Cover up tattoos are a popular alternative to laser tattoo removal and might be the perfect solution for a tattoo design you either regret or have grown tired of. If you are thinking about a cover-up tattoo the following advice will ensure that your new design covers all your concerns.
Cover Up Tattoo Considerations
Not every tattoo can be covered up successfully. A tattoo artist has the challenge of creating a new tattoo design that incorporates or conceals the preexisting art. Depending on the size and color of your old tattoo, your artist may need to increase the size of the new design or the density of the ink. But that doesn’t mean an old tribal tattoo can’t see new life.
Finding an Artist
A good cover up tattoo artist should have an impressive portfolio of before and after tattoos. You may find their talent through word of mouth, or by searching artists in your area right here in our database. Once you read artist bios and find the ones who are very skilled at cover up tattoos, make an appointment with the shop and go in with an open mind. The professional tattoo artist will look at your old tattoo and will offer realistic options that will produce the best results.
Adding to an Old Design
In addition, to cover up tattoos, small changes to an old tattoo design can breathe new life into your body art. So can freshening up the color of a faded and dated design. If you have a heart tattoo, for example, your artist can resurrect it by adding a skeleton, a name, or perhaps even a dagger. Suddenly a small and dinky tattoo from over a decade or two ago can become a design you’re proud to show off.
Love the Placement
No matter if you choose a cover-up tattoo or an enhancement to an existing design before you add more ink to your canvas make sure you are happy with the original body art placement. If you’re not crazy about that design on your lower back, why make it even bigger or bolder? This is a case in which laser tattoo removal makes a more viable option. You don’t need to have regret for getting the tattoo-or removing it. Instead, chalk it up as a valuable lesson. Move forward with your future body art choices with more time vested in both the artist and design decision.
Cover up tattoos are certainly the best way to take a dated design and make it even better. If you’ve got the tattoo, love where it’s at, and want to change the overall appearance, sometimes into a new style completely- book an appointment with a talented tattoo artist, and let their creativity make something old… new again.
Image courtesy Painted Lady Tattoo.
Published on August 6, 2014 by Jodie Michalak
