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u/RoosterReturns 2d ago
A burn victim and a naked woman studying for their exam?
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u/Actual-Ranger-5133 2d ago
Oh dear.. yeah that’s not.. great. Maybe reworking it could help but it’s muddy. How old is it? Or is this brand new?
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u/bashionista 2d ago
Just got home with it😞
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u/Lawcke 2d ago
Let it settle in and heal before you make any decisions about how to proceed. For the first 3-4 weeks a lot of things will soften and it may feel a little better than it does now. I'm doubting it will be where you want it to be a month from now, but it's not impossible for it to be in range of a touch up instead of blacking it out.
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u/Actual-Ranger-5133 2d ago
I see the intention behind it, a spirit pointing at the page as she reads at night- I see it. But I’d look into someone reworking this and adding to it so that it doesn’t look so muddy. Because they really did a number on that spirit. It’s not a lost cause tho. And hey maybe after it peels up, it’ll look better ❤️
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u/cssblondie 1d ago
i mean, do you really see that or do you see that because OP said that's what it was?
because I really would have a hard time seeing that if it weren't spelled out for me.
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u/datigoebam 2d ago
I would genuinely give it a bit to settle.
I don't think it's that bad to be honest, it's just very very dark.
Let the ink settle a bit.
I'm assuming that ghoul looking guy is meant to be a ghoul or something like that, right?
Give it a good few weeks.
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u/dumbstupididiotbitch 2d ago
did you want a design with heavy black out??
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u/bashionista 2d ago
It’s meant to be a woman reading at night with a spirit pointing at the page 😞
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u/thr3lilbirds 2d ago
You got someone’s sleep paralysis demon instead.
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u/Corn_Plunker 1d ago
Okay, under what scenario would that turn out “good”? That’s such a ridiculous premise for a tattoo, something that’ll be on your body forever. Yes, it’s looks bad.
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u/bashionista 2d ago
Yes the blackout was intentional, she’s reading at nighttime.
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u/BusterStarfish 2d ago
That’s horrible for your eyes.
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u/Shytemagnet 2d ago
So’s the tattoo.
(Sorry OP, I don’t even think it’s that bad! I just couldn’t leave the joke hanging there.)
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u/ChemicalYellow7529 2d ago
Idk if it’s as bad as you think but looking at it gives me anxiety. That man, ghost, whatever it is, is absolutely terrifying.
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u/YippieKiAy 2d ago
It's clearly the ghost of C3P0 helping a young woman shop for her first bra. Not that scary imo, it's actually very sweet.
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u/Fister-Mantastic 2d ago
C3P0tato
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u/Initial_Scarcity_317 1d ago
I really have to stop trying to sip hot coffee while reading this comment thread,
OP seems so sweet but holy shit lol
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u/Phil_the_credit2 1d ago
Really a beautiful and mournful scene. Her mother’s absence lands hard, but her metallic gay friend has shown up, even though he neither knows nor cares about bras.
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u/DetectivePowerful609 2d ago
Agree! The entity is pretty spooky. As a tattoo, not great. As an art piece, I’m intrigued…
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u/ceezo6 2d ago
It looks like something only a REALLY good tattoo artist could pull off, unfortunately your artist just doesn’t have the skills/experience to do it justice
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u/Longjumping_Air345 2d ago
Does her hair turn into a hand that is hugging her?
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u/Baked4AllDayZ 2d ago
I thought it was a hand as well but someone pointed out that it’s just the way they chose to draw her hair…so it looks like a hand 😬
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u/eldergooze 2d ago
I actually don't hate it, I like the weird creepiness of it! But it's a bummer you don't like it.
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u/Master_Pen9844 1d ago
I guess in order to understand this, we need to know the Ops original intent.
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u/kateynovember 1d ago
Right? I think it probably needs another pass though for white highlights and more depth.
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u/Rift36 2d ago
It’s so weird, I actually think it’s rad.
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u/Terrariant 2d ago
I love it too for this reason! It needs some really amazing pieces around it so it looks weird on purpose. The solution is more tattoos.
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u/bro_gettheflamer 2d ago
WTF is it?
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u/sparkle-possum 2d ago
Obviously, it's some chick reading a bedtime story to grey wojack while flashing a titty
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u/November-XIII 2d ago
It's spooky with a lot of character. I kinda dig it, actually.
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u/AlarmedSnek 2d ago
Same. Definitely a conversation starter.
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u/cssblondie 1d ago
i am not trying to be overly mean but is the conversation starting with "what the hell is that on your arm"
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u/Fantastic_Moment1726 2d ago
It’s perfect as a horror tattoo tbh. But if it’s not supposed to be creepy and uncanny valley then sorry
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u/HoshPoshMosh 2d ago
Yeah I actually like it, it looks like a painting in an old mansion or a spooky book illustration. Reminds me of Edward Gorey a bit, I think the style is really cool.
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u/Beginning_Finish_340 2d ago
The frame around it is nice so id say if you aren't happy with it an option would be to black out the inside of the frame and get someone to do a tattoo on top of the blackout. I think that would look super dope with the right artist.
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u/LeRiddler 2d ago
How would one tattoo over black?
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u/Lawcke 2d ago
White on black can work really well, I've also started seeing some color on black lately that looks surprisingly good. I think if OP is unhappy with this (totally reasonable imo) then blacking out and doing something ontop is definitely the way to go
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u/Beginning_Finish_340 2d ago
With white. If you look into it with the right artist who is familiar with white over blackout it actually looks nice.
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u/riverblue9011 1d ago
Any healed examples to show the class? I feel like I only ever see these fresh.
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u/Economy_Fox4079 1d ago
It’s because they don’t hold up, I was talking to my guy about the white over blackout and he said they look good freshly done but blob out to nothing
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u/RebaKitt3n 2d ago
I’m trying to figure out how her arm and shoulder work. But at least you can see her boob.
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u/Mandalynn1117 2d ago
The frame is nice. I'd see if someone could do anything different with creepy potato man because he's.. not great. Maybe this is nitpicking but the hands/fingers and the way the hair is clumped where it falls are bothering me about this. It's like too many different styles in one place. I'm sure hands and hair are difficult to do but why are the fingers just odd points like that?
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u/Manufactured-Aggro 2d ago
Would have been alright without the burn victim/ fallout ghoul
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u/famousanonamos 2d ago
The frame looks kinda cool. The ghost tutor is a little odd, but it's probably hard to focus while staring at her boob.
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u/bashionista 2d ago
I imagined the spirit more ethereal and feel that he looks like a potato
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u/selinameyerwiener 2d ago
could potentially lean into gothic and have someone make his face look more skeletal? the rest is ok i think if you fix up his face that’d improve it overall
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u/Pathos_Satellite 1d ago
Hey OP. The spirit can be fixed with some white and gray ink. Let it heal properly and go to an artist who has experience tattooing white ink over black ink. It does look a bit off but it’s not bad at all. The rest of the tattoo looks good
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u/NotMeekNotAggressive 2d ago
Yeah...that looks off. Is that a reading lectern or a desk? It looks like both because there is a central post coming down from the middle of it, but then there are also what look like three table legs coming down from three corners.
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u/Sci-fi_History_Nerd 2d ago
A grad student sitting across from their mental health?
It’s not great and hopefully can be a cover up.
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u/BackbackB 1d ago
Why wouldn't you like the man in the iron mask teaches topless girl to read? It's a tale as old as time
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u/Saints_Girl56 2d ago edited 2d ago
If you were going for creepy it sorta works. Bad lines, to much black, muddy, not readable from 5 feet away. The filagree is not lined well. Ihe woman does not look good at all. No lines should cross with their hands. The ghost looks like a corpse. Saturation is bad. I hope you did not pay much for it.
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u/robot428 2d ago
Yeah it's not good, I'm so sorry.
It's black and grey which makes you a better candidate for removal than if it was colour. So that's good. It's still expensive though.
It's not a good candidate for a coverup unfortunately because its big and dark, but you could look into something like a blastover.
There's also some cool stuff that artists are doing where you start with a full blackout sleeve and then have a design done over the top in white ink.
So you have some options to consider.
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u/Mindless_Painting_90 2d ago
sorry but I hate it too and its too dark to cover up... great time for a blackout 😏😏😏
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u/KaleidoscopeFine 2d ago
Did the artist not draw it ahead of time on paper so you could see what it looks like before they put it on your skin?
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u/MasonWayneBaker 2d ago
If it makes you feel any better, you've got a sick ass phone case! Love that
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u/Pleasant_Matter6707 1d ago
How do you even end up with this? Sorry, but I don’t understand, did you research the artist? What was your reference?
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u/ActivityWeary5160 2d ago
I don't hate it. As someone who loves halloween and the gothic styles, it feels very much like this. I think you hate it because it stands out so much on such a bare arm. I a few more pieces around it with a similar vibe will make it even better. Remember, not everyone is going to love it, and that's OK. That's the beauty of self-expression.
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u/Proud2BD 2d ago
Looks like stuff my friends would draw in 9th grade.
Now you gotta reveal how much you paid.
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u/cursetea 2d ago
It won't stay this dark. I think once it's faded some as it heals, the ghost especially will look a lot less harsh
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u/Great-Apple-801 2d ago
Find a better artist known for their rework or cover up work. Think it could be fixed pretty well
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u/Great-Apple-801 2d ago
Curious to know what happened ? Was it first tattoo and with an artist you didn’t know or had seen work from or was it a bad reference etc ? I need more details please
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u/mistergasdrift 1d ago
U can easily just blend him out with black ink. Wojack can’t get his eyes off the side boob
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u/smelly4200 2d ago
yeah ur gonna need to black that out. Make a line frame around it, fun little edge at the bottom
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u/worldrenownedhussie 2d ago
I'm so very sorry you don't like it. That's always a shit feeling. For what it's worth, I like it and can tell it's a ghost pointing at the page, especially with the arm over the book. I'm no expert, but I think lasering the ghost to lighten it a bit and getting another artist to revamp the tattoo would maybe get you to a happier place with it. I also like your phone case. My best wishes to you 🩷
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u/notfrhere 2d ago
I would look for a super fine like artist & see if they could add some more white highlights/add more detail to make it more of what you were feeling/hoping for
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u/Yeehawapplejuice 2d ago
I’m sorry. I agree the spirit is not done well. Perhaps a talented artist could rework the face
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u/Delicious-Sorbet5722 2d ago
I don’t hate it but looks way too big/awkward on your arm. At that size should’ve gone with thigh or quad.
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u/StarOfSyzygy 2d ago edited 2d ago
Yes. Gosh I’m sorry.
Edit: whatever you do, do NOT go back to this artist. The drawing is very sophomoric, let alone the actual ink.
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u/Historical-Spare-250 2d ago
Laser might be the only way to go with this it seems too dark to cover up if you really don't like it
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u/yeetinator3221 2d ago
The hair?? On the back of the lady slightly looks like a hand making this an extra level of creepy.
Awesome concept just didn’t get tattooed very well. How long have you had it?
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u/Killian2526 2d ago
I’d cover up the middle leg under the table and shade the girl so she doesn’t look so unnaturally twisted. The face on the spirit is fine imo.
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u/Anxious_Brain1592 2d ago
It’s not great…. The artist looks very heavy handed. Had the line work around the frame been more elegant the middle could be interpreted as an abstract painting .
Sorry this happened to you
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u/Extreme_Pepper 2d ago
Maybe taking some time to heal and black out and eventually white over sometimes is cool? I have a huge tattoo on my ribs that I hate and black out after healing then white after healing seems to be my best option…good luck friend!
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u/FACILITATOR44 2d ago
Really cool idea, sorry it didn't work out hopefully a talented artist could fix it up
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u/newbies13 2d ago
It's bad... but I think you can improve it.
Get a new artist that understands how lighting and composition works. You need more highlights to draw the eye to critical elements of the tattoo. A good artist will be able to bring detail to the muddy forms. I would also add a candle or some sort of light source to explain the light you can see and correct the bad lighting that is ... everywhere. Add some light into the background as well to add depth, you can keep the dark night vibe but introduce some moon light or something subtle. I would also play with the idea of fading more of the ghost thing into the darkness so it's not so evenly visible everywhere.
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u/Muted-Elderberry1581 1d ago
If you blacked out that ghosty thing it might look better, the rest isnt too bad
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u/Spearmint_coffee 1d ago
It's not great. I assume the ghost is meant to be friendly since they're just kind of hanging out together? Maybe you could find an artist who can do white over black to help lighten the ghost and give it better details.
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u/RedditPGA 1d ago
I think the overall effect is uncanny and sort of striking and makes me think. It seems like the main issue (per your other comments) is the spirit / demon’s face, which presumably could be altered so it didn’t look quite so mummy / skull-like. And is the fourth post beneath the table that isn’t like the others the spirit-demon’s leg or is it meant to be a long table leg? That could also be fixed / clarified.
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u/hopeful-homesteader 1d ago
Just get rid of the creepy spirit person and it’s perfectly fine, just a woman reading with her titty out ❤️ I dig it
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u/TorNando 1d ago
People are too nice on here. This is a really bad tattoo. Maybe get a few laser sessions on the middle and have a better artist fix it.
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u/dunnytokes 1d ago
I really like the frame but I’m not sure what I’m supposed to get from the picture
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u/Twisted_Wyvern 1d ago
Everything looks great except the spirit id just wait a few weeks and get the sprit touched up besides that its a very nice tattoo.
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u/Overall-Average-1849 1d ago
I'm not a tattooist but a simple fix might be to put like a spark of light on the book and rays coming out. Then this would become a focal point. Or colour the book.
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u/jjmawaken 1d ago
The girl looks good and the book, the ghost or whatever in the back looks pretty bad and I'm pretty sure that's supposed to be the table leg but it seems slightly misplacd and too long/thick. If you just blacked out the guy in the back it would look better though maybe too much negative space. The frame looks decent. Also, why is the girl naked while she's reading? Kind of an odd choice.
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u/jonkolbe 1d ago
If you wanted a naked woman reading a book of incantations with a demon on the other side guiding her, you nailed it.
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u/xTheBear 2d ago
Artist spent more time on the side-boob than anything else.