Things to Consider When You Want to Cover a Tattoo

As much as we love tattoos, even we have to admit not every piece of ink is a timeless masterpiece. Maybe it’s an ex-girlfriend or ex-boyfriend’s name, a time or place you’d rather forget, or maybe you’re just not happy with how the tattoo looks anymore and want to cover it up. Trust us, we get it. Covering up a tattoo is something every tattoo-lover is bound to go through at least once in their life.

Before you commit to the chair, there are a few things to consider so you don’t end up covering up your tattoo cover-up in the long run.

Find the Right Artist

Not every tattoo artist will be able to cover up your existing tattoo the right way. For cover-up tattoos, it’s best to look for someone who has lots of verifiable experience covering up artwork that is similar to yours. The last thing anyone wants is a botched cover-up that ends up costing you even more money and pain to fix than the original tattoo did.

Placement and Color Matter

Your cover-up tattoo design will have to be bigger and bolder than your old one to really block out the old design. Keep this in mind when deciding if a tattoo cover-up is worth it, and work with your tattoo artist to find a design that can do the job but still fits with your vision for your new ink.

Consider Wiping the Slate Clean

Some light, faded, or small tattoos are easy to cover up with some skillfully designed art. Others can be a lot harder. If you’re looking to cover a big tattoo with lots of dark lines, you may need to consider laser removal first.

Laser removal breaks up the ink particles in your skin and forcefully fades your tattoo over time. Even just a couple of sessions could get your tattoo light enough to make a cover-up much easier and cleaner, and this is something you should discuss with your tattoo artist before committing to more time in the chair.

Be Patient

Unlike a small design on clear skin, cover-ups may take several sessions to complete. This is because the artist may have to wait and see how the skin heals and how the old design works with the new one before going further or completing the entire piece. Keep this in mind when booking your appointments and deciding on the new design you’re choosing.

Cover-Up Tattoos Need More Maintenance

Because of the sensitive nature of tattoo cover-ups, you’ll need to be extra careful as your new tattoo heals. This means keeping your cover-up tattoo out of the sun and water as it heals and remembering to apply sunscreen or protect it from direct sunlight whenever possible.

The Best Tattoo Cover-Up Ideas (According to Us)

Just like getting a new tattoo, choosing your cover-up design should be fun and exciting. However, there are still a few rules to follow if you want the best possible outcome for your new tattoo once it heals. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of tips to help you choose the best tattoo possible to cover up your old ink:

• Go for similar colors and styles: Matching the color palette and lines of your old tattoo to your new one will make your cover-up look seamless and clean.
• Bigger is probably better: Be prepared to choose a design that’s at least a little bigger than your existing tattoo so it can be properly covered up.
• Match the theme: Even a choice as simple as matching the theme of your new tattoo to the old one can help make the cover-up design look a whole lot more professional.

Cover-Up with Sullen’s Tattoo-Art Clothing Collection