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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Tattoo artist made a mistake!

216 replies

Lezprechaun · 08/10/2014 19:01

Ok posting here for the traffic as sobbing at the mistake made on my tattoo today.

I asked for a treble clef behind my ear, watched him draw it out and it was perfect, then he tattooed it and of course I can't see but have got home and looked at a photo and it's backwards!

It was perfect when he drew it so no idea how it's ended up backwards but I'm devastated, it's in such a visible location as well that it looks ridiculous.

What can I do? I can't see anyway of fixing it :(

OP posts:
Thread gallery
6
googoodolly · 08/10/2014 19:20

Most places won't tattoo you until you check the positioning and design in the mirror. Your mistake was letting him go ahead when you couldn't see. He'll have just flipped the piece of paper over and tattooed it that way.

You need to go back and show them what happened, but I doubt they'll be able to cover it unless you pick another design, and they might charge you for it, as you did okay the design/positioning in the first place.

KoalaDownUnder · 08/10/2014 19:20

Gosh, don't feel stupid - he's the stupid one, not you!

I've never had a tattoo but it wouldn't occur to me that the tattooist might reverse the image. Surely that would mess up lots of designs. Confused

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 08/10/2014 19:21

If you went back, and they tattooed over some of the spiral,part at the bottom, and the curving upstroke, maybe they could put on the correction?

ifyourehoppyandyouknowit · 08/10/2014 19:22

Eek. Go back straight away and tell them. They might be able to do a cover up (of something different)?

Letthemtalk · 08/10/2014 19:22

Could be worse?

Spaceboundeminem · 08/10/2014 19:23

I think it looks ok

googoodolly · 08/10/2014 19:23

Koala you're meant to check the positioning first. When I got mine, he taped the transfer in place and showed me before starting to tattoo. OP should have insisted on being able to see the positioning/design before allowing him to start.

Because she let him go ahead anyway, I don't think she'll be able to get a refund or anything like that unfortunately.

hiddenhome · 08/10/2014 19:25

My advice would be to get another treble clef behind your other ear the right way round, then they would look like mirror images of each other and no one would think twice about it.

wanttosinglikemarycoughlan · 08/10/2014 19:26

I think yours looks good
My favourite tattoo failure was the 'no regerts' one that did the rounds on facebook
seriously it looks good and as a poster above said it does add interest. Tell people you want to see it correctly when you look in the mirror as you had it done for you not anyone else

Bulbasaur · 08/10/2014 19:26

Unless someone is a music geek, they won't be able to tell. I played an instrument for 5 years and I probably wouldn't have even noticed it was backwards at first glance unless I studied it for a moment (or more accurately someone pointed it out to me). You can still tell that it is clearly a treble clef.

Getting a tattoo over it might draw more attention to the area. You might have to remove it and get a new one on the opposite side.

KingCrimson · 08/10/2014 19:27

Yes, I was just coming to suggest exactly that.

See if they'll do it free, as they messed up the first one.

Spindarella · 08/10/2014 19:27

hiddenhome
My advice would be to get another treble clef behind your other ear the right way round, then they would look like mirror images of each other and no one would think twice about it.

Might work. Anyone good with Photoshop to show OP how it might look?

AgathaF · 08/10/2014 19:29

Could you have one the right way round intertwined with it, so that it looks deliberate?

KingCrimson · 08/10/2014 19:29

My advice would be to get another treble clef behind your other ear the right way round, then they would look like mirror images of each other and no one would think twice about it.

Yes, I was just coming to suggest exactly that.

See if they'll do it free, as they messed up the first one.

KoalaDownUnder · 08/10/2014 19:31

I get it, googoo, but...if I drew a symbol on paper for someone to check before I tattooed it on them, I reckon I'd think to say 'This, but reversed'!

And then if was somewhere behind their head/neck, I'd hold up a second mirror. Like they do at the hairdressers.

(Obviously I am thinking like a lawyer, not a tattoo artist Grin)

KoalaDownUnder · 08/10/2014 19:32

Ooh, hiddenhome and wanttosing are both clever!!

Purpleflamingos · 08/10/2014 19:33

Why not ask mumsnetters for a story if anyone asks about it being backwards....off the top of my head with a wriggling 3yr old on my knee I can't come up with a good one but something about music in reverse, music videos played backwards?

Bearbehind · 08/10/2014 19:33

My advice would be to get another treble clef behind your other ear the right way round, then they would look like mirror images of each other and no one would think twice about it.

I wondered about that but then thought it would look like the image had been projected through your head and come out the other side, but you might be able to make up a quirky story about that

No matter what anyone says- you'll always know it's wrong so I'd go to the artist and demand they cover it up - they might tell you where to go but it's worth a try

Branleuse · 08/10/2014 19:34

im sorry thats happened to you. I think its new, you should be able to get rid of it much easier before its totally healed. Call straight away.

Wailywaily · 08/10/2014 19:35

Its tiny and IMO really cute.

hiddenhome · 08/10/2014 19:37

I wondered about that but then thought it would look like the image had been projected through your head and come out the other side, but you might be able to make up a quirky story about that

What, like a stick of rock?

SauvignonBlanche · 08/10/2014 19:38

Have you contacted the tattoo parlour?

KoalaDownUnder · 08/10/2014 19:40

I've just looked at it again and I will be frank.

For something that's behind your ear, I don't think it's tiny, but actually quite large.

Also, it's going to annoy you forever fielding questions about it.

Just get it removed while it's still fresh, is my honest advice.

WitchWay · 08/10/2014 19:40

I think one behind the other ear as well Smile

moxon · 08/10/2014 19:42

Oh noes! Agree with all other posters that it actually looks really nice except for the backwards bit. I second the other ear thing. Or maybe Phillip Glass or a similar visionary has written a piece which you could echo I'm your reversed clef?