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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Did something spontaneous... now regret and feel stupid!

244 replies

cavycavy · 26/09/2018 20:16

So I am a very sensible, professional, 39 year old mother. I’m not (totally) boring but I’ve never really done anything really spontaneous.

But at the weekend I decided to be spontaneous and get a TATTOO.... so I got a very small one on my lower back of a bluebird.

The picture I took in was a black line drawing, similar to that you would see in an old nature book. Kind of sketched but realistic.

Went to the best tattoo shop in town and checked out the artists work. All looked amazing with loads of nature pictures. On Facebook he had countless rave reviews and a few people a know who have tattoos confirmed his good rep. He appeared totally confident and I booked in to have it done the following day.

So in a go, and he does it. It’s very small (50p sized) and it hardly hurt at all.

He told me to keep it wrapped for 1 hour then uncovered or very loose clothing until fully healed. Wash/cream etc.

Firstly, I’m not that happy with it but it’s hard to know what it will look like when fully healed. The proportions of the bird look a bit off and very different to the picture I took in and the transfer he printed off. Also the skin behind the tattoo immediately become very red and sore and all the lines became really swollen so I couldn’t really tell what it really looked like even straight after.

Since then (4 days later) it has become even more red and swollen. It actually looks like it has been drawn by a child with black felt tip!

Looking at all his other tattoos the lines are so thin and precise! There’s a tiny spider (literally about the size of a 20p) and you can see the individual hairs!!

Anyway, have seen a practice nurse and a GP today who both confirmed it is definitely not infected or an allergic reaction, I just have delicate, pale skin which has effectively been injured by the tattoo.

However, I still totally regret having it done! I feel like MASSIVE wanker for thinking I’d be spontaneous, not doing any proper research etc, only for it turn out a bit shit.

The few people I have shown have said “oh that’s lovely” but I can tell they are just being nice bless em!

Anyhoo... my AIBU question is:

AIBU to go back and ask to have it corrected? Can it even be corrected? I have since learned of an amazing artist in a nearby shop who apparently can work magic so is it worth going somewhere else... ? The only problem is, I can see they are friends on Facebook....

The other thing is my tattoo artist posted pictures of all the other work he did that day but not mine!! He obviously wasn’t that proud of it! :(

OP posts:
Thread gallery
9
mathanxiety · 27/09/2018 18:17

I think it looks nice.

The way the wings are pointing (upright) is not entirely natural - bee wings tend to lean back a bit in flight. But who's counting? You can tell it's a bee.

The only thing I might do to improve the bee is to elongate it slightly and add a buff 'tail'.
goo.gl/images/thbaan

mathanxiety · 27/09/2018 18:17

The legs are in proper flight position.

LittleKitty1985 · 27/09/2018 18:20

I think it's really nice! Smile

ParanoidGynodroid · 27/09/2018 18:33

I like it!

vivazeboo · 27/09/2018 18:36

Like everyone has said, give it a couple of weeks to heal and if you're still not happy, go to the other person...you have this for the rest of your life after all!! Also, don't be surprised if the tattooist didn't post your one, if it was fairly small and simple they usually don't, they want people to see the big fancy detailed ones so they can show off their skills.

TedAndLola · 27/09/2018 18:44

I really don't like tattoos but your bee is cute! I don't think you should feel stupid or be ashamed of it at all.

Easynow · 27/09/2018 18:48

I like it Star

flowergrrl77 · 27/09/2018 18:58

I’ve see a fair number of tattoos and I think it’s a nicely done bee! But I think flowers under it would make the placement better, the placement feels a little off at the moment xx

Good luck!

loveka · 27/09/2018 19:15

I really don't like tatoos, but yours is really lovely! I think it looks a lot like what you wanted, he has done a great job.

MsJuniper · 27/09/2018 19:29

I like it. If it's still bothering you in a few weeks, you could think about enhancing it by:

Extending the legs
Adding some very fine hairs to the outline to give that furry bee effect
Adding some white (like the original instagram photo) to give an impression of translucency in the wings and break up the black in the body

Whether you trust the original guy or book a session with someone new depends on how you feel.

Br1256 · 27/09/2018 19:37

Is it wise to add to the original tattoo if you have already had a reaction to the process..the next reaction could be worse

MammaSchwifty · 27/09/2018 19:40

Looks lovely! Especially the last picture where it's framed by your shoe. Looks like a very bumbly bee. If I were to add a flower, I would place it on the edge of your foot above your big toe, so it looked like the bee were bumbling toward the flower. But I don't think it needs extra elements really, it's beautifully simple.

Aspergallus · 27/09/2018 19:55

I love it.

Does anyone remember that poster who was devastated because the tattoo artist did her treble clef tattoo backwards?

Claredemoon · 27/09/2018 20:03

Am I missing something? the original post for me talks about a bluebird on the lower back but then the picture is a bee on a foot Confused

dorisdog · 27/09/2018 20:16

I had planned to get a delicate line drawing of a dog, once. The tattooist was very upfront and said that it was too difficult to do a small tattoo with such delicate lines and advised me against it, unless I wanted it bigger. I was glad he was honest,

I also had a small tattoo that I made myself as a teenager, prison style, that I wasn't proud of. (It was the name of a punk band!) I had it removed with lasers. It took three sessions for it to be completely gone.

murmuration · 27/09/2018 20:17

Oh, OP, that is lovely! And it looks great on your foot with the shoe.

dorisdog · 27/09/2018 20:20

I just saw the photo - it looks lovely! I think it's fine.

Purplejay · 27/09/2018 20:26

I like it. Tattoos tend to swell and scab. You need to gove it a good couple of weeks to heal.

Meinmytree · 27/09/2018 20:27

@Elphame

It does sound very tiny. Mine is bigger than I'd had in mind but the tattooist said it wasn't possible to get the detail I wanted if I had it any smaller. He was definitely right.

I'm the same, I have a map and compass on my back, and it's bigger than I wanted but it's so detailed, even tiny places like the UK and Ireland are on there. If it had been smaller they'd have just been a dot and it'd have looked silly.

TheBookThief · 27/09/2018 20:54

I think its lovely, very cute

user1496704878 · 27/09/2018 21:36

Yes, been there done that. Small tattoo on foot. Thought was cool when traveling. Looks shit, tried to like it for years. Hate it. Thanks to a groupon deal it is now gone. TF! Don’t get a cover up, it will be even bigger. Just get lazer removal and put it down to experience. Smile

user1496704878 · 27/09/2018 21:40

Edit. Just seen the photo. That’s absolutely fine, I imagined something awful.
It’s rather cute.
Enjoy it.
Mine was really shit btw

mummyhaschangedhername · 27/09/2018 21:49

It does look different to the picture you provided.

However, I think it's beautiful. It's really sweet. I'm not usually a fan of tattoos, but it's really nice.

stopfuckingshoutingatme · 27/09/2018 21:54

I quite like it ! I was imagining a horror Smile

JellyBears · 27/09/2018 21:55

It’s lovely what a nice idea for a tattoo. If your really not happy book an appointment with the other guy and see what he suggests etc.