This article was originally published on VisualChase
A tattoo is for life... unless you can go through the emotional and physical (and financial) turmoil of laser tattoo removal, that is. That's why it's always a good idea to do your research before committing to the ink. Sure, you might want your tattoo to stand out from the crowd, but you want that to be for a good reason, right? And while the funny tattoos below definitely do stand out from the crowd, it's probably not for the reason these people wanted. Check out the uncomfortable results below!
Our Lady of Skeletor
It's not uncommon for people to get religious tattoos. At least, that's what we think this is! But while we're getting a hint of Michelangelo's The Madonna della Pietà, the main overriding feeling we get when we look at this ink is confusion. We're getting some major skeleton vibes from this tattoo - but only with the person holding the body. The body itself is a beast in its own right.
Not only does that body have abs for days and what seems like even bigger muscles in its neck, but it also has three legs. It's a unique tattoo, that's for sure.
This Looks Rawr
It's understandable why so many people get the image of a lion permanently etched into their skin. After all, the lion represents strength, pride, and fierceness. And that's exactly why we have to question whether the tattoo artist knew what a lion looked like when they inked this thing. Of course, the lion's mane is there, and the nose does look pretty lion-like. But what about the rest of it?
At first glance, it looks as though the whiskers are small hands reaching out to touch the lion's nose. But more than anything, this whole thing looks incredibly raw and painful.
That's Gotta Hurt
If a tattoo artist wants to make a name for themselves in the portrait tattoo world, there's no doubt about the fact that they need to have at least a basic understanding of anatomy. After all, the wrong proportions or incorrectly drawn body parts can turn what should be a beautiful and realistic portrait into a nightmare-inducing piece of ink. And if you don't believe us, just look at this woman!
We don't know about you, but we feel second-hand pain just by looking at those ankles. They're definitely not supposed to bend that way, and the knee doesn't look too comfortable either.
Nothing Else Mattress
The more you look at this tattoo, the funnier it gets. After all, at first glance, it looks as though a Metallica fan simply wanted to honor their favorite band and their favorite song. But when you take a second to really look at it, you might see the word "mattress." And when you take another second, you might see that Metallica isn't even spelled correctly! This has to be a joke, right?
Let's hope that this Metallica fan wasn't too upset when they saw this. And hopefully, they managed to see the hilarious side of this funny tattoo. It was so close, no matter how far.
Zombie Chic
Whether you've lost a loved one or you just want to honor the living, why not get a portrait of them inked on your skin? There are so many amazing tattoo artists out there who absolutely nail these portraits and make them look as realistic as possible. And with that in mind, we can only assume that this person wanted to get a portrait of a zombie tattooed on them. Why does she have green fingers?
Everything from the wonky pendant to the scar on her stomach and the strange mouth just makes us feel a little uneasy. But at least her hair looks good. That's something to celebrate.
Nailed It
To give you a little backstory to this funny tattoo fail, the guy on the right wanted to copy his friend's design on the left. And we don't blame him! The tattoo on the left is absolutely stunning and so realistic. But we guess the guy on the right didn't want to pay as much as his friend, which is why he was left with a spiky tree stump on his forearm.
While we can certainly see what this was supposed to look like, you can't scrimp when it comes to tattoos. Sometimes it pays to pay a little more than you'd like. It's going to be on you forever!
Head in the Clouds
In terms of the concept, this tattoo is pretty cool. It shows someone with their head in their clouds surrounded by nature, and that's beautiful! But when it comes to tattoos, the concept isn't enough. A great concept can be ruined by a shaky hand and a novice tattoo artist - and this is the perfect example of that. If this person had gone to a different tattoo artist, they'd have art on their arm!
From the shaky lines to the child-like drawings, this tattoo looks like someone got bored in class and decided to draw their own temporary tattoo onto their skin with a pen. They were halfway there, though.
The Perfect Squiderfly
Anyone else think this is a funny tattoo, but also super adorable? Anyone can have a squid or a butterfly inked into their skin, but this person decided to go the extra mile and mix the two together. Yes, this is a squiderfly! At least, we think it is. Let's hope that this was supposed to be a hybrid animal, and not the result of a bad tattoo artist drawing a butterfly from their own messed-up thoughts.
If that was the case, then we do have to admire the bravery of the tattoo artist drawing things off the cuff. But we'd also like to remind them that Google exists!
Time for a Nap
This image of Jesus is pretty famous. After all, everyone knows the image of Jesus wearing a crown of thorns with long hair and a beard. But it's fair to say that this guy looks as though he needs a nap. Although the base image is there, the details make Jesus look like he's had a hard day's graft on the building site and then drowned his sorrows at the bar for ten hours straight.
Although we feel as though we could get lost in Jesus' nostrils, we guess we don't blame him for looking a bit rough around the edges. He had a hard life.
Doodles BeReal
We live in a world where more and more people feel comfortable covering their bodies, and it seems as though more and more people are getting inked on their faces. But we do have to question whether this person's tattoos are etched in with tattoo ink, or whether they simply grabbed the nearest Sharpie and doodled on themselves! We've all been there before, after all. Doodling passes the time when you're bored!
Considering the smudged lines and color, we hope that this is just a few pen doodles gone wrong. But as long as this person is happy with what they have on their face, that's all that matters.
The Lion Queen
Have you ever wanted to get a tattoo that shows off the queen that you are? This person obviously wanted to, which is why they opted to get a lion queen inked into their skin. But it seems as though they didn't want their lion queen to represent beauty or grace. Instead, they wanted their lion queen to represent strength and gore. That's the only explanation for the bloody mouth, right?
Although we understand the reference to this tattoo, we can't help but wonder about the thought process behind this tattoo artist. Why did they cut off the lion's nose? Did they just run out of space on the arm?
The Back of Nightmares
Everyone is within their own right to get whatever tattoo they want. We live in a free country, after all. But it's always a good idea to get a tattoo that most people can understand or recognize when they see it - and this just isn't one of them. At first glance, this looks like a mermaid having a bad hair day wrapped in bacon with the end of her tail cut off!
If that's what the tattoo artist was going for, then they nailed it! But this is a very odd (yet funny) tattoo, and it's also super big. There's no hiding that one.
A Blind Tattoo
If you've never heard of a blind tattoo before, and you're willing to take a risk, then you might want to get involved. A blind tattoo is when the tattoo artist goes wild and chooses the design without consulting the customer - and sometimes it can result in some seriously funny tattoos. Yes, just like this one! And no, you're not just seeing things. That really is Peter from Family Guy riding a dolphin.
If you ask us, this is pretty impressive. Sure, the drawing is a little iffy, but this concept is one of the best concepts we've seen in a while. Even Peter has a tattoo on his arm!
Those Piercing Eyes
When you hear the words "piercing eyes," you might think of deep and intense eye contact that seems to stare straight into your soul. But this tattoo brings a whole new meaning to those words. In fact, these are quite literally pierced eyes! And while it's pretty scary, we just have one question that we really need to be answered... what came first? The ink or the piercings? We seriously need to know.
If this person ever gets these piercings taken out of their face, we hope they share another photo with the internet. We just have to know whether the tattoo artist inked eyes under there, too.
Goblin Pan
Let's be honest; you don't have to travel too far to find someone with a Disney tattoo. From tattoos of Cinderella's castle to tattoos of specific Disney characters, they're everywhere! And from the feet up until the neck, this is actually an awesome tattoo. The proportions of the bodies are perfect, and you can tell just from the bodies that these are supposed to be Peter Pan and Wendy. But then you get to the faces.
We can only assume that the person who wanted these tattoos wanted to go for a Disney-Goblin hybrid because those faces are pretty scary. Or maybe Peter Pan just got too much Botox, and Wendy got too many lip fillers?
A Big Mistac
If you needed a little help translating this tattoo, it's supposed to read, "Everybody's gonna make mistakes but everybody's got a choice to make." However, it's a little hard to understand - especially as the script is pretty wobbly. We can only assume that the tattoo artist was feeling a bit nervous about inking such a big tattoo, and they couldn't stop their hand from shaking. And we guess they also forgot to spell.
It's pretty ironic that the one word the tattoo artist messed up was the word "mistake." That's why it will forever be remembered as one of the funniest tattoo mistakes of all time.
Severe Frost Bite
There's something so cute and adorable about parents getting tattoos to honor their children. They have such a deep and emotional meaning to them, and they're probably perfect for those who have them. However, we just want to confirm something... does this person have frostbite? If those are supposed to be their hands, they look extremely dark and swollen. And what's going on with that strange-looking thumb? It doesn't exactly look PG.
Of course, the idea behind this design is beautiful. But the execution isn't so great - especially when you take a closer look at the child's little finger. It looks broken!
A Giant Zit
One of the hardest things a tattoo artist has to do is make sure that a design fits a person's body. From making sure a design fits an arm to incorporating other body parts into the mix, it's always a good idea to place a stencil onto the person's body before you start inking. That way, you can see whether anything looks a little off. You know, like having a nipple right in the middle of the design, right on the face.
Sure, we get that you can't remove a nipple for the sake of a tattoo - but did this tattoo artist not realize that this looks like a giant zit on the warrior's face?
Is This What Bones Look Like?
Unless you have a habit of cutting yourself open and inspecting your bones, most people don't know what a human skeleton looks like. But Google exists, and there are so many reference images online! It seems as though this tattoo artist didn't know that, though, so they decided to simply go with the flow and tattoo what they thought finger bones looked like. We guess they added a little arthritis, too.
If done right, this design could have looked pretty cool. It could have been quirky and creepy and could have actually looked like bones. Instead, it now just looks like a funny tattoo fail.
In a Pickle
Hands up if you love pickles? Whether you can eat them straight from the pickle jar or whether you prefer to slice them up and stuff them in your burgers, there's no doubt about the fact that so many people love pickles. And anyone who has ever set eyes on a pickle before will know that this is not what a pickle looks like. But that's exactly what it's supposed to be!
This looks more like a green bean or an unripe banana, but if this pickle lover is happy with their design then that's all that matters. Perhaps they'll get some Kool-Aid inked beside it next time.
Hey, Dave
If you spent the last five minutes trying to find a spelling mistake in this funny tattoo, you'll be happy to know that there isn't one! Instead, it's just a silly little poem that Dave wanted to get inked into his skin. And we don't blame him. Life can be hard sometimes, and we bet he gets a kick out of looking at this tattoo every single morning. And who doesn't love a little pick-me-up tattoo?
Even the punctuation is perfect here, and we can't help but congratulate Dave on his impressive poetry skills, and the tattoo artist for bringing this funny tattoo to life. What a legend.
A Hair-Raising Tattoo
Of course, we don't know the circumstances surrounding this tattoo. This person may have lost their hair to illness or disease, and so this was a choice that they made to make them feel better. And, to be honest, it's not a bad tattoo! The hair looks thick and the hair strands look pretty realistic. The only thing that looks a little off is the coloring and the extreme side parting.
But the one thing we can't get over is how someone was able to sit in the chair for hours and get this ink done! We bet their head was red raw after this session, so let's hope they thought it was worth it.
Age Is Just a Number
Some people get tattoos to look older, and other people get tattoos to make themselves look younger. We can only assume that this guy went for the first option, and it's certainly worked! In fact, this guy seems to have added his very own tribal beard into the mix, and opted to jazz up his eyebrows to make him look much older than he actually is. And, to be honest, we couldn't even guess how old he is.
While we appreciate that everyone has the choice to choose their own tattoos, the eyebrows are giving us serious dolphin vibes. But who knows, maybe that was what he was going for?
A Regular Occurrence
It must be pretty fun to be a tattoo artist. Every day they get to stretch their creative muscles and try something new, and they get the pleasure of inking permanent designs onto people's skin. That's kind of a big deal! But we guess not every day is different. Most tattoo artists have probably done the same few tattoos more times than they could count, and they look a little like this.
It's totally fine if you like these designs. You're allowed to like what you like, after all! But if we were to give any critique, we'd say that these are just a little too dark for our liking.
The Virgin Potato Head
At first glance, this just looks like a normal tattoo of the Virgin Mary. And it's extremely well done! The hands look like hands, the shading is on point, and the folds of the fabric look perfect. But then you take a look at the face, and everything changes. This tattoo looks as though Mary and Mr. Potato Head had a baby, and we don't even hate it. In fact, we love it!
This funny tattoo is unlike anything we've ever seen before, and it's a fun little spin on what could be a very serious subject. It's not to everyone's taste, but it's still cool.
This Is Awkward
It's possible that you know someone who has a tattoo of their favorite musician or band. It's not uncommon, after all. Some people have script of lyrics they love, while others have the actual musician's face tattooed onto their body - like this person! They decided to showcase their love for Michael Jackson with this tattoo, with a picture of his face and some extra text to honor him even more.
But everything about this tattoo is just a little bit awkward. The face and the nose are just a little strange, and the text probably could have been thought out better.
A Permanent Addition
Of course, most people know that tattoos are permanent additions to their bodies, which is why they think long and hard about what they get inked. But then there are other people who are a little more spontaneous with their decisions. They only think about the then and now, rather than the future - and this can lead them to regret their decisions. So, do you think this guy regrets this tattoo?
There's no denying that this is a seriously funny tattoo. The illusion is absolutely hilarious, and one that we'll remember for the rest of our lives! But has he gone too far?
That Skin Color, Though
Hands up if you had to double-take with this one? But we have to give the tattoo artist some credit. It must be one of the hardest things in the world to successfully tattoo a baby. There are so many small details and so many things that make a baby look unique and adorable - and one wrong move can ruin it all. And in this case, it was all of that extra shading.
The actual design itself isn't too bad, and you can definitely tell that this is supposed to be a baby! But the shading makes it look like this little dude has had a hard day's work down the mine.
Take Your Own Advice
This has to be a joke, right? If it is, then this is a seriously funny tattoo. If it isn't, then that's pretty awkward. And this person probably should have taken their own advice before heading to the tattoo parlor. After all, it doesn't take a genius to realize that there aren't enough fingers to correctly spell "Plan Ahead." Nevertheless, you can't deny that the lettering is actually pretty well done.
We're going to go ahead and assume that this was a joke and that this mistake was all part of this person's plan. Some people just have a warped sense of humor, and we love it.
Scarylyn Monroe
As one of the most iconic celebrities of all time, it's no surprise that people want to get Marilyn Monroe inked on their skin. She was beautiful, she was talented, and she was the ultimate pin-up girl. And, if done correctly, this tattoo could have been pretty awesome - especially with the roses added in for good measure. But does anyone else feel a little scared when they look at this thing?
There's something about Marilyn's face that just doesn't seem right, and her wonky eyes just throw off the rest of her face. In fact, it looks as though she's just stepped on a LEGO with bare feet.
Neck-Ception
We didn't think we'd have to remind people of this, but never fall asleep at a party where there's a tattoo gun! You just never know what you're going to wake up with, and this guy realized that for himself when he fell asleep and woke up with a tattoo of his own neck on his chest. No, that's not a piece of toast or a purse with a load of berries in it. That's a neck.
As you can see from this guy's face, he wasn't too impressed to have his own neck inked into his skin. But that's what you get when you fall asleep around a tattoo gun.
The Eye Eye Eye of the Tiger
We have so many questions about this funny tattoo. Firstly, why does this tiger have so many eyes? Secondly, why does it have a giant head? Thirdly, why is the tiger eating this guy's navel? Of course, there are so many more questions we could ask, especially as this is supposed to be a realistic tiger. But at least we were able to gauge that it was a tiger, right? It's obviously not that bad.
The little details are what's throwing us off, and the placement is pretty odd. But if this guy feels confident with this thing on his chest, who are we to judge? You do you.
Gordon-Asaurus
If we're being totally honest, we love this one. From the dinosaur body to Gordon Ramsay's head and the words associated with the tattoo, it's absolutely perfect for fans of the celebrity chef's television shows. Sure, this funny tattoo is a little niche, but we bet you won't find anyone else with a tattoo quite like this one. And that's exactly what makes it special. And not forgetting the curse words, of course.
Now the biggest question we have about this tattoo is; what shall we call this breed of dinosaur? A Gordon-Asaurus? A T-Ramsay? We'll let you cast the deciding vote on that one.
The Perfect Placement
Some of the tattoos on this list have a really bad placement. They've been inked in the weirdest places that make the proportions look off and the whole design looks strange. But then you have tattoo designs like this one, and we have to give this placement a serious round of applause. Just look at that ham! Or, at least, we originally thought it was a ham. But it's actually the person's nipple.
Yes, the placement couldn't be any better if the tattoo artist tried. But the same can't be said for the actual design itself. It's a funny tattoo, but the dinosaur looks a little mediocre.
Glow in the Dark
The idea of a glow-in-the-dark tattoo is pretty neat. It's not something you see every day, and it's one of those party tricks that you probably wouldn't get sick of. But while the glowing version of this tattoo looks awesome, the daylight version is a little bizarre. As the person who posted this says, it really does look like she has scars on her wrist and hands when the lights are on!
According to tattoo artists, this glow-in-the-dark tattoo was actually inked way too deep into her skin and shouldn't have given her the scars they have. And that just makes it even worse.
Caught in a Tattoo Trap
Sure, we can tell that this was supposed to be Elvis Presley. But does it really look like The King? Well, not quite. Although the hair looks slick, the facial features are giving us the heebie-jeebies. The eyes are so far away from each other, the nose is giant, and the teeth look like Tic Tacs. Yes, this whole thing is creepy. But maybe the tattoo artist was caught in a tattoo trap?
If we had this on our bodies, we could definitely live with it. But maybe we'd have to say that it was our great uncle Jim, rather than a well-known figure that people should be able to recognize.
El Hopaness Rom Tic
If you're the kind of person that loves everything about love, then you'd probably call yourself a hopeless romantic. But not this guy. This guy calls himself El Hopaness Rom Tic - and we kind of like this label. It's a little quirky and a little kooky and doesn't follow the crowd. After all, why be a hopeless romantic when you could be el hopaness rom tic instead? We know which one we'd rather be.
Of course, we don't think this guy really does go by this name. This seems like it was a funny tattoo fail without proper thought or planning behind it. But it's given us a few laughs.
Open Wide
We don't know what this cat is going through, but we can relate. It looks pained, it looks exhausted, and it looks as though it would rather be anywhere else - and we get that. So, maybe that's why someone decided to get this strange cat creature inked into their skin. Maybe they want to be reminded that they're not alone in their troubles. Either that or the tattoo artist was having a bad day.
Although the tattoo looks pretty wild on the skin, it looks even wilder when it's placed on the head of what is some kind of big cat. It's like a cartoon character gone wrong.
Hear Us Rawr
Let's hope that the picture this person is holding up is the cover-up of the original tattoo, because we don't think we've ever seen a lion with such a big forehead before. The tattoo artist who drew this design probably should have consulted a Google image of a lion before getting the ink gun out, as this looks more like a rocker from the '70s than an animal from the wild.
Sure, there's a lion's mane and a semblance of a lion's nose, but there aren't any other cat features going on here. Thank goodness there's a crown going on that thing.
Patients Is a Virtue
This person has got something right; patients is a virtue. But only if you're a doctor or a nurse who needs to see these patients on a regular basis. So, we can only assume that this person is one of them. After all, they wouldn't get a tattoo without double-checking the spelling beforehand, would they? Although we'd like to think that they wouldn't, we have a sinking feeling that they have.
Although patience is definitely a virtue, so is having spell-check readily available on multiple devices. Between this person and their tattoo artist, surely someone would have realized this wasn't correct?