Hi all, got a tattoo done and I'm seriously not happy :(

[Oday]

I got my first tattoo done about a month ago: Imgur: The most awesome images on the Internet

I was fairly happy with it, I thought it needed some more work to get it exactly where I wanted it but I was pleased for the most part.

Jump to last Saturday I decided to get my second piece next to it:Imgur: The most awesome images on the Internet

The main focus I wanted is the map, and the sun. And I wanted blue to connect the two, like a sea blue to represent the Mediterranean Sea and sort of be like the filler so the tattoo looks whole.

Let me start off by saying the artist I went to is darn good, I saw his work, I observed him work, I looked at his portfolio, it was impressive. However I feel like I got the short side of the stick with my tats. Compared to some of the stuff I've seen him do I feel like he didn't give me his all. I feel good about the idea of the map/flag combo still, although i feel it could've been done better. I feel good about the sun also. My biggest issue is the tribal blue waves in between! I think they look horrendous to be quite honest. I'm not artistically inclined at all, so I kinda just trusted him to do his thing. Looking back, tribal waves was probably a bad idea to begin with! Specifically those ones. I wish I had gotten a cooler background to connect the two, I wish I hadn't agreed to those ugly designs.

What do you guys think about the tats? And seeing them, what can I do in the future to make it better while keeping the theme of flag/map, ocean, sun? Am I overreacting? I guess I'm pretty stuck with the tribal waves aren't I since they're outlined in black? My problem is I'm really not an artist, I don't KNOW what I should've put in there to connect my two pieces, I just know that what I have now looks bad and I regret it.

I've had this thing for less than 3 days and I already hate it...imagine as more time goes on?

[otisc]

I think they look great you and are maybe being obsessively picky because they are on you. Both pieces look fantastic to me. If you didn't like certain elements, wasn't the responsibility with you to tell him after the stencil and before the tattooing?

Either way I would relax. I think your pieces look great and your artist's style really came through. Take a breath and enjoy them! I think your "tribal waves" are seriously bad ass.

[marley mission]

i'm not gonna lie and say i love your tattoo

but that said i dont hate it either

is this representative of the artists typical work?

i have no idea

because all we see is whats on you

regardless - i say you now have an understanding

more or less

of what to expect from this artist

so if you dont dig their work

look elsewhere for your next tattoo

and dont expect your tattoo to look 'perfect'

thats not what tattoos are about imo

the process should go more like this:

i dig an artist and what they do

i get tattooed by said artist

i'm stoked

repeat

but in the mix is the research

you came here

so thats a good start for next time

stick around

check out the threads (latest tattoo lowdown is a must)

watch the interviews

enjoy

[AverageJer]

The tribal blue waves are my favorite part to be honest- so at the very least I think you can assume others will not view your tattoo the same way you do.

Where are you from?

[oboogie]

This isn't my kind of thing, but for what it is and how it is tattooed, it looks fine to me. It looks well done. I think maybe you are being overly critical?

[Dan]

I got my first tattoo done about a month ago: Imgur: The most awesome images on the Internet

I was fairly happy with it, I thought it needed some more work to get it exactly where I wanted it but I was pleased for the most part.

Jump to last Saturday I decided to get my second piece next to it:Imgur: The most awesome images on the Internet

The main focus I wanted is the map, and the sun. And I wanted blue to connect the two, like a sea blue to represent the Mediterranean Sea and sort of be like the filler so the tattoo looks whole.

Let me start off by saying the artist I went to is darn good, I saw his work, I observed him work, I looked at his portfolio, it was impressive. However I feel like I got the short side of the stick with my tats. Compared to some of the stuff I've seen him do I feel like he didn't give me his all. I feel good about the idea of the map/flag combo still, although i feel it could've been done better. I feel good about the sun also. My biggest issue is the tribal blue waves in between! I think they look horrendous to be quite honest. I'm not artistically inclined at all, so I kinda just trusted him to do his thing. Looking back, tribal waves was probably a bad idea to begin with! Specifically those ones. I wish I had gotten a cooler background to connect the two, I wish I hadn't agreed to those ugly designs.

What do you guys think about the tats? And seeing them, what can I do in the future to make it better while keeping the theme of flag/map, ocean, sun? Am I overreacting? I guess I'm pretty stuck with the tribal waves aren't I since they're outlined in black? My problem is I'm really not an artist, I don't KNOW what I should've put in there to connect my two pieces, I just know that what I have now looks bad and I regret it.

I've had this thing for less than 3 days and I already hate it...imagine as more time goes on?

I like the tribal/water/wave one,it's bold,colorful and nicely done IMO.

[Oday]

I think they look great you and are maybe being obsessively picky because they are on you. Both pieces look fantastic to me. If you didn't like certain elements, wasn't the responsibility with you to tell him after the stencil and before the tattooing?

Either way I would relax. I think your pieces look great and your artist's style really came through. Take a breath and enjoy them! I think your "tribal waves" are seriously bad ass.

You're absolutely right, it was my responsibility. I guess I didn't take a good enough look at the stencil like i should've. Now I know for next time! Also thank you, I'm glad you like them.

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Lebanon :)

[SStu]

Not my style, but you could have done a lot worse.

I'll be interested to see how that white holds up over time . . .

[Oday]

Not my style, but you could have done a lot worse.

I'll be interested to see how that white holds up over time . . .

Whats your style if you don't mind me asking? Or rather, what about this that isn't your style?

[bongsau]

yknow i think the tribal waves are the best part.

The design is a bit abstract - but that's ok, almost like a graffiti style.

the white though is overdone, i don't like the powerlining everywhere.

And hindsight is always 20/20 with tattoos. Lots of things I would have done differently with my tattoos...which is irrelevant because they are a permanent; a timestamp of my decision making and artist-approval for each tattoo.

Just relax let the thing heal and settle under the skin.

[Devious6]

Lebanon!! Of course. The first tattoo. I looked at and kept telling myself I recognized it. Duh!! Marhabahn!!

I agree that the quality of the work looks good - especially on the 2d tattoo.

[pidjones]

Sucks when you can't love your own tattoo, I know. Sucks when a demonstrated good artist doesn't seem to care to do great work for you. I know. Just sharing the disappointment, not judging your tattoo (didn't spend much time looking at it). Your own judgment of it counts most, although compliments can help ease the pain.

[Oday]

Ahlan! :D Yea man its the map of Lebanon with the flag inside of it. Im actually looking for ideas to improve on that piece, maybe some shadow or something, it seems very plain.

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Compliments definitely do help for sure, but not that much. Thank you. Has that ever happened to you? You sounded pretty empathetic there. I guess I'm just looking forward to covering up the parts i don't like in a few months if they still haven't grown on me. I just get envious when I see like amazing tattoos on people and then I compare them to mines and I'm like why couldn't i have something of that caliber. You know?

[exume]

Instead of going back in and trying to fix what you don't think is perfect with those I'd just get more tattoos around them to be stoked on, if it still bothers you down the road you can always revisit them later but in the meantime I think a new tattoo altogether would help more

[SStu]

Whats your style if you don't mind me asking? Or rather, what about this that isn't your style?

My favorites lean toward the illustrative, woodcut and dot-work kind of stuff - but that's just me.

[Oday]

Instead of going back in and trying to fix what you don't think is perfect with those I'd just get more tattoos around them to be stoked on, if it still bothers you down the road you can always revisit them later but in the meantime I think a new tattoo altogether would help more

I never thought that about that. I have to say, i like that reasoning!

For my next piece I'm considering a moon design with a crow, to contrast the sun and ocean. Sort of like life and death, all of that is on the same leg around the map and flag of my home country.

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My favorites lean toward the illustrative, woodcut and dot-work kind of stuff - but that's just me.

Cool! I'd love to see some of your stuff if you have any.

[SStu]

Cool! I'd love to see some of your stuff if you have any.

Images are loaded in my profile . . . link right under any user's name, to the left

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Cool! I'd love to see some of your stuff if you have any.

Images are loaded in my profile . . . link right under any user's name, to the left

[Graeme]

My suggestion is to start learning about art so that you're not going to be inclined to go along with suggestions that you ultimately aren't into. Go to the library and start learning about art history, go to museums and galleries and look at art, take drawing lessons at a community centre or given by a local artist not so that you'll be able to draw your own tattoos, but rather so that you can understand how drawing works and so you'll be able to articulate what you do and don't like. Listen to lectures about art history on iTunes U. Watch the video interviews with tattooers on this site. Don't just limit yourself to tattoos either, look at art in general, and I don't just mean visual art here either, and look for art everywhere: on book covers, in comics, on skateboards and album covers, in architecture and nature. There is a relationship between the effort you put into getting tattoos and the tattoos you actually get.

[undudedude]

I also don't get it, your's look pretty good, mine on the other hand sucka lot :\