Correct It or Cover It?

[kazm]

I got this massacre etched into my epidermis on Saturday. Nowhere near happy with the result. The few liberties the artist did take made it worse instead of better. This looks nothing like the work in the artists portfolio. $200 later, I get to look forward to the cost to fix it. And yes, it was a legit shop, you've probably seen the owner on television. This was not done in someone's kitchen.

http://oi58.tinypic.com/i2pvf5.jpg

So my questions are...

Do you think it can be fixed to actually look like fireworks?

Can a cover-up even be done over that mess of lines? If it has to be covered I'm thinking like a full moon with dark clouds covering the mess.

Is there hope to fix it? I'm really not interested in lasering.

Do you know an artist talented with cover ups in the LA area?

[Graeme]

I'm not sure I see what the problem is. It doesn't look like it came from somebody's kitchen, it looks like somebody did his or her best with a not very tattooable idea, and honestly, your post reads like a bad yelp review.

[kazm]

Also, I was told you can intentionally fade a new tattoo by soaking it. Is that safe and effective? Out just a horrible idea?

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You see nothing wrong with that? I'm getting such mixed responses.

The stencil was clear, the result is a mess of lines.

They look nothing like hearts and from a distance don't even resemble fireworks.

[marley mission]

i would say give it good care and see what you got in a month

you may dig it

if you dont - get another tatt and forget about this one :)

i vote no on cover or laser

[tatB]

Looks like clean line work. Was this something the artist drew up or did you bring your own design?

[kazm]

Artist drew it up based of an image they picked online.

So you guys seriously think this is a solid tattoo? That really blows my mind. In really trying to accept it but it's just not what I expected when I saw the stencil on my ankle...

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Covering it is really a last resort because I scar so easy. Half those lines are raised already. And I don't want to have to go bigger. But I'm down if it could be improved, yet here are people telling me out doesn't need improvement? My ears are open.

[tatB]

Can you post an example of the type of tattoo you expected?

[gougetheeyes]

And yes, it was a legit shop, you've probably seen the owner on television.

A TV show does not a legit shop make.

It looks about as good as a small not-very-tattooable design can look. Guessing you were happier with the drawing because there were solid black lines.. and the design looks like a mess because there's no black, so you wind up with very little contrast. Did you ask for no black? Should be easy to cover up.

Here:

Best Tattoo Artists | Top Tattoo Shops and Parlor in Los Angeles | Dark Horse Tattoo Los Angeles

[pidjones]

The lines should have started at or ended at the heart bursts, I think. And, for a real explosion they would all have emanated from a single point at different velocities to form the initial heart. It isn't all that big or bright, and from a distance (unless your legs are regularly up high in the air or people are regularly on the floor looking at your ankles) looks Ok.

[kazm]

I didn't ask for no black. The artist asked what colors, I said purple and red. I took for granted that the artist would do some sort of shading, some variations, SOMETHING other than just those two colora and that light pink she threw in. I understand that part is my mistake, but I trusted the artist based on her other work.

Do you think adding some black to outline the hearts some way would improve it?

Hopefully someone can provide some recommendations for a shop in the Inland Empire area. I plan to scope a place out this coming weekend.

[tatB]

Wait a few months before doing anything.

[kazm]

As far as what I expected.

I brought in this. (As inspiration.)

http://oi59.tinypic.com/2wr45xj.jpg

She showed me this :

http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/6b/2c/5f/6b2c5f0ffc508328ab3592050f4a7714.jpg

Said I liked that style, she said she'd draw something up. Went back in two weeks and that's what she came up with.

[CultExciter]

Wait, wait, I'VE GOT IT.

If you don't know, better go J.D. Crowe!

[Fala]

Wait a few months to see how it heals and before doing anything especially if you scar easily.

[CABS]

I think it looks fine. But if you do cover it up, a giant panther head should do the trick. I love me a giant panther head.

But really though, for the idea presented, I think it looks fine.

[misterJ]

personally I think that second link looks like a mess of random stars and lines... but that is what fireworks are. So, maybe it's great?

I understood what yours was when I saw it immediately, I think you have some buyers remorse and cannot really admit that.

This is how you should fix it :D

http://38.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lswtybVsZk1qfp499o1_500.jpg

[kazm]

Buyers remorse? I think it's more that in just incredibly picky and mildly OCD. I don't WANT to cover it. I got it because my husband and I were married on 4th of July. All of you saying you see nothing wrong with it is helpful, actually. I don't WANT to alter it, but it looks like a mess to me 75% of the time. The other 25% I'm okay with it. I'm trryyiing to accept it as it is. My other tattoos I never questioned once they were on me, even one where the artist admitted they screwed up and offered to redo it.

[SeeSea]

I realized it was fireworks, but I didn't see immediately that they were originating with hearts. I like it fine. If it was me, I'd probably ask a good artist if it could be enhanced with some black or something and make it pop a little more. Nothing extreme. Just my opinion. But like others have suggested, wait until it's fully healed before you make any decisions.

[marley mission]

kazm - i looked at your gallery - your tattoos are righteous!

rock on and get another!

[cltattooing]

I do think they look like fireworks, but it is a pretty bland tattoo. Can totally be fixed by adding black drop lines to the colored lines similar to the picture that @misterJ posted. I don't think it needs to be covered. If you ask to have the black stop at the heart, I'm sure it will stand out a lot more as a heart. Overall, not a bad tattoo, just needs black to make it pop.

[DC91AAO]

The artist should've kept the lines outside of the actual heart shape. It does look a little crowded. Other than that it's a good tattoo. Some color shading around the beginning of the lines might make it look a little bit more like what you wanted. These are just my personal thoughts. I wasn't there so I don't know how the communication between you and the artist was. You don't happen to have a picture of the stencil or the stencil on you before she started tattooing?

[MLWar]

I think in general getting a tattoo of fireworks that look realistic is a difficult job for any tattoo artist, so I wouldn't say it's a bad tattoo. However, if you really are just not happy with it I wouldn't suggest just trying to get used to it. If you don't like it, let it heal and then cover it up. I don't know how a tattoo artist would fix that to make it look better and you don't want to risk spending the money and ending up with another tattoo you don't love.

[Chadrick]

Image would not show up for me?

[MarvelAvengers]

To me, this looks on par with the current popular "water color" tattoos. They are somewhat abstract. It's not bad. Sometimes less is more. For something of this size, I think while black may make it pop, I question that it wouldn't age well. The lighter colors will fade quicker than the black and you will end up with black fireworks.

[knucklehead211]

You will end up with black fireworks.

SO METAL.