For all the incredible tattoos out there, there are equally as many questionable ones. Whether an owner made a risky request or an artist missed the mark, here are some of the most hilarious fails we found.
Marilyn Mon-NO
There's so much to say, but really the tattoo here does all the talking. We idolize Marilyn Monroe as much as the next person, but it seemed like this tattoo artist had a different idea for the inspired ink.
There is something about the facial expression that just doesn't quite scream "Marilyn Monroe." The tattoo looks well done, but unfortunately, where it counts is on the face - and it seems to have missed the mark. Hopefully, the next person to request a Monroe tattoo takes this into consideration...
Till Death Due Us Part
These two must love each other so much to get these matching tattoos. We've heard of couples getting matching tattoos, but this is taking it to new extremes. The Reddit user who uploaded this image got some rather interesting responses from the rest of the Internet….
One follower commented, "I've got to wonder if they did each other's [tattoo]," while another wrote, "Her [tattoo] looks like it was written by a 2nd grader learning cursive for the first time. At least his is semi-straight." Oh, man. We really hope they're still together!
Lost in Translation...
We just have to give it to the guy. He knows what he loves and loves it enough to get it tattooed on his body forever. This hilarious tattoo might not have been a failure to him, but it has certainly left us wondering what delicious dish we would get tattooed on our bodies...
This Reddit user posted the picture online of his friend, with the caption reading, "Today I learned that my friend's Chinese tattoo literally means "Turkey Sandwich." We can imagine that was both a pretty shocking and hilarious day for their friendship!
Jon Bovi
So close. With so many of these tattoos, they have so much potential - but then something goes hilariously wrong. The 2000 iconic Bon Jovi song, It's My Life, took over the music industry, so much so that this person felt it necessary to get it tattooed on their body. Well, at least a version of it...
However, something went terribly wrong with the tattoo. Instead of having the iconic phrase, "it's my life" tattooed, this poor guy got "it's is my life" permanently tattooed. A Reddit user hilariously commented on the thread, suggesting the tattoo owner "lost a bet," and honestly, that could be the case! At least we're hoping.
A Kind Reminder
This is unfortunate. Again, so close. This Twitter user was so close to having their desired tattoo, but one letter made all the difference - and just like that, a failed tattoo. We're hoping that they live in a cold climate so that most of the year, long-sleeves are mandatory! LOL.
According to the Twitter user, this one was all on the tattoo artist. The Twitter user uploaded the failed tattoo image with the caption, "If you're ever having a bad day, just remember my tattoo artist did me dirty and spelt my first tattoo wrong." Uh-Oh.
Starry Nights
This is the perfect example of a miscommunicated tattoo. The tattoo owner had one idea in her head and unfortunately walked out with something completely different - now permanently etched on her body! According to the Reddit user behind this image, this tattoo was "apparently supposed to be of 'stars.'"
However, it sadly does not look like a star constellation. The idea is definitely there, but something feels a tad off. Reddit users had a lot to say about this, with one commenting, "I guess no one told her stars are not black," while another commented that the tattoo looks "like an ink pen sneezed on her." Yikes.
Eyes in the Back of His Head
There's a lot to say here, but we will hand it to the guy - he is dedicated to the craft, and for that, he deserves major props! We can't imagine sitting behind this guy on an airplane, but at least it's something entertaining to look at during a long flight.
A lot is going on at the back of his head. From the surprised (ish) expression on his face (or back of his head) to the shading detail and added color, he went for it. Not to mention he left parts of his hair for the face's eyebrows and mustache. That's a lot of daily maintenance!
The Brad Pitt Superfan
This is just legendary. An Instagram user loved Brad Pitt so much and was not afraid to show it! We get it. We love him as much as the next person, from his charming looks to his legendary roles in movies like Mr. & Mrs. Smith and Fight Club; what's not to love? Right?
@bonkers.on.coffee uploaded the photo with the caption, "Say Hello To 'Brad Pitt,'" and well, that's quite an introduction. She decided the best way to show her appreciation for the famously acclaimed and well-respected actor was to get "Brad" tattooed on her armpit. And while we respect it, we've suddenly got lots of questions.
A Not-So Lover Boy
We all have our favorite musicians, and for some, the best way to show appreciation for their music is to get their faces permanently tattooed on themselves. Just ask this Instagram user, who decided to get his favorite rapper, Drake, tattooed on his arm. Unfortunately, things didn't go quite as planned…
The arm tattoo was supposed to represent the cover of Drakes's album Scorpion, and well, it didn't quite capture the 6 God. The Instagram user behind this tattoo uploaded the photo, tagging the official Champagne Papi on Instagram, hoping to get Drake himself to see the tat!
Almost Perfect
Talk about commitment. This guy purposely chose to get a hilarious "failed" tattoo on his arm. Maybe making a statement more than anything, the tattoo artist behind this piece uploaded the photo of the "janky doodlez" tattoo, explaining "if you want a nice tattoo, go somewhere else!"
It seems like this tattoo owner doesn't care too much about receiving a "perfect" tattoo - as seen by the ink above. The tattooist started the tattoo by writing, "tatoos must be," and crossed out "perfa," having it spelled incorrectly on purpose. Talk about a sense of humor…
Never Lose Hoop
They were so extremely close that it almost could have been okay... but then "hoop" happened. The motivational tattoo was one letter off of being a success. "Believe in yourself and never lose hoop," the tattoo reads, where it should really say, "never lose hope."
We did lose a little hope with this tattoo, and so did the Reddit users who hilariously commented on this tattoo fail. One user wrote, "I'm impressed they spelled lose right. So they didn't loose that bad," while another joked, "Believe being spelled correctly was a bigger surprise for me," and we get it.
The COVID Tribute
The COVID-19 pandemic was a memorable experience for residents all around the world. We all were stuck inside for perhaps too long, wore masks, and bought an excessive amount of toilet paper - but did everyone get a tattoo to commemorate it? Well, that may be where we differ.
It looks like this guy decided to celebrate the ending of the pandemic with a tattoo. "I survived a global pandemic, and all I got was this stupid TTTOO," reads his cynical tattoo, along with a little outline of a germ. Hey, to each their own, we guess...
Nowhere to Hide
This takes the phrase "eyes on the back of my head" to a whole next level. Imagine standing in line behind this guy! It looks like the Twitter user who uploaded the photo was behind this person in line and had to share it with the Internet. And we're so glad they did.
What's with all the back of the head tattoos? There seem to be a lot of tattooed heads bopping around! It looks like this guy wanted to make it clear; he has eyes on the back of his head. Literally, the man has tattooed two eyeballs on the sides of his head with the phrase, "I C ALL" in the middle. Noted.
Paint Job
It looks like this guy was ready to get rid of his ink! We're sure plenty of people regret getting certain tattoos over time, whether they got them super young, got them on a dare, or maybe no longer are dating the person they have a tattoo of on their arm. But this guy got pretty creative with his.
Instead of getting the ink removed, it looks like this guy came up with a much more clever solution to the problem! He added a new element to his tattoo by adding a tattooed painter who is painting over the original tattoo he no longer wants! Genius, to be honest.
If Only It Were Temporary...
Oh, the irony. There is nothing like a temporary tattoo! Remember, during birthday parties, the goodie bags were stacked with candy, plastic toys, and a ton of temporary tattoos that took forever to scrub off or would eventually fade away? Well, it looks like this guy is taking temporary to new levels.
However, it looks like he wasn't quite ready to give up on the temporary tattoo idea - but still made it permanent. This Instagram user uploaded his hilarious, very permanent tattoo, and instead of spelling it correctly, spelled it "Temporarary." So close! There's always next time...
El Barto Simpson
Who's not a Simpsons fan? There's nothing we don't love about this 33-season sitcom, and it seems the people agree. In fact, the people agree enough that there are plenty of Simpsons tattoos running around the world. This guy dedicated his art to Bart - or should we say, El Barto.
This tattoo owner decided to get "El Barto wuz here!" tattooed on himself with a small image of El Barto himself next to it. El Barto is Bart Simpson's official graffiti-tagging alter-ego in the long-sanding comedy series - and this guy seems to be a super-fan! We wonder if Homer approves.
Time to Desappear
So close, yet so far. This tattoo was on the right track to turning out successful, but just one letter changed the whole game. That's the unfortunate thing with so many of these hilarious tattoo fails; it only takes one minor mistake to change the entire course of the tattoo!
The tattoo reads, "I'm too busy to desappear," with the "e" crossed out and an "I" written underneath. It's unclear if the "e" was intentional or not, but we're hoping for her sake it was! We're also hoping with some of these failed tattoos, there's some sort of refund involved…
Not-So Connecting Pieces
Matching tattoos for the win! These two lovebirds were in the market for matching tattoos and landed on these two unidentified objects. We can't imagine it to be so easy to decide on what permanent ink to get with a loved one - but it looks like this is what they landed on!
So instead of getting two matching tattoos, the happy couple decided to get connecting tattoos that complete one another. Well, tried to. Unfortunately, the tattoo on the right seems to be a bit lopsided. Nonetheless, it's the thought that counts. Though we certainly wouldn't trust the artist behind this masterpiece...
Needs New Friends
This Instagram user uploaded his friend's failed tattoo design, giving his followers the full background story about what is going on here. "My friend got this tattoo while drunk at a country festival. Need new friends," he hilariously captioned the photo.
Ah, there's nothing like some country music and the sudden urge to get a tattoo saying "with every heartbeat" to remind us of that one summer when we were 23 on Delray Beach, enjoying some good old sunshine. Could it also be inspired by Grace Potters' Every Heartbeat? Perhaps we'll never know.
Wise Words of Wisdom?
We love a classic inspirational saying, especially when it's tattooed incorrectly on someone's arm forever. It seems like this failed tattoo was only just a letter away from success, like most others, apparently, but the idea and technique were on point!
This guy went for the classic saying, "Forever and A Day Til My Last Breath," but unfortunately was just one letter off. The tattoo should have read "breath," and Reddit users have something to say about it joking, "That's gonna stay there "forever and a day." LOL.
Simpsons 2.0
So close, yet so far... again. As popular as The Simpsons tattoos may be, it doesn't seem to be a popular enough tattoo for it to be completed? The intention is clearly there, but we're wondering if it was the right intention for a permanent tattoo?
TV and movie characters are probably some of the most common tattoos in the tattoo world, but we can imagine they usually come out a little bit differently. This hilarious Bar Simpson outline of a tattoo seems to be missing a few features - but hey, whatever floats their boat!
Have Some Patients
This also had a good intention, but it's unclear which direction the intention was going! For all the motivational tattoos out there, some are going to miss a beat for sure! But maybe this Reddit user is a doctor and intended for the spelling to say "Patients." No?
The tattoo owner seemingly wanted some version of the word "patience" tattooed on themselves. But hey, maybe there was just a lack of communication in the parlor! The hilarious outcome may be unusual, but at least it can be played off better than a misspelled tat...
Lost With No Direction
There's so much to say but not enough words to say it. The classic compass tattoo had all the potential to turn out successful, but two very important letters out of four confused things. The tattoo artist behind this tattoo must have had an off day or just didn't have a compass laying around!
The simple mistake confuses East and West, and well, the whole tattoo is completely thrown off! Reddit users had a lot to say about the error suggesting maybe, "the tattoo artist did it with a sharpie first, but when she saw it in the mirror, she thought it was backwards." Interesting proposition!
Go Bulls, Go
So close. Like so many other tattoos, it's just so close. It looks like this Reddit user saw this tattoo from a mile away and decided to snap a sneaky pic and share it online. @Burulambie uploaded the photo writing, "spotted on the beach. Go bulls!"
It's clear the guy is a Chicago Bulls fan, but also clear he didn't get the best tattoo, according to Reddit. In fact, a few theories have been circulating about his final look. One user suggested, "I think he gave himself the tattoo, hence the wonky perspective," while another commented, "maybe his kid drew it?" We'll never know.
World Cup "Winners"
This guy is clearly a fan of British soccer and had some high hopes for the 2018 World Cup games. Some would say a little too much hope as he pre-emptively tattooed himself with "England 2018 World Cup Winners" when France ended up winning that year. Talk about awkward...
Although the tattoo owner was hopeful of his team taking home the W, unfortunately, they lost, and now he has this as a constant reminder. Reddit users had a lot to say, with the biggest suggestion being to remove it or "get a line put through it and get the England vs. Croatia score underneath." Ouch.
YOLO
In the famous words of Drake, you only live once! There was a time when his song came out in 2012 when people really lived by this motto, and it was a frequently popular tattoo - but this user's version of the four basic letters turned into something completely different!
We can see the tattoo owner tested out the ink right above where she ended up getting it, but in the end, she went for a different location. The "YOLO" tattoo turned into a "Yob" tattoo, and according to Reddit users, "Let's face facts here people, yob is a much better tattoo." Alright, to each their own!
No Ragrets (Well, Some)
We can resonate with this one right here! There's something about the brutal honesty that is compelling, and we can genuinely appreciate it. Regardless of the case, we all simply have "some regrets" at one point or another. And we've got a feeling this guy can relate.
However, the tattoo owner may still have a few regrets about the outcome of the tattoo. The new tattoo owner has "some regerts" tattooed on his ankle instead of the correctly spelled "some regrets." As ironic and hilarious as this ink is, we are still wondering if he is having any regerts, regrets, or ragrets?
A Gentle Reminder
To all the people who are unclear on various body parts, this guy is here to make it extremely clear! In this hilarious permanent tattoo, the person behind this tattoo has a lot to say about his chosen tattoo placement and specialty food groups...
Not only is he clear where the knee is, but he is also marking the space above the knee with his tattoo saying, "Above Knee." To further the story, the amused owner had the word "Bologna" inked below his knee - maybe to show his love for the food or maybe to show a play on words? Let's go with the first option.
Oh, Baby
The purpose of this tattoo is definitely sweet! The tattoo owner clearly wanted to do a nice thing and have their little one tattooed on them, but unfortunately, it looks like there might have been some confusion. We've got a feeling that image won't age well...
The chosen photo of the newborn shows the baby half asleep, half awake, with a cute little smile! However, the tattooed image seems to have missed the smiley part, and instead, the baby looks a little angry! Not to mention, all of a sudden, there is a full head of hair in the tatted version. So many questions.
Batman?
This Reddit user came in looking for some answers. We aren't even necessarily sure what the tattoo is on this user's arm, but we're seeing some sort of combination of a bat with an angry face stuck inside? Is this supposed to be an ode to Batman? Unclear.
This user uploaded the unique tattoo saying, "Hey Reddit, I have a horrible tattoo! Lol, tell me your honest thoughts." And well, the Internet happily obliged. "I'm so sorry, this is hilarious… I think blacking it out is the way to go," one user wrote. Another commented, "Use a laser. Just get rid of it." LOL, way to be honest.