Tattoo Nightmares

[otisc]

Recently my wife, who has no tattoos and no desire to get any, has become addicted to "Tattoo Nightmares."

It's a fun show because they break it up into three segments.... the consultation, an intentionally-comedic re-enactment of the story behind the bad tattoo, and then the big reveal of their new piece.

Here is my question: Does anyone else here think that the cover-up tattoos they do are almost always awful?

Don't get me wrong - the producers of this show do a great job of finding some really really awful and hilarious tattoos to be covered up.. but most of the time (especially when they complain about how challenging the coverup will be) I am just screaming at my screen: TELL THEM TO LASER IT OFF AND COME BACK!

One of the artists on the show seems to do really great work... but the other two end up covering up with these GIANT dark tattoos. Sometimes they have a lot of detail. But it is just a mix of dark colors, and when you see a long shot, all I can think is "wow, once that heals it's just going to look like a big giant black/purple bruise/birthmark"

Has anyone else seen this show and know what I'm talking about? Every now and then two of these artists will get it right, but 90% of the time I'm like: WHAT HAVE THEY DONE AND WHY ARE THEY SMILING ABOUT IT?

Edited May 17, 2016 by otisc

[oboogie]

A lot of them are definitely awful. Tommy does some good work, but yikes, a lot of them are very bad.

Same goes for the much-maligned UK show "Tattoo Fixers." The woman is a good artist, one of them does decent portraits, but the guy who calls himself Sketch (Scratch would have been more appropriate) bought a "tattoo gun" (his words) off the internet and "taught himself." He's shit, and he also steals other artists' designs and tries to pass them as his own. Except they are horribly tattooed and look like ass.

Edited May 17, 2016 by oboogie

[byzantine]

On 5/17/2016 at 7:08 PM, oboogie said:

 

Same goes for the much-maligned UK show "Tattoo Fixers." The woman is a good artist, one of them does decent portraits, but the guy who calls himself Sketch (Scratch would have been more appropriate) bought a "tattoo gun" (his words) off the internet and "taught himself." He's shit, and he also steals other artists' designs and tries to pass them as his own. Except they are horribly tattooed and look like ass.

Yup if you follow any UK tattooers on IG you'll probably have seen them kicking off about tattoo fixers!! for several reasons -a. because the cover ups are awful (usually too dark and large) b. because they cover up some tiny pale things which could easily be gone from 1 laser session c. because they exploit people (arguably they are dumb for going on it in the first place but it's still exploitation) d. because Sketch blatantly bites other peoples work  - there's a good rant about it here

http://inkluded.co.uk/2016/03/03/tattoo-fixers/

I imagine similar arguments go against the US show. In the end I feel its not good for the tattoo industry at all! In fact one shop in Bath was offering to laser off and cover up the work of Tattoo Fixers for free.

 

 

[oboogie]

I've read that article, @byzantine. It's a great rant.

I don't think the  U.S. show is QUITE as bad, but yes. Same issues in general.

[Synesthesia]

Eh, it wouldn't make good TV to give people actually good advice and consequently actually good tattoos. Instead, let's give them these ridiculous time constraints and impossible circumstances so the viewers get to see shitty tattoos! Turning away people and telling them to get a couple laser sessions isn't nearly as...uh, "exciting."

I like a lot of what Tommy does, and I appreciate the show being so upfront about how goofy and scripted it is. But yeah the other two people are almost always awful. Most of the time when I watch it, it's just to see how entertainingly bad their tattoos come out. I imagine the show sets a terrible level of expectations for the average viewer. They come in to a shop with a huge, awful tattoo they want covered and then get indignant when no one can cover it: "What do you mean? I saw them cover something twice as big on Tattoo Nightmares!"

[Kumoku]

Tommy is an excellent tattooer (I honestly feel like he was robbed of Ink Master, but that's a thread for another day). In regards to "awful", tattoos really are "beauty in the eye of the beholder". What looks like trash to someone looks like absolute gold to another person. As long as you can't see the old tattoo peaking out through the new one and it's technically sound, it's a good cover up tattoo to me. Cover ups are very difficult considering all the factors tattoo artists have to consider with the old tattoo and the new one. 

[Antony hippie]

I'm worried anybody sum advice. It hurts and not the normal

[Gingerninja]

@Antony hippie

Hey...questions:

1) When did you get the tattoo?

2) Where is it located?

3) What have you been doing for aftercare? 

4) Is the tattoo warm, red or oozing pus?

[SStu]

what Gingerninja said. 

And how old is it? Have you been futzing around with it?

[Antony hippie]

its on my thigh. Officially a week ago Sunday and i use a&d the only thing i avoid the red area in the purple because it burns directly applied to that spot. I dont mess with it. Its just been. Peeling rapidly on the other areas. But that one spot in the purple. Ouch. It was a white over cast and it rebleed before this picture. Now heavy scab scarring. Should i be worried or let it heal. Some puss but no infected color. Its now just red n hard scab.i feels like it peeled but took the epidermis flesh thats the layer right before "white meat" tissue

 

Edited May 14, 2018 by Antony hippie

[Hogrider]

29 minutes ago, Antony hippie said:

its on my thigh. Officially a week ago Sunday and i use a&d the only thing i avoid the red area in the purple because it burns directly applied to that spot. I dont mess with it. Its just been. Peeling rapidly on the other areas. But that one spot in the purple. Ouch. It was a white over cast and it rebleed before this picture. Now heavy scab scarring. Should i be worried or let it heal. Some puss but no infected color. Its now just red n hard scab.i feels like it peeled but took the epidermis flesh thats the layer right before "white meat" tissue

 

If that is a week old and oozing puss and still bleeding I would definitely see a doctor; that is not normal. Also, A&D ointment should NOT burn.