Cover-Up Tattoos

Start with clear photos

Send one straight photo in daylight and one from a slight angle. Keep the whole tattoo and some clear skin in the frame. Add its width and height in centimetres, the body area, its approximate age and any laser history. Show raised or scarred areas as they really look, without filters.

Tell me what matters most: hiding the old shape, keeping the new tattoo compact, or using a particular subject or colour. Those priorities can lead to different drawings. Photos are enough for the first review. I may still need to see the area in person before I confirm the design, quote or appointment.

What the old tattoo allows

I look at the darkest lines, solid areas, colours, gaps and the way the old shape sits on the body. The new tattoo often needs to extend beyond the old edges, though there is no rule that it must be twice the size. I choose the scale from the actual tattoo and explain which parts of your idea can stay.

A name, home-made tattoo or older piece is assessed without judgement. Long script may need a composition that moves across it rather than a small symbol placed on top. Dense tribal or solid black work leaves fewer light options and may need a larger or darker subject, more clear skin, or some lightening first. Pale colour and soft shading cannot simply cancel dark pigment.

The finished drawing still has to look like a complete tattoo. I place stronger detail and darker values where they can break up the old outline, then check the stencil on the body before I begin.

Scars, laser and healed corrections

I only consider a fully settled surgical scar after at least 1 year, or a burn scar after at least 2 years. These are studio planning minimums, not medical clearance. If the area is sore, itchy, changing or becoming more raised, speak to a GP or doctor first. In its advice on scars after cancer surgery, HSE lymphoedema-prevention guidance advises asking a doctor about physiotherapy when a scar causes pain or limits movement. I can assess a settled area for tattoo planning, but I cannot diagnose skin.

I first check whether the tattoo can be covered directly. Most of my Cover-Up work so far has not needed laser, but every tattoo still needs its own assessment. Partial lightening can create better options when the old piece is very dark or leaves little open space. I don't provide laser treatment, recommend a particular clinic or estimate the number of treatments.

A faint part of the old tattoo can sometimes show after the first session. I assess that ghosting after healing and agree any correction before another appointment. We discuss that possibility before the first appointment.

Rework, price and real examples

A Touch-Up refreshes a small part of the existing tattoo. A rework keeps the original subject but redraws or extends it. A cover-up uses a new composition to draw attention away from the old work. Tell me if you want to keep the original idea, as that changes the route I recommend.

Cover-Up starts from €150 and consultation is required. One appointment can run from 2 to 5 hours, while larger or more difficult pieces may need several. I confirm the quote only after checking the old tattoo and the proposed size, placement, detail and colour. The pricing guide explains the main factors, and the free consultation is the place to send the first details.

My Cover-Up portfolio shows real starting points and finished work. The Astronaut Forearm Cover-Up took 3 hours. The Red Poppy Upper-Back Cover-Up took 3 hours 30 minutes, and the Tiger Shoulder Cover-Up took 4 hours. Each was one session.

Not every cover-up fits one appointment. The Tiger Cover-Up Tattoo needed 8 hours over 2 sessions. Those timings apply only to those tattoos and are not an estimate for new work.

After assessment, there are three possible routes. A direct cover-up can work, lightening would open better options, or the subject needs to change. If there is a workable plan, the booking form is the next step before you travel to Birr.