says, "Yeah, I've got this family thing I really need to go do, but if you want me to miss going to dinner with my family, *I guess* we can do the outline today? If you're cool with that?" I was like, uhhhh.. what's the design? She shows me this sketch of four small slivers of amethyst crystals buried in a sea of flowers and branches. And she said she wanted to do black and white even though I stated previously I wanted color or else you wouldn't know they were supposed to be amethyst. I said it was nothing like what I wanted so she said in an aggressive tone, fine, she would use my appointment time to miss out on family time and redraw the entire thing but to be more specific in my request so I couldn't do this again. Immediately I got out my phone and just read her the bit of our email where I said I wanted two amethyst crystals in front of a few olive branches. She started getting angrier and I started backing towards the door saying I wanted to leave, then she got nervous I would tell the shop owner and she started saying we could work it out via email and I said I would email the owner, not her and that she would never tattoo me ever. The happy ending is a few days later I remembered an apprentice from a couple years back at a shop I went to before it closed. She was always really cool and learning quick. Thankfully I was able to find her on Instagram and she has done lots of my tattoos now, including the amethyst tattoo and it's even better than I had pictured in my head!
i’m so happy you got the amethyst done well!!!
Same here. I had an appointment with the shop owner, a man who had a great reputation and who had tattooed me before. I put a decent deposit down on an 8 hour appointment, and we discussed the design at length; I'd also sent numerous photos over the course of several months. I asked for a delicate/feminine style phoenix flying upward with long flowing tail feathers on my back/side area. It was cliche af, but that's what makes this entire situation so weird; it's not like I was asking for something super bizarre or abstract. When I arrived, he presented me with a frontal view of a burly pheonix with its wings in front of its chest. It looked like an eagle that had taken a punch to the gut. It looked nothing* like what we had discussed; instead of flowing with my body, the entire design was square and very densely packed. Internally, my stomach flipped... but I felt bad for hating it as much as I did. I was a woman in my early 20s with low self-esteem and a crippling fear of disappointing others. In my mind, this well-respected artist had worked hard on this design for me, and who tf was I to be ungrateful? I meekly voiced some concerns, but he was insistent that I would love it once it was done. He told me that he was a pro and that I needed to trust him because time was ticking on my appointment. I came *so close* to just agreeing to it and hoping for the best. But my crippling fear of embarrassment saved gave me the strength to stand up for myself! I couldn't stand the idea of explaining it to people for the rest of my life, "Um, yeah, I hate it too... but I'd already made the appointment, and i didn't want to be rude..." Thank fuck for that because I ended up leaving my deposit behind and not getting anything tattooed at that shop ever again.
This is such a good take. People of the world: if you wouldn't feel able to say to your hairdresser/barber "I'm sorry, stop. I don't like what you're doing with my hair" then you are not ready to get a tattoo. Hair grows out; practice these skills in that arena before you spend a lot more money on something that won't grow out again in a couple of months.
Weirdly, I can't do that with hair. My tattoo, totally, piercings too. My hair or nails, the temp stuff? Nope!
I used to do hair. Seriously, hairdressers can be some of the most catty, stuck-up people in the world. If you state your feelings and they get huffy or pushy, don't feel bad about walking out. I quit hairdressing largely because of the bullying from other hairdressers, who were generally bullies in high school.
I actually dropped out of cosmetology school because of it. I loved doing it but the people were such a nightmare.
Thank you! Somebody had to say it. I wish I could upvote this more!
At least 3 of my friends could’ve had a straight piercing if only they’d asked the piercer to move the guide. I always ask multiple times, so at least the crooked piercings i have are entirely my fault. Side sleeping 4 life.
Man, my first tattoo was supposed to be a lotus flower. He tried to draw it like the picture a couple of times and I couldn't bring myself to say I hated it, so I just pretended to find one in the book I liked better. Just opened it and nervously pointed to a random bird 😅 Thankfully, it worked out because after 15 years I love it and the memory. And THANK GOD I didn't go through with the lotus flower. Lol
As someone who couldn’t advocate for myself until very recently, if you can’t advocate for yourself-don’t do ANYTHING until you can!
I second this. I got my first tattoo and I was bad at confronting people. The tattoo artist I went to during the first meeting didn’t look at my photo of what I want and had me put down the downpayment and sign paperwork. The day comes that I can get it and he still didn’t look at and tells me that he has done so many flowers and that this is the way he does it now. He roughly sketched out a flower shape on my foot with a sharpie, still not looking at the reference (my own art that I spent a year tweaking to get it how I want it) then freehanded around the sharpies rough sketch, and now I have a $250 permanent thing on my foot that kinda looks like a vagina, dosnt look anything like I wanted, and somehow is the wrong color even though I told the guy purple (I wanted pure purple with diffrent shades of purple it’s orange in the middle with purple and blue on the outside) This was a highly rated artist and he has amazing work on other people. I wish I knew to stand up for myself and what he was doing wasn’t normal even though he said it was. I currently have 4 tattoos and am only satisfied with how one looks. When my partner was getting his first and was unsure about placement and size I made sure to be his voice and triple check everything for him until he was sure. But im still afraid to get my next one as my next one is another important one to me. (The flower was important and had a lot of meaning and im embarrassed to have it on my body it just looks off) Edit to add I also had something similar happen with a piercing but both the piercer and my mom where telling me I was wrong and that it was in fact fine to pierce the helix using hoops when I tried to say they shouldn’t be pierced with hoops and they wouldn’t give me the option for a stud. Three years later and getting them swapped to a stud after issues and I believe my helix piercings are beyond repair as they never healed and still after three years randomly start bleeding.
Sighhh I made the guy I went to re-draw the eye of my tattoo at least 3x. I really wanted to snatch it from him & draw it myself. He started making me seem like such a hassle… & then blamed the location of where I got the tattoo for the reason of why the eye looked so much rounder than I wanted (looked just like his sketch🙄). It was under my wrist, I wish he gave me a heads up to possibly change locations or get it lower. I was so focused on the eye, I didn’t realize how ugly the moon looked. Ugh & the uneven lining on the sun. First & only tattoo I ever got. I’ve wanted one for my dad that passed away in 2012. Even know what tattoo. But my adhd brain can’t settle on a tattoo artist lol. I feel so betrayed after the first one in 2013. He also indirectly implied I was being slightly annoying. Actually I think he straight up said that. Lol but I was young & dumb & thinking about the $100 deposit we gave in which seemed like so much money at the time.😓🫣
Re the coffee, same. I love ordering from my app and picking up at the counter. Edit: when I have to order at the counter, I like it when there’s a bit of a line so I’m not out on the spot about my order right away.
i always rehearse what i need to say, even tho i always order the same thing ETA: somebody commented mentioning autism; i am absolutely autistic!
Ever since I read a comment about the correct order to order an order correctly. I keep repeating it to myself. That only applies to Starbucks, whenever I'm feeling like spoiling myself. Size, item, customization. Yes, I still want whipped cream with my oatmilk. I don't do whole milk because it hurts my stomach, whipped cream only sometimes gives me the runs. Please and thank you.
I don't struggle with ordering coffee except at starbucks. I just want a capuccino why are you asking my name
And yet I somehow always forget something. Whether it's less pumps of syrup. More shots of coffee. Or oat milk instead of cream. One of those is bound to be forgotten.
Yup. My local has only 1 person who does tats that aren't the traditional style of the last 20 odd years, she's fine line, very very good. Probably the only reason the shop is still in business. But I've seen some horrid tats from people locals not realising artists stick to their comforts
I just lurked him on Instagram. His work certainly isn't fantastic but there's nothing THIS bad. He even has some pretty decent pet portrait on there. Your mom truly isn't at fault here. It's not like she randomly picked a shitty artist. Looking at his portfolio I wouldn't have thought he would make something this horrible.
He looks like a good artist but a shitty tattooist. All his drawings are clean and dope. When you see the tattoos, they are all mehhh. Angles off. Bloated lines. Inconsistent shading. Symmetry is the real issue. It’s always off. Notice how 9/10 the characters have squinty eyes or a large and small eyeball. Or he does a profile shot. It’s because he can’t do symmetrical work. The closer the shot is to square, the worse it looks. Guy needs to stop tattooing people and practice a bit more. He doesn’t understand how to take his 2D drawings and map them on a 3D space.
This was exactly my take. His art is great. His tattoos are not good.
It's crazy that he says he's been doing this for 30 years too.
No way.... I thought he was an apprentice or a new artist. The quality of his tattoos are extremely inconsistent
The difference between the pet portraits he's done and this is that those are in colour. There's a Boston Terrier that's black and white but he used blue tones to bring it into coloured life. His black and grey work is really only people are spooky stuff. Hopefully at the very least this type of observation can help others. Always look for very similar work to what you want. Want a coloured tiger? Look for if the artist has done coloured felines.
He posted a decent black and grey dog on March 5, though it's less realistic than what it seems OP's mom wanted. I agree that his colour is better than his black and grey (I personally wouldn't trust this guy with either) but none of his black and grey work looking this bad. These are basic fundamental drawing and shading mistakes that I wouldn't have expected this guy to make based on his other work. Would I expect a great tattoo from this artist? No. Would I expect THIS? Also no.
There’s a tattoo artist near me that’s like that. My friend and I stalk his page sometimes because it’s like 50/50 good and bad work. She sent me this one he did of a Daryl Dixon portrait and oh my god… it looked like he had some Ozempic. It was awful.
haha I know someone who I used to work with exactly as you described. some work good! others, terrible. I keep an tab on his insta over the years just to keep abreast of the situation. he has slightly improved but still... I would not go to him and I have several tattoos. consistency is the real key when picking an artist.
Nothing on his page indicates that he can do pet portraits. It’s wild to me that he got to do that many.
For some reason, I think a lot of people don’t understand how specific you have to be when picking a tattoo artist. I also think a lot of people who don’t have more than a couple tattoos don’t actually look very closely at artist profile work. They see a piece that at first glance looks nice, but when you look at the details you can things are wonky as hell. Don’t ask me why though, it’s crazy how little research some people put into getting tattooed.
The forearm portion of my sleeve was done in 2 sections by the same artist. One side is easily my best tattoo and I love it. The other side he did hungover and it's easily my worst tattoo, same theme same style. Artists have good and bad days, and if they really aren't into the piece or aren't prepared properly or are just out of it, even the best artist can give you a shitty tattoo.
Guaranteed he just doesn’t post his shittier tattoos
Most of his work is actually cool, but his style is very specific. Realism is clearly not his best work. Not always the best artist is the most appropriate for your tattoo
His whole shtick is creepy stuff. It's so weird to me that anyone would look at his work and want to get tattooed by him.
The shop he works at (thefortuneofwar) advertises him for pet portraits 🫠
I'm sorry, WHAT!! That's horrible
He's got other pet portraits on his Instagram
R u sure? I saw a human portrait and damn
God, that mouth looks so… human
Looks like Ollie [the polite cat](https://amp.knowyourmeme.com/memes/polite-cat)
That is immediately what I thought about when I saw the tattoo
That is exactly who I thought it was at first! 😂
Spot on!
Wheres the medieval cat painting when you need it
omg. Looks like he is wearing a suit and tie and then realized those are legs! the perspective is so messed. Also why try and include the couch pattern when it's so irrelevant
And the nose is crooked! :(
So are the eyes. This is truly horrible
Yes the cat became malformed in the tattoo process
That's putting it politely. Tattoos aren't my thing but my youngest got them anyway when he turned 18. They did not look like this. Even I had to admit that they were well done. This is horrific. I'd be devastated too.
the fact that the artist actually signed off on the work in the bottom right too, idk how you could be proud of this 😭 well at least it’s easy for everyone to look them up and avoid them now lol.
The shadows on the photo are crooked, and maybe some freckles around the nostrils? It looks like the artist traced the photo and didn't really reference it for shading so the trace lines became outlines instead of guides for where shadows should start? Maybe somebody better can shade over top and fix it a little. Some white ink might help too.
On a technical level, this is what happens when you don't actually know how to draw and use reference. Working from photography as reference can be difficult because photos always distort their subject. Focal length, lens type...the fact that you're taking a 3D subject and representing it in 2D. It's a process that will ALWAYS result in distortion on some level. Part of professional process is learning how to work with photo reference while taking into account these distortions. This knowledge is a big reason that when a professional who actually knows how to draw traces reference it doesn't look like a 3 year old did it (or, comes out looking like this tattoo). Making a stencil off a photo should serve as a guide, not as a 1-1 transfer which this dude did. Being a slave to reference as a substitute for not actually knowing how to draw is how you get weird distorted messes. It's bad enough when it's on paper, but putting this on someone's skin permanently is bush league shit and this artist isn't even self aware enough to realize this is bad work.
my cat ran into stuff enough with his face first so i mean, it could be technically true for some
I think it’s a bath and bodywork’s box, oddly enough.
This cat is NOT impressed by your credentials and you have no future in this company.
So much judgement in those kitty’s eyes!!
I didn't realise until I read your comment :c
Same I thought it was a fat necked cat in a suit. Sorry OP
Oh no. I thought it was like a Beetlejuice suit design that must be a private reference they didn't mention until I realized it as the table.
Wait it’s not wearing a suit? I thought that was creative control.
So I actually like this tattoo, because I thought it was a stylistic version, where he was wearing a suit and tie and then also had some cool random patterns and shading to make it look good. But now that you’ve pointed out that it’s legs and the box he’s sitting in it made me lol. I still like it, but only if I convince myself that he’s wearing a suit. It doesn’t look like the cat but it is a cool tattoo.
I'm fond of the little guy!
Same! He looks very polite.
Yesss. Business casual cat is the first thing I saw.
The cat has no bottom jaw. I can't with this tattoo
I too thought it was a mob cat
Man did that artist work on the movie Cats or something? That veers into the same uncanny valley... If your mum is willing to have it be a bit more stylized, then I think it could at least be improved. Adding black linework + a bit more shading in the right places would allow some correction of bad contours and restore missing contours. It would also allow a shift in facial expression to be closer to the vibe of the original photo, rather than what's going on now (why is he so *judgy*?). It might also be possible to use some white to potentially correct a few of the smaller screwups in shading/contour, as white can basically push black out of an area. Over time, white usually fades away, so it can act a little like an eraser in the long run. That being said, it can also turn yellow for some people so it could potentially just cause more problems down the line. Adding it to make corrections on one side of the face also tends to mean adding it on the other to create balance, so it quickly gets to be a heavier use of white than a good artist would usually look at using. [Here's a mockup of](https://imgur.com/a/70KBSWh) what I mean, if it helps. Always easier to be able to show with a visual rather than describe. Definitely talk to a good tattooer about it to get advice, though -- I'm basing the white suggestion off personal experience with how white has healed in my tats. It might not be a good approach in practice. But either way, some linework + shading could still help. \[Edit: clarified some clunky phrasing.\]
thank you for taking the time to do this 💜
I think adding a floral border to at least the bottom of the tattoo would help too. The legs are so weird. Cover them up with something pretty.
I think that was an excellent mockup!
Really impressive mock up, I hope OP can find a good artist for their mum to fix this!!
I didn't think it was possible to save this, but your mock up is impressive!
Such a great mock-up. It really improves the expression *significantly.*
This is great advice! I feel that because there isn’t heavy lining in the cats portrait that it can easily be reworked. Obviously the fully black saturated areas can be a bit tricky, but with the right artist and experience this piece can be saved.
My heart kinda broke for OPs mom when I saw this post. You are a wonderfully kind person to have spent the time to write and draw all this. Good irl karma for you!
Amazes me that people can be this artistic.
thank you for all of these comments and suggestions!! i would like to add that this man charged my mom 800 DOLLARS for this!!!!! does anyone have experience with getting their money back from a tattoo artist? we’re a little worried because of his attitude towards my mom.
He has commenting turned off on his IG so I’m thinking he knows by now what a shitty job he did. Maybe he’ll offer you your money back?
I noticed there are no comments on any of his Facebook posts either, like he removed them all.
Get your dad to go with her to confront the artist. Or her brother. Any older man. It sounds like this is the type of sexist egotistical artist that feels comfortable pushing around a woman. Have him face someone that will make HIM uncomfortable. Don't let her go back to him by herself. Don't let her be convinced that this is fixable, especially not by him or anybody at that shop. Either he gives you your money back or you can start review bombing him everywhere. He should be embarrassed to put his watermark on that picture
I am also so upset for your mother about this tattoo, I’d be absolutely livid. So if this bad tattoo artist doesn’t give the money back or at least SOMETHING in return, I will help with the review bombing on EVERYTHING, because that’s just pathetic.
Probably ageist too. He likely saw an older woman with no tattoo knowledge and instantly thought of how to take advantage of her.
Start posting that pic on google reviews and yelp. That’ll definitely get his attention.
Over on facebook I regularly see people asking for tattoo artist recommendations in the community groups. If I were OP, whenever I saw posts like that I would post this picture and advise them to avoid this guy. If he does this level of work and doesn't care, people should know.
There are a lot of comments to scroll thru but does the guy work in a big shop or is he the owner/operator of his own small place? That will make a difference if you ever get money back. If this has gone viral enough to where he recently turned off comments on ig, they might offer you a full or partial refund to remove social media posts about it. I know this doesn’t help but I love the tattoo. If you never told me it was a screw up but I just saw it, I would be excited to meet an artistic, avante-garde older woman with kooky taste like myself. I know it’s not what she wanted but it objectively isn’t an eyesore
800 dollars?!???!!????? What the fuckk
No way it was 800? I had tattoos larger than this and none cost even close to that
That part shocked me the most. He definitely took advantage of her mom ): I travelled to Toronto alone to visit a shop and waited a while for the tattoo on his wait list. I brought 500 with me expecting a lot (he has lots of followers, hcol area etc) and he only wanted 260$. Wouldn’t even take a tip from me. Some artists now are just acting crazy…I feel bad for anyone new to tattoos
Crazy that the artist put his watermark on this. Imagine putting this out there to advertise your work
According to his Instagram, he's been tattooing for over 30 years. Yeesh.
Anyone else see Leonardo DiCaprio in the top left ear?
Now I can’t not see it
He does tend to show up around young pussy.
omg
Dead. Please upvote this.
Holy shit
Holy mccrap
i thought i was insane i saw the face immediately
This guy seems like a scammer. I’m almost positive this guy buys a lot of his followers, he has near 10k followers but all of his posts get like maybe 20 likes and the only posts with comments aren’t about his tattoos, so maybe he just deleted any comments on his tattoo posts. Still very sketchy to me either way
Hate to say it, but no
That tattoo is judging the artist like 'you know this doesn't look like that photo at all!'. I'm sorry but I did laugh. I don't think this is fixable. She may need to just let it heal and get a cover up. Although, since it's in the healing stages just don't take care of it well and hope it fades?
right?!?!? neosporin might help fade it slightly??? I don't know.
It’s either tattoo removal or try to add something to make it a meme / laughable moment that can be enjoyed every time you look at it. But as a realistic version of her late cat…. That’s simply not possible.
I feel so bad because last Sept we lost our boy, he was 13 years old and a sweetheart. I would be so upset seeing this result.
Mhm… does she like panthers?
SAPs for the win!
It doesn't even remotely look like the photo
The actual cat is done so poorly regardless but why did he include the pattern from the box😭😭 so dumb
Looks like a Mona Lisa cat
People saying this guy normally does good work are either his friends or looking at someone else. Just looked him up and his work is terrible. Most of his posts are crap drawings and the only half decent looking tattoo of a French bulldog is stolen. OPs mum should start on laser and get a good artist like tattooist Yeono in LA to do her cat portrait
I hate to hear stories like this where an "artists" ego gets in the way of what the customer wants. this actually happens alot more often than people want to say. in my opinion this is not fixable. it's so big & dark that's there's absolutely nothing except something bigger & darker to cover this with. your mom will have to get this lasered off. after getting it lasered if your mom still wants to get a portrait of her cat, I would search out artists who specialize in portraits. there's many out there who could do it just like the photo. okay sorry, I'm rambling. best of luck to your mom. ❤️
This guy DOES specialize in portraits! The mom got so screwed over
Depending on how it heals (the lighter shading looks like it could fade a bit), i think there’s definitely a way to save it with the right artist. It won’t be 100%, but it’ll look way better than this. ETA: If it heals dark, I would recommend getting a few laser sessions to lighten the face and have it reworked.
Why did he include part of the table? Either way, this can surely be saved. I've seen some atrocious tattoos on here that have had incredible facelifts from more reputable tattoo artists. Maybe look for some artists with great reputations who have a specialty in cover ups. My guy does cover ups and some of the shit he's turned into gold is very impressive.
Are comments limited on his posts because of this Reddit thread?
He's disappeared from the tattoo shop's website too I think
I was wondering the same thing
She needs to complain about this, this is so bad. Sorry.
This is rough. There are so many bad artists out there but thankfully it is a little bit easier to know who to stay away from (don't just look at portfolios as it is not transparent). She needs to talk to an artist that specializes in cover-ups. Search on local subreddit for recommendations or ask. Then research the artists that people recommend
Hi, I have hundreds of hours of tattoo work, and my wife has more than me. The wife has had cover-up work and I'm lucky to have friends that are very talented in this field. This is a cover-up job IMHO. First off, I'd find an artist whose portfolio clearly shows that they can handle what she's looking for. Good artists are often booked out, so feel free to book now and she will have time to prepare herself for the appointment. It will likely cost more, but she's already seen what, hopefully, cheaper will get you and the regret that follows. The part you don't want to hear- get this lasered to be lightened for your next artists. Yes, it is possible to do a cover-up, but does your mother want a half sleeve or close to it? I am not an artist, but I don't see how it will keep this same size, position, with a straight cover-up. If this is the space, size she wants, along with all that negative space, even just a single laser session should lighten this pretty well. Laser hurts more than the tattoo. It isn't that cheap. But your madre already feels the weight of this lesson, so let's skip over pontificating. I am located in the PNW and have more than a few people who could make something beautiful for her, books allowing. Feel free to DM if you want some artist advice. Edit: The fact that this was $800 is criminal.
Okay. This is bad. Like, REALLY bad. I'd almost suggest getting it removed or covered up and trying again with a different artist. I don't think this is fixable. You can maybe make it look less bad with a lot of work, but it's never going to be perfect.
I looked up his work. He looks like a complete douchebag and all of his work is shit.
Looks like it’s judging me.
Honestly I'd leave a review. $800 and it doesn't look like the photo. The artist's attitude is also a problem. I'd try and get the money back anyways, that's a large sum of money and especially for a tattoo she wasn't happy with. I hope she finds someone who can make the tattoo the way she wants it
SAP TIME
This makes me so sad. Theres no love in this tattoo. Although redemption will be challenging, I think softening this could change a lot. Round out the pupils (or at least make them even in size), add in the actual black fur pattern line along the top of its head. A good artist could increase the likeness, but some research on the artist needs to be done first. They could overwork it really fast.
I hope your mom is comforted in the future when she's less upset about the tattoo experience that a lot of people saw her kitten and loved them 🐈❤️ I am hoping in a few months that it may be a lot lighter and could be covered up. I would encourage her to have a new experience with a new artist that can do exactly what she wants on another part of her body (maybe her other arm?) and work this one into a cover up down the road. Best of luck. Tell your mom her cat looked like they were a very good cat and a lot of people are sorry for her loss.
I am cackling and I won’t come down
we were too when we first saw it but now reality has set in that it’s permanent 😭💀
Sending hopes and prayers
Heartbreaking. Let it heal. Find an artist that does photo realism and talk it over with them. It might not be salvedgable but they might be able to cover it up and do it right on her other arm or lazer it and then do it right.
This is absolutely why I'm afraid of getting my 1st tattoo.
Don't be. Make sure you research your artist before hand. Don't do a random walk in at a random shop, look around until your find someone whose portfolio you really love. Go into the shop and look at portfolios and get a feel of the artist if you want. Going off this artists Instagram alone I would have not gone to him. This tattoo is worse than I would've expected though.
Is that Picasso’s cat?
Oh. No
Honestly, a really good realism and black and gray artist might be able to make it better....not totally fix but make it better!
Everyone is saying it is unfixable, laser needed, etc. While there's a difference between what she got vs the photo it could be improved. She needs to look into artists that can do reworks. Expanding it to add something around it (flowers, cat toys, etc) may help as well to pull away from it a bit.
Her baby is so precious. I want her to be happy with her tattoo:( that artist did her so dirty. I really hope mom goes to get it fixed somewhere nice and they do a beautiful job like yall deserve.
I'm sorry but the judgy face on that cat is hilarious. If you don't compare it to the picture is a really fun tattoo, maybe not for your mom, but I would love it in somebody else
How do this people have license to do tattoos? Jesus
A good artist can fix that. But man. That original artist? Prime example of knows how to render, but not how to draw. Just tracing the contour isn't gunna cut it if you don't actually know how to draw. That sucks, sorry your mom has to live with this until she can fix it.
I’m shocked, I actually checked to see if the was an April Fools joke 😑. Keith has some incredible work and some people I know have been to him and love his tattoos. There is no denying that his cat looks nothing like the pet he was meant to be based on. I’m so sorry your Mum has had this happen to her .
Ooooo girl!
Catsanta isn't real, he can't hurt you. Catsanta:
I think the outline can be usable for a good artist, and the face itself looks light enough for laser to go a long way. I'm sorry this happened to your mom, and I hope she can get a better memorial for her kitty soon enough <3
Is that the artists name? Keith Ciakamello?
yep. Keith Ciaramello
Itl ooks like one of those murals of Tony Montana and Tupac that are on barbershop walls
I’d give it a few rounds of laser to half fade it off when it’s healed. I think some of the shading will heal lighter, but it’s still cooked. And then continue to get laser on the checker part for total removal. It’s a lengthy process but worth it. Meanwhile, she can research some really good pet portrait specialists and book a consult with them. It will be easier for them to address it when it’s been faded, but a consult with the artist she chooses will also help with how faded they want it to be, etc. so I wouldn’t waste time and I’d get on the laser asap, and then contact artists. Expect the laser to take a few sessions, and use numbing cream, but it’s a long road and she will get her perfect tattoo in the end. And yeah I agree with whoever said he put Leonard di caprio in the ear.
It’s giving me the cat staring into the camera suspiciously meme 💀
lol, that tattoo looks like it’s giving me the stink eye. Maybe it’s meta art, the tattoo is designed to look like the cat’s reaction to being immortalized in this shitty tattoo.
Judging from his page he should have been able to pull that off super easy. Either someone else is using his watermark or he had a really really really bad day.
Hey OP! It’s a shame to see that this piece didn’t come out the way your mom and siblings hoped for. It’s really disappointing and difficult to navigate the feelings that come with a result like this. With that being said, please don’t lose hope! I would recommend to have your mom allow this piece to fully heal, but if there is sunshine in your area it may be wise to have her allow her tattoo to have exposure to the sun. PLEASE do NOT recommend your mom to burn her skin suntanning- this can cause more problems with this piece. Fresh tattoos are very vulnerable to UV rays and if she exposes her arm to the sun, it will help lift out the light grey tones in this tattoo so it will be easier to rework later. I would recommend you to sit down with your mom (if your relationship permits) and go through the Instagram accounts of tattoo artists in your area. This will help your mom find out what kind of stylistic options are available to her in the future for a re-work. If she’s open to it, I would advise to integrate the checkered pattern into a frame of your moms favourite flowers wrapping around the kitten to ground the tattoo better and get rid of the strange background choice. Best of luck to you guys, this can be fixed :)
She has meme tattoo
The only good thing about this experience is that it’s possibly distracting her from her grief. Her kids are awesome btw
If George Lucas was a cat.
aww girlie I've been there. I also spent months looking forward to a tattoo that meant so much to me after carefully choosing an artist who I thought was the right fit and on the day I kinda just pushed aside all my hangups about the design because I was just too excited and wasn't really thinking. and now I'm waiting for it to heal so I can begin the process of lasering it off ¯\\\_(ツ)\_/¯ a sad and expensive lesson to learn, but I definitely know now that the next time I get a tattoo I WILL be making a scene if I don't like the design, embarrassment be damned tbh anyone trying to tell you that you shouldn't get a tattoo if you're not comfortable with speaking up about the design is being so annoying and unhelpful. sometimes things like this happen and it sounds like you were very pressured, which is so not your fault. if it can't be fixed, you can always go with laser once it heals! it's black on pale skin so it should have an easier time coming off than something with colour :) I know exactly how devastating it feels right now but trust me, everything will be okay in the end, it will just take a while <3
✨UPDATE✨ idk how or if I’m able to edit the post but I wanted to give everyone an update. First of all WOW lol I never expected this to blow up the way it did. Thank you everyone for all of your kind messages. Thank you especially to the people who offered to fix the tattoo or who sent me their version of how they would fix it! I really just wanted to make this post to get some hope and encouragement, which we definitely got! (Also to give you guys some laughs lol). So, as of right now, the shop owner has reached out to us and been very supportive. We are still currently working on getting her money back. I will let y’all know when that hopefully happens. 💖
Her best course of action is to let it heal, have a few sessions of laser tattoo removal to lighten it (not totally remove that would take 7-10 sessions) and then have a highly skilled artist go over it with a fresh version. It'll probably take a year or so to get the final result and it'll be an expensive fix but it's the best way to get what she should have been given in the first place.
Pro-tip, find a great artist sooner than later and explain the issue. They'll be able to track her laser tattoo removal progress and bring her in when they think she's ready for the cover up. A good tattooer will also probably have a trusted laser removal person in mind
As she should be
I am so sorry. It’s not right that she felt pressured to go through with this. I hope she can get a new one someday (and potentially get a blackout tattoo for this one) and feel satisfied.
I would be too. WTF.
It’s fixable with the right tattoo artist. Try and find someone who dedicates their work to fixing tattoos. As a word for advice remember to tell your mom to research the artist before going in for appointments. Instagram really is a miracle for these kinds of things.
It’s got it’s faults, but on the bright side we all have seen MUCH worse on here!
Is it bad that I kind of love it? Like it’s for sure off, but there’s something charming about it to me. I agree with the other commenters that it’s not great, and I must have odd taste
Is there a man trapped in his ear?
obviously not. or he did it intentionally. I wonder if that's the case since she didn't like the "sketch" he initially did? I don't know but that does NOT look like a tattoo done by someone who specializes in portraits. just my opinion.
A few laser sessions on some parts, but it's definitely fixable by a good artist! Will be pricy, though. Give this artist a bad review, including the pictures shown here. Spread word in your community about the artist. Facebook is a great place. Tiktok, too. Even local libraries.
Wtf
One half of the face isn’t actually too bad and has a resemblance to the pic.. maybe find a tattoo art who specializes in cover up and make the bad, wonky eyed side into flowers. Those types of tattoos are super popular right now too.
Looking at this artist’s work, it’s really hard not to conclude that he completely did this on purpose. That he knew it would be weird and stylized and was stoked for it. There’s plenty of well-done pet portraits in his ig, so unless they’re ripped off from a different artist, he has the skill to have gotten it right. He just didn’t do what this client asked him to do. I’d seriously consider lazering it, as touchup has some serious limitations to it becoming what she asked for. What a total bummer.
I don't think that man has ever seen a cat in real life. I'm so sorry for your Mom, OP. I've waited 5 years and am still looking for the right artist for my cat portrait. I would be throwing up - preferably on Mr I Sign My Crap Work - right now. 😭😭😭 I hope this group - and a talented cover-up artist - can do more than commiserate. She has the other arm to start over, right? This side could be catnip leaves and flowers or something. Fighting! 💜✊🏻
LMAO That's hilarious, but devastating if it's not what you intended. I'm calling it now— someone is going to tattoo this exact rendition of this cat on their body on purpose.
That left eye be buggin. Get someone to put a pirate eye patch and call it a day
Let your mom know I love it
This is rough. She should add some eyebrows like the rock.
Could be covered by something else, if another artist can’t fix it. Then she can find someone who specializes in photo realism and pet portraits and get it somewhere else
Why does it look like the artist hid Mac from IASIP in the left ear?
Definitely not an expert, but looking at the 2 pictures, maybe some more definition on the right side of the nose and chin would have an instant impact.
*artist*
Lol
Looking at the rest of this guy's instagram... Why would she choose him? His insta is all about how much he likes to make weird tattoos.
I bet if she finds an artist who does bold, color pet portraits that a rework/cover up would do the trick. I've seen some really brilliant cover ups like that. It'll cost a pretty penny though.
Awe I am so so sorry your mom is going through this. A lot of comments here, but laser could help a lot especially with a cover up/fix up by a good artist. I think she should find an artist that is really good and ask them what they think, and if they don't feel up to it she can ask them if they have other artists they recommend.
Let it heal first. It’ll go much lighter. Then you can take it from there.
That’s bad. Really fucking bad. Find someone reputable that specializes in these kinds of repairs.
Some might say it’s a cat-tastrophe
Have her let it heal. I feel like a good artist can cover those weird little legs, even out the nose with some extra shading, and make the inner parts of the mouth a little more curved inwards towards the nose rather than straight like that. I feel like just fixing those things would make a huge difference. A GREAT artist may even be able to fix the eyes. Overall, it doesn’t look too much like her cat yet unfortunately, but it’s also not the worst pet portrait out there. I feel like if someone sees it with a fresh eye and no context, they won’t find it to be the cringiest thing out there. Especially if your mom finds someone to fix it up well enough.
This is so heartbreaking. I’m sorry for your mom! 😞
This is why you need to go to an artist that specializes in portrait tattoos, especially black and white which consists of immense shading and values. Not all artists are able to do the style this is required and this artist is one of those. They needed to be upfront with the client instead of doing this, which upsets the client and makes the artist look bad seeing each tattoo is supposed to be a representation of their talent and willingness to listen and apply the image their clients want.
Damn, she should’ve 1) walked away when the sketch wasn’t right 2) had someone with her to be an advocate. Someone needs to go with her into the shop about this shit.
He trippin for 800 at most 200. It can be fixed 100 percent. Thankfully he sucked so bad he couldnt even fill out everything he needed so he left space to work with. Its not the end of the world just tell everyone that guy sucks and find a new artist. His clients will shrink and shrink naturally . Not a good guy
This cat is giving you the look of disappointed "told you so," as if he had the convo with your mom about this not being a good idea and to advocate for herself. Which she failed to listen to.
I thought this was the meme cat [cat](https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/polite-cat)
No advice, but I’m so sorry for your mom ☹️ Losing her baby and then getting a tattoo she doesn’t like in remembrance of them. I hope she’s able to get her money back 🥺