This Facebook Group ‘Inkshames’ Bad Tattoos, And Here Are 119 Of The Worst

by admin February 4, 2022

Not all tattoos are inked equal. While some are stunning and wow people with their artistic merit, some others can force a double-take, making folks wonder what exactly happened there. Welcome to the ‘That’s It, I’m Inkshaming’ Facebook group, a community of nearly 243k members who poke fun at ‘Actually Bad Tattoos.’

The group is meant for posting “truly awful,” low-quality ink, all in the hope of making people laugh. It’s not meant to be mean and there’s no place for general jerkiness. We’ve collected some of the group’s most interesting features photos, the crème de la crème of bad tattoos, to share with you today, dear Pandas. Scroll down and enjoy.

Meanwhile, be sure to read on for Bored Panda’s in-depth interview with the owner of Glasgow-based Archangel 1608 Tattoo Studio, talented tattoo artist David McKinlay.

#1 Jesus Tapdancing Christ

Image credits: Stewart Anderson

#2 Sooooo Much To Unpack Here

Image credits: Jessica Snow

#3 Looks Like Katherine Ryan

Image credits: Reyna Givhan

Tattoo artist David, who runs the Archangel 1608 Tatoo Studio in Scotland, was kind enough to answer Bored Panda’s questions about tattoos.

We spoke about how tattoo artists hone their skills, whether or not customers are always right, and what happens if an artist makes a mistake while tattooing someone.

“Tattooists can practice on any number of things initially, to help them get the mechanics and techniques to tattoo properly,” David explained to Bored Panda.

#4 Found This On A Page For A Local Artist… Really Hope The Person Who Got This Atleast Wanted The 6 Fingers

Image credits: Jesse Blankenship

#5 What.. What Is Happening Here

Image credits: Shannon Ouray Robles

#6 No. No You Did Not Have To

Image credits: Jessica Marie

“You can buy synthetic skin, pig skin from a butcher’s, or even use fruit, such as oranges or lemons, bananas,” he told us.

However, the tattoo artist pointed out to Bored Panda that there is “no substitute for moving, breathing, sweating, bleeding human skin.” In short, nothing beats the real thing. And sooner or later you’ll have to switch to inking real live human beings. Though, later is best. Once you’ve got the fundamentals down and feel confident.

#7 Found On A Sketchy Sales Page Get Booked In Quick!

Image credits: Stacey Webb

#8 What Can I Say Except I’m Sorry

Image credits: Reyna Givhan

#9 They Look Like Industrial Era Coal Factory Workers

Image credits: Patrick Harrington

“The first 4 or 5 tattoos I ever did were on myself. It was a pretty severe learning curve, but I had to prove that I wanted the apprenticeship, and it let me see how the tattoos would heal up, and what I could do better,” David revealed to Bored Panda the dedication that he personally had for his craft when he was just starting out.

“You shouldn’t really be tattooing actual clients for a long time, but if you can persuade friends to let you once you’re ready, that’s great,” he said.

#10 From Tik Tok, They’re Supposed To Be Ballet Shoes

Image credits: Savannah Knowles

#11 I Don't Have Words

Image credits: Jenna Arr

#12 Local Shop, Poor Gal Only Wanted Linework Silhouette Of Dog Ears

Image credits: Sarah Thompson

David takes a lot of pride in what he does for a living. “Tattooing is a craft, a skill, and should be taught directly from one person to another,” he said that it is not something that should be learned “by a YouTube video or a bs tattoo ‘school’ that only care about your money.”

#13 Why Would You Put The Nose Over The Belly Button

Image credits: Katie Nash

#14 Found This In An Article I Came Across On Here, Can't Remember What It Was About, But How Tf Do You Manage To F*ck This Up That Bad?

Image credits: Heather Achterberg

#15 I Thought It Was Supposed To Be A Pile Of Wood Lmao

Image credits: Angel Burgemeir

Bored Panda was very interested to learn about the dynamic between artists and their customers. David explained that they have a rule that if they’re not 100 percent confident about the tattoo, they don’t do it.

“We’ll try to offer a compromise, but if the client is too rigid, we’ll point them in the direction of another artist. The client is only right in terms of what they like, not how the tattoo can actually be done or will end up looking,” he said.

#16 Sorry But.. The Hair!

Image credits: Ashleigh Bill

#17 Found Here On Facebook

Image credits: Carro Hagen

#18 You Guys Like Playing Hidden Picture Games? The First Hidden Item You See Is Your Next Bad Tattoo

Image credits: Eve Gray

What’s more, the tattoo artist and his staff also draw the line when it comes to certain tattoos. “We won’t do any hateful tattoos—racist, homophonic, sectarian, etc. Those tattoos are bad news, but unfortunately, there are those that will still do them,” he explained.

#19 It's... Lips?

Image credits: Mecca Oliver

#20 Ink Shaming Myself And My Best Bud While He Was Apprenticing. Ps If You Have An Issue With Body Hair On Women You Can Go Fys

Image credits: Ashley Murphy

#21 There Are No Words

Image credits: Erika Payne

Like any other artists and craftsmen out in the wide world, tattooists can make mistakes, too. There’s no such thing as perfection in any craft. It’s best to learn from any mistakes and, most importantly, to learn to control your fear.

“Sometimes, a client will sneeze, or move to answer their phone, meaning the tattoo has an extra line or detail,” David said.

#22 Seen On Ig

Image credits: Therese Enberg Thomes

#23 Ok, I'm Gonna Say This, Only A Real Man Would Rock This With Pride!

Image credits: Reyna Givhan

#24 Found In Another Group I’m In. Sorry If This Is Yours. I Can Never Get My Head Around How An Artist Can Make A Spelling Error In The Stencil And Not Catch It

Image credits: Caitlyn Reneé

“The important thing is not to panic (and not to panic the client). Take a few minutes and work out how to deal with the mistake—maybe add an extra detail, darken up some shading. Nine times out of ten, you can correct an issue. Stay cool and work it out!”