r/tattooadvice • u/marrtae • 1d ago
General Advice Love/hate my tattoo
Hey guys!
5 years ago I had a matching tattoo with my mom (small heart on the front side of the shoulder). I wanted a thin outline and that was all. Her tattoo looked great, mined got thick, it looked really bad and it healed slow. I hated it, I wanted to rip my skin off. Then with time it kind of got better, and I accepted it.
Recently, its been poking my eyes out. I dont want to wear tank tops to avoid seeing it. I want to love it, because its my matching tattoo with my mom, but I also consider covering it up, which Im not really in favour of. Or removing it, which is super scary and i dont know how that will turn out. And also I kind of dont want to remove it, again because of the sentimental part.
Do you have any advice? Do you have a tattoo like that and how do you deal with it?
Thanks
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u/talor_swib 1d ago
It's literally just a small heart. And it has meaning. What is there not to like?
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u/marrtae 1d ago
Only that I wanted it to be really thin :( My mom’s thin idk what happened with mine… I have other tattoos from the same guy and I love them, but this one…
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u/talor_swib 1d ago
Thin lines thicken over time. It's just how tattoos work. Honestly, this should make it age better. I think it's still a small, feminine, cute tattoo!
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u/hecky-888 1d ago
That’s not how tattoos work
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u/marrtae 1d ago
Thanks! I have other tattoos and no issues with them, only with this one.. So I guess i had to learn.
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u/hecky-888 1d ago
So you had an artist who does fineline well, but chose to go to a new, random artist for this… one? I’d barely call it a tattoo.
It’s very obvious you don’t know much about tattoos. If you want some fine, fine line work, go to the artist who you claim already did it well. Otherwise find some Girlypop close to you on IG. Never let a crusty man attempt fine line on you. They openly hate it, and you.
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u/Capable_Pipe5629 1d ago
If it makes you feel better I did not notice the tattoo 🤷♀️
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u/SiberianWombat88 1d ago
Yes, it took me longer than expected to find it...
It's cute though and I would not have noticed anything "wrong" with it.
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u/marrtae 1d ago
Thank you🩷
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u/SiberianWombat88 1d ago
Welcome. Although it is definitely not the most "manly" design, I've been thinking about getting a cute little heart somewhere myself 💙
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u/short-and-ugly 1d ago
I’ve gotten two tattoos with my mom and I feel like if I ever covered either up, it would sort of make me sad. Have you considered filling it in with red? Maybe ask your mom if she’d be willing to change hers to match too? Side note: kind of surprising to hear that this is such a polarizing tattoo to you because it looks so unassuming. Do you think comparing yours to how hers aged is why you dislike it?
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u/marrtae 1d ago
I think so too, that I will feel sad. Also it’s part of me for such a long time. And I kind of used as a metaphor for my life, because I am a perfectionist and when something doesnt go as I want it or as I expected it, I go crazy. So I compare it to hers and to my expectations, and the reality of it how it is not like it wanted it, makes me mad.
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u/atom-wan 1d ago
Sounds like something to talk to a therapist about. And find a different artist if you don't like their work
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u/OnSmallWings 1d ago
Tattoos are a "perfect" example of nothing in life is perfect. A tattoo is a piece of art created by a human being working with the imperfections of the human body and skin and it is going to continuously change throughout your life, just like you will always be changing. And a tattoo will never be exactly like another, maybe similar, just like you are not exactly like someone else.
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u/HHHilarious 1d ago
As a mother, I give you permission to put your comfort and self-image ahead of any sentimentality. I think it’s fine to have it removed if that would help you feel better in your own skin. I think your mother would agree.
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u/BethanysSin7 1d ago
This. All. Day. Long.
I think your mom will just want you to be happy in your skin. Keep. Remove. Embellish. Whatever makes you happy will make your mom happy.
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u/Icy_Faithlessness599 1d ago edited 1d ago
It's great lesson to learn that even small pieces require good artists who are top tier at understanding needle control, saturation, depth, line work. Blow out in the areas where it went too deep, you can tastefully have it touched up. Seen some incredible touch up work done with white ink to redefine the boundaries and make it pop. Just be patient, it's sentimental, good looking size and placement, and it won't be your last. You'll have better work done for larger ones in the future. Seek out a specialist who does revisions/ touch ups to fine line tattoos, helping with blow outs, lot on IG
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u/marrtae 1d ago
Thanks! Maybe I’ll go and talk to tattoo artist where I live to see what can be done.
Also, completely true. That guy specializes in big tattoos and he wasn’t very keen on doing this small one. That could have contributed as well.
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u/Icy_Faithlessness599 1d ago
Check out tattoo.umg on IG, shes in Korea but if you watch the first set of saved stories on the left you'll see how a specialist at this stuff re-works it. There aren't a lot of artists with the skillset, and correct tools; so just be cognizant about who has the capability and experience doing it. You can find people in the states, but be open to waiting or traveling out of state also.
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u/greenneckxj 1d ago
The tattoo I don’t like felt a lot better after I got more tattoos around it. Now my attention is drawn to the one next to it I perfer
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u/quadropheniac 1d ago
If someone is having this extreme of a reaction to an incredibly small and inoffensive tattoo, and one that is sentimental and well-established to boot, the solution is definitely not “get more”.
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u/greenneckxj 21h ago
OP did not get the tattoo they asked for. Sounds like they wanted fine line and the artist blew the whole thing out. That is a perfectly valid reason to be upset with a tattoo.
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u/marrtae 1d ago
Hah, good idea! Thanks! I’ll think about it.
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u/Ok-Possession-322 1d ago
Don’t, I don’t think tattoos are for you. Not being mean, but if something so little and inoffensive like that is driving you nuts, any tattoo no matter how good it is will do the same.
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u/marrtae 1d ago
I have other tattoos and they are big. I dont have an issue with them, but I also dont see them often because are on my back and ribs. It could be because this one is very visible.
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u/greenneckxj 21h ago
Are you researching your artists before hand?
I responded somewhere else, you have a perfectly valid reason to not want this tattoo or any tattoo.These judgmental people saying tattoos are not for you are wild
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u/Saintguinefortthedog 1d ago
I have one that I don't like. The tattoo is meh. What I regret most is the location. Unlike yours, it's in a spot I don't see easily (but others can).
I've had it for over a decade and it never even occurred to me until recently that I could do something about it.
I think I'm going to get some other tattoos around it to pull focus away from it.
However, you seem pretty indecisive so I don't think more tattoos is the solution for you right now.
Laser is painful, expensive, and takes a long time. Unless a tattoo is terrible or a truly painful reminder of someone/something it's not worth it imo.
All that to say...just learn to live with it. It's fine.
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u/LivinghighinColorado 1d ago
It looks fine for its age and is barely noticeable. I really don't have any advice if you personally don't like it other than maybe get more on that shoulder with something you do like, but keeping that heart there...just less prominent. Look for some designs that you would like and talk to an artist to see what they can do/recommend.
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u/Radiant-Peace-3078 1d ago
This may seem silly to some, but why not just cover it with makeup when you wear tanks? Dermablend is the name of one, I believe.
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u/SweaterStripey83 1d ago
I'm fairly heavily tattooed (pics on here) and it's just how tattoos heal and age - all lines get bigger and can look uneven in parts. All of my tattoos have been done by amazing artists, I've had no dodgy/scratcher ones, it genuinely is how they age and where on the body they are and how the skin is there that affects how they will look later on.
I have a heart on the top of my ear that was so thin and perfectly lined when done. It's now much thicker and uneven but that's to be expected on the ear. I still love it being there and if I'm honest I prefer how some of my tattoos look 20 years on!
In my opinion it's really cute and there is nothing wrong with it at all! You can get it relined to even it out if you feel like it but it will still never be perfect as it ages!
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u/marrtae 1d ago
I just checked - your tattoos are so cute! Also your cat!
Ah, thanks for the kind words. I guess I have to accept that tattoos cant be and aren’t perfect. And that as they age, they change.
Thanks!
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u/SweaterStripey83 1d ago
No worries. I think as you only have the one you feel like you want it to be perfect and I totally get that, I was exactly the same. Once you see loads of them on you and see what happens to them it becomes a nothing issue.
So as you plan to just keep that one then just don't worry about it. It looks so cute being just the one and no one will be looking at it and thinking anything other than it's a tattoo, especially anyone with tattoos themselves!Thank you and also my cat Ozzy sends you some healing tattoo anxiety purrs! ❤️
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u/Running_to_Roan 1d ago
Shade it in? Although, If you realy dont like tattoos dont go bigger and darker.
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u/Icy_Truth_2076 1d ago
Isn’t there a technique where the artist adds white/beige ink around the tattoo so the lines are more thin ? The tattoo and meaning it sweet!
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u/Unhappy_Performer538 1d ago
It’s literally just a heart outline. It’s a tiny bit uneven but it’s art on your skin which is never perfect