If you’re ready to cover up old tattoos or regrettable tattoos, there’s no need to be embarrassed - it’s actually not that uncommon.
Depending on what needs to be changed, it can be a true artistic challenge for even the most highly skilled tattoo artist; after all there is no quick and easy (or painless) way to remove a tattoo, and instead of a blank canvas, the artist needs to work with a previous design. But what are the challenges for the person getting the cover up? What do they need to think about before committing to it? And, what could go wrong?
Everyone has their own reasons for getting a cover up tattoo, whether it is getting rid of an ex’s name or improving a design that has dated with time. The great thing with covering up an old tattoo is that no matter why you are getting it, your new tattoo will mean you won’t have to look at it anymore, and will mark the start of a new era.
What to remember when it comes to covering up old tattoos
Most tattoo artists who have experience with cover up work love the challenge and will look after you to make sure the end result is never one you’ll want to cover up again.
If you think covering up an old tattoo is something you want to explore, keep these few things in mind as you are going through the process:
- Do your research on which tattoo artist you want to work with on your cover up - find someone with experience working on cover up tattoos and someone who clearly understands what you’re trying to achieve
- Do plenty of research on what you are wanting to get as your cover up. Collect as many pictures of what you’re thinking you’d like, so your tattoo artist has plenty of references to help with making the design
- Listen to what your tattoo artist recommends! They know how the placement, colour, shading and lines are going to work so that your cover up looks good- they only want the best outcome for you!
- If your tattoo artist suggests coming in for a few touch up sessions after getting your cover up tattoo, make sure you do it. As with new tattoos, it is all about the aftercare that helps to keep it looking good, and that includes touch ups
The right way to cover up your old tattoo
We’ve worked with countless clients on cover up pieces and it's always great when we see someone walking up to the mirror after their session and being blown away by what they see.
If you don’t go about getting a cover up tattoo the right way, you could end up with having another tattoo you’ll want to cover up. Here are a few cautionary tales of when cover ups go wrong - note, we’re not about this!
If you’ve got a tattoo you want to cover up, reach out to us to make a booking, or you can simply walk into any of our studios and chat with one of our tattoo artists. We’ll help you get the right piece that you will want to show off proudly.
