These days, cover up tattoos are becoming increasingly popular which is very understandable considering how important they are. Check out this scenario. You visit a tattoo studio to get a tattoo you have been brooding over for almost a year. The idea is to show off this masterpiece as soon as you can.
After getting the tattoo, it looks the direct opposite of what you want it to be. Rather than show it off, you have to hide it from the world. How would you feel? Awful, right?
These days, you don’t have to live with the stigma of an ugly tattoo. Cover up tattoos are just as their name implies, they’ll help you cover up the mistake. Your artist will just inscribe a new design, transforming the old one into something really attractive. The cost of these tattoos is based on design and the skill of the artist.
There are several attractive cover up tattoos, but before we show you our catalog, we have brought you some interesting info.
Defining Cover Up Tattoos
As stated above, to define what a cover up tattoo is, we just need to look at the words that form the phrase. To cover up means to conceal or hide, which is exactly what these tattoos do.
There are several reasons why you will want to get this kind of tattoo. It could be that you had a tattoo done by an artist and it was a total aberration of what you had in mind. This can be really painful because you must have been excited about flaunting your new tattoo and then your hopes are dashed.
Another reason could be that you had a really cool tattoo done some years back but the tattoo has faded. These ones are actually very easy to convert into new tattoos since the ink is already faded.
Finally, when you just get tired of a tattoo you had for a while. Now you feel it is time to let go of it. You can work with your artist to create a new design.
To achieve a very cool new tattoo, you simply have to work with an artist you can trust. Come up with a cool design and get on with it. You should be showing off a beautiful new tattoo in less than no time.
Some Cover Up Tattoo designs
There are so many designs to choose from. In the end, it all boils down to what you want and how creative your artist is. Let’s check out a few designs you could consider.
Black Panther and rose cover up tattoo
The previous tattoo was just a panther that was drawn in black and white. The artist added some color to the panther and then put in a beautiful red rose flower. Cute, don’t you think?
Also See: 155 Amazing 3D Tattoos That Will Make Your Body Come to…
Twin black and white roses
Black is the most famous color used for cover ups. The initial tattoo was text, which frankly speaking, doesn’t look so attractive. The twin roses in black and white color totally transform the old design. In fact, the text disappears totally.
Bird and flower cover up tattoo
Whatever he was thinking of getting a grenade tattoo in the first place. Thank the heavens he decided to change it. The new tattoo is not just attractive, it is unique. The whole tattoo is very detailed though drawn in just black and white. The artist is able to apply shading efficiently in all the right places.
Eagle and wing tattoo
The initial crown tattoo was drawn in black and grey with very little detail. The new tattoo is everything the word attractive stands for. A lot of colors are used to conceal the old tattoo and don’t we just love it?
Flower cover up tattoo
See how the artist creatively covers up the Mum text in the previous tattoo. The same colors are used but the flower stands out as very attractive bearing a lot more detail. A very cool tattoo for a young lady. You could use it to cover the name of someone and the size of the flower will depend on the text to be covered.
Lady of the rose cover up tattoo
The first tattoo is lacking in detail and beauty, it was probably done by an amateur. The new artist shows us that he is a master at the game as he transforms it into this beautiful masterpiece. Isn’t the lady beautiful, and the rose too?
Rose cover up tattoo
Roses look beautiful any day. This cover up tattoo is nothing short of brilliant. It covers up this faded tattoo nicely in deeper red color and it bears more detail.
Green moth cover tattoo
The moth in the initial tattoo is faded but the artist revamps it nicely and then adds a cool yellow design behind. How cool can a cover up tattoo be?
RIP Dad Cross and wings cover up tattoo
His first tattoo is not looking too bad but it is faded. To revamp this tattoo, he dedicates it to the memory of his late father. The cross and wings are more detailed and pronounced. The rays of light and the open heaven brings out the beauty of this tattoo in an outstanding manner.
Skull cover up tattoo
With this huge skull, the old tattoo is totally sent into oblivion. It is a great tattoo for a person who sees himself as dangerous and scary. A nice way to scare off your enemies.
Robin on a rose cover up tattoo
All we can see from the previous tattoo is a heart shape and some surrounding graphic because the tattoo is faded. The new tattoo is drawn in full color and it shows a robin visiting a rose flower, probably for some nectar.
Rosary and feather tattoo
A faint tattoo bound to a ring is shown in the first tattoo but it is almost completely faded. The tattoo is renewed by adding a very cool rosary and some color to the design.
Other Cover Up Tattoo Ideas
How does it work?
Usually, when getting a tattoo, the ink is deposited into the skin using a needle. The ink is deposited about one millimeter into the dermis which is the major source of pain that we all fear. To get a cover-up, about the same process is followed. The ink is deposited on the same layer where the old tattoo ink was deposited.
The new ink mixes with the old ink, rather replacing it as we all expect. Both colors form a new color but the usual thing is that the darker color always takes preeminence. This means that when you have a mixture of red and blue, the resulting color is purple.
To be on the safer side, most tattoo artists consider using black since it will overshadow any other color. It works well to conceal an old tattoo and though most people prefer colored tattoos, they may have to make do with black.
The primary focus of the tattoo artist is to ensure that the old tattoo is covered. Thus, his choice of colors and design will be to satisfy this priority. The first step is determining what color perfectly blends to produce an attractive new tattoo. He must also come up with a modification of the preexisting tattoo. Once this is done, you can go about, showcasing your new body art to the world.
Colors used in cover up tattoos
We have to state the obvious fact, having a new tattoo to conceal an old one is a really painful process. Most people wouldn’t want to go through this but the motivation is the fact that they’d rather go through the pain than live with an ugly tattoo. It is usually painful because the skin has already become tenderer than before.
To this end, it is important that the artist chooses the right color so he doesn’t have to go over the inking process over and over. These are the most prescribed colors:
- This is the standard color used by artists to conceal tattoos. This is because it has the capacity to overshadow other colors easily. Thus it does not require going over the design multiple times.
- To camouflage certain parts of the old tattoo, the artist may make use of any of magenta, orange, brown, blue, or green.
- A darker shade of the same color will also be applicable in making a new tattoo.
- To create a completely new color, the artist may use a different ink. This is usually when the artist wants to show off his creative side.
The idea is for the artist to be as creative as possible with the colors and placement of the new tattoo. Sometimes a lighter shade of a certain color might be used to conceal uneven strokes, and so on.
The Process
Now that you have gained a bit of understanding about cover up tattoos, let’s take a look at the process of inking these masterful pieces of body art. The procedure is as follows:
- The first thing your artist is expected to do is place a tracing paper over the old tattoo design. This is necessary to recreate the outline on the paper so he can work out a new design. It aids the artist to know what parts of the old design need to be concealed the most.
- The next thing he should do is to place the paper under a beam of light and then put a new tracing paper over it.
- The artist uses the new paper to create a new design over the old design, a similitude of what he is going to ink on your body.
Some artists only work as cover-up artists and they are your best bet when getting this sort of tattoo. Since they are well-versed in this field, they are not likely to give you another design you will regret. They know the best way to cover different appendages of your old tattoo design.
The idea behind cover-ups is to make the unattractive parts of the old tattoo become attractive. To this end, the artist focuses his new design more on this area. It is usually recommended that the new design be larger than the old one by about 30%. If it is done correctly, the old design becomes completely non-existent.
Will the cover-up change only the color of the old tattoo?
Many people ask this question mostly because they are worried about the color of their tattoo rather than the design. The truth is that it is very difficult to choose the perfect color from the palette considering the fact that there so many, ranging from light to deep.
This is why people who just want to change the color of their existing tattoos feel a bit insecure. They are usually worried that the artist may not be able to get the right color for their tattoo. If you fall into this category, you don’t need to be scared. You can fix just the color of your tattoo at your local tattoo parlor.
Your artist should be able to manage the process alone, but it is best you both work together to choose the exact color you want. It is going to take a lot of experimenting. These are the possible shades you may get while experimenting:
- Red can be turned into brown.
- Pink and magenta will blend perfectly.
- Purple and blue create a perfect mix.
- Yellow can always be converted to green
Factors you should take note of before getting a cover up tattoo
If you have a terrible tattoo, it is a very wise option to choose a cover-up tattoo. However, it is important that you consider certain options so that your tattoo will turn out nice.
Size of the tattoo
Usually, your new tattoo will need to be bigger to efficiently cover your old tattoo. This means the size might not be exactly what you have in mind. The design will be dependent on the size so you need to decide what you want. Your artist should provide you a catalog to look over so you can easily make your choice.
Colors
We have already discussed colors earlier. Dark colors are needed to conceal brighter old tattoos. Sometimes, a bright color might even be used to cover other bright colors. The choice of color should be based on what will cover the old design perfectly. You may need to experiment a lot to get the right color mix.
Age of tattoo
Tattoos are known to fade with time. This means that the older a tattoo is, the easier it will be to conceal it. The reason why these tattoos fade is that the ink begins to disintegrate and wear off. In a nutshell, it is more difficult to cover up a new tattoo than it is to cover one that you have had over a couple of years.
Design of the old tattoo
There are certain tattoos that are difficult to conceal because of their designs. An example is tribal tattoos. They usually have a lot of detail and when covering them, you may end up having an uglier design than the original tattoo. This is why it is advised that when getting your first tattoo, make sure it is moderate. Not something too detailed or flamboyant. This way, it is easier to conceal when the need arises.
A cover-up tattoo isn’t a new tattoo
It is very important we state this as many people go around parading their concealed tattoo as a new tattoo. It is a modification and the modification depends on what is to be covered. Why you cannot refer to it as new is that a few parts of the old design may still be conspicuous.
The artist
Whether you want your old artist or a new one, it is important that you find one that is skilled with concealing old tattoos. Ensure that you carry out sufficient research so you don’t end up looking for another artist to cover the new mistake.
Maintaining your cover up tattoo
Now that you have gotten a reworked tattoo and it looks really great, it is imperative that you take care of it properly. You don’t want to go through the same process twice, do you?
Here are a few tips to help you maintain your new cover-up tattoo:
- Pay attention to your tattoo artist. He will give you certain instructions and it is important to follow them to the letter.
- Don’t wipe over the tattoo with a towel, it could wound the skin. The best thing to do is dab over it with a soft cloth or some tissue. Better still, you could allow it air dry.
- Nothing else but antibacterial soap. This will prevent bacteria from infecting the wound.
- Use warm water and the products prescribed by your artist to rinse the tattoo surface. This should be done when you remove the bandage a few hours after you get the tattoo.
- A good moisturizer will do the magic. However, be careful when doing this so you don’t go overboard.
- No matter what, don’t itch the tattoo surface. You will be tempted to after a few days because it is going to become very itchy. The solution to this is using milk cream or some baby oil over the surface.
- Stay away from excess water. For the first few weeks to months, you cannot soak in a sauna, a pool, beach water, or even your bathtub.
- Excess sunlight is not your friend. It could result in incurable diseases due to the ultraviolet rays. It could also hamper the healing process.
- Don’t rush the healing process, patience is key.
Cover up tattoos roundup
Now you know there is hope for you. You can make use of any of the cover up tattoos above to fix your tattoo mess.
