Dear God, What Have I Done?

If you're new to getting tattooed ask your questions here

Moderators: buttwheat, sidelvar, kohlhaas, EvilJay, Sphenoid, Freddie, CxCx

User avatar
RegrettingIt
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 11:10 pm

Sun May 20, 2012 12:06 am

After much research and planning, my husband and I went to get our first tattoos this morning: simple star designs to honor a difficult loss. The artist insisted that the design I had chosen would have to be enlarged to come out well. I agreed; final size is about the diameter of a quarter. My husband's tattoo came out okay, and I thought mine did, too, but once I removed the bandage and cleaned it up, I saw that mine had actually come out like absolute crap (please see avatar). I am so crushed and mortified. What to do? Is it worth asking the shop to touch it up? This is a popular shop in my area (keeping it anonymous for now...) with excellent reviews online, many of which mentioned our artist, who has been in the business for 30+ years, by name. I can't believe the terrible quality of this tattoo.
User avatar
reefdiver
Hardcore
Posts: 4124
Joined: Sat Feb 10, 2007 2:26 pm

Sun May 20, 2012 7:17 am

post up a bigger picture of it and your hubby's in this thread........

upload them to photobucket and then copy and paste the .img link....

what do you think is wrong with it????
User avatar
RegrettingIt
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 11:10 pm

Sun May 20, 2012 9:24 am

https://picasaweb.google.com/1023097567 ... /May202012

The first two shots are of my tattoo, and the third is of my husband's. His isn't perfect, but it's a lot closer than mine! Straight lines and sharp points on the star. Every arm of my star seems to have a different size and shape, plus wobbly lines and rounded points... I think it's a disaster. It's on my ribs, so I couldn't get a very good look at it at the shop.

I feel like the artist should have some responsibility to fix this, but also like I would be crazy to let him anywhere near me again.
lfmn16
Posts: 96
Joined: Sat Jan 21, 2012 10:15 am

Sun May 20, 2012 10:58 am

RegrettingIt wrote: I feel like the artist should have some responsibility to fix this, but also like I would be crazy to let him anywhere near me again.
I wouldn't let that quack within a mile of me again. I would also post who it was so that this doesn't happen to someone else.
User avatar
Stubarber
Hardcore
Posts: 2561
Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2009 6:55 pm

Sun May 20, 2012 11:42 am

Since it's so small, you may have luck getting the same hack to clean it up - and worst case is you have to go to someone better to re-do it slightly larger.

Also - agreed, who did it and from what shop?
User avatar
sidelvar
Hardcore
Posts: 2073
Joined: Mon Nov 05, 2007 9:15 pm

Sun May 20, 2012 1:23 pm

It wouldn't take much to fix it. I wouldn't even bother going to the same guy.

Think of it as a lesson learned. Before you get a tattoo from any artist make sure you look at their work and not just reviews online. I don't think I could tell you how many times I have heard "X artist is one of the best in Phoenix" and I look at their portfolio and its mediocre at best.
User avatar
RegrettingIt
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 11:10 pm

Sun May 20, 2012 3:47 pm

Definitely a lesson learned. The shop is Comes a Time Tattoo in Fairfax, VA, and the artist is Johnny Lange.

I did call the shop this afternoon to see if anything could be done. He said he could touch it up in a couple of weeks, but he was incredibly defensive about it. I think that bridge has been burned. I'll be looking for another shop to repair this. Thanks for advice, guys.
User avatar
Animosity
Hardcore
Posts: 1033
Joined: Sat Sep 18, 2010 6:44 pm

Sun May 20, 2012 4:49 pm

User avatar
EvilJay
Hardcore
Posts: 8810
Joined: Wed Dec 20, 2006 2:45 pm

Sun May 20, 2012 9:34 pm

Who saw the penis cross?

OP, do not go to this shop again..You're right. Yours is terrible. Any good artist can straighten it out if all you want is a black solid star.
Last edited by EvilJay on Mon May 21, 2012 6:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
flyangler
Hardcore
Posts: 1088
Joined: Mon Jul 27, 2009 10:30 pm

Mon May 21, 2012 2:45 pm

I would ask him to post the picture on his website or you will request at least a partial refund.
User avatar
sidelvar
Hardcore
Posts: 2073
Joined: Mon Nov 05, 2007 9:15 pm

Mon May 21, 2012 7:31 pm

Holy fuck, some of that is bad. My favorite is the Santa Ynez piece. I'm making an assumption that its in regards to the city but I could be wrong. None the less, I would still imagine it's 2 words no matter the subject. Could be wrong.
User avatar
sidelvar
Hardcore
Posts: 2073
Joined: Mon Nov 05, 2007 9:15 pm

Mon May 21, 2012 7:33 pm

flyangler wrote:I would ask him to post the picture on his website or you will request at least a partial refund.
Why? I would not want to deal with the artist as much as possible. I just don't get the mentality.
User avatar
JimiDanglez
Hardcore
Posts: 1335
Joined: Tue Feb 16, 2010 5:54 pm

Mon May 21, 2012 7:56 pm

Impeccable work
User avatar
buttwheat
Hardcore
Posts: 6661
Joined: Sun Oct 21, 2007 11:24 pm

Wed May 23, 2012 12:22 am

Take this to heart on your tattoo your husbands is absolute crap also.
User avatar
flyangler
Hardcore
Posts: 1088
Joined: Mon Jul 27, 2009 10:30 pm

Wed May 23, 2012 2:41 pm

sidelvar wrote:
flyangler wrote:I would ask him to post the picture on his website or you will request at least a partial refund.
Why? I would not want to deal with the artist as much as possible. I just don't get the mentality.
Why not? She is not going back for a rework, so if the guy thinks it is fine ask him to post it on his website. Of course he is not going to give her a refund but maybe he will embarass himself.
Post Reply