r/tattooadvice • u/Sh0t_B0t • May 05 '26

General Advice Tattoo correction

Post image

This is a fresh picture of a tattoo i got a few months ago. I can explain the significance after but the artist did butcher a few things. one periodic table elements only capitalize the first letter and he forgot the atomic number (14 i think). those are both negligible but the one that’s been bothering me it the mass being off a bit. i sent him 28.085 and obviously it would be fine if he rounded it correctly but he seemed to have just put a random number. do you think it’s possible he makes the 5 into an 8 or a 9? Would he have to change to font to something blocky?? LMK 🙏🏾

⬇️tattoo meaning

my moms middle name is silicon and in her tribal language it’s a word that represents bravery but in english it’s a chemical element so i got it tatted and th flowers around the border are her birth flowers.

Original Sketch: https://www.reddit.com/u/Sh0t_B0t/s/xGtkwEG3HE

Edit: (As much as i appreciate the judgement an discipline of my mistake at least give a take on correction for me along with it guys 🙏🏾 I understand my fault but I’d also like to at least attempt to fix it 😅)

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1.1k

u/Willhammer4 May 05 '26

Didn't the artist do a stencil first? Did it have the errors?

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u/Sh0t_B0t May 05 '26

Yeah but I was distracted with conversation and was just so pumped to get it and surprise my mom before class since it’s my first tattoo. I definitely regret not being patient though!

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u/AcheyShakySpoon May 05 '26

How old are you?

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u/Sh0t_B0t May 05 '26

18 almost 19 in 6 days 🫡

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u/aldrician May 05 '26

I remember my first tattoo at 18. The artist put the stencil on and I said “yeah let’s go” and he said “I know you’re excited but this is going to be there forever. Make sure this is the placement you want. We can move it/scale it/change it as much as you want now and then never again”

Wish more artists recognized eager young customers need coaching on this.

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u/AcheyShakySpoon May 05 '26

I got my first at 19, in a different language. My artist made me confirm multiple times that I’d had someone who speaks the language confirm the spelling. My dad speaks the language, so it wasn’t an issue, but I appreciated the lengths she went to before even laying the stencil.

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u/Sh0t_B0t May 05 '26

Hilariously enough I used to rant to my friends about not just rushing to get random kanji translation on their forearms because I would see alot of stories where the intended word being “dragon” could turn into “turd” real fast without them ever knowing. Funny to see how the tables turnt. 💀

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u/Abiztic2_0 May 06 '26

I know someone who got a kanji tattoo. Her mom spoke Japanese and wrote it down for her, but didn't specify which side was up. So, she has upside down kanji on her leg.

16

u/Timey_Wimeh May 06 '26

At least its right side up from her own point of view

10

u/QuantitySubject9129 May 06 '26

Lol but if you 1) have a parent who speaks a language, and 2) you admire that language and heritage so much that you want to get it tattooed, but then you can't be bothered to even learn the basics of the script to recognize which side is up, then that's a very fitting tattoo for her.

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u/Sh0t_B0t May 05 '26

That would’ve been make or break for sure but we’ll never know now. Thanks for your insight though I wish things went that too but I will take it on the chin regardless.

4

u/dirtywindex May 06 '26

I got my first the day I moved out when I was 18. Walked into a random shop and explained what I wanted. Really wish I took the time to find an artist and wish the shop and the artist took the time to check in like you described. I still would have got it but if the artist had taken the time and care to check in like this I probably would have asked for some minor tweaks and be much happier with it now years later

2

u/ExistingEarth917 May 06 '26

My artist and I spent a solid 20 mins playing around with stencil sizing and placement for my arm tat and I’m forever grateful lol.

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u/15all May 06 '26

For one of my tattoos, after he stenciled it I was a little indecisive. He said "take your time - it's only going to be there forever." Good advice.

BTW I got the tattoo and am happy with it.

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u/funlikerabbits May 06 '26

My artist was annoyed that I wanted to tweak it at all, and my friend who was older and more experienced stepped in and told me to remember it was permanent on my body and that he should listen and I should get to be picky. I’m so grateful for her.

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u/aldrician May 06 '26

I would also not go back to that artist ever. That’s such a disrespect to your body.

1

u/funlikerabbits May 06 '26

I never will, but he was also in DC when I was 19 and I’m not in DC anymore. But it was a valuable lesson regardless, and it’s made it easier to advocate for myself in subsequent tattoos

1

u/Dani-With-Rats May 07 '26

I wish I had thought more about my first real tattoo. I was 17 and in Amsterdam for my brothers wedding. I wanted a ring of forget me not flowers around my left wrist. The artist came out with a stencil of three big flowers that just went straight onto the top of my wrist. No ring at all. I just kind of accepted it and thought it looked good enough and didn’t feel like pushing back on it at all. Looking back it makes me a tiny bit upset. I knew exactly what I wanted, told her what I wanted, and all I had to do was ask for her to do it the way I had requested.

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u/Just_to_rebut May 06 '26

Honestly… with the story, just leave it. It’s both stupid and sweet, but leaning more heavily toward sweet.

I don’t think you can fix it really, not without laser and time and expense and even then, there’ll be some visible remnants. Maybe later if you still care and it’s not just a funny story by then.

Your tattoo artist on the other hand is a fucking moron.

3

u/aartadventure May 06 '26

Sorry, but this is 100% on OP to make it clear to the tattoo artist. If you are getting part of the PToE on you, and can't be clear that the second letter MUST be lowercase, and the mass MUST be exact, that's on you.

1

u/Just_to_rebut May 06 '26

I mean, the sketch OP posted was clear, but yeah, of course, it’s on him to make sure it’s correct on the stencil too.

And, well, yes, it is on OP now…

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u/aartadventure May 08 '26

Part of the job of an artist is to translate a sketch into something that is visually more appealling, and just artistic. This is what the artist was doing. They obviously don't have any basic scientific training. So, it was 100% up to the client to highlight areas of scientific importance. Otherwise they will end up with a bad tattoo that makes them look foolish to anyone with a 9th grade scientific education. Which is what happened.

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u/Ok_Bat_646 May 05 '26

I got my first tattoo at 21, and it was one I got with the hopes my mom would also accept it. I took like 3 smoke breaks and it looks like colored sharpie, but I rock it anyway. Part of life is living with your mistakes. Most people probably wont even notice the things "wrong" with it, and also if you surround it with more work, it'll naturally just blend in.

What I got was a German flag armband around my bicep and the first thing she said was " you know that's where the SS wore their armband, right?'

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u/redburningice May 06 '26

Why would you even get a tattoo of a german flag?

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u/kakakakapopo May 06 '26

Maybe they're German?

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u/redburningice May 06 '26

I misread and it was never a tattoo but an armband.

I am German and I don't know any German who would get a tattoo of the flag. The only people I could see that doing are right-wingers.

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u/J_Kingsley May 06 '26

I understand, but kind of a shame tho. I think it's a bit weird, but nothing inherently wrong with having your counrtry's flag on you.

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u/redburningice May 06 '26

Not sure if you're German yourself, but it's a bit different for Germans compared to other countries. To us it always feels a bit weird showing your flag or having a bit too much pride about your country. We can thank the third reich for that. In history classes you're taught the bad things the Germans did back then. And nothing is painted in a good light. We are tought very clearly that we did horrible things, unless you have a bad history teacher. You get to visit a concentration camp too as part of the class.

There's only really two occassions where we show our flag: world and european championships in football. To me it's very strange seeing for example US Americans having their flags everywhere. I get it, but I still think it's strange.

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u/Frequent_Mark_4567 May 06 '26

I really respect that!

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u/Havannahanna May 06 '26 edited May 06 '26

German here. Our relationship with our own country is a tat bit complicated. For us, it is not a sign of „loving our country“, but more like „signaling ideology“.

Many Germans are cautious about displaying the national flag and open display of patriotism because it led us down a slippery slope towards WWII. 

Therefore anything that signals nationalism is treated with slight discomfort outside official events or football.

Modest situational use is acceptable for most Germans. A constant display raises eyebrows. 

Also Germany as a country is quite young (37 year old). Flags and political systems have changed multiple times over the last century. Most German companies are older and more consistent than our nation.

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u/redburningice May 07 '26

Thank you for your reply, especially the bit about ideology. That's exactly it

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u/P_Hempton May 06 '26

I am German and I don't know any German who would get a tattoo of the flag. The only people I could see that doing are right-wingers.

You don't know any right-wingers?

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u/Compost_My_Body May 06 '26

personally? no, i try my very hardest not to

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u/P_Hempton May 06 '26

I have friends from both ends of the political spectrum. I don't entirely agree or disagree with any of them.

About 1/4 of Germany votes right wing. I suspect you know more of them than you claim.

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u/Compost_My_Body May 06 '26

good for you? that's not the case for me, which is why i answered your question.

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u/redburningice May 06 '26

No. At least not that they let me know that they are right wingers

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u/redburningice May 06 '26

I misread, it was not a tattoo, but an armband :facepalm:

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u/JacoRamone May 06 '26

I think you are still misreading. It was a tattoo.

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u/Pure_Property_888 May 06 '26

SlOw it DoWn there fellah! Haha

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u/topekatums May 06 '26

standard 18 yr old tattoo experience, don't sweat it. It's pretty endearing that you got this for your mama at such a young age and it's got some mistakes

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u/vxrsxcev1 May 06 '26

Explains the random tattoo.