This article was originally published on VisualChase
If you've ever thought about getting inked, odds are someone has warned you that tattoos last forever, and you should be careful what you get. Well, it turns out those people had a point, and we have the photos to prove it. These tattooists' works are real head-turners. From portraits inspired by horror movie characters to hyper-realistic pieces, you'll want to scroll through regardless of whether or not you're thinking of getting some body art.
Ted Bundy Took a Bite
This might be one of the more unusual tattoo ideas on the list, which is saying a lot. This is pretty obviously a bitemark - but it's not just some random set of teeth. It's those of Ted Bundy. That's right; Ted Bundy, the infamous serial killer. We're not exactly sure what inspired this kind of body art, but we're certain that it's a pretty unique idea as we haven't seen anything like it before.
We're guessing whoever chose this design is a big fan of true crime stories.
Don't Stretch Too Hard
Next, we have another tattoo that hurts to look at because it's so well done and realistic; this one features a set of stitches around the neck, making it look like this person's head is barely attached to his body. The illusion works. When he makes this face, it tricks your brain for a second into thinking his head is actually being torn from his body. We would love to know what inspired this piece of body art.
Having this is like wearing a Halloween costume year-round. And, to be clear, we're absolutely not opposed to that.
Why so Serious?
It might just be in part due to the light, but the tattoos in this photo kind of look like someone used a crayon to make them. The colors, patterns, and shapes all look super bright yet faded at the same time, which might've been the intention of this work of art. And if you're wondering what inspired the tattoo around the mouth, we have a pretty good guess: it's Batman's villain, The Joker.
Aside from that famous smile, we also see random lines, crosses, stitches, and even something that looks like fire running along the lower jaw.
This One Makes Us Itchy
There's no better way to show the world you're a fan of something than to get a tattoo of it on your face. The artist who did this tattoo even managed to put a couple of shadows underneath the spider's legs to make it look more real. If we had this, we'd jump out of our shoes every time we passed a mirror. So we have nothing but respect for the bravery displayed here.
But we'd need years of exposure therapy to spiders before being able to pull off this brilliant art.
Looks Like the Baby Needs a Nap
We love the idea of tattooing a picture of a baby, but we never imagined one that looks like this. We're used to seeing smiling, happy children used in body art. The artist here took a different approach. We're not sure whether it was intentional or not, but the deep red ink makes it look like this sweet baby is in need of some food or a good nap.
We also can't help but wonder where this baby got such a big pacifier from - it's almost the size of half his head!
It Looks Too Real
This next peice of body art is a realistic-looking bloody mouth on a neck. While it's unsettling (to say the least), we have to give credit where credit is due: this is extremely well done. Not only is it super realistic, but it also looks as if the mouth is about to jump out and come for our faces. And it appears that it's already successfully taken a bite from others.
We know that's not possible because the mouth is clearly stitched in, but those stitches could come completely undone at any moment.
Pentagram Stars Should Be Five-Pointed
While some of the tattoos we've seen so far have been quite detailed, this one takes a simpler approach. Some faded circles in different sizes cover the cheeks, and a star of matching style sits between the eyebrows. And while we have no problem with self-expression, we're a little concerned about the star here. We've got a feeling it was intended to be a pentagram, which traditionally has five points.
It's actually kind of hard to tell exactly how many points it has, but we counted six.
Giving New Meaning to the Third-Eye
And just when we thought tattoos couldn't get any more real looking, this gem came along. The talented artist who designed this piece created a hyper-realistic-looking tattoo of an eye that even includes some veins and wrinkles. And the location of this piece - right under the chin - is perfect for something creepy since it means people will most likely only see the eyeball when this guy wants them to.
The only thing that's missing here is an optical illusion that makes it look like the eyeball is blinking.
We Didn't Know the Pillsbury Doughboy Has a Fanbase
Getting a colorful tattoo of the Pillsbury Doughboy with the words "Luv Da Dough" right above it is a big commitment. This piece is both a bit creepy and simultaneously pretty hilarious, and we're sure it was meant to be that way. There are a few details here that really make us love this tattoo, such as the fact that the Doughboy has a real-life belly button. We appreciate the creativity.
We'd love to know what all of those waves surrounding the doughboy are. Is it heat from the oven?
The Silliest Optical Illusion We've Seen
Sometimes people just amaze us with the things they get tattooed on their bodies. Never in a million years would we come up with the concept seen below, no matter how hard we tried. We guess some people's imaginations are just larger than others! And this person is clearly one of those imaginative people; he got a tattoo of a small body stemming from their neck. It gives the illusion that he has a tiny person on his chest driving a car or flying a plane.
We would love to see how strangers react when this guy goes to the beach or the pool. It must be quite entertaining.
He's Got Eyes On The Back Of His Head
You might be familiar with the saying "eyes on the back of your head," but have you ever thought about getting a tattoo that represents that saying in real life? No? Well, this guy did and we're kind of digging it. He even cleverly styled his hair to look like a long mustache for the face. We have to respect his creativity and dedication - it's more than impressive.
We wonder what inspired him to get this tattoo. Maybe his parents constantly told him they had eyes on the back of their heads, so this was his teenage rebellion.
Ever Seen an Arm-Sized Thumb?
This guy decided he wanted to turn his entire arm into one giant finger after losing his hand, and it looks pretty cool. We couldn't even tell this was an arm at first and had to take another look. The nail looks a bit unsettling, but we're pretty sure that was the intention here. It looks like the artist even added some white ink or something to make it look like there's a glare. Genius!
We don't even know this person, but we're already sure they have a stellar sense of humor.
It's Just Like Looking At The Stars
Before we tell you what this body art is, we want you to take a guess. Okay, fine, we already gave the answer away in the title. This assortment of specks is supposed to be a constellation of stars. But if we didn't know already that it's a constellation, we might think these are just freckles provided by nature. And freckles are pretty cute, so we guess it's a win-win either way.
We'd love to know which of the galaxy's constellations inspired this one-of-a-kind piece.
What Happens When There's a Full Moon?
Remember when everyone was obsessed with the Twilight franchise, and people were either Team Jacob or Team Edward? We've got a feeling this person was certainly a fan of Team Jacob (at least if the werewolf tattoo is any indication). Then again, maybe this body art has nothing to do with Hollywood films, and this person is just a big fan of the mythical creature. And a big fan of neck tattoos.
The detail here is pretty great, and we're definitely spooked by it - which was probably the intention here. Just look at those yellow eyes and yellow teeth!
Out of This World
We've already seen someone with a face on the back of their head. However, these just seem to keep getting better and better, and this one might be our favorite so far. Not only did this guy get a tattoo of an alien, but the tattoo extends all the way down his back and into an entire alien-inspired scene. The scene is pretty cool, too, and there is all kinds of stuff going on there if you take a close look.
Overall, this is a pretty cool tattoo, and the style is unique. It actually kind of reminds us of West-Coast tattoos from decades ago, which is fitting considering both Roswell and Area 51 are out that way.
Here's Johnny
We've already looked at a couple of portraits inspired by famous people, but this might be our favorite. Someone got a tattoo of Jack Nicholson's character from The Shining. Not only is it incredibly creepy, especially with it looking like he's about to bust out of the tattoo, but it's also really well done. The hair, the facial expression, and even the beard look like they took hours and hours for the artist to do.
And that's what you want when you get a portrait tattoo. You want incredible detail and hours-worth of work.
An Aspiring Cyborg
The main tattoo in this photo might be the hydraulics on this guy's cheeks and forehead, but can we talk about the flaming skull for a second? It's kind of out of the theme, but it's very cool. Okay, back to the hydraulic tattoo. It looks like this guy wants to fool us into thinking he's a robot. Or maybe he's an aspiring cyborg. If you don't know what that is, it's a being with both organic and biomechatronic body parts.
We think it's definitely an aspiring cyborg situation because why else would there be red in the tattoo? That's clearly a human feature mixed with mechanical parts.
He Must Be Trolling Us
There's no reason to feel bad if you don't know what this tattoo is; it took us a second to figure it out as well. It's actually a tattoo of a troll doll, and for some reason, they decided to use their arm hair as the doll's hair rather than getting luscious locks tattooed on. Maybe they saw Mr. Eyes on the Back of His Head and got inspired by his mustache situation.
While we're not sure why someone would feel called to get a troll tattooed, that is the magic of body art: it's completely personal and unique.
A Walking Skeleton
This is a pretty tattoo, especially considering how hard it is to pull off a full-body tattoo. This guy turned his entire body into one giant skeleton, and the artist did a fantastic job with the project. The story behind the tattoo is also kind of fascinating. This guy wanted to get this body art to look more menacing. However, the tattoo ended up making people come up to him and ask for photos.
Because of that, he said that he's become a bit more social and less confrontational. What an unexpectedly adorable ending to that story!
How to Never Have a Panty Line Again
You've got to have some confidence to pull off something like this. Some guy got a thong tattoo on his lower back, and it looks like he even got it raised so he could show it off to anyone who looked at his backside. We're not sure how far down this tattoo goes, but hopefully, it's just the top half of the garment and not the whole thing since that would be painful.
If we were sitting across the room from this guy, we'd probably be convinced this was a real thing he was wearing.
That's a Thumb
There are some things in life you can cheap out on, and a tattoo is not one of those things. This guy got a tattoo of a baby's hand holding a thumb, but as you can see, the shading looks slightly off. As a result, the thumb barely looks like a thumb anymore. Our tip: always ask to see prior work before settling on a tattoo artist. Doing a bit more digging is worth it.
If you choose someone who's not actually a professional, you might end up with a completely different tattoo than the one you had in your head.
Need Some Eye Drops?
We've already seen one guy with eyes tattooed on the back of his head, but this is just on another level. This guy has one giant eye, and the detail is turned up here. This thing looks extremely real, and the artist did an excellent job of shading it and making it look like the eye is staring at us. In fact, it follows us no matter where we go, just like the Mona Lisa.
We have a feeling whoever designed and executed this is also good at portrait tattoos.
All Hail Pinhead, Also Known as the Hell Priest
Don't feel too bad if you don't know who this is. He's a character named Pinhead from a movie that originally aired in the 1980s, though there have been a couple of remakes since then. This tattoo's detail is excellent. It feels like Pinhead is about to pop out and come flying towards you if you stare at it long enough. We want to run away but also can't stop staring at it.
It's incredible how the pins look like they're really embedded into this guy's skin. We give this one a 10 out of 10.
The Minimalist Clown Look
Have you ever heard of the acronym ICP? We'll fill you in just in case: it stands for Insane Clown Posse, which is a rap duo with a pretty big following and an annual festival. Some people even label it a subculture, like punk or something. We aren't sure if this guy is a part of it or if he just likes clowns, but this tattoo looks like something they would wear.
We appreciate a new take on the classic clown look. Then again, we're not surprised that the minimalism movement has affected the clowns, too. Always remember: less is more.
Please Check the Tattoo Parlor's Reviews Before Going
Portraits are among some of the hardest things to draw in any artistic medium, especially when it comes to tattoos. They take precision and, depending on the style of tattoo you're going for, a high level of realism. This tattoo has neither of those. We're not too sure who this is actually a portrait of, but we have a feeling she doesn't look like this in real life. Luckily, a talented professional could probably fix this up.
So what's the life lesson here? Read reviews before going to the parlor, and pick artists who are specialized in what you want.
At Least the Rose Is Thornless
Roses are pretty classic tattoos that are kind of hard to mess up. And the artist here certainly did a good job; they want for that classic American style that most of us can appreciate. However, the placement of this tattoo is anything but classic. We've never seen someone with a rose tattooed on their forehead (until now, of course). It's safe to say that this one took us by surprise.
While we couldn't pull this off in a million years, this person has a vibe going on that really matches her tattoo.
Almost Identical
We've said it before and we'll say it again: portraits are complex. Take a look at this a famous photo of Marilyn Monroe next to the tattoo it inspired. Spot any differences? This goes to show once again that you should really think about getting a tattoo artist that specializes in portraits if that's the kind of body art you want. Otherwise, you'll probably spend more money correcting it afterwards.
Then again, maybe this tattoo turned out exactly as the person wanted it to. Body art is personal and beauty is always in the eye of the beholder.
Personally, We Prefer to See "It" on Our Screens
We apologize in advance if you have a fear of clowns. We're guessing whoever got this tattoo - and the artist who did it - does not. Then again, maybe whoever chose it does have a fear of clowns and did this partly to overcome that. If that's the case, this is the bravest person we've ever heard of. But more likely than not, this person's just a big fan of Stephen King's It, as the clown here looks very similar to the film's famous villain.
The shading here is really good, and while we'd never dedicate our entire back to a single tattoo of a scary clown, we can't help but appreciate the passion and dedication here.
Skulls on a Skull
This one is also a bit of a headscratcher (no pun intended). We understand why you might want a tattoo on your head, but basing an entire piece of art around a specific hairstyle seems risky. What if he later changes his mind and wants to grow out his hair? Or loses all of his hair? Well, we guess if it's the latter, he can just add more art to his skull. So maybe this wasn't such a risky idea after all.
Plus, the tattoo itself is pretty cool. Sure, it's just a typical skull tattoo, but it's done really well. There's something to be said for doing the simple things right.
Dark Love Is Their Oxygen
Once again, we have a simple tattoo that became a masterpiece thanks to the artist's talent. There's no mishmash of symbols or confusing patterns here. It's just a tattoo of two post-apocalyptic people breathing through a machine shaped like a heart, and it's really cool. It's not even that simple if you look at it closely. For example, the detail on the jackets is really well done, and the shading is incredible and adds emotion to the scene.
We're sure whoever got this tattoo didn't have any regrets. They might've spent more money upfront for such high quality, but at least they never have to worry about getting it taken off or covered up.
We Can Appreciate the Symmetry
We're pretty sure most people have come across a photo somewhere of someone who has a tattoo depicting a pair of pistols, but odds are the pistols weren't on the person's head. We're not too sure what made this person get two weapons tattooed where their eyebrows are located, but it's certainly not the same cliche holstered pistols we're used to seeing tattooed on someone's body. That's got to count for something, right?
The neck tattoo here is just like the icing on the cake, and you can't usually say that about neck tattoos. They're usually the main attraction.
Just When We Thought Our Fear of Clowns Couldn't Get Worse
You could get a clown pattern tattooed on your face, or you could get a creepy clown tattooed somewhere on your body as this person did. Not only is this tattoo really detailed, but it almost looks as though the clown is about to pop out of the tattoo. The colors are great here, and while we'd personally never get this (just because we really don't like clowns), it's still pretty cool.
The doll-like aesthetic really works well with the whole clown theme here, too. This is scarier than most of the clowns in Hollywood horror movies.
The Angel of Death Has His Back
This tattoo is like night and day compared to the last one. Someone got a full back piece of the angel of death, and we could stare at this thing forever and still find things we didn't see before. For example, there are a bunch of creepy-looking eyes embedded in the wings of the tattoo, and the ribbons of skin are a nice touch down at the bottom of the tattoo.
This is what you get when you find a true professional tattoo artist with a passion for detail.
We're Guessing He's British
The title really says it all with this one, but basically, someone decided to combine a bunch of crests and symbols associated with places in the U.K. and get them tattooed on their face. We haven't brushed up on our English history in a while, but there appears to be a Union Jack in there and possibly some Welsh symbols. There's also a rose, which might be a reference to the civil war.
We'd be surprised if someone told us this guy wasn't born and raised in the United Kingdom.
Time Erodes All
This one is a pretty big departure from the previous tattoo. It features a skull and a bunch of gears that appear to be running a clock. The message here is simple, which is that time is decaying. This body art is a pretty cool way of having a skull tattoo that's a bit more complex than traditional skulls. The artist also did a really good job of showing all the details of the face and the gears here.
The fact that the skull isn't intact and looks like it's slowly falling apart as time goes by is also a really nice touch.
What Happened to Pokémon's Charmander?!
If you're familiar with Pokémon, then you probably instantly recognize this character. However, if it weren't for the tail, it might be hard to discern who this actually is. The real Charmander character is orange and looks a lot less burnt than this one does. Personally, we still think this is a great tattoo because there are probably thousands of Charmander tattoos out there that all look the same, so this one stands out.
It's also sure to get a couple of laughs whether or not you know the series. We mean, just look at those eyes.
A Quirky Fix for a Receding Hairline
This is either really genius or really regrettable. Someone got a fake hairline tattooed on their forehead. On the bright side, nobody will ever question if this guy is self-conscious about his hairline. However, he still has a fake hairline tattooed on his forehead. We're also wondering why he decided to give his tattoo a border; maybe he just wanted it to look a bit artsier?
We're also not sure why the tattoo seems to only go up so far and then just fade out. Perhaps that's how much the hairline has receded since he first got it.
We'll Let the Picture Do the Talking
There's a good reason most people with a lot of tattoos either choose a certain theme or style for all of their tattoos. It's because if you don't, then you might end up looking a bit confused. This guy's got everything from stars to paws tattooed on his face, and everything is brought together by what looks like tribal patterns. However, despite the attempt to bring it all together, it looks like a combination of a bunch of random ink.
But we're not here to judge; whatever makes him happy is good with us!
This Guy's Not Afraid of Commitment
There really isn't much to this tattoo. This guy basically just got his entire head inked with a couple of spots underneath his eyes left without anything. We wonder if this is some sort of cultural tattoo and dedication to his tradition. Either way, it looks really cool and certainly like nothing we've ever seen before. We wonder how long it took to get him all inked out like this!
We would also love to know if he plans on letting his eyebrows grow back once the tattoo has healed.
Actually, Halloween Is Only on October 31st
This might not be the most detailed tattoo on this list, but we really enjoy it for its simplicity. It's just a really cool, simple, and well-done tattoo of a pumpkin and some text. The pumpkin is classic, and even the font seems perfect for a tattoo like this. In short, we wanted to include this to show that you don't always need to go over the top to have a good-looking tattoo.
The vines, which kind of seem to have some life of their own, are also a nice touch here, and they show off the artist's ability to do a lot with a little.