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Cover-Up Tattoos: How Old Ink Is Transformed Into New Art
January 25, 2026 6 min read
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Don't laser it—transform it. How we hide names, faded tribal, and mistakes with clever design.
A cover-up is a magic trick. We don't just put ink on top; we use the eye's tendency to follow flow and light to distract from the old scar.
The Rules of Cover-Ups
- Go Bigger: The new design usually needs to be 2-3x the size of the original to allow for proper camouflage.
- Go Darker (Selectively): We use deep blues, greens, and blacks to mask the old pigment. Yellows and whites won't work.
- Texture is King: Designs with scales, feathers, or petals work best because their organic texture hides the rigid lines of old text or tribal work.
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