A mother from San Diego, California, named Valerie Watson, has over 800 tattoos, with some even on her face. Despite facing criticism and assumptions that she is a ‘bad mom’ due to her body art, she remains unbothered. Watson, a 34-year-old painter, has covered 78% of her body with tattoos since getting her first one at the age of 14. She has spent thousands of dollars on her ink over the years, with tattoos now covering her legs, stomach, back, arms, and face. Her commitment to tattooing her entire body is unwavering, and she estimates spending an additional $50,000 to complete the job.
An unconventional mother sporting over 800 tattoos, some even on her face, has addressed her critics who jump to the conclusion that she must be a neglectful parent due to her extensive body art.
Valerie Watson, 34, an artist hailing from sunny San Diego, has adorned 78% of her body with stunning tattoos.
The mother of two occasionally faces criticism for her visible tattoos, as certain internet bullies claim that she is not being a positive role model for her children.
She wants to make it clear that despite her face tattoos, she is a fantastic mother to her two sons, Wolf and Xavier. There are often misconceptions and negative attention directed towards her due to her visible body art, but she wants to set the record straight and show that she is still a loving and caring parent to her children.
Valerie acquired her first tattoo at 14 years old and has since amassed a collection of hundreds, investing a significant sum in the process. Addressing common misconceptions about face tattoos and mental health, she shared with Truly that she is at ease with her appearance, despite societal judgments. She revealed that while facing online criticism and public scrutiny, she remains unfazed and even forgets about her face tattoos at times. Valerie confessed that her fascination with tattoos began in her teenage years as a way to express herself after feeling out of place.
Her tattoos now sprawl across most of her body, adorning her legs, stomach, back, arms, and even her face.
She shows no signs of slowing down and is committed to getting tattoos all over her body, with an estimated cost of $50,000 to complete her ink collection.
Valerie is a huge fan of Halloween, and she has a collection of ink designs that pay tribute to the spooktacular holiday. Among her tattoo collection are portraits of iconic horror movie villains such as Michael Myers, Jason Voorhees, and Leatherface.
Valerie, self-proclaimed as a contemporary Harley Quinn, uses her tattoos as a form of self-expression and artistic outlet. She enjoys experimenting with her appearance, not only through her tattoos but also by frequently changing her hairstyle.
Valerie shared that her fascination with tattoos began in her teenage years, as a response to feeling out of place and different. As she recalled, “I always felt like I didn’t belong or wasn’t like everyone else.” She vividly remembers getting her first tattoo while on vacation, impulsively choosing a random shop that she later realized was not up to par in terms of quality.
Valerie reminisced about her rebellious spirit in her youth, where she never quite felt like she fit in with the norm. As a lover of Halloween, she and her husband tied the knot on the spookiest day of the year, leading her to get various tattoos commemorating the holiday such as pumpkins, ghosts, spiderwebs, and zombie bites.
Her body art collection doesn’t stop there, as she proudly displays large portraits of iconic horror movie villains on her leg, including the likes of Michael Myers, Norman Bates, Jason, and Leatherface. Identifying herself as a modern-day Harley Quinn, Valerie sees her tattoos as a form of self-expression and artistic experimentation.
Known for her ever-changing appearance, Valerie embraces her varying hair colors of blue, purple, and green. She believes that there are countless ways to express oneself, whether it’s through tattoos, painting, or crafting – the possibilities are endless.
While her husband, Wes, is supportive of Valerie’s passion for tattoos and even sports a few himself, he does draw the line at having any more ink done on her face.
In addition to facing criticism online, Valerie shared that she frequently catches strangers staring at her in public. However, she remains unfazed by it and doesn’t let it affect her demeanor.
Valerie’s husband, Wes, fully supports her passion for tattoos, as he also has several himself. However, he did mention that he would rather she not get any more ink on her face.
“I suggest getting a tattoo, just not on your face. Embrace your true emotions, don’t be afraid to show them. When will it ever stop?” he teased, before adding, “I genuinely adore it. While some people display their feelings openly, she wears hers on her face.”
Valerie mentioned that her sons have been very encouraging about her tattoos. She mentioned that Xavier has always been positive and never made any negative comments. She simply wants her son to see her being comfortable in her own skin.
Valerie is determined to keep getting tattoos until every inch of her body is covered, including her palms. She estimates that this ambitious goal might set her back around $50,000.
“It will continue. I aim to keep getting tattoos until even the palms of my hands are completely covered,” she stated.
Describing her style, he commented, “She enjoys surprising us with daring tattoos. She keeps getting inked, but not on her face. The covering just never seems to stop. When will it ever end?’ he teased. However, he quickly added, ‘But I must admit, I love it. She doesn’t hide her feelings. She wears them proudly on her face.’
Valerie mentioned that her sons are her biggest supporters. “Xavier first noticed my tattoos when he was around six or seven. He was the one who realized that his mom was unique in having tattoos like mine,” she recalled. “But he has always been so accepting and never said anything negative, which is great. I want my children to see that I am comfortable in my own skin. I only want the best for them, and I will make sure they have the best.”
Valerie shared that Xavier is allowed to get his first tattoo when he turns 18, but the decision is something they will all make together.
When discussing her own tattoos, Valerie expressed her desire to cover her entire body, estimating that it will cost around $50,000 more to achieve this. “I still have some areas I want to cover up, including my palms. I think it’s going to be another $50,000 to finish everything I want and to add some more detailed work. Just my stomach alone cost $15,000, and it’s not even complete,” she revealed.
“It will keep going. My goal is to get to a point where even the palms of my hands are completely covered.”