Tattoo Cover Ups and Reworks
Can you cover up my tattoo?
Truth be told, it depends. Obviously, some things like ex's names, misspelled words, and stuff that no longer applies to your life (gang relations, hurt, and hate) will fall under the category of "things that need to be covered up". For everything else, I will always recommend fixing your existing tattoo before covering it up with something completely different. Fixing a bad tattoo saves you time, money, and a whole lot of hassle. Covering up a tattoo may require laser removal first, take multiple tattoo sessions to hide your existing tattoo, and can cost a lot of money.
Even after laser removal, scar tissue may show through. I personally have a cover up tattoo on my body. My original artist tattooed too deep and blew out some of the lines. Because of how deep she tattooed me, that area of my skin became scar tissue. Years after my coverup, sometimes that scar tissue still pokes through my cover up. My cover up tattoo sometimes looks raised in that area. It does this when there are changes in the weather, my skincare routine, when I'm sick, etc. So, just know that this may happen to you with your cover up as well.
Even after laser removal, scar tissue may show through. I personally have a cover up tattoo on my body. My original artist tattooed too deep and blew out some of the lines. Because of how deep she tattooed me, that area of my skin became scar tissue. Years after my coverup, sometimes that scar tissue still pokes through my cover up. My cover up tattoo sometimes looks raised in that area. It does this when there are changes in the weather, my skincare routine, when I'm sick, etc. So, just know that this may happen to you with your cover up as well.
Do I have to get laser removal before booking a cover up?
Not necessarily. It really depends on the artist you go to, the style you want, and what you want to cover your tattoo with. Obviously, a very dark black blob cannot be covered up with a tattoo with lots of light tones, white, and transparency in the design. However, a tattoo that has gone through several rounds of laser, where the ink dilutes to a light grey, the potential of what you can cover that tattoo with becomes much more flexible. Many artists will either recommend a client get laser first or won't do cover up tattoos at all.
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Pros of laser removal before a cover up:
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Pros of cover up tattoos without laser:
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Can you finish my tattoo?
Every now and again I have a few people ask me if I can finish their existing tattoo. I will always recommend going to the original artist to finish your piece. Your original artist has your artwork, knows what colors they used, already has rapport built with you, and uses a different pricing structure than I would. I understand that circumstances happen (you or your artist have moved states away, your artist is retired or no longer tattoos, your artist has passed away, etc.) that would require finding a new artist. I will review all tattoos requiring finishing or redesign on a case-by-case basis.
How frequently should a tattoo be touched up or refreshed?
After 6-8 weeks of heal-time your tattoo is mostly set into your skin. It is crucial that if you do any touch ups to your tattoo that you do it now. If you age your tattoo, even 1 years' time, any darkness or lightness you add to that tattoo will look greatly different. So, if you have a broken, patchy, or washed-out section of your tattoo, get your touch up done right away! The longer you wait for your tattoo to heal, that area that you "fix" will stand out like a sore thumb in comparison.
Anyone can refresh their tattoo at any time if they have the budget for it. Lighter colored pigment breaks down faster than dark colors. So, color tattoos may want a refresh every 5-10 years. Black and grey tattoos may want to be refreshed every 10+ years. However, it's all personal opinion and ultimately comes down to what you as a client would feel most content with. I have 10-year--old color tattoos on my body that still look just as bright as they did in year two without any further touch ups or refreshes.
Anyone can refresh their tattoo at any time if they have the budget for it. Lighter colored pigment breaks down faster than dark colors. So, color tattoos may want a refresh every 5-10 years. Black and grey tattoos may want to be refreshed every 10+ years. However, it's all personal opinion and ultimately comes down to what you as a client would feel most content with. I have 10-year--old color tattoos on my body that still look just as bright as they did in year two without any further touch ups or refreshes.
What does a rework look like?
When someone comes to me requesting a rework, I look at several factors. Are there any pain points in your existing tattoo? (Aka - What don't you like about your existing tattoo?) What would you like to see done differently? (Aka - What is the end result you are seeking?) What are things you like about your current tattoo that you want to remain the same? After looking at what you like and don't like, what you want to stay the same, and what you want to have done differently... Is what you want changed possible? If it is, then we can go ahead at booking a date right away. If it will require some back-and-forth brainstorming, we would either look at an in-person consultation, or we would have further communication via email. Sometimes, reworks may require multiple sessions. If you have a large project, each session will be booked approximately 6-8 weeks apart. A final touch up/white highlight session may round out your redesign to capture the best before/after photos.
