Flash tattoo sales on Friday the 13th are a tradition in the tattooing world. Popularized by famed tattoo artist Oliver Peck, the event allows people to get discount tattoos by selecting them from a “flash sheet”—a collection of different artworks that a tattoo artist can perform on that day.
While this tradition is beloved in the tattooing world, as it exposes people to artists and shops they may not have otherwise come across, it also receives its fair share of criticism.
For those who are passionate about tattooing, one of the main criticisms is that, owing to the tattoos’ small size, people are tempted to get tattoos in places that they would have otherwise saved for a bigger, more detailed piece, as a user on Reddit noted.
Others regret them simply because their interest in tattooing has shifted to different styles and more elaborate artworks. As Inked Magazine writer Devon Preston explained, “while I don’t have any super serious regrets about my tattoos…I do wish I’d thought a bit more about my real estate….I wish I could say that I stand behind all of my tattoo decisions and didn’t just get a tattoo because it was cheap.”
However, one of the biggest lingering criticisms of Friday the 13th flash sales is tattoo quality. A user on TikTok recently shared their own Friday the 13th Flash Sale tattoo disappointment in a video that quickly went viral.
User @vaniyabean’s video shows a video of her and friend using a crying filter, followed by an image of how her tattoo was supposed to look (like Kuromi from Hello Kitty). In the end, viewers see the final tattoo, which looks significantly different from the original image.
The video currently has over 1.3 million views.
@vaniyabean was having fun with the filter until i actually realized how bad the tattoo is… now i need to cover it 😖 #greenscreen #greenscreenvideo #fridaythe13th #tattoos #cryingfilter ♬ original sound – Kneely_Knight
In the comments, users shared their own thoughts on Friday the 13th ink.
“Friday the 13 tattoos always end up as coverups,” one user claimed.
“I’m so sorry this is how your first friday the 13th event went,” another shared. “I always tell my clients that tell me stories like this to ALWAYS research their artist/shop. People specialize in so many different things. Ive seen pple do cool large scale pieces then somehow fuck up a small flash piece which blows my mind with disappointment. Over time hopefully that tattoo will fade enough for you to get a cool cover up.”
@vaniyabean says she didn’t realize how bad the tattoo was until she had already left the studio and went to work. She says her friends are similarly displeased with their tattoos performed by the same artist.
@vaniyabean Reply to @rinamorales8 ♬ original sound – vaniyabean
Thankfully, this story has a happy resolution. @vaniyabean says she reached out to the shop, which she calls “amazing,” and they promised to fix her and her friends’ tattoos for free. Furthermore, she says she does not blame the shop for the work of a single artist.
@vaniyabean Reply to @conceitedaries here’s an update in regards to speaking w the shop ✨ #fridaythe13th ♬ original sound – vaniyabean
The Daily Dot reached out to the alleged artist and tattoo shop via Instagram and @vaniyabean via TikTok comment.
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