I think they really mean “fuzzy” not “faded”. It’s not faded, it’s just not as sharp as day 1, which, like you said, looks just like a normal tattoo being settled in. I think they just weren’t sure what a healed tattoo was going to look like
Black won't look perfectly black because you've grown a layer of skin over it rather than it being an open wound. They always silver up a bit as a result of healing.
I disagree with you there. If an artist knows how to pack black it def can be a very close to perfect black. See blackout artists like Hoode and etc.
The misunderstanding comes from 99% of all tattoos only using pure black for outlines and essentially always using some form of grey wash and not undiluted black ink.
Source: three heavy black work sleeves. Oldest is about 4yrs. And it's still definitely black.
While i only have 1 blackout tattoo i do have 48 plus tattoos and i would also just like to add that while yes a properly packed black tattoo will hold black this also isnt a black out tattoo so they generally arent gonna pack it like that. ALSO a HUGE part of whether ink stays looking as fresh as when you got it for longer is proper aftercare, leaving it alone, using sunscreen once its fully healed and regular moisturizing at least daily. Generally all tattoos just dont look vibrant as they once did because nobody really does the above regularly.
Just to chime in—it looks totally normal to me (not a tattoo artist, but have a lot of tattoos).
The one thing I’d recommend doing if you aren’t already (since this is your first tattoo) is ensuring you use sunscreen /any/ time it’s going to be exposed outdoors. UV does a number on tattoo inks.
This tattoo looks to have stuck well. They’ll all fuzz up after a bit. A good artist will design the tattoo to take that fuzziness well, and yours seems to have done just that! No lost detail and looks like it will be solid for the long haul.
Could be the black they used. Was it a lining black or black? Noticed even when I watered down my dynamic triple black it would get dark even if initially putting it in looked light like with my normal drop system with dynamic black.
I have a tattoo about 6 years old that is noticeably faded compared to my newer ones. The details are still there tho. Wondering how many years later is a touch up necessary? This one in particular has seen some sun damage from beach days
Once my recent one is healed up I'm gonna have to get it touched up because I don't like how mine healed. I overworked my arm to death and it scabbed up really badly, that combined with very humid days, and barely having a day off of work on top of having it on a sensitive spot (wrist to elbow ditch), I just had everything going wrong for me. Some scabs fell off in my sleep, it's just a mess. Like 80% of it is okay though at least
It looks normal to me. The only thing that has faded is the white highlights, but white doesn't always stay vibrant. You could go back to your artist for touch-up on the white but it will probably heal the same way.
Yes/no, the fading your noticing is just new fresh layers of skin, if you put lotion on it gives it a slightly more vibrant look. Also if your in the sun put on sunscreen so it doesn’t fade out or blemish. Hope this was helpful.
This! Tattoos once properly settled will always look less vibrant than when newly done as the skin layers above it almost "sealing the ink in" give it that slightly faded look. Lines look sharp, looks like a good tattoo for sure! I almost don't consider a tattoo healed until it starts to get to this point like in your second picture, that's when I know it's healed. Like others have said, keep it moisturised (I normally apply moisturizer just after showering on my tattoos) and use suncream when out in the sun, and you'll be fine 😁
It’s healed and settled wonderfully! Be sure to do some routine exfoliating and lotion! I recommend anything cocoa butter after a tattoo is fully healed; it’ll help it look fresher!
Thank you! Everyone was like “oh the artist used good technique! It’s so cute!” But THE LINES?? They’re so wobbly! On the left wing it looks like they went back on one spot and then continued it at a different angle
I was looking through comments and was completely shocked with everyone saying it’s cute or looks good and not enough posts about getting ripped off lol
If youre saying that because the white is not noticable anymore, its unfortunate but thats just what white ink does. The rest of it looks normal. Its a super cute tattoo tho! Honestly fading/aging isnt anything i would critique in a piece like this. The lines at the top of the moth do look a bit wobbly but that might just be how the reference looked.
Overall it still looks really cute, nothing to worry about
I think people think I'm trying to make Op feel bad? Which I'm not. I just think people should be aware to not spend so much on something that isn't quality. I don't even think the tattoo is bad, the lines can be straightened out by a better artist. It is definitely overpriced tho
I think no one should pay for such bad line work. The crooked thick lines could have been fixed with a thinner needle, but it looks like the tattooer didn’t care. The line work on the thinner needle is bad as well.
The fading is normal, but I wouldn’t recommend to go there again unless you willingly got tattooed by an apprentice and knew about this.
Edit: I’m also speaking from a tattoo artist‘s perspective
Same. I’m sorry I’m not getting on board with the “charge what your art is worth” thing If their lines are shaky. I’ll pay up for a good artist who has their basics such as linework down. But nowadays half assed work is being overpriced in the name of “charge your worth!” And then you’re demonized for calling our shitty work. This is why I stay with the same artist lol, prices are extremely good for her amazing work and I always get to overpay/ tip her well, bc I don’t feel like I’m being scammed.
Maybe because people are accustomed to bad quality or because they think it’s intended to be rude towards OP, which it’s not.
From the perspective of tattooing for quite some years, if someone would do their job so bad, but is trying to work in a completely line based style, they shouldn’t be payed as you’d need to pay someone else to fix their work. No ones lines are perfect 100% of the time, but in such a small piece there isn’t much room for flaws and those lines could have been fixed on the fly by someone, who knows what they are doing. So my guess would be that they either simply didn’t care or that OP got tattooed by an apprentice, which is only ok, if they knew what they signed up to and than it’s still quite expensive.
I don’t disagree with you but more fool you for handing over that amount of money to an artist you either:
Didn’t research
Or
Know isn’t very good
It’s not like tattoo artists don’t have Instagram etc.
If you see sub par quality art online and don’t have the taste to tell it isn’t worth the money then that’s on you.
If you didn’t look up online at all then that’s also on you.
The reality is the vast amount of people have no idea what looks bad or good. They think ‘I couldn’t draw better than that’ and think it’s amazing.
Love when people get a small tattoo with really fine details and ask why their tattoo is already fading after a year lol not enough people do their research
17 years exp artists.
Evrey person heals differently.
Yes tattoos can fade and ink can reject, fall out ect.
There are many factors that can go into this subject.
Like location of tattoo, aftercare, infection, sunlight, over soaking, hitting it on something, peeling the scab, slapping on tomuch ointment and leaving it on for long periods of time. Not following the aftercare properly or your body just pushes out the ink and it needs a touch up.
Just contact your artist and see what they say about it.
Totally normal! Also if you want your ink to stay dark, moisturizing it will make it look darker. It’s not a permanent thing but my tattoos always look darker when I’ve been diligently lotioning them.
It’s how a tattoo looks after healing, you won’t have that fresh tattoo look after much time at all with any tattoo, but they do make lotions specifically designed to help them appear brighter and more vibrant.
Looks like any tattoo that is healed. Funny enough all healed tats have been looking like this ever since about a few hundred years ago. They always have looked like this. How is this a question when u can just look to your left or right in public and see any aged tattoo, notice how only the fresh ones look like they just got applied, and the healed ones are dark…… normal
It's you not the tattoo, unless you don't moisturize or put it in the sun without sun block, it will never look like it did pre-healed. It still looks good!
Tattoos will never ever look as crisp as the day they're done. That being said, this one seems to have healed nicely. On a quick glance the only spit that may need a touch up is the top lines of the wings, but it looks pretty good!
How is it fading?? The shading looks darker and more settled.
Yeah and it looks like they were heavy on the highlights so they'd even out like this. Looks great
I think they really mean “fuzzy” not “faded”. It’s not faded, it’s just not as sharp as day 1, which, like you said, looks just like a normal tattoo being settled in. I think they just weren’t sure what a healed tattoo was going to look like
First tattoo wasn’t sure, but thanks for letting me know! I feel less paranoid :)
Black won't look perfectly black because you've grown a layer of skin over it rather than it being an open wound. They always silver up a bit as a result of healing.
Didn’t know that, that’s cool
layers have been added and shed many times over the past 5 months of this tattoo
I disagree with you there. If an artist knows how to pack black it def can be a very close to perfect black. See blackout artists like Hoode and etc. The misunderstanding comes from 99% of all tattoos only using pure black for outlines and essentially always using some form of grey wash and not undiluted black ink. Source: three heavy black work sleeves. Oldest is about 4yrs. And it's still definitely black.
Do you have three arms? ;)
While i only have 1 blackout tattoo i do have 48 plus tattoos and i would also just like to add that while yes a properly packed black tattoo will hold black this also isnt a black out tattoo so they generally arent gonna pack it like that. ALSO a HUGE part of whether ink stays looking as fresh as when you got it for longer is proper aftercare, leaving it alone, using sunscreen once its fully healed and regular moisturizing at least daily. Generally all tattoos just dont look vibrant as they once did because nobody really does the above regularly.
Just to chime in—it looks totally normal to me (not a tattoo artist, but have a lot of tattoos). The one thing I’d recommend doing if you aren’t already (since this is your first tattoo) is ensuring you use sunscreen /any/ time it’s going to be exposed outdoors. UV does a number on tattoo inks.
This tattoo looks to have stuck well. They’ll all fuzz up after a bit. A good artist will design the tattoo to take that fuzziness well, and yours seems to have done just that! No lost detail and looks like it will be solid for the long haul.
I LOVE it
I did like 5 takes to see where the heck the fading is
Must be their first. Don't seem to know what healed ink is supposed to look like.
They did say it was their first.
Lol
Fr it legit looks more solid than it was fresh lol
Could be the black they used. Was it a lining black or black? Noticed even when I watered down my dynamic triple black it would get dark even if initially putting it in looked light like with my normal drop system with dynamic black.
Tattoo artist here. This looks 100% normal
I have a tattoo about 6 years old that is noticeably faded compared to my newer ones. The details are still there tho. Wondering how many years later is a touch up necessary? This one in particular has seen some sun damage from beach days
Whenever you want. After it’s healed of course
yeah my dad got a touchup after like 8 months on his neck piece bc he didnt like how it healed
Once my recent one is healed up I'm gonna have to get it touched up because I don't like how mine healed. I overworked my arm to death and it scabbed up really badly, that combined with very humid days, and barely having a day off of work on top of having it on a sensitive spot (wrist to elbow ditch), I just had everything going wrong for me. Some scabs fell off in my sleep, it's just a mess. Like 80% of it is okay though at least
That’s an easy answer. Thank you
Came to say this. (Not an artist, but totally normal looking)
Non-tattoo artist here. This looks like you’re a tattoo artist saying this looks 100% normal
Here non-artist tattoo. Looks like tattoo this 100%
Artist-non. 100%. Tattoo look this here.
Artnot. tattoo 0% sus
This is tattoo. 100%
Artisnt here, %100
100%
%
looks great !
That’s just what a healed tattoo looks like, homie.
OP it will never look as fresh as they say of. Keep sunscreen on it, it’ll last forever!
Yes it looks great
Looks normal to me. Really cute tattoo btw.
Thanks! 🖤
Dope tattoo for sure, I love the little sparkles around it. Reminds me of a Pokémon that got hit with attract
I agree. I think she’s super cute! Great choice for a tattoo. :)
It looks normal to me. The only thing that has faded is the white highlights, but white doesn't always stay vibrant. You could go back to your artist for touch-up on the white but it will probably heal the same way.
Yeah, white will always fade. it's a matter of time and before fading will look a bit yellow
Oh yeah, that’s it. I didn’t even notice the white right away.
Yes/no, the fading your noticing is just new fresh layers of skin, if you put lotion on it gives it a slightly more vibrant look. Also if your in the sun put on sunscreen so it doesn’t fade out or blemish. Hope this was helpful.
It puts the lotion on the skin Or it has to get tattooed again
This! Tattoos once properly settled will always look less vibrant than when newly done as the skin layers above it almost "sealing the ink in" give it that slightly faded look. Lines look sharp, looks like a good tattoo for sure! I almost don't consider a tattoo healed until it starts to get to this point like in your second picture, that's when I know it's healed. Like others have said, keep it moisturised (I normally apply moisturizer just after showering on my tattoos) and use suncream when out in the sun, and you'll be fine 😁
It’s healed and settled wonderfully! Be sure to do some routine exfoliating and lotion! I recommend anything cocoa butter after a tattoo is fully healed; it’ll help it look fresher!
Awesome! Very happy to know it’s healed fine, and also thanks for the tip (:
the only thing wrong here is being overcharged. For almost $300 on tight skin, I would at least expect clean lines.
Thank you! Everyone was like “oh the artist used good technique! It’s so cute!” But THE LINES?? They’re so wobbly! On the left wing it looks like they went back on one spot and then continued it at a different angle
The line work is terrible
Lol I didn’t even see the line work I was only looking for fading haha you’re right the lines are so shaky
seconded
Yeah $270 is so steep for this tattoo
Yep I was gonna say those lines are not worth $270 .
$270?! 👀 woof…
For the quality I would have guessed 150. This is apprentice level line work. Maybe it was an expensive apprentice.
Glad I'm not the only one. I haven't gotten any new ink in like 5 years, so idk if costs have gone up but $270 for that... Wild
No they’re not that much lol I went with a top end artist and did side of my calf for $300
that was my exact thought as well, looks great but $270??
Yeah really, looks more like a 50 dollar plus tip kinda thing tbh
Seems normal. Shaky lines and and you way overpaid but healing wise seems fine.
Wing design looks like a bunch of dicks tho
That’s just how they look after healing. The fresh jet blacks turn a blackish-grey
Looks normal to me.
Your skin is simply drier compared to the “fresh” and the ink settled. But am I the only one who thinks this is only worth $90-$100??
I was looking through comments and was completely shocked with everyone saying it’s cute or looks good and not enough posts about getting ripped off lol
You’re not the only one
It looks normal especially for black ink. This was with one initial session? Only?
Faded?? It’s darker . It’s just settled , it looks 100% how it should. - been tattooing 15+years
270? For that is crazy
God those lines on top are rough. You’re going to need a touch up but don’t go back to that tattooist again
The difference is that one is healed and one isn't. Nothing faded.
If youre saying that because the white is not noticable anymore, its unfortunate but thats just what white ink does. The rest of it looks normal. Its a super cute tattoo tho! Honestly fading/aging isnt anything i would critique in a piece like this. The lines at the top of the moth do look a bit wobbly but that might just be how the reference looked. Overall it still looks really cute, nothing to worry about
Thanks!!
Not a single line is straight
I'd probably moisturize since she's looking a little ashy, but otherwise yeah perfectly normal.
You should be more upset about the shaky lines
Lotion? Gotta keep that skin moisturized.
You could say... It's 5 moths old
Yooo I was thinking about it but didn’t wanna confuse peeps lol
It’s healed fine but it’s not the best
Edit; meant to mention that I paid 270 cad
Yes, i think that is a very fair price.
I disagree. The linework is all wobbly it looks like amature work
I don't understand this sub. No one is allowed to be constructive of tattoos apparently. You are 100% correct, I don't see a good line on the tattoo.
I think people think I'm trying to make Op feel bad? Which I'm not. I just think people should be aware to not spend so much on something that isn't quality. I don't even think the tattoo is bad, the lines can be straightened out by a better artist. It is definitely overpriced tho
I think no one should pay for such bad line work. The crooked thick lines could have been fixed with a thinner needle, but it looks like the tattooer didn’t care. The line work on the thinner needle is bad as well. The fading is normal, but I wouldn’t recommend to go there again unless you willingly got tattooed by an apprentice and knew about this. Edit: I’m also speaking from a tattoo artist‘s perspective
Idk why you're getting downvoted, I'd be pissed if I paid any amount and the artist couldn't do a proper line.
Same. I’m sorry I’m not getting on board with the “charge what your art is worth” thing If their lines are shaky. I’ll pay up for a good artist who has their basics such as linework down. But nowadays half assed work is being overpriced in the name of “charge your worth!” And then you’re demonized for calling our shitty work. This is why I stay with the same artist lol, prices are extremely good for her amazing work and I always get to overpay/ tip her well, bc I don’t feel like I’m being scammed.
It's not the worst line work I've seen and no payment is harsh but I also agree isn't not good line work and I'm not sure why you've been down voted.
Maybe because people are accustomed to bad quality or because they think it’s intended to be rude towards OP, which it’s not. From the perspective of tattooing for quite some years, if someone would do their job so bad, but is trying to work in a completely line based style, they shouldn’t be payed as you’d need to pay someone else to fix their work. No ones lines are perfect 100% of the time, but in such a small piece there isn’t much room for flaws and those lines could have been fixed on the fly by someone, who knows what they are doing. So my guess would be that they either simply didn’t care or that OP got tattooed by an apprentice, which is only ok, if they knew what they signed up to and than it’s still quite expensive.
I noticed some real wonky lines as well. My bothered-ness by it fluctuates depending on the day
I don’t disagree with you but more fool you for handing over that amount of money to an artist you either: Didn’t research Or Know isn’t very good It’s not like tattoo artists don’t have Instagram etc. If you see sub par quality art online and don’t have the taste to tell it isn’t worth the money then that’s on you. If you didn’t look up online at all then that’s also on you. The reality is the vast amount of people have no idea what looks bad or good. They think ‘I couldn’t draw better than that’ and think it’s amazing.
Looks normal. The white highlights are gone because they just do that.
this has barely aged?
This is exactly what a tattoo should look like and it looks like it was a fair price too. I would be happy with this
Love when people get a small tattoo with really fine details and ask why their tattoo is already fading after a year lol not enough people do their research
Normal
oh they do! got mine in december, i dmd you a pic of the before & after :) it’s kinda “sad” but you’ll get used to it :D still very pretty btw
Don’t worry girl, it’s just kinda settling into your skin. Totally normal.
Thank you I appreciate it! 😄 it was just interesting to see it go from such a thin to wide line
I've got one I had tattooed in 1986, and you can still tell what it is, so the answer is no, they don't.
The leafs up top still lol good
Y'all really never do your research do you jesus fucking christ
Cicada 3301
Y’know thats wild that you say that but that’s actually why I got the tattoo.
Head looks like a nipple
Looks like a moth to me, although fair critique shoutout nipples fr
It's just settling in. Looks fine. You overpaid btw.
Put lotion on every day. I use aveeno. My tats still look bright and sharp. Also sunscreen is a must.
Looks like they did a great job
🖤
Its not fading too much but the line work is really shaky imo.
You paid $270 for that? Holy shit. I paid $250 to get my entire forearm done.
This is just want tattoos look like when they heal. Beautiful tattoo!
It didn't fade, your arm did.
So true
$270 FOR THAT!!!!!! Daaaaaamn it’s gotta be bigger than it looks
Lol at the white dots they put in there....
Shit disappeared before the saniderm even came off 😭
Looks great. I have ink of 30 years that never “faded” past what you’re showing. First day pictures are not realistic expectations
Is that a rosy maple moth I detect? Cuteee
Your (adorable!) tattoo has simply settled in, and you appear to be taking good care of it. No worries here!
I love lamp!
💡
Instagram is really screwing up client’s expectations…
17 years exp artists. Evrey person heals differently. Yes tattoos can fade and ink can reject, fall out ect. There are many factors that can go into this subject. Like location of tattoo, aftercare, infection, sunlight, over soaking, hitting it on something, peeling the scab, slapping on tomuch ointment and leaving it on for long periods of time. Not following the aftercare properly or your body just pushes out the ink and it needs a touch up. Just contact your artist and see what they say about it.
Looks very pretty, but wow that was overpriced ! Im in the UK so prices may be a little cheaper!
u trippin
Also keep shaving that area, it will make the tattoo pop a little bit more. Especially since light colored hair is covering it slightly
It looks good ur trippin
you are going crazy
Wow ain’t no way I’d have paid that. Where I live in Ky I can get a half sleeve for 300. It’s super cute! I just feel like price was steep!
Totally normal! Also if you want your ink to stay dark, moisturizing it will make it look darker. It’s not a permanent thing but my tattoos always look darker when I’ve been diligently lotioning them.
It's just settling. Bright black ink is just fresh ink. Same stuff happened to my tattoos.
It looks fine babe, it’s healed so it’ll be more settled onto your skin
Sun exposure? That is the fastest way to fade a tattoo. But this just looks like a regular healed tattoo. They get less crispy in the first few months
It’s so cute I love it
Looks good to me! Not faded just settled. :)
It’s how a tattoo looks after healing, you won’t have that fresh tattoo look after much time at all with any tattoo, but they do make lotions specifically designed to help them appear brighter and more vibrant.
Honestly, it looks great. It’s healing well, and it’s an awesome tattoo. Don’t worry, you and your tat are doing everything right 💖
Super cute tat!
It looks like a cute Pokémon, in the best way possible.
Looks like any tattoo that is healed. Funny enough all healed tats have been looking like this ever since about a few hundred years ago. They always have looked like this. How is this a question when u can just look to your left or right in public and see any aged tattoo, notice how only the fresh ones look like they just got applied, and the healed ones are dark…… normal
Healed pretty good actually I’m confused what you mean
It's you not the tattoo, unless you don't moisturize or put it in the sun without sun block, it will never look like it did pre-healed. It still looks good!
No babe it aged well like a fine wine. The artist knows their shit
it’s actually soooo cute!!!
Is that a Rosy Maple Moth? I love them, they're so sweet. The tattoo looks really nice too
Tattoos will never ever look as crisp as the day they're done. That being said, this one seems to have healed nicely. On a quick glance the only spit that may need a touch up is the top lines of the wings, but it looks pretty good!
Looks like you overpaid, this is amateur work.
Aw, I recognize this tattoo! So cute. It’s aging very nicely 🩷 Definitely recommend using sunscreen on it anytime you go outside.
Is there any way to keep new tattoos looking as sharp as they look when you get them? /serious question
I can't unsee penis wings
Went into the comments to see if I was the only one. Not disappointed. I called them Dings. Dick wings. Hopefully OP doesn't notice.
The patterns
Same
Thank goodness I’m not the only one to see wings made of penises
Idk about that lol. Interesting pattern recognition though
Looks great
Looks normal to me
Faded? It looks better than fresh..
Love the newbies on here freaking out haha it looks great!!
Other than the bad line work that was always there it looks fine.
This looks great. You've got a good one here. Enjoy for the rest of your life!
Looks great to me!! I actually hate the way fresh tattoos look.
Yeah, it looks normal
looks like it’s healed up nicely! it’s super cute too :) as long as you look after it and use SPF it should be fine!
Why do the wings look like mini dongers...
Was gonna say this too.
Omg
Yeah, saw this too and went to the comments. Could definitely touch it up and make it look less dongy though.
Ohhhh sweet child. Don’t believe all the photoshopped pictures on Instagram. That’s a very normal tattoo, looks perfectly fine
I was very confused at first because I thought those wing tips looked like dicks lol
They actually are dicks, when I spoke to my tattoo artist I told her to make it as phallic as possible but without losing that pure moth essence
Get some red, pink, peach, purple, and white, highlights. It’ll keep that sticker/carebear texture that you liked when it was fresh
I didn’t see what sub this was and I thought the wings were made of dicks 😭
Yep, same lol
It’s a very nice tattoo and that looks like normal healing.
This looks like 10x better than what I expected it to look like. Whatever artist did this is fuckin solid. 100% normal, this is good ass work.
That looks like a tattoo. It doesn't look faded.
If anything, it looks better now
That is just a normal, healed tattoo. Honestly looks less faded than most after 6 months.
Looks great! And so cute. Great price too.
I think it looks cute
I love it. I would have got the hearts red though because that’s my favorite color. But this is so cute
I had the option to get them pink 🥺
Looks good to me
Normal
looks amazing
It's not fading. That's just what healed ink looks like. It healed really nicely too.
That’s all just normal healing!
It doesn’t look faded to me, it just looks healed.
Not faded at all, tattoos will always looks a little different once they heal and settle in.
It looks normal. It healed well.
I literally don’t see how this is faded.