Tattoo artists share ‘generic’ tattoo designs to avoid that are ‘all too common’

A group of tattoo artists have shared the designs they believe people should avoid as they’re too ‘common’ – but they’ve also said it’s fine to go ahead with them if you really want to

While some people spend months pondering their tattoo idea, others walk into a parlour on a whim and come out with fresh, new ink. However, a group of tattoo artists have issued a warning to anyone wanting to get a ‘common design’ – suggesting they might regret not being more adventurous afterwards.

In a discussion on Reddit’s tattoo thread, one user posed the question: “What are some extremely generic tattoos that everyone gets?” Responding to the post, one artist noted: “Infinity symbol, kanji, butterflies, bird silhouettes, the octopus, and owls are all too common now.”

Echoing this sentiment, another artist added: “Clock faces, I don’t know when it became a thing but I see it in sleeves all the time.”

A third user chimed in: “Common cliché tattoos – tribal, crosses, dragons, koi fish, butterflies, flowers (lotus, roses, etc), Asian influenced writing (Kanji or traditional writing), names, skulls, and many many more.”

However, the artist encouraged people to proceed with their ‘common’ idea as long as it’s what they genuinely want, advising: “Don’t worry about what others have or how many other people have it, just get what you like.”

Supporting this, another artist argued there’s nothing wrong with ‘common’ ideas as long as they’re expertly done with time and patience.

They stated: “Nothing wrong with a great owl, in my opinion – a well-designed and well-tattooed animal tattoo never goes out of style.

“The issue isn’t really about something being ‘generic’, it’s about what images make for good or bad tattoo art.

“See, there’s lots of classic tattoo images that could be described as ‘generic’ but will always be a great option for tattoos – obvious ones include traditional roses or Japanese koi.

“They’re always good choices because they look good on the body and make great tattoo art (when done right) – classic is classic for a reason.”

This follows tattoo artist Tamsin Holly revealing the designs she thinks people are most likely to regret as time passes.

She outlined in a TikTok clip that while tattoos will “never go out of style,” some people end up losing affection for their body art.

She remarked: “Tattoo regret is basically trending right now, but I have no idea why. Tattoos will never go out of style.

“Tattoos have never and will never be a trend, so any video you see saying tattoos are going out of fashion is a load of bulls**t, so just scroll on past it. This is not one of those videos.”

Tamsin especially cautioned against matching tattoos with a partner you’ve only been with for a short time, suggesting it’s a dodgy move as you never know what might unfold down the line. She stated: “I’m not against getting a tattoo with your partner, whether that’s matching or not.

But if you’ve only been with that person for six weeks, unless you’ve been friends with them for years prior, you don’t know them well enough to be getting matching tattoos. You will end up getting it covered up. Maybe wait at least a year.”