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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
bellarations · 08/10/2014 22:34

Err, maximus !
Bloody auto correct !

goodasitgets · 08/10/2014 22:39

Are you up north? Studio sounds familiar...

WeAreGroot · 08/10/2014 22:39

That's some very basic mistakes (reversing the design and not noticing, not getting absolute confirmation you were happy once the transfer was on your skin) for someone who is supposedly a well respected artist.

I'd expect him to be positively grovelling and offering complete removal for free.

53Dragon · 08/10/2014 22:51

I'm just about musical enough to play a CD but I'd know that it was the wrong way around. Most reputable tattoo parlours wouldn't do a first tattoo on your head or neck.

ClapHandsIfYouBelieveInFatties · 08/10/2014 22:53

They could pay for laser removal. It's very, very good these days if you go to a reputable clinic. Or you could live with it. I wouldn't know it was backwards.

AlpacaLypse · 08/10/2014 23:04

Right I absolutely loathe tatts particularly ones on the face/neck/throat because I find them incredibly distracting when I'm trying to have a conversation with their owner. And ones just behind the ear are particularly irritating.

Having said, it seems your tattoo artist has utterly bogged up and failed to deliver what you requested. So squawk. You've been let down.

However, if you want a long term future in your chosen career, or a future career change, think long and hard about having any visible tattoos at all.

jackydanny · 08/10/2014 23:11

Ah, don't tell her off.

My two penneth, wait for it to heal, laser treatment.
I had a black ink tattoo lasered, it's not so bad.

I would ask the tattooist off help wrt costs/think about complaining/taking it further.

Lesson well learned.

JohnCusacksWife · 08/10/2014 23:12

This is why I would never have a tattoo..... Poor you, hope you can have it removed without too much expense/pain.

Primaryteach87 · 08/10/2014 23:19

Firstly, it's probably not as noticeable as it seems to you but totally get why you're really upset. I don't think it's your job to check they don't make a mistake, especially when it's impossible to see!

Presumably they have insurance for this sort of thing. You/a solicitor should write to them with a quote for removal costs and suggest that if they pay up quickly this will reduce the emotional impact for you (and therefore the eventual cost for them).

Cornettoninja · 08/10/2014 23:31

I know you're leaning towards removal but I'm another who thinks a mirror one intertwining could look really good.

wigglylines · 09/10/2014 00:32

I also think you should consider getting a design done with one the right one round next to it / entwined with it - perhaps a smaller one, just a bit higher. Then it'll look like you meant to do it.

Whatever you do though, please can I urge you to take your time to make a decision. You may be able to save this with a nice design. Or removal may be the right thing. But whichever one it is, it will be fairly permanent so please take your time and make sure it's the right decision for you.

Have a chat with a few tattoo artists (only ones with good reps, who's work you've seen and like), and see what their solutions might be. Don't just go with the first idea. There might be a good solution to this.

FWIW, I like it. I am musically literate, and even so I think it looks nice.

differentnameforthis · 09/10/2014 01:58

it's my first tattoo so didn't know the transfer reverses etc. and becomes mirror image It doesn't, not usually. None of my dh's reversed & became mirror images.

I would suggest that somewhere along the line, the tattooist has made an error, but as you OKd it, I don't know where you stand.

yes it's a reputable studio and the guy who did it is bloody amazing and well in demand for his amazing realism tattoos. He is not that amazing! I doubt it is the first treble clef he has done, but this is such a rookie mistake to make.

scarletforya · 09/10/2014 06:06

You have to get it removed and make the tattoo 'artist' pay. Don't accept anything else.

It's obviously backwards and for Gods sake don't go for any kind of cover up as that will just look a big mess. Get it lasered off.

scarletforya · 09/10/2014 06:18

You could get special make up to cover it until you can have it removed.

OwlCapone · 09/10/2014 07:01

Then it'll look like you meant to do it.

It may look like it but the OP will know she didn't mean it. I know that would piss me off no end. I'm not convinced there is enough room to make it bigger and still invisible from the front anyway.

AgathaF · 09/10/2014 07:26

Alpaca I don't think the OP asked for anyone's opinions (particularly negative) ones on tattoos. I'm sure she did think long and hard about it.

youmakemydreams · 09/10/2014 07:40

When I had my tattoo done he showed me the picture put the paper on my neck and used the stuff to turn it into a transfer without turning the paper over.
It looks like he has turned the paper over to transfer onto your skin. Total rooky error not good at all.

I like the musical bird if you fancies adding to it to disguise it a bit but I would seriously be complaining. I know it's back to front because I know what a treble clef looks like most people probably wouldn't notice in passing but I would want something some and kicking up merry hell until it was.

Greenfizzywater · 09/10/2014 07:45

Reputable tattoo artists will not do a first tattoo on the face or hands, so I'd question how great he is.

Littlef00t · 09/10/2014 07:49

Nope. Make them pay to get it removed. You'll be bitter every time you see it. And compo too. If it's a reputable place they wont want the bad press.

BellaVita · 09/10/2014 08:08

goodasitgets I fleetingly thought about her location myself and wondered if she was up north... However if you are thinking along the same lines as me the tattoo artist has a waiting list of about a year.. There are other great artists there and DH is having to wait till Dec to get his next tattoo done (he booked it last month).

When I had mine done, I had to check I was happy with what he had drawn on me before he actually did the inking.

I cannot believe he didn't give you at least a hand held mirror to check OP.

Osmiornica · 09/10/2014 08:24

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

hellsbellsmelons · 09/10/2014 08:47

I like the interwined idea as well.
Get him to draw you a picture and see what your think of it.
Or you put something together and see how it looks on paper first.
Sorry this has happened on your first tattoo.

hellsbellsmelons · 09/10/2014 09:00

Somthing like this?

Tattoo artist made a mistake!
Loandbehold · 09/10/2014 09:29

It looks nice, honestly

sourpotato · 09/10/2014 09:37

OP, how about this - mirrored and linked at the bottom to make a heart? Not the best example here as I'm very far from a professional artist, but I reckon someone with more skill could make it look nice!

Tattoo artist made a mistake!