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Beauty might be in the eye of the beholder, sure, but some aesthetic decisions don’t deserve much mercy. The simple fact is that not all tattoos are inked equally well. Nor are all design ideas artistic marvels. Some of them are so cringy that their only benefit is to serve as a warning to others.
That’s where the ‘That’s It, I’m Inkshaming’ Facebook group comes in. Members of this community share examples of some of the most outrageous and awful tattoos ever. We’ve collected some of the worst recent pics to show you that not only does your idea have to be good, but you also need a stylist who knows their craft well. Scroll down to check ‘em out.

#1 Now These Are Some Tats To Be Proud Of

Image credits: Mark McCall

#2 Got A Tattoo From This Chick And The Ink Literally Fell Out

Image credits: anonymous

#3 Everytime I See Her Tattoos I Cringe

Image credits: anonymous

When it comes to tattoo artists, reputation is pretty much everything. If you plan on getting inked, there’s nothing like the recommendation of a trusted friend. It’s worth it in the long run if you do some research about the artist before sitting down in their chair.

In this day and age, it’s rare for an artist not to have a social media page (or several) for their art or shop. So, it’s very easy to get a quick understanding of what their style and range is like. Meanwhile, their business likely also has reviews on Google and social media. You can read some people’s comments to get a feel for their (lack of) professionalism.

#4 Oof.. Got A Tattoo From This Chick And The Ink Literally Fell Out

Image credits: anonymous

#5 Last Time I Posted Something By This “Artist”, A Few Folks Were Saying “It’s Actually A Style” But Like Can Someone Explain This To Me Then

Image credits: anonymous

#6 Egyptian Pink Panther

Image credits: Laura Cattani

If you’re still on the fence, you can always get in touch with the artist via social media, phone, or pop into their salon to have a quick chat face-to-face. They can answer your questions while you get a feel for them as a person. It’s really important that you trust your gut. If you don’t feel comfortable, you don’t have to pick that particular artist. It’s okay to ‘shop around.’

Tattoos might not be forever with the advent of laser removal, but it’s still your time, money, and health at stake!

#7 Uhh, Thanks Fb But No Thanks. I Will Not Be Adding Friend

Image credits: anonymous

#8 Found On Tiktok

Image credits: Ali Mae

#9 Found On Instagram

Image credits: anonymous

According to Inked magazine, professional artists take the proper health and safety precautions. They take sanitation seriously. They wear gloves. They clean their machines. They keep a neat workstation. And they have an up-to-date certification for bloodborne pathogens.

Proper artists will also have good linework, can pack color into the skin well, and come up with their personal designs instead of just copying other people’s work.

#10 Sheeesh

Image credits: Cort Campbell

#11 Let’s Play The What Words Are Missing Game

Image credits: Lillian Bish

#12 He Got That Dog In Him

Image credits: anonymous

We could talk about the subjectivity and personal nuances of taste until the cows come home.

After all, folks have very different aesthetic preferences. One person might prefer clean lines and clear concepts. Meanwhile, someone else might love abstract concepts and chaotic, raw, intuitive art.

However, you’ll find very few people who are fans of kitschy and poorly inked designs.

#13 Ba Da Ba Da Ba I’m Hating It

Image credits: Danielle Hartshorn

#14 Sawtism

Image credits: anonymous

#15 Found In A Group I’m In. Yikes

Image credits: anonymous

At a certain low-quality threshold, bad art is simply… bad art—indefensible. Tattoos that are based on bad ideas and are executed without skill don’t deserve to be lauded.

They’re examples of what to avoid, both as the person getting the ink as well as the artist.

#16 I Was Looking At Reviews On Dresses And Came Across This Gem

Image credits: Emily Brooks Polson

#17 Found In The Wild

Image credits: Sabryna McLean

#18 A Profile Picture On A Dating App

Image credits: Jasmin Pabst

The ‘That’s It, I’m Inkshaming’ private group, dedicated to making fun of ‘actually bad tattoos,’ is extremely well-known on Facebook. At the time of writing, it boasts nearly 390k members from all over the world.

However, the group doesn’t just focus on shaming other people’s ink. Members can poke fun at their own tats on Sundays, but this can’t be done anonymously. Meanwhile, on Wednesdays, the administrator team running the group lets everyone share good tattoos. There’s a different theme each week.

#19 Saw This In The Wild And Just Knew I Had To Share It

Image credits: anonymous

#20 Where’s The Magic?

Image credits: MariaAna Yeoman

#21 A Guy Is Advertising His Work… Yikes!

Image credits: anonymous

Meanwhile, on the 1st day of every month, the team running the Facebook group allows everyone to share any tattoos they want, no matter the quality of the art. That being said, the photos still have to adhere to the social network’s standards. Meanwhile, the pics also have to be original: you can’t repost what’s already been shared on the group. However, the tattoos can’t be those belonging to the poster, and they cannot be their designs.

On the 13th of every month, the moderators and administrators share a topic and ask everyone to share pics related to it. It’s similar to what they do on Wednesdays. However, on the 13th, artists can share their own work, as well as their shop names and locations.

#22 I Have No Words

Image credits: Joey Conley

#23 Um… At Least It’s Not A Case!

Image credits: anonymous

#24 Done By A Local Shop

Image credits: Amy Bellman

According to the group, you should be prepared for criticism if you end up sharing your own work. At the same time, everyone’s expected to be at least minimally polite. “People can tell you your art sucks. While debate is expected, rude exchanges are not tolerated.”

Some themes and topics are outright banned on ‘That’s It, I’m Inkshaming.’ For example, you shouldn’t be posting anything related to Harry Potter, autism, the police, or Twilight. Meanwhile, you should not post any hate speech, nudity, or anything related to potential self-harm scars.

#25

Image credits: anonymous

#26

Image credits: Aishya Pirches

#27

Image credits: anonymous

There’s still a lot of freedom when it comes to posting, though. The mods and admins outright state that they don’t care where people’s pictures come from. They also won’t remove any pics, even if they belong to the person who has the tattoo.

“We will protect your identity by requiring identifying information to be absent, but if you identify yourself as the canvas that is your choice. You can ask the OP to remove the post, but we will not require them to, and you will be banned should you choose to harass them or other members,” they explain.

The point of the group is to discuss the quality of tattoo application and art design, not tease the people who got them or inked them. That’s why there’s zero tolerance for harassment or leaking someone’s face, identifying details, shop name, or social media handles. All of this info has to be censored. Meanwhile, the tattoos themselves have to be ‘bad enough’ to be shared.

#28

Image credits: anonymous

#29

Image credits: anonymous

#30

Image credits: Ali Mae

Which of the tattoos featured in this list made you cringe the most? What’s the very worst tattoo you’ve seen in person, dear Pandas? Have you ever gotten ink that you’ve genuinely regretted later on? What do you think everyone could do to boost their artistic taste?

If you’re feeling up to it, swing by the comments section to share your thoughts.