Here Comes the Peanut Gallery
Getting a tattoo is personal, and no one sits in the chair to spend all that time and money just for someone to compliment them. That’s not to say they don’t hurt, though—so long as it isn’t totally backhanded! What sounds like harmless praise to one person can easily leave someone else wondering whether they've just been insulted, so before you admire someone's ink, here are 20 backhanded comments that are better left unsaid.
1. "It's Pretty, Considering How Big It Is"
Large tattoos aren't everyone's preference, but their size doesn't make them less attractive. Someone with an elaborate floral sleeve doesn't appreciate hearing that their artwork looks nice despite taking up so much skin. You can admire a design without suggesting that a smaller one would've looked cooler.
2. "At Least Yours Doesn't Look Cheap"
Complimenting the quality of someone's tattoo shouldn't involve implying that most look poorly done. Regardless of what your stance is on ink, people with tattoos can immediately tell when you’re coming in with a biased opinion. If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say it at all!
3. "Wow, You Can Barely See the Scarring"
Tattooing involves the skin's healing process, and some people can experience raised areas or visible scarring. The last thing they want is you pointing them out. Unless a person specifically asks for your opinion on how their tattoo healed, there's little reason to bring it up.
4. "That Color Actually Looks Good on You"
There's nothing wrong with admiring how beautifully certain pigments complement someone's complexion. But it’s really all about tone and delivery here. Adding the word “actually” just suggests that you expected the result to look disappointing. A vibrant blue butterfly or deep red rose deserves appreciation, not shock that it turned out okay!
5. "I Love That You Didn't Get Something Basic"
This one only sounds flattering on the surface. The more you dig into it, the more you realize that you’re actually criticizing other people's choices. Popular designs like butterflies, roses, and stars can hold just as much personal significance as elaborate custom artwork.
6. "The Shading Makes Up For the Design"
Imagine proudly showing someone a tattoo, only to hear that its shading somehow compensates for the subject matter. Even if you legitimately love the artist's technique, pointing out what you don’t like about the design isn't exactly encouraging. Remember: a compliment shouldn't make someone wonder whether you mean something else.
7. "That Lettering is Surprisingly Readable"
Script tattoos can be difficult to execute neatly, especially when you’re dealing with small letters or highly decorative script. Still, your amazement that someone's meaningful quote or family member's name is legible can sound rather insulting. It’s okay to just say something looks nice and move on!
8. "It's Not as Dark as I Thought It Would Be"
Blackwork tattoos can feature everything from delicate patterns to extensive areas of solid black ink. It’s not for everyone, but that doesn’t mean you need to make your opinion known. Commenting that someone's design isn't excessively dark suggests that you had already decided darker tattoos were unattractive—and the recipient won’t feel very good hearing that.
9. "That Tattoo Makes Your Arm Look Smaller"
Body art can follow natural contours, but tattoos aren't chosen so you can take a microscope to the proportions. Telling someone their upper-arm tattoo makes their muscles look smaller isn't flattering, even if you think the design creates a slimming effect. Their artwork deserves attention without any input of their body.
10. "I'm Impressed the Lines Are Still Straight"
Straight lines and clean edges are features of many minimalist tattoos—and they’re a lot harder to pull off than people think. Though it seems harmless to comment on the precision, expressing disbelief that someone's design kept its shape can suggest you expected it to look distorted. It’s hard to feel good about ink when you know someone expected it to be a flop.
11. "It Looks Better From a Distance"
Wow, this is just an awful thing to say! Even if it was a classic case of accidental foot-in-mouth, few compliments become insults quite as quickly as this one. If you don't appreciate the close-up details, there's no need to provide a review.
12. "I Normally Hate Colored Tattoos, But Yours Is Nice"
It’s great that you think someone’s ink is the exception to your rule, but people have different artistic preferences, and there's nothing wrong with favoring black-and-gray tattoos over colorful designs. Simply admiring the colors would deliver the same compliment without the criticism.
13. "That's a Pretty Good Portrait, Considering How Hard Faces Are"
Portrait tattoos demand a good artist and considerable skill. They’re also highly personal. It’s not so much that this one is mean per se; it’s that you come across like you’re insulting the idea of a portrait. Adding qualifications to your praise usually doesn’t go over well.
14. "At Least Yours Doesn't Look Like Everyone Else's"
Originality is a good thing, but not every tattoo needs to be unique to deserve appreciation. Someone might choose a traditional swallow or cherry blossom, and even if you’ve seen them a thousand times, who cares? Suggesting that common tattoos are somehow inferior makes your praise weirdly backhanded.
15. "It's Actually Elegant For a Skull"
There’s that nasty little word again! Skulls pop up in all sorts of styles, including traditional, ornamental, and fine-line designs. Describing one as unexpectedly elegant just says that the subject itself is normally incapable of beauty. In reality, skulls are often some of the most elegant designs around.
16. "You Can Hardly Tell It's a Cover-Up"
Cover-up tattoos can transform unwanted artwork, and while it's understandable to admire an artist's ability, emphasizing that you can barely notice it might draw attention to something the person would rather leave behind. Complimenting the finished artwork is usually more thoughtful than inspecting it for evidence of what came before.
17. "It's Amazing How Well It Hides Your Stretch Marks"
Some people choose tattoos that incorporate or conceal stretch marks—as you can imagine, they’re a little more personal than your average mountaintop. Assuming the purpose of someone's floral hip tattoo is to disguise their skin, bringing up the very thing someone tried to bury can turn a friendly conversation into an uncomfortable one.
18. "That's Really Nice For Something So Simple"
Minimalist designs don't need dozens of colors to be appealing. A tiny heart, single-line portrait, or delicate constellation can require careful planning and precise execution. Calling it nice despite its simplicity makes restraint sound like a flaw!
19. "The Colors Faded Beautifully"
Tattoos change over time, and some designs develop a softer appearance as they age. Still, that doesn’t mean you should draw attention to it. Telling someone that their once-vibrant piece has faded beautifully can sound as though you're politely pointing out how much it's deteriorated.
20. "I Would've Chosen a Different One, But Yours Works"
At the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter what you personally like best. It’s about what the recipient spent money on. Complimenting someone's artwork doesn't require explaining all the changes you would've made if the decision had been yours.
