Help!!! Snake tattoo gone wrong [Archive]

View Full Version : Help!!! Snake tattoo gone wrong

Will0W783

07-05-14, 05:45 AM

So,

I love tattoos, but I'm very particular about where I'll have them on myself and the precision of them. I have been debating getting a second tattoo for about 2 years now, and finally settled on a concept- a brain with snakes integrated into the folds of the cortex (as if the brain was made of snakes). I wanted to go to my good friend's artist, because he loves and keeps snakes, and I've seen his work on multiple people and it was stellar. I went with her to the shop, met him, pitched my idea and all seemed good.

Then he was really slow working up the design and I asked for a number of changes. We got it worked out to where I loved the sketch- a big viper busting out of the top, and simpler snakes within the brain, with tails coming down to form the brainstem. I had my fiance finalize stencil placement and size, since it's on my shoulder blade and I couldn't see behind me that well.

The first sitting was to be outline and scales on the viper. Second sitting was to be shading and detail. Well, the actual tattoo is time and a half the size of the stencil that went onto me, there are twice the number of small snake heads and half are misshapen. He colored in the eyes on the small snakes solid black (they weren't in the sketch) and put scales on them. The big viper up top looks good, but his eye blends too well with the scales and the heat pit is dark black so the eye is drawn there. It's still healing, but I'm freaking out because it's not right. I'm hoping another artist can fix it, but I'm not a tattoo expert so I don't know. I certainly don't think I can trust this guy to finish it.
I'm furious because I've seen such amazing work on my friends and it's like he just half-assed this on me!!

Attached are photos of the night it was done (last Friday) and one taken Wednesday night.

Any advice on how to handle this and what options I might have would be appreciated. I know nothing can be done about the size; I don't mind the size. I mind the jacked up small heads with giant empty black eyes. If the eyes can be highlighted or shaded so that they fit the heads better or something, and some of the heads have no visible bottom jaw because they were oriented differently in the sketch. ....

I've been sobbing for days and can't sleep. I know it's not all healed yet, but it's still killing me.

marvelfreak

07-05-14, 06:46 AM

The problem is it to small for what all he trying to put in it. So it limits what he can do to make it look good. Sometimes less is more.

I do like the whole snakes on the brain concept.

I do have a question this it going to have color add to it?

dshin963

07-05-14, 08:08 AM

My advice is look around for some artists who have done a lot of work with tattooing snakes and show them it see what they think.. Just go around and ask a bunch of artist and when you feel comfortable with one work it out from there

jpsteele80

07-05-14, 09:27 AM

You may end up having to do a cover up on that and get it redone

Will0W783

07-05-14, 09:42 AM

marvelfreak

07-05-14, 09:52 AM

I hope I don't have to get a full cover-up. It's already so big; I cannot have anything bigger than that on me. I guess I'll start shopping around for other artists to see who can do what. I was going to have it black and grey, but it might need color now to lighten it up/highlight areas. I'm so mad.

Do you guys think it's awful?
Truthfully it sucks but if you are having color added to it, it might still come out looking really good. I have seen a few tats that looks iffy after the outline. Then once the color was added they looked really nice. Color would help draws the eye away from small mistakes in the outline. But with as poorly as the outline looks i would with out a doubt fine another artist to finish it.

aaron_cg

07-05-14, 10:52 AM

Just showed this to a good friend of mine who has been tattooing professionally for about 12 years.

He said to find a "tattoo artist" who has been doing it for at least 10 years, and get it colored. Ask for references, and request a portfolio of his/her work. And don't be afraid to skimp. Remember, it is what will be on you forever.

That is his advice. I hope you are able to get it fixed. Love the concept!

Will0W783

07-05-14, 11:19 AM

Thank you. The really aggravating part is the guy who did this has been tattooing for 20 years and has won tons of awards. How he could have just done this to me is....I don't even have words. I loved the design and sketch and all....

I hope I can find someone who can fix it.

aaron_cg

07-05-14, 11:29 AM

What type of work does he do? Some people just specialize in different areas. For example, Mike (my buddy) does real good with the "old school" styles, which is why he did my cross on my back. I am currently shopping around because I want a Snake going down my arm, and that's something he couldn't do.

Will0W783

07-05-14, 02:43 PM

This guy specializes in black and Grey and realistic stuff. I should have shopped around more, but he is close with my friends and everyone around that I mentioned his name to told me I couldn't go wrong with him. I should have walked away when he was so slow drawing something up. I think it's salvageable. ...There are parts I really like; but the eyes being screwed up like that, and the uneven outline.....that's not excusable for ANY artist who's been tattooing for more than two decades with tons of awards.

dshin963

07-05-14, 02:57 PM

Keep an eye on what the artists mood and temperament is the day of the tattoo... Some people just have really off or cruddy days... Which in the end would affect their outcome..

Will0W783

07-05-14, 03:31 PM

Hmmmm. I hadn't thought of that. His dog had been sick so he'd had to rush home right before my appointment. :-(

dshin963

07-05-14, 06:27 PM

Yeaa a little over a month ago my artist seemed a little preoccupied while he was doing my sleeve, he ended up missing a couple spots and was moving a little slow. After when it came time to pay he docked two hours off of the 5 hour session because he felt that was what was fair... But still something I will look out for with future artists..

dshin963

07-05-14, 06:30 PM

Just be glad you caught it early! There are some incredible things artists can do! I dunno if it's possible but maybe he can add white to the eyes then another colour over that... Sort of like a primer.

Will0W783

07-05-14, 07:28 PM

Dan,

I'm pretty sure it'll be possible to highlight with white. It's just most likely going to take several sessions to lighten it and I think I might need to have it color now to blend it and lighten it. I had really wanted a nice greyscale piece. Oh well. There's nothing I can do about it now except hope the line work looks better once the scabs come off and discuss fixing it or going elsewhere.

marvelfreak

07-08-14, 02:36 PM

dshin963

07-08-14, 11:13 PM

Oh man.. Last session I got the crease on my elbow tattooed... Freaking scabbing sucked due to all the movement

Will0W783

07-10-14, 07:10 AM

Isn't it supposed to peel and lighten?

SSSSnakes

07-10-14, 07:33 AM

Isn't it supposed to peel and lighten?

Not all tats peel and it will lighten over time.

alessia55

07-10-14, 09:04 AM

None of mine have ever scabbed. I applied Aquaphor the first day or two, and then fragrance-free Lubriderm 2x a day and they all healed without scabbing.

charlesc84

07-10-14, 12:11 PM

Once it heals you should start going to tattoos parlors and seek out the best artist you can find, then get their opinions on what to do about this. Honestly, you should also start saving your money because fixing a big tattoo like that probably isn't going to be cheap either.

JinxtheBP

07-10-14, 01:47 PM

I think it looks nice, but I don't have any point of reference for your original vision! Could you share a picture of your sketches or the outline of what you actually wanted? I'm so sorry this is happening to you. :(

Will0W783

07-14-14, 12:25 PM

Jinx, the linework is very shaky (thick in some spots, almost nonexistant in others), the heads of the snakes are too cluttered with detail for the size, and the eyes are all wrong.

I'm currently looking around for another shop to fix it. I have a few options, and tomorrow I'm going to talk to an artist who's done a lot of ink for famous bands. He's amazing!

Look up Shane Munce of Olde Media Tattoo.

shaunyboy

07-14-14, 01:53 PM

Oh man.. Last session I got the crease on my elbow tattooed... Freaking scabbing sucked due to all the movement

i use a babys nappy rash cream called bepanthan,it barely scabs when using it

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CE4QFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bepanthen.co.uk%2Fabout-bepanthen%2Fabout-bepanthen.htm&ei=bTTEU9OQJqrH7Aa_iIHQAw&usg=AFQjCNFweS4iUwYXwhcq-4ssiqXcy-6fLQ&bvm=bv.70810081,d.ZGU

it used to be vasiline they reccomended but bepanthan is much better

cheers shaun

shaunyboy

07-14-14, 01:54 PM

Moreau

07-14-14, 01:54 PM

In my opinion Shane Munce has a totally different style than what you have going on here with this tattoo. I think you need to keep looking. His stuff is hit and miss, he seems more worried about the celebrities he has tattooed.

Suggestion
Paul Acker (AMAZEBALLS!)

polito

07-14-14, 02:07 PM

I would start looking around, and i would specifically look for artists who have experience in cover ups/finishing an unfinished tattoo. You may have to drive a decent amount but it will be worth it trust me.

I'm currently working on a sleeve with Josh Payne from Ascend Gallery in Cortland NY. I live in Toronto. Totally worth the long drive, and all the bullshit at the border.

I think Cortland only 3 or so hours away from phili so I would give his instagram and website a look. He has done some amazing cover ups, and he could also save this tattoo and turn it into something incredible.

Will0W783

07-14-14, 04:14 PM

Moreau,

I want to meet him and talk with him at least. Right now I'm collecting professional opinions and seeing who I feel like I "mesh" best with and who has the most interest and best ideas for working with it. The problem is that the style the tattoo is started in is not the style I wanted- it looks completely different from the sketch and stencil. I want it to be more realistic and detailed. If Shane doesn't seem interested, or I don't really like him after I meet him, there are other shops around here. A friend of mine has some of Shane's work and really liked him. Her tattoo is simple- it's a phrase in her father's handwriting across her ribs, but the linework is solid.
I am considering another artist as well. He is Douglas J. of High Rollers Tattoo in West Chester, PA. I have met him and talked with him already and he has some great ideas. He was also very friendly and very nice, talking with me for 30 minutes on the phone, and then taking time to look at my tattoo and discuss with me options for another half hour when I went to the shop. He has nothing but excellent reviews from Google and Yelp. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.158971018381.116890.158967153381&type=3

Another one I want to go talk to is Alex Periera of Grace Tattoo in Phoenixville. I have not met him yet, but he also has really nice work and great reviews.
Alex Pereira - Tattoo Artist | Grace Tattoo | Phoenixville PA (http://gracetattoo.com/our-work/alex-pereira/)

pet_snake_78

07-14-14, 05:31 PM

Look forward to seeing how this turns out, please post an update when you get it fixed!

Will0W783

07-15-14, 04:25 PM

Well, I found my artist.

I went to talk with Shane Munce today, and he's awesome. I talked with him on the phone first, and as soon as I mentioned that I work with vipers, he got excited. He's been keeping vipers since 1995 and has a similar passion for them. He knows the scientific names and different species, and has quite a collection himself.

I went in to the shop after I got off the phone, and he'd already had some things laid out. After looking at my tattoo, he said it honestly will not last in its current design. The small heads and even the larger viper head will bleed into solid blobs in 5-10 years as the lines settle and spread. He said if I'd really wanted that particular design it should have been twice the size it is.

What he wants to do, and I'm really pysched about, is take the brain as it is, blend the little heads out with shading and coloring. It will be a realistic, moist-looking brain with veins and texture and live color.
Then, to obscure the heavy outline and hide the edges, he will place a Sumatran Wagler's viper wrapped around the brain. The head will sit higher on my shoulder blade but still not poke out under a t-shirt or blouse. He can use the mottled pattern of the Wagler's to blend the current lines in.

He's confident that it will work this way, cover, and last for many decades. I feel completely comfortable after talking with him. He was so interested in the design that he spent an hour with me playing with various ideas on Photoshop and talking about snakes with me.

He also is looking for some new snakes, so I can possibly barter a snake or two towards the cost of my new tattoo! He knows all the snake vendors I work with and wants this tattoo to be something fabulous we'll both adore!

His instagram portfolio is mind-blowing too! He has a lot of wildlife designs up there (octopus, coral reef, cuttlefish, etc) that are incredible. He uses soft edges to create realism that doesn't bleed out.

I'm definitely settled and comfortable. Now it's just a matter of saving up and setting up my appointment!

marvelfreak

07-15-14, 04:31 PM

Glad to hear your going to get it fix by some that knows what they are doing. Can't wait to see it when it's done.

Will0W783

07-15-14, 04:50 PM

Me too! It's going to be a tad larger than it is now, but honestly I can't hide it under anything but blouses and high neckline tees as it is. I might as well have something I'll be proud to show!
I was really surprised by how caring and down-to-earth Shane is. Considering all the famous people he's tattooed, I expected some arrogance, but he was professional, honest, and interested in working with me. I can also afford his quote, as long as I can handle it in one 4-5 hour sitting. That's going to suck, but it'll be worth it in the end.

He meets my criteria:
1. Good talent and clean line work
2. Skilled with cover-ups
3. Snake aficionado

marvelfreak

07-15-14, 05:01 PM

My last tattoo sitting was over 7.5 hours. My suggestion is be sure to eat before you go. It suck sitter there all that time on a empty stomach.

Will0W783

07-15-14, 06:18 PM

I'm hypoglycemic, so I'll definitely eat!

Lankyrob

07-16-14, 10:03 AM

I'm hypoglycemic, so I'll definitely eat!

Ditto! Take plenty of chocolate and fizzy drink with you and have a high carb meal beforehand.

Last session for me was three hours, ate massive plate of pasta before and three chocolate bars and a half litre of coke during the session, still felt a little woozy after.

Chris72

07-16-14, 10:27 AM

Chuck - 7.5 hrs??!?? Oh, my god! (The rest of us spell it as: pain!)

Willow,
You don't want your new (fixed) art to scab and peel. That can pull color out of the art and make a faintly blotchy spot where the scab came off. I have used vitamin-E cream on each of mine and had no problem.

After that your worse enemies will be sun and chlorine pools. Consider putting SPF100 on it when at the beach, gardening, etc. When you are going to spend time in chlorinated water you could consider using waterproof sunblock.

Keep us posted with new pics as the new artist starts.

(Could you provide the link to the portfolio you mentioned?)

Thx, C.

Will0W783

07-16-14, 10:58 AM

Here is his Instagram Instagram (http://instagram.com/shanemunce)

I'm particularly fond of the sea life tattoos he's done, and his Walter White and Shining tattoos. The thing that really made the decision for me is that he is a snake person, and came across as invested in the idea of creating a beautiful, realistic snake tattoo for me. I have gotten opinions from a number of other highly recommended artists in my area, but he is the only one who sat with me to address the issues of longevity of design and what he feels will produce the best, longest-lasting, most impressive tattoo.

alessia55

07-16-14, 02:45 PM

Besides eating before going, take high-sugar snacks for while you're there too. And drink fluids too. Relax, breathe, and you'll get through it.

Chris72

07-16-14, 04:03 PM

Will0W783

07-16-14, 08:06 PM

Yeah. He's had...and has...All kinds of reptiles.

Will0W783

07-22-14, 07:35 PM

Next Tuesday is the big day! Oh man, I'm so excited, but also nervous. It's going to hurt so #&*@$!! bad!

aaron_cg

07-22-14, 07:52 PM

Love his instagram, and can't wait to see the finished product. Nothing like a good tattoo!

Will0W783

07-28-14, 08:11 PM

Tomorrow is the big day! Gah....I'm so nervous but also excited!

aaron_cg

07-28-14, 09:00 PM

I can't wait to see the new pics!

SnoopySnake

07-28-14, 09:09 PM

Good luck! Can't wait to see pics :)

Will0W783

07-29-14, 05:48 PM

Well I made it- we went over time and he said we'll need another session of about an hour. He wants to go back over a few of the cover spots to give an extra layer of cover, but it's so amazing!!! It's huge now, but I'm in love. Shane really is taking his time and was very patient when I started having trouble about 3 hours in. We took a break, started a new area and I got a second wind. I'm so proud of my new ink and of myself for making it through!!

Before: http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh115/Will0W783/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-07/20140702_213606_zpsmcv4s4te.jpg

Placing the stencil:
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh115/Will0W783/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-07/20140729_125341_zpsg8ugojdi.jpg

After:
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh115/Will0W783/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-07/20140729_170836_zpsbut5dz1x.jpg

My next appointment is August 23. I can't wait to finish up the details; I'm soo ecstatic and pleased with how this is coming out!!!

millertime89

07-29-14, 06:29 PM

Wow, that turned out amazing!

aaron_cg

07-29-14, 07:49 PM

Wow! Even at the stage can barely see the old snakes. Looks fantastic!!! I know your estatic right now with the results!

Lankyrob

07-30-14, 02:52 AM

That is freakin awesome! And it doesn't look too big/overpowering at all. Good job!

Teal

07-30-14, 02:59 AM

Brilliant! That's awesome you got it sorted out and ended up with a beautiful tattoo!

Will0W783

07-30-14, 03:52 AM

Thank you all so much! I'm thrilled with it and can't wait to finish up the last bits. It hurts like heck though, lol!

Tsubaki

07-30-14, 04:16 AM

that looks amazing!! you definitely made the right choice changing artist!

SnoopySnake

07-30-14, 09:59 AM

Wow, it looks awesome!! :)

Will0W783

08-19-14, 01:45 PM

I'm so excited- Saturday I go back for the final session on my tattoo! I can't wait to see Shane again and get the piece finished. As it has healed, the top lines of the underlying brain became visible again. Shane had said more detail and shading in the viper's body should cover that, and I completely trust him. He's worked wonders so far; I can't wait to see how it looks when it's all 100% completely finished!!!

Kera

08-19-14, 02:03 PM

Wow! It's so beautiful, I love the contrast. :)

charlesc84

08-22-14, 07:12 PM

Wow, talk about turning a negative into a positive, looks awesome.

marvelfreak

08-23-14, 04:25 AM

Damn Kim that is sweet looking.

Will0W783

08-25-14, 08:30 AM

I got the finishing touches done on Saturday- it looks incredible. We had to darken the viper a bit so that her body could cover the edges of the brain, and right now it's still healing, so there are brighter fresh lines and duller old lines and I still have a bit of plasma/ink coming out. I will post some pictures as soon as it heals enough to give a good representation.

I could not be happier- Shane is amazing and absolutely the nicest artist to work with! If I ever want more art, I'll be going straight to him without a moment's hesitation!!

Will0W783

08-25-14, 08:32 AM

I got my fiancé to take a few pictures last night, but they all came out blurry and crappy. Once it peels the new lines will blend with the underlying color and it will be easier to get a good shot of it.

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh115/Will0W783/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-08/20140824_203033_zpshrkfojxk.jpg

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh115/Will0W783/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-08/20140824_203117_zps2x4kv0t3.jpg

shaunyboy

08-25-14, 09:36 AM

it's looking great Kimberley.....

glad to see it all worked out well in the end pal

cheers shaun

Lankyrob

08-25-14, 05:14 PM

Looks awesome!

guyabano

08-27-14, 02:18 AM

Hey, it turned out pretty great! Congratulations!