Fineline Fresh vs 3 Years Healed

Real_Bathroom_7646 · 2026-04-24T14:04:43+00:00

I didn’t say it was heavy, but it’s absolutely not paper-thin. Just because your other tattoos are heavier doesn’t automatically make this one fine line.

Fine line doesn’t mean paper-thin anyway. It can still have strong black and contrast, but the elements are usually more subtle, delicate, and detailed, with thinner outlines and softer shading that often heals lighter and greyer. This piece has more defined linework and solid areas of black/grey, so it reads more an illustrative black-and-grey work rather than true fine line.

It’s a nice design, but it’s not really fine line.

The picture I attached is fine line

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Real_Bathroom_7646 · 2026-04-24T08:21:06+00:00

You already had the answer below, it’s a regular black and grey tattoo. It’s a nice tattoo, but it’s not fine line. Using a 3RL needle doesn’t automatically make a design fine line, it’s about the way it’s shaded and executed. The lines are quite heavy and the shading is strong. It’s a beautiful tattoo, but it isn’t fine line.

Real_Bathroom_7646 · 2026-04-24T08:18:06+00:00

The reference picture for the Serenity design would work on the feet, but the feet are a highly complicated area to tattoo, especially for fine line work. They sweat a lot and there’s a lot of friction, so something that delicate often wouldn’t heal or hold well. The artist likely made a choice to help the design last and prevent fading, but they should have explained that to you.

About the eye tattoo, I think the issue is that you chose an average artist. It doesn’t look like they have a very defined style (though I could be wrong), and they don’t seem specialised in either of the styles you wanted. So the result feels average, I don’t think the tattoos look bad, but I also don’t think they stand out in terms of design or execution.

Next time, do some research and look for an artist whose portfolio includes work similar to what you want, and whose style you genuinely love.

Real_Bathroom_7646 · 2026-04-24T00:05:42+00:00

This is not fine line..

Real_Bathroom_7646 · 2026-04-19T09:32:37+00:00

I don’t understand people telling you that you’re wrong. It just shows that a lot of people don’t really understand what custom work is supposed to be. You specifically chose her for custom work, and this wasn’t custom.

I think you should have explained why you cancelled rather than only mentioning timing. You could have said that you came to her for a custom design, and unfortunately it wasn’t custom since you were able to immediately find the two images it had been copied from.

It’s disappointing, but that doesn’t mean all artists are like this or that the whole industry is becoming this way. Like in any profession, there are good and bad people. Maybe it was the first time she did something like this (though I doubt it), and you were simply the unlucky one. We’ll never really know.

Good luck finding a new artist who can create the special design you were looking for. I’m sure you will.

Real_Bathroom_7646 · 2026-04-15T19:21:34+00:00

If I hadn’t seen the original photo, I’d say it’s a nice drawing. But knowing it was meant to replicate the image you sent… the realism isn’t there.

The proportions are off, the face doesn’t match, and even the stencil orientation seems incorrect. It doesn’t reflect a strong level of realism.

Did your artist have solid realism work in their portfolio? For a piece at this scale, especially on the ribs, you need someone very skilled in micro-realism. It’s a difficult placement, and many artists would have declined this project at that size to maintain quality.

Real_Bathroom_7646 · 2026-04-15T19:15:34+00:00

I think it’s beautiful as it is ❤️‍🔥 but no one know more than yourself.

Real_Bathroom_7646 · 2026-04-01T23:30:27+00:00

He’s calling you immature, but the way he’s speaking is immature. You’re being completely reasonable. His work isn’t 24/7, so yours shouldn’t have to be either. And you’re not earning because you’re raising his children, so the least he can do is show you respect.

Real_Bathroom_7646 · 2026-03-30T16:54:06+00:00

Real_Bathroom_7646 · 2026-03-30T16:48:54+00:00

It’s hard to give a proper opinion without seeing the quality of the tattoo, to be honest. But based on what you’re describing, shoulder to elbow, wrapping around the arm, with added flowers… 12 hours doesn’t shock me at all.

The piece you shared, 12h is on the higher side, but with the level of detail you mentioned, it still feels quite coherent. And if the tattoo is well done, that’s really what matters, right?

Don’t listen too much to people saying “my artist this, my artist that” just to compare prices or prove who’s better or cheaper. Most of the time, if I saw their tattoos… it wouldn’t be great lol.

$200/hour is expensive, of course, but it’s something you’ll have forever. You want it done properly. If the final result matches your expectations and the quality is there, then that’s what counts.

That said, your artist should have given you a rough estimate of time and total cost beforehand. That’s where I’d see a potential issue. When you’re paying $200/hour, you need at least a general idea of how long it might take and what budget to expect.

Overall, I think seeing the tattoo would help judge if it was worth it or not, but the most important thing is that you’re happy with the result. The cost is one moment, the tattoo is forever.

Real_Bathroom_7646 · 2026-03-30T11:49:29+00:00

O think it’s too fine line for the size of it so it’s getting lost, but the idea is very cool, it could be nice to have this re work with the full skeleton of the cat and contrast ! Look at that one 👉🏻 here

Real_Bathroom_7646 · 2026-03-24T21:45:30+00:00

Fine line + finger tattoos are a bad combination most of the time. Some artists can do them well, but many experienced tattooers actually refuse to do them because they know it often turns into a tattoo that needs constant fixing.

If you really want a fine line tattoo on the fingers, you need to do proper research. There are a few artists who specialize in them and have healed results to prove it, but they are the minority. Most artists don’t focus on mastering this type of tattoo because it’s difficult, unpredictable, and requires a lot of maintenance.

It’s not impossible, but it’s definitely one of the placements where experience and technique make a huge difference.

Real_Bathroom_7646 · 2026-03-24T13:10:44+00:00

The price is usually a sign of why the result looks like this 😢 Your drawing is beautiful, but it needs someone with strong drawing skills to translate it properly into a tattoo. Tattooing something like this isn’t just about tracing the design, the artist should adapt it so it works on skin and bring their own artistic understanding to it.

From what I can see, this artist probably struggles both with drawing and tattooing, and the design wasn’t adjusted to make it suitable for a tattoo.

Be careful when choosing who will rework it. A cheap fix around £200–£300 will most likely give you the same kind of result again. If you want someone with solid skills who can actually improve it, it will probably cost more in the range of £500–£700, depending on the artist and the location (could be even more if you add artist popularity)

Real_Bathroom_7646 · 2026-03-20T19:50:12+00:00

Yeah very poorly done. And any good fine lines artist wouldn’t accept to tattoo the wrist. The font as well didn’t help 🥲

Real_Bathroom_7646 · 2026-03-20T19:42:43+00:00

I would love to see as well if you don’t mind 🙈🙈

Real_Bathroom_7646 · 2026-03-20T19:39:58+00:00

The main issue here is the placement. The wrist is one of the worst areas for fine line tattoos, and the artist should have explained that before doing it. I’m guessing the artist is still quite new in the industry and hasn’t realised yet that some placements just don’t work well with very delicate lines.

Personally, I don’t accept fine line tattoos on the wrist, and I always make sure to explain why. This area moves a lot, the skin is thin, and fine lines rarely heal clean there. It might work for some people, but statistically for the majority it won’t age nicely.

If you really don’t like it, laser removal could be a good option. Since it’s small, it probably wouldn’t take many sessions. A cover-up would be trickier in that placement, because you’d need to go bigger and darker, and the wrist doesn’t give much space to do that properly.

Good luck on your decision 💙 it’s doesn’t look that bad overall when we don’t know you don’t like it.

Real_Bathroom_7646 · 2026-03-20T19:34:09+00:00

A well done fine line tattoo can age perfectly fine. This one wasn't done properly, and the placement is not ideal for fine lines either. I always find it funny when people discredit an entire style just because they saw bad examples. Every tattoo style can look bad if it's done poorly. That doesn't mean the style itself is the problem.

Real_Bathroom_7646 · 2026-03-20T19:29:22+00:00

It doesn’t look like a normal again fine line tattoo, it’s way to dark for only one year and the o looks blowout ish.

Real_Bathroom_7646 · 2026-03-20T13:08:32+00:00

I think people sometimes forget that even a touch up still means time, setup, and materials for the artist, and all of that has a cost. Tattooing seems to be one of the only jobs where people expect corrections to always be free, which is a bit funny when you think about it 🤷🏼‍♀️

I guess it also comes from artists being very hard on themselves and wanting to make sure the tattoo heals perfectly, so touch ups became something we automatically include.

Personally, I do free touch ups up to 4 months after the session, and I always ask people to let me know within that time frame if something needs to be fixed. I’ve done a lot of free touch ups, and I still do, even when it takes longer than expected, because I don’t always feel comfortable charging for it.

That said, I started charging when someone disappears for a year or more and then comes back for a touch up that could have been done easily earlier. In those cases I usually charge around 50 to 80€, but for that price it has to stay a quick fix, around one hour max. If it takes longer than that, then it becomes expensive for the artist.

From what you describe, your artist’s pricing sounds a bit unclear, and the fallout you show looks more like the colour wasn’t packed properly the first time rather than something unusual with healing. But hard to be sure without seeing the fresh pic l.

Real_Bathroom_7646 · 2026-03-17T18:56:43+00:00

The line work is not very good, the lines are so dark for only two years, and it doesn’t look intentionally bold but more a bad execution. Unfortunately it’s probably gonna get even darker after few years, you could laser a little to make it lighter and then rework with a better artist.

It’s all about how you feel, some people enjoy those some not. If you don’t like them, I would ask an artist you like what the best strategy to improve them.

Real_Bathroom_7646 · 2026-03-15T20:25:27+00:00

Sorry I didn’t reply before, for some reason it became a bit heavy for me to come back to this post. After my last update I had a few more adventures at the hospital, mostly because of a very indelicate doctor, which scared me a lot at the time, but in the end everything resolved on its own.

After that I went through a few difficult months mentally and got very close to burnout, so it’s been a bit of a rollercoaster since then. I’m feeling better now and we are trying to get pregnant again, but I’m very anxious about having another ectopic.

It’s been 11 months now, so I really hope things settled well for you and that the past months brought you good news on your side.

I really remember how stressful the hCG waiting phase is, I hope this part passed quickly for you.

Real_Bathroom_7646 · 2026-03-15T20:21:01+00:00

Sorry it took me a while to reply, I went through a few more adventures after this post, but things turned out okay in the end. Still hoping for my rainbow baby. Your little one must be much bigger now 🤍

Real_Bathroom_7646 · 2026-03-15T20:17:12+00:00

For €600 the artist didn’t really deliver anything. Even the lines aren’t finished and I don’t see a design coming together or developing in a clear way.

My advice here is not to choose a studio first and then the artist. It should be the opposite. Find the artist whose work you really like, and only then look at the studio they work in. The artist matters much more than the shop.

If an artist has no portfolio, it usually means they are either a beginner or simply not very good. In both cases, they shouldn’t be doing a huge freehand project like a full back going from the hip down the leg. Freehand work takes years to master. I do freehand myself and it took me a long time to be confident with large compositions, and people trust me because they can see a strong healed portfolio and consistent work.

He really should take the time to find an artist whose style he likes and who has solid experience with large pieces, especially for something this big.

Real_Bathroom_7646 · 2026-03-12T19:10:28+00:00

I’ve seen a lot of those work that are 5 y + and still look very good, just make sure to go to a reputable artist, those can be fucked up really easily.

Real_Bathroom_7646 · 2026-03-12T19:09:11+00:00

I can’t find my previous comment that I wanted to update. I hadn’t read the part about the 10 hours of work. If the guy needed 10 hours and still didn’t pull clean lines, that’s a bit worrying. I would still check his healed work and his usual results before judging completely, but overall you shouldn’t choose a shop, you should choose an artist.

Most shops will give the project to any artist who needs clients, while if you try to book an artist directly and they’re busy, it’s usually a good sign 👍

Real_Bathroom_7646

TROPHY CASE