How To Cover Up A Tattoo With Another Tattoo?

How To Cover Up A Tattoo With Another Tattoo

How a Cover-Up Tattoo Is Designed – When your artist is creating a cover-up design, they will:

  1. Place tracing paper over your old tattoo and trace the outline and major features of your design. This gives them a reference for the areas of the tattoo that need a heavier cover-up design.
  2. Put the outline on a light table and place another piece of thin tracing paper over the top.
  3. Begin designing your cover-up, working around the faint outline of your old tattoo to camouflage the areas that need it.

Can I cover a tattoo with another tattoo?

Cover Up Tattoo  – Tattoo cover ups work by tattooing a new design over your original, unwanted tattoo. It utilizes elements of the original design to create something entirely new. A tattoo cover up would work well for someone ok with a tattoo in the same spot but wants a fresh new design or to hide the original.

For example, someone who had their friend give them a stick and poke tattoo on their foot in high school might decide they’re ready for something more professional. They might work with a tattoo artist to design a beautiful new floral design that incorporates the black dye of the poke tattoo while completely hiding the original.

A cover up tattoo may also be an excellent choice for someone simply looking to add a new piece to their body without the multiple sessions laser removal requires. For example, someone might have a faded sunflower tattoo on their back, but they dream about a large cosmos design.

Working with a tattoo artist, they might utilize dark ink and a large design to cover up their original tattoo with new artwork. Remember that you can use laser tattoo removal in tandem with cover ups.

In many cases, getting a few laser tattoo removal sessions to fade an original tattoo produces better results for covering the tattoo up and offers your tattoo artist more canvas opportunities.

How do you cover-up an existing tattoo?

How does tattoo cover up work? – When getting a tattoo, ink is deposited at least one millimeter beneath your skin into the dermis – a layer below the epidermis (the skin). During tattoo cover up, the ink is deposited again in the same dermis where the ink from the previous tattoo is already presented.

The new ink does not cancel out or go on top of the ink from your old tattoo. Instead, these two colours combine to create a new colour. There are chances that dark inks will dominate the mixture. In others, the two colours might merge – yellow and red together turn into orange, for example.

It takes an experienced artist to ensure that the old tattoo is obscured, and that the new one looks amazing. Not to mention, a lot of thought needs to go into the design. Many tattoo cover ups are the result of an existing tatt that wasn’t properly thought-out at the time.

Can you cover-up a black tattoo with another tattoo?

Can You Cover Up a Dark Tattoo? – With the help of an artist experienced with cover ups, any old tattoo can be upgraded to a more vivid design. You’d either work with the current tattoo as a base layer for the new, or you fade the tattoo with lasers to make “negative space” for the new design. Below are the six most common reasons why our clients pursue a dark tattoo coverup:

  • No longer like the design.
  • The tattoo has faded or blown out with age.
  • Preferences and tastes have evolved.
  • The tattoo represents beliefs you no longer hold.
  • Reminds you of someone with whom you no longer have a connection.
  • The tattoo has flaws, or the design has distorted with age.

It may seem that the size of the design or the amount of dark ink saturation is a barrier, but with the creative-problem solving of a talented tattoo artist, you can get a dark tattoo cover up you’ll be happy with. However, it’s not as simple as coloring over something as a painter would reuse a canvas. Instead, tattoo cover up is more like Photoshop where the old tattoo becomes a backdrop layer for the new design. With the blending of color and its depth, shading, or detailing, the tattoo artist either creates something that integrates the old design or creates something new that completely draws the eye away to the new design.

The primary factors that determine what all is involved with dark tattoo cover up are how saturated the design is, the size of the area you want to cover, and how flexible you are about the outcome. In many cases, the tattoo designer can work with the existing tattoo as a foundation for the new design.

For example, white ink over black work gives a large block of dark ink more interesting detail and dimension When the available means for a dark tattoo cover up won’t give you the results you want, then the tattoo artist might recommend fading the design with laser removal.

Do tattoo cover ups hurt more?

Once associated primarily with seamen and convicted criminals, the Western world’s relationship with tattoos has come a long way over the past century. While some negative stigma remains, we can’t imagine that’ll be the case for much longer: Tattoos are arguably more popular — and more trendy — than ever.

Nevertheless, when it comes to body art, people have questions. How young is too young to get your first tattoo? Do they hurt? How do you decide what to get? How do you keep your ink from fading. and how do you protect it from the sun? I spoke to two of Berlin’s coolest female tattoo experts to get some answers to everyone’s most burning questions, once and for all.

Berlin-based photographer Nora Tabel has been getting tattooed for years. The stars on her face, as well as her hand tattoos, are instant conversation starters, but she has a variety of other pieces of ink, from colorful old-school tattoos to bright new creations.

Tabel also just started to cover up some of her older tattoos. If anyone knows what it’s like to walk through life as a work of art, it’s her. Fine artist-turned-tattooer Laura Lesser turned her passion into her profession.

She started off tattooing her friends for fun before landing her own studio last year. Lesser specializes in whimsical line drawings , usually in black. She’s got plenty of tattoos herself, too. Which tattoos are the most painful? Nora Tabel: “Let’s face it: Having ink punched in your skin always hurts, but there are spots that are more crappy than others.

Finger tattoos , for example — they rank high in our ‘freaking painful chart’ and just feel extra awful. Another bad one is when a sharp-edged needle digs into the soft skin on your stomach. That’s not nice at all.

Outlines are always bad, too: The thicker the needle, the nastier the pain. Physically, it was challenging to get my chest tattoo covered up. I could hardly breathe, that’s how much pain I was in. So, you should think your decisions through very carefully and choose a motif that’s timeless and the right thing for you, because cover-ups hurt ten times more than a regular tattoo.

” What’s the perfect first tattoo? Tabel: “Your name in a heart. Love yourself, because nothing is more important than that. Nothing. ” Laura Lesser: “There are as many answers as people in the world. Some general tips: If you haven’t mastered the art of dealing with pain, I recommend starting with a small tattoo in a less sensitive place.

Long tattoo sessions can be a painful challenge. If you think you can handle it because you’ve been waxing your armpits like a warrior, endured the migraines, headaches, and back pains that come with a painful period, or survived giving birth to a child, you might be good to go for a bigger motif.

I tend to tell younger clients to stay away from geometric forms or photorealistic portraits because your body will go through hormonal changes, and shift in shape and size. This will be less obvious when it comes to organically designed tattoos and more obvious when the perfect circle is not so perfect anymore.

If you don’t want to get a tattoo that you’ll also see on every other person, just ask the tattoo artist for an honest opinion — they usually offer some great insight, and they know what’s trendy. I had many costumers coming to me wanting tattoos that were super fashionable and thus less unique and they didn’t even know.

And let me tell you: They were quite thankful that I told them before I got the needle going. For a perfect ‘first tattoo experience,’ I recommend taking your time to look for the right tattoo artist. Ideally, you’ll find someone whose style suits your desired motif, who offers great counseling and patiently answers all your questions, someone who takes you and your wishes seriously and makes you feel like you’re in good hands.

Man, I would have wanted that for my first tattoo. ” What are the best sunscreens for protecting tattoos? Tabel: “Organic and fair trade — without microplastics and carcinogenic substances. ” Lesser: “The stronger the sunblock, the longer saturated shades will last, because the sun bleaches tattoos out.

  • Sunscreen is necessary for tattoos, with one exception: Don’t put chemicals on your tattoo if it hasn’t healed yet;
  • You should wear dark clothes and cover it up instead, and try to stay in the shade;
  • ” Have you ever found your tattoos to cause difficulties in your everyday life? Tabel: “I had more issues in my rather stuffy hometown in the Rhineland than in colorful Berlin;

No one gives a shit in the ‘big B’ (as Berlin is called by locals). Diversity and different looks define the townscape just as much as the dog poop on the sidewalks. In my hometown, on the other hand, people looked at me weirdly — sometimes they even insulted me.

  • I mean, it’s really none of anyone else’s business how my body looks;
  • ” Have your tattoos ever been a problem when it comes to finding jobs? Tabel: “No;
  • I got every job that I wanted;
  • Be it as an employee or self-employed, my tattoos have never stood in my way;

On the contrary, they are often an icebreaker and the beginning of an exciting conversation. I should probably add that I never wanted to work for the police or a corporate financial institution. That probably would’ve been different. ” What’s the best age to get your first tattoo? Tabel: “I got my first tattoo at the age of 15, and I just had it covered up.

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Anyway, I’m just covering some of my old tattoos up because they don’t fit my new tattoos. I think right now is the best time to get a tattoo! Thanks to the internet, you can find great tattoo artists who make dreams come true with their needles and create art that will still be dope in twenty years.

Your age doesn’t really matter at that point. However, I’m still trying to forbid my son to get tattoos, but he doesn’t listen anyway. ” Lesser: “That can be 18 or even 80. The important thing is that it feels like the right age for you. If you hesitate, you might want to wait; if you feel like you’re ready at the age of 18, your 40-year-old self might have to buckle up and deal with the decisions of your younger self.

That’s just my attitude to life in general. And that’s also something that tattoos can teach you: to embrace who you are, inside and out, without taking yourself too seriously. ” When do you have to touch up your tattoo? Lesser: ” Getting a touchup is an option, but you can only do it so often.

It’s normal that a tattoo fades and ages. It takes four to six weeks until a tattoo is healed, and sometimes tattoo artists ask you to come in for a follow-up appointment to take a final look and prevent unwanted contingencies. Sometimes you’re not a hundred percent happy with how your tattoo turned out, because there are inconsistent lines or larger areas that are uneven.

Those would be good reasons to get a tattoo redone. Most tattoo artist do those corrections for free, unless we’re talking about finger or mouth tattoos, which are predestined for imperfection. In those cases you might be charged extra for corrections and follow-ups.

It’s really important to stick to the instructions your tattoo artist gives you on how to take care of your tattoo during the healing process. Different tattoos need different care, and the final look can be strongly impacted by the healing process. A professional tattoo artist will be able to tell if you followed the instructions for the aftercare and might not be open to redoing it if you didn’t.

  1. ” How much do tattoos cost? Lesser: “Usually, the tattoo artist estimates the price of your tattoo at an hourly rate and the estimated time they’ll spend with you;
  2. You can get tattoos in all price ranges: crazy expensive ones from a famous tattoo artist that makes you wait for an appointment for years, or a cheap one on a wild night out that could be covered up for a high price or loved for its imperfection and sentimental value;

(Though if you’re going for the latter, please make sure you keep everything sanitary. ) Between these two extremes, the starting price for tattoos varies by location and tattoo studio. Small tattoos may seem relatively expensive; however, a tattoo artist needs to provide the same perfectly sanitary station for a small dot as he would for a large back tattoo.

That costs a lot of time and material. So-called ‘customs,’ which are designed for the customer, usually cost more than flash tattoos, which are finished motifs that the tattoo artist has in the studio and wants to work on.

If you want to save money and do it right, you should check out the ‘Flash Days’ offered by many studios, when you can choose from a pool of discounted designs by great tattoo artists and get it done right away. ” This story was originally published on Refinery29 Germany and has been translated from German..

How faded does a tattoo have to be to cover up?

Can my tattoo be covered up? – Any tattoo can be covered up, although it may need to be faded with laser tattoo removal first (usually only 2-3 sessions required). Even if you have a large, solid black tattoo, a good cover-up tattoo artist will work with you to create a strategy for covering it with a new design you can get excited about.

However, there are limits if you don’t get the original tattoo faded beforehand. No matter how good the artist is, they won’t be able to cover up a large tattoo in the shape of a black box with a smaller butterfly tattoo.

Some tattoos lend themselves more to a cover-up than others, but something can be done to improve the aesthetics of almost any tattoo.

Does tattoo removal cream work?

– The short answer? No. These creams claim to remove tattoos by bleaching or peeling away the top layer of your skin (epidermis). Some even claim to replace the white blood cells on your skin (macrophages) that are filled with tattoo ink. Tattoo ink is injected into the next layer of your skin (dermis), so many of these surface-level treatments by tattoo removal creams are ineffective at removing the tattoo ink.

At best, a cream will make the tattoo fade away, leaving a distorted, discolored version of the tattoo that can become a permanent scar. Tattoo removal creams also contain chemicals, such as the peeling agent trichloroacetic acid, that are also used in treatments for other skin conditions.

Although trichloroacetic acid is regularly used by healthcare professionals for professional skin treatments , it can be dangerous to use at home without supervision.

How can I make my tattoo fade faster?

Download Article Download Article While results can be mixed, there are a couple of ways to reduce the appearance of unwanted tattoos without resorting to surgery. Your best bet is to begin daily applications of a mild skin-lightening agent like hydrogen peroxide or lemon juice. If you’re looking for a faster, more direct approach, you could also try exfoliating the tattoo thoroughly 2-3 times a day with a homemade salt scrub or similar abrasive mixture.

  1. 1 Use common household items to lighten your tattooed skin naturally. Lemon and lime juice , glycolic acid, and hydrogen peroxide can all produce mild bleaching action when applied directly to the skin. Chances are, you have one or more of these items sitting around in your pantry or medicine cabinet right now. [1]
    • Some holistic skincare experts also swear by the skin-lightening properties of undiluted essential oils, such as lavender oil.
    • Avoid mixing multiple lightening agents. Not only will this not make them more effective, it could cause an unsafe chemical reaction.
    • The actual effectiveness of topical skin lightening solutions is up for debate. If you decide to experiment with any of these substances, you’ll be doing so at your own risk. There’s a chance that they may not work permanently, or that they could result in scarring or similar damage. [2]
  2. 2 Try a tattoo remover cream if you’d rather use a commercial product. There are a number of creams, lotions, and gels on the market that claim to be able to rapidly fade subdermal ink. If you’re not interested in DIY solutions, consider giving one of these products a shot. Keep in mind, however, that there’s no hard evidence that they make much of a difference. [3]
    • Ask your tattoo artist if they have any recommendations for tattoo remover products that do what they’re advertised to do.
    • Tattoo removers often contain harsh chemicals, and could lead to irritation or even permanent scarring if applied regularly or incorrectly. [4]

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  3. 3 Rub your skin lightener of choice onto the tattoo until it’s fully absorbed. Saturate a washcloth, clean sponge, or folded strip of gauze with the liquid, then apply it to directly to your skin. You can do this by either blotting the area or covering the entire tattoo with the cloth, sponge, or gauze, if it’s small enough. What’s important is that the liquid makes contact with every part of the ink. [5]
    • For best results, allow your skin lightener to sit on your skin for 5-10 minutes after applying it.
    • You may need a helping hand if you’re attempting to fade a tattoo on your back or another hard-to-reach spot.

    Tip: Test your lightening agent on a small, out-of-the-way patch of skin before applying it over a larger area to make sure you won’t react negatively to it. [6]

  4. 4 Continue treating your tattoo 3-5 times a day until you see results. Get in the habit of applying your lightening agent at least twice throughout the course of the day—once in the morning and once in the evening. You’ll need to be persistent with your chosen home remedy if it’s to have any effect.
    • Stop using a particular skin lightener if it begins to cause redness, irritation, blistering, or peeling. [7]
    • Even with continual applications, there’s a chance that your tattoo may not lose its vibrancy.
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  1. 1 Mix up a basic homemade salt scrub. Combine ½ a cup (100 g) of coarse sea salt with 1 ⁄ 4 – 1 ⁄ 3 cup (59–79 mL) of olive, coconut, or almond oil in a small lidded container. Keep the container with the rest of your hygiene products, on your bedside table, or somewhere else where you’ll see it and remember to use it every day. [8]
    • If you like, you can also add a few drops of fragrant essential oils and some dried botanical elements to your salt scrub. This won’t affect its abrasive properties, but it will make it smell more pleasant. [9]
    • Salt scrubs are natural, easy to make, and highly effective as far as exfoliants go.
  2. 2 Pick up a gentle, vitamin-infused body scrub if you have sensitive skin. If you don’t like the idea of grinding a scratchy salt paste onto your extremities, you also have the option of buying a gentle commercial exfoliant designed specifically to nourish and protect skin. Along with abrasive elements, these products boast vitamins, minerals, and other key nutrients as main ingredients. [10]
    • Look for scrubs containing Vitamin C, which is especially good for maintaining soft, clear, glowing skin. [11]
    • Alternatively, you could try making your own nourishing body scrub using things like white or brown sugar, Epsom salts, shea butter, honey, coffee grounds, and aloe vera gel.
  3. 3 Apply a small amount of exfoliant directly to the tattoo. Scoop up a quarter-sized glob of your scrub with two fingers to start with and rub it onto the entire area. Smooth on additional exfoliant as needed to ensure that each part of the tattoo is covered with a thin layer.
    • You may need to use quite a bit of scrub if the tattoo you’re trying to erase is particularly large.
  4. 4 Massage the scrub into the tattoo vigorously using a pumice stone. Rather than trying to work the exfoliant in with your fingers, grab a pumice stone and rub it over the tattoo using small, circular motions. Apply light, steady pressure, and be careful not to scrub too hard. Do this for 30-60 seconds. [12]
    • Before you begin scrubbing, soak your pumice stone in a bowl of warm water. This will help it slide across your skin and cut down on unnecessary resistance. [13]
    • The pumice stone will cover a larger area and provide additional scouring power.

    Tip: The idea is to take off the outermost layer of skin a little at a time. Minor discomfort is normal, but if it hurts, try using a softer touch.

  5. 5 Rinse the area thoroughly with lukewarm water. Hold the exfoliated tattoo under a gentle stream to wash away the accumulated scrub and dead skin. Your skin will likely feel a little raw, so avoid using water that’s too hot, along with soaps or cleansers that might irritate or dry it out even more. [14]
    • It may be easier to hop in the shower if you can’t easily rinse your tattoo under the sink, or if you’re trying to fade multiple pieces at once.
    • If you like, you can apply little moisturizer after exfoliating to soothe and protect your skin. [15]
  6. 6 Repeat your exfoliation routine 2-3 times a day for about a month. In all likelihood, you’ll start to see a noticeable difference after a few weeks. Assuming you don’t, your only remaining option will be to talk to a dermatologist or plastic surgeon about a formal tattoo removal procedure. [16]
    • Discontinue treatment immediately if you experience severe or prolonged skin irritation.
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  1. 1 Talk to your dermatologist about a laser removal procedure. Laser removal is the only method that has been clinically proven to reduce the appearance of tattoos. During the procedure, specially-trained technicians use concentrated streams of light to break up the ink sitting deep below the surface of the skin. [17]
    • If you want guaranteed, permanent results, it’s highly recommended that you save up your money for a course of laser treatment.
    • While tattoo laser removal is extremely effective, it’s not quick or cheap—a single session can cost as much as $500, and in many cases it can take 2-6 sessions before you start to see a significant difference. [18]
    • Make sure you go to a licensed, reputable laser technician to get a tattoo removed. [19]
  2. 2 Receive a series of chemical peels to erase the tattoo gradually. This type of treatment is sometimes referred to as “chemical resurfacing. ” The way it works is that highly acidic chemicals are applied directly to the top layer of skin, causing it to die. After it sloughs off, the area is given time to heal, eventually leaving behind smooth, clear skin. [20]
    • Chemical peels were the most popular tattoo removal method before the introduction of light-based procedures. Even so, reports vary as to how well they work.
    • These treatments are not without risk. Possible complications include severe chemical burns and permanent scarring. [21]
  3. 3 Undergo surgery to have the tattoo partially removed. With traditional surgery, plastic surgeons actually cut out the layers of skin sitting on top of the embedded ink. The tattoo will no longer be as visible once new skin has grown in its place. [22]
    • Surgery can successfully fade tattoos to some degree, but in many cases surgeons aren’t safely able to cut deep enough to extract the majority of the ink. [23]
    • Like chemical peels it’s possible for a surgical operation to leave scars, bumps, discoloration, and other imperfections.
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Add New Question

  • Question How can I make my tattoo fade faster? Grant Lubbock is a Tattoo Artist and Co-Owner of Red Baron Ink, a tattoo salon based in New York City. Grant has over 10 years of tattooing experience and he specializes in neo-traditional, black/grey, and color tattoos. Red Baron Ink’s main goal is for each tattoo coming out of their studio to be one of a kind custom pieces that will look good throughout a lifetime. Tattoo Artist Expert Answer Skip out on applying moisturizing lotions to your tattoo since they can actually prevent tattoos from fading.

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  • You’re more likely to see a difference in tattoos in high-friction areas, such as your hands, feet, thighs, or the insides of your upper arms. [24]
  • Don’t worry if your tattoo doesn’t disappear altogether—partially-faded tattoos are easier and less expensive to have removed than ones that are still bold.

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  • There’s no guarantee that any of the methods described here will be successful. If you want to get rid of a tattoo for good, your best bet is to consult a qualified skin care professional.
  • Ultraviolet light has been shown to help fade tattoos over time. However, it’s not recommended that you spend more time in the sun or tanning bed, as excessive exposure is associated with an increased risk of skin cancer.

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Can you cover-up a black tattoo with red ink?

No, red (or any other color) itself would not be able cover up black properly (it would show through making for a not so good coverup). You can have black shading in the red to cover it up.

Can still see old tattoo under cover-up?

Covering old tattoos must account for each of these natural skin processes. – The new tattoo must not go too deep, or it will cause blowout. The new ink will undergo the same fading and microscopic migration as the old ink. What results is that most cover-ups look great on day one, but over time, the ink settles in such a way that the old tattoo will show through.

Traditional cover-ups must also take into account that whichever ink is darker will be the one that is visible. Much like coloring on paper with crayons, you can’t cover black or purple with white or yellow.

Both pigments will coexist in the same layer of skin, and the darker one will overpower the lighter one. Some artists attempt to overpower the old ink with multiple layers packed with light ink, but even this technique will usually fade over time and allow the old art to be visible.

Can you tattoo over black ink with white?

Can I hide previous ink using a solid black tattoo cover-up? – Yes! Covering your existing tattoo by process of “blacking it out” is entirely possible, though it will be a time consuming and expensive undertaking. Many people find that this style of cover-up affords them a creative way to hide unwanted large-scale tattoos.

Can you tattoo over black ink with color?

Can A Tattooist Turn a Colored Tattoo Into a Black & Grey One? – Generally speaking, specialized tattoo artists can try to turn the lighter ink shades of your tattoo into white or grey ink. The black ink cannot be colored, that is simply impossible. Even the attempt to turn a color tattoo into a black & grey one is something that the majority of tattooists will refuse to do.

The only thing a tattooist can truly do, if a tattoo is smaller and not too colored, is to cover certain parts in black ink. No color can be simply taken away from the tattoo, so that’s about it. Some tattooists may try to cover the color with white ink , but that might not work, since the color underneath might still show through, especially if the color is really saturated.

To make white ink visible, the tattooist will have to go in with the needle multiple times in only one place, which would also hurt like hell.

What do you do if you don’t like your tattoo?

Perhaps you spent days thinking about your dream body ink and thought you had a definite idea of exactly where you wanted your new tattoo to be on your body. Or maybe, you just felt like trying something new on a whim. Either way, if you’re no longer in love with a tattoo, then you’re not entirely out of luck.

What tattoo color is hardest to cover?

Number 2: The Darker The Original Tattoo, The More It Will Show Through The Cover-Up – These are two things that make a tattoo dark. One is the color of the ink and the other is how much ink is used or the density of the ink. Amateur artists tend to be heavy-handed or use a lot of ink to get the effects they want while more experienced artists know what is required and can use less ink to achieve the effects they want.

Darker colors like black or dark blue will show through the tattoo much more than lighter colors like yellow or white. However, if the original artist used a light color but used a lot of it (high density) even a light color can have a strong effect on a cover-up.

The age of the original tattoo matters too. Tattoos tend to fade over time. The ink slowly breaks down as the tattoo ages and is eliminated by your body. Light and bright colors like red and yellow tend to break down faster than dark ones like black or dark blue.

If the tattoo is exposed to the sun it will break down faster than tattoos that are protected. That is why using sunscreen is a must for keeping your tattoo fresh looking. It is much easier to cover an old tattoo than a new one.

Old broken down tattoos bleed through much less than new ones.

Do tattoo artists like doing cover ups?

How Much Are Cover Up Tattoos? – The cost of a cover-up varies depending on the artist you choose and the size and difficulty of the proposed artwork. Some artists may charge an hourly rate which can range anywhere from $50 per hour to upwards of $300 per hour or more depending on skill level and experience.

  • Other artists may charge a day rate of approximately $500 to $2,500 per day on average;
  • Even if the tattoo you’d like to cover up is small and may take under an hour, most shops have a minimum rate for all tattoos and you will be required to pay the shop minimum;

Keep in mind that some artists may charge extra for additional design work or extra consultations relating to cover ups. As with any other tattoo appointment, your tattoo artist or the tattoo shop will likely require a deposit to lock in the dates for your cover-up tattoo appointment.

  1. Pay extra close attention to your artist’s booking policies and ask if they have any requirements necessary to book a cover-up tattoo;
  2. Some artists need to see photos of the tattoo you wish to cover or meet with you in person to talk through the options prior to booking an appointment;

Some tattoo artists choose not to do cover-up tattoos or may decline your appointment request because they do not feel comfortable covering the tattoo or they do not want to tattoo your desired style and subject matter. If this is the case, do not be discouraged.

What are the most painful places to get tattoos?

Can you go over a tattoo with a different color?

Final Thoughts – So, that’s about it when it comes to tattoo recoloring. Unless you’re willing to darken out the tattoo a bit or get some fading and blending going on, there isn’t much you can do to change the color of the tattoo completely. Just make sure to always work with experts and professionals when you’re opting for a tattoo touch-up or any kind of color change.

Otherwise, you might be dealing with a mess later, which implies you’d need a laser removal session. And, that will simply cost and hurt too much long-term, than would a professional tattoo artist. For more information, make sure to talk to your tattoo artist, or even consult a dermatologist just to check the condition of your skin.

Check out our other articles for more info on tattoo fading, ink colors, and tattooing overall..

Can you cover up a color tattoo with black and white?

Tattoo Cover Ups and Partial Tattoo Lightening – Thinking of replacing your old ink with a fresh new design or removing just parts of it? People change their minds about tattoos all the time, so you’re definitely not alone. Changes in taste, a change in relationship, a hasty trip to an untalented artist – all of these are examples of how one might end up hating the sight of their tattoo.

  • Covering up a tattoo with a new one is an excellent option if you have a change in heart over your existing ink but still want to have one – and in cases where the old artwork is not faded naturally over time or has solid colored pattern – fading an old tattoo with laser is quite common;

A wish for restructuring an existing tattoo can come after years of having it done. Our client Kelly was a tattoo artist who decided to have her first ever tattoo lightened in order to cover it up with one that she thought would be more cohesive with the rest of the artwork she had gotten in the meantime.

  1. Even for people who are not in the tattooing industry the process of decorating a body with ink can be quite addictive – many people who decide to have a tattoo won’t actually stop with just one;
  2. After going through the initial tattooing experience and seeing perhaps all those stories of pain during inking were somewhat exaggerated, people get excited and want even more markings of milestone events on their skin, more messages, more colors etc;

– and they often don’t look at the big picture of whether the tattoos complement one another. As Kelly remarked, the first advice she gives to her clients now is for them to try to visualize an overall image of their body with the tattoo they intend to get in regards to what they already have tattooed, what’s their body shape, height etc.

“The thing with me was that being an artist myself, I was paying a lot of attention to details of the tattoos – their shadows, contours, soft lines and of course, their colors. I went on with one tattoo after another and didn’t give too much thought of whether they blended all together.

”   And even though I thought I loved my first artwork and took pride in it, one day after viewing a reflection of my full body image as I passed by a mirror in a department store, for a split second I thought to myself –”Wow, check out that chick with a terribly oversized tattoo…someone should really tell her something about that!” Just imagine the feeling when I realized the stranger I was looking at was me.

  • After looking at it more closely, Kelly realized that the tattoo made an impression of distorted images, unless viewed from a certain angle;
  • It was supposed to be a humming bird unfolding its wings – and suddenly I realized that when I looked straight at it, its wing stretches too far to my shoulder, hence looking broken;

No one wants a tattoo of a birdie with a broken wing. And as things usually go, she started hating the sight of it day after day. Full cover-up was Kelly’s choice, and as a tattooist, she has seen some amazing solutions for covering up old work. CAN ANY COLOR BE COVERED? The best course of action for masking your old tattoo depends on different factors, such as: The colors in your primary tattoo, how big, old or faded it is, the design and colors of your cover-up tattoo, and whether or not any components of your old tattoo are salvageable.

  • Depending on these, the process might take several sessions;
  • Covering up old pieces of ink can take time and if they are solid black or even in darker shades, it is possible that the artist will use the ‘white out technique’;

This process includes going over darker colored tattoos with white ink in order to try and lighten up the coloring. Tattoo ink isn’t quite like paint, which you can put over a layer or two of primer and just continue with your work by applying new layers of color.

  1. Even if the artist uses the whitening technique, it’s quite likely that the overlay tattoo will require retouching after some time as the glimpses of an old tattoo might appear on the surface of the skin;

In Kelly’s case, she had vivid blues and reds in her old tattoo – which are difficult to cover with whitening. In addition – she didn’t exactly want a solid-black tribal over it. This is where the magic of the laser tattoo removal comes , by breaking the particles of the old ink to the extent that the skin is prepared for a cover up.

  • The Quanta Q-Plus C laser with its 3 wavelengths incorporated into one machine has the preciseness that enables the specialist to target a full range of colors, even the reds that are traditionally difficult to break;

By using a method of gradual lightening, a client is enabled to view the progress of tattoo removal after each session and decide together with their cover-up artist on when is the best time to do the new tattoo on top of the faded old one. The necessity for laser tattoo removal and the number of sessions depends on

  • the age of your old tattoo
  • how dark the colors are in the original tattoo
  • what colors you want included in your cover up tattoo
  • the complexity of the cover-up design.

When covering up an old, faded tattoo, you might end up with just one or two laser tattoo removal sessions. Likewise, if your cover up tattoo design is intricate and includes colors that are darker than those in the tattoo being covered, you may have just a few sessions of removal. Your artist will be able to advise you best on this matter. In the end, although you might come across opinions that lasers are a costly solution to getting rid of unwanted ink, by being able to see for yourself when is the best time to do the cover-up, you end up saving money and precious time – and most of all, your skin is properly prepared for the new ink.

Fortunately today with a whole variety of very sophisticated lasers we can get the ink lightened and create conditions for remodeling the appearance of your tattoo. Some clients will want just a partial removal without the laser affecting the surrounding area.

What matters the most in this process is to successfully incorporate the new design into an old one and not to damage the sections of the old tattoo that one wants kept. Take the best example – tattooing names of your kids as they come into this world – naturally you’ll want all the names to have the same size and that they are nicely placed one next to another, which can sometimes be a challenge if the skin surface for tattooing is limited.

However, by fading some elements of the old tattoos (eg. graphics that often go around the name), an artist can intertwine the letters and add another name, or nicely position a new tattoo so it goes in harmony with the first one.

The process requires blending, shading, detail and depth of color applied with skill, which is why it’s worth taking the time to find an artist who specializes in cover up tattoos. WHAT MATTERS IN A TATTOO COVER UPS DESIGN?   The best thing you can do as you embark on the journey of getting a cover-up tattoo is to stay flexible.

  • To get started, pull together a few ideas for cover-up tattoos that really appeal to you and that will have lasting meaning for you and pay a visit to a couple well-reputed tattoo artists who have extensive experience doing cover up tattoos.
  • Ask for their opinion on your preferred design ideas, see what they think will cover up your tattoo best and what edits, if any, they would make to ensure that your cover-up tattoo will be as successful as possible.
  • Look at each artist’s portfolio carefully, and decide who you think will do the best job based on their past work and your meetings with them.
  • The cover-up artist of your choice will guide you on stages like having laser tattoo removal to lighten up your old tattoo if it’s really dark or too dense to be hidden by the new tattoo you want, making your cover-up design more intricate to better camouflage aspects of your old tattoo, the ideal cover-up tattoo size and position needed to get the best possible outcome, and will advise you on what color palette should be utilized in your cover up tattoo.
  • Once your cover up tattoo is complete, your tattooist will also advise you if you should come back after it’s healed and have another layer of ink added to finish the job properly.

Can still see old tattoo under cover up?

Covering old tattoos must account for each of these natural skin processes. – The new tattoo must not go too deep, or it will cause blowout. The new ink will undergo the same fading and microscopic migration as the old ink. What results is that most cover-ups look great on day one, but over time, the ink settles in such a way that the old tattoo will show through.

Traditional cover-ups must also take into account that whichever ink is darker will be the one that is visible. Much like coloring on paper with crayons, you can’t cover black or purple with white or yellow.

Both pigments will coexist in the same layer of skin, and the darker one will overpower the lighter one. Some artists attempt to overpower the old ink with multiple layers packed with light ink, but even this technique will usually fade over time and allow the old art to be visible.

Is it hard to cover up a tattoo?

Tip 1: Find the Right Artist – How To Cover Up A Tattoo With Another Tattoo Coverup tattoo by Edward Kehoe As with any tattoo or body modification, finding the right artist plays a large role in the quality of your coverup. Do research to find the right tattoo artist to complete your coverup. Seek out tattoo artists who specialize in coverups and have experience modifying tattoos. Covering up an old tattoo can be a difficult process depending on the original piece of art, the placement and surrounding tattoos.

Choose an artist who has the skills necessary to completely hide your old tattoo and create something you’ll be proud to have on your body for the rest of your life. Covering up a coverup proves to be very hard for tattoo artists and is very limiting.

Make sure your coverup is something you definitely want to have on your skin forever. You’ll also want to find a tattoo artist who specializes in the style of tattoo you would like to have coverup the original. In many instances, you’ll have to go darker to cover up the original design, which means watercolor probably isn’t ideal for a coverup but can be depending on the piece.