Customer blames tattoo artist for “backwards” name tattoo after approving the stencil twice and watching the entire piece, then asks him to fix it: 'Your skin isn't a dry erase board'

Author image for Celeste Mello
Celeste Mello • Writer and Editor
Jul 5, 2026 11:45 AM EDT

Getting a tattoo is a decision that you usually check before approving. A lot. You really want to make sure it's the way you want it, because ink is permanent. You can't wash it out. Once the needle starts, that design is going on your skin.

Apparently, tattoos don't work like that for the customer in today's story. She returned to the tattoo shop requesting the tattoo artist to redo it because it needed to be fixed urgently. 

Well, before going on her skin, the tattoo was a sketch on a stencil. She had checked the stencil twice and she had agreed on her tattoo design with the tattoo artist before actually getting it on her skin. So, there were plenty of opportunities to check that the design was the way she wanted. And she did; she checked it twice. But still, she dared to come back to the shop two days later and complain about HER mistake. 

Tattoo artists use a stencil for exactly this reason. The client can see the design, check the placement, check the lettering, and then the artist gets to work. If the customer approved the stencil twice and two days later changed her mind, then it's not the tattoo artist's mistake. It was hers. 

What's even more ridiculous is that the customer later explained she wanted a very specific thing that needed to be communicated before the tattoo was done, not after. The first stencil said "Sincere Lee", then she changed it to "Lee Sincere" on the second stencil and approved it, but AFTER getting it on her skin, she explained she wanted the words mirrored. Two days later. 

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  • A tattoo artist preparing black, fresh ink to start working with a customer.
    via Unsplash+ (Pablo Merchán Montes)

    A tattoo artist preparing black, fresh ink to start working with a customer. 

    This is a staged scene.

  • Ma'am, your skin isn't a dry erase board. You ARE NOT a human Etch-A-Sketch

    Normally I cover the opening shift but my new guy had some stuff they needed to handle that day so I pulled a double bc Im not an a le boss like that. Anyways, it's about 30mins to close, everybody is gone except one artist, and I'm knocking out
    via SquirrellyWildcard
  • closing duties & chores when A young lady comes frantically rushing in. She is just in shambles and wound all the way up. She shows me a tattoo on her outer lower forearm (the side of her lower arm) that she said she got done here 2 days ago. Its a basic script font of a name .... "Lee Sincere"
    via SquirrellyWildcard
  • ... but she keeps insisting "Its backwards, twice, both ways"...""Its got to be fixed NOW!" ... "Can't you just redo it?!?!" ...I try to understand what she means, and she's just becoming more and more unglued. I go get the artist thats still there to try and help while I get a hold of the artist who did the work.
    via SquirrellyWildcard
  • ...The artist still there managed to get it out of her after about 5 mins of back and forth confusion & frustration that the name was supposed to read "Sincere Lee" (Sincerely), not "Lee Sincere" . He pitches the idea of covering up the "Lee" and just adding it to the end of "Sincere", and just essentially moving the placement further down the forearm in the end
    via SquirrellyWildcard
  • ... but she says no because "its still backwards!" .... (ok what in the actual fk)....and between every scattered, flustered, and highly agitated response we ask from her we are being just constantly hit with " i cant believe he did it backwards!" ...." This has to be fixed!" ... "He just needs to come redo it!"
    via SquirrellyWildcard
  • ... I hand her a pen and piece of paper and tell her to write it out what she means. Please write out what she expected the tattoo to say exactly so I can help her. I get the responsible artist on the phone. Yes he did the piece. Not only did he set the stencil
    via SquirrellyWildcard
  • A neon sign of a tattoo shop where an unsatisfied client returned to get her tattoo redone.
    via Unsplash+ (Polina Kuzovkova)

    A neon sign of a tattoo shop where an unsatisfied client returned to get her tattoo redone.

    The image is representative.

  • TWICE, but THE 1ST STENCIL HE LAID DOWN SAID "SINCERE LEE", TO WHICH SHE SAID .....wait for it.... **"NO...ITS BACKWARDS"** AND HAD HIM FLIP THE NAMES TO "LEE SINCERE" !! He sets the 2nd stencil, she gives him the
    via SquirrellyWildcard
  • go ahead, and she watches him do the entire piece. He said he tried to engage in conversation with her, but she ignored him and just stared at the work being done. She watched the entire piece, start to finish. Now everyone is really really fkn confused.
    via SquirrellyWildcard
  • ....I look over at her and her paper and she's having an absolute meltdown trying to write out what she wanted. I ask if she checked the stencil, she admits she did. I ask if she watched any of the tattoo being done....again, yes... ATP I feel like I'm being Punk'd... I'm staring at my artist, hes staring at me, we're both BEFUDDLED beyond belief...
    via SquirrellyWildcard
  • ... and the customer is still just repeating " its got to be fixed! I dont know why he did it backwards!" And "Why cant he just redo it?!". She also finally handed me her paper!!...
    via SquirrellyWildcard
  • "Its backwards both ways!" = She wanted the text MIRROR IMAGED and the name to be going UP her arm towards her, instead of down the arm. The 'S' for the first name starting at her wrist and the rest of the name following up the arm towards her.
    via SquirrellyWildcard
  • A tattoo artist in blue gloves tattooing a client's skin, illustrating why fresh ink cannot simply be redone immediately.
    via Unsplash+ (Pablo Merchán Montes)

    A tattoo artist in blue gloves tattooing a client's skin, illustrating why fresh ink cannot simply be redone immediately.

    The image is illustrative.

  • This is where both of us kinda snap and start to lose patience & empathy with her. "Ma'am, you saw the stencil, changed it, and cleared it, correct?" ....yes...." And you watched work being done, right?" ....yes.... "Ok, babe... if it was wrong why did you do that and not say something again?" ....
    via SquirrellyWildcard
  • "I DIDNT THINK ABOUT IT THEN...BUT YOU CAN JUST REDO IT NOW! I DON'T SEE WHY YOU CAN'T JUST REDO IT! YOU CAN JUST GO OVER IT AND MAKE IT LOOK THE RIGHT WAY! MY DAD NOTICED THAT HE DID THE NAMES WRONG AND SAID SOMETHING TO ME SO IT HAS TO BE FIXED NOW!"
    via SquirrellyWildcard
  • All empathy & patience is now gone. Obliterated. Extinct..." Even if it could be redone, which it CANT BE, you can't go over fresh ink. It has to heal first, and then you can cover it, laser it, or re-work it like we 1st said but it wont be mirrored. Your skin isnt a dry erase board, you are not a human
    via SquirrellyWildcard
  • etch-a-sketch. Tattoos aren't washable. You chose this design not once, but TWICE...and you watched it be done...and then waited TWO DAYS LATER to come back. Theres nothing more that can be done right now"
    via SquirrellyWildcard
  • ...(her) So I just have to live with a messed up tattoo? Youre just gonna make me walk around.... (Gets cut off) Maam... Respectfully, NONE of us made you do anything. This was YOUR choice. YOU did this. There is nothing more that can be done at this moment and we are closing down."
    via SquirrellyWildcard
  • A tattoo artist applying a stencil to a client’s forearm, illustrating the approval step before permanent ink is added.
    via Unsplash+ (Certified Tattoo Academy)

    A tattoo artist applying a stencil to a client's forearm, illustrating the approval step before permanent ink is added.

    Subjects are models.

  • She storms off throwing a huffy hissy fit the entire time, all the way out the building, and then once she left she attempted to call the shop and complain to the manager. Whelp....SURPRISE SHAAAAWWWTYYY!! That's ME, and I said what I said. More
    via SquirrellyWildcard
  • hissy fit ensues, more repetition of the same "just go over it! Redo it!" And imma be honest....I hung up on her. I just simply COULD NOT any longer.
    via SquirrellyWildcard
  • A close-up of a tattoo artist working on script-style ink, showing the permanent nature of a design approved by the customer.
    via Unsplash+ (Pablo Merchán Montes)

    A close-up of a tattoo artist working on script-style ink, showing the permanent nature of a design approved by the customer.

    People shown are models.

  • trev2234 Someone else came up with the idea for the tattoo. She liked it but didn't really understand it. 2 days later she's spoken to the originator of the idea, and they've pointed out it's wrong. She doesn't want to admit she's an idiot. Lots of idiots don't, otherwise they'd have to add a disclaimer to every interaction they have.
    via trev2234
  • SquirrellyWildcard OP Its her kids name too!! Personally that i think happened was she thought by flipping his names from "Sincere lee" to "lee sincere" ... when she held up her arm in the mirror, the mirror image would "flip" his name back around to the correct way....uh, no.
    via SquirrellyWildcard
  • Vintage_Zoo Wait. She named her kid Sincere Lee?
    via Vintage_Zoo
  • Junior_Ad_3301 Lol it'd be easier to change her kid's name
    via Junior_Ad_3301
  • Sharp-Peak5544 istg some people would rather gaslight the entire universe and defy the laws of physics than just admit they made a goofy mistake it is actually scary
    via Sharp-Peak5544

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tattoo shop fresh ink tatoo stencil entitled customers customer drama
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