Designer Confession: The Tattoo Reveal That Flopped

Designers are known for their bold ideas, and I’m no exception. But sometimes, those ideas land with a thud instead of a bang. Case in point: my infamous tattoo reveal at the Ottawa Design Club’s Beyond the Mark event.

Let’s rewind to 2023. We were still finding our groove with in-person events—this was only our third one since the world opened back up. The night was inspired by tattoo culture, featuring the phenomenal Mariah Landers as one of our speakers. Naturally, we set up a temporary tattoo station to give the audience something fun and interactive. But me being me, I wanted to take it up a notch.

Why not get a real tattoo and reveal it on stage? I thought. A dramatic moment, symbolic of our creative journey together. Mariah talked me out of doing it live (thankfully), so I got the tattoo at her shop beforehand, recorded the process, and planned the ultimate reveal: show the video, build the anticipation, and then unveil the ink in front of over 120 people.

You can probably guess what happened next.

When the big moment arrived, I proudly rolled up my sleeve, expecting gasps, applause, maybe even a few cheers. Instead, I got… crickets. Absolute silence. The crowd blinked at me like I’d just shown them a doodle on a napkin.

The Real Lesson: Rapport First, Drama Later

Looking back, the problem wasn’t the tattoo. It was timing. This was only our third in-person event, and I’d overestimated the connection we’d built with the audience. I assumed we’d already established a relationship where they’d “get” the bold gesture. But the truth was, we were still earning their trust and building that sense of community.

I’d put the spotlight on myself when the audience barely knew me. Instead of a shared moment, it felt like a solo act. Lesson learned: before you can have those big, meaningful gestures, you need to nurture the connection with your audience. People need to feel like they’re part of the story before they’ll cheer for it.

A Permanent Reminder

Do I regret it? Not at all. Despite the flop, I absolutely love my tattoo and the story behind it. It stands for everything I value—community, branding, and the Ottawa Design Club. Every time I look at it, I’m reminded of the journey we’re on and why building those connections matters.

Would I do it again? Sure. But next time, I’ll make sure the audience is right there with me.