Tattoos That Look Nothing Like Their Reference Photos

We all know a bad tattoo when we see one… right? Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words and should remain that— a picture. Here are a few, or more than a few, times when a tattoo didn’t come out the way it was meant to.

Pringles Guy

How cute. This tattoo of Mr. Julius Pringle had so much potential. And this is potentially the easiest reference in the history of references! We’re not quite sure what the artist was thinking as he drew this, but we have a feeling it has something to do with acorns. Check out the mustache.

Marilyn Monroe

Instead of resembling the bombshell in her swim-attire, this tattoo looks more like the blow-up doll version of Marilyn Monroe. The girl knew it and complained—hard. The con-tattoo artist was fined for close to 300 Euros and no longer tattoos anyone.

Portrait No. 1

We have no idea who this person in the tattoo is, but the reference photograph speaks volumes. There is shading where shading shouldn’t be and the neck looks as if it’s ready to pop off. As far as memorial portraits go, they did their best. Teeth are hard to draw.

Betty Boop

Yes, this is meant to be Betty Boop. Yes, she might be missing a few key elements—a mouth here, a leg there. Or is that her other leg wrapping around her torso? Poor Betty.