Cover-Up Tattoos: The Art of Hiding Regrets

We've all been there. A drunken decision in Bali, an ex-partner's name, or just a piece of art that hasn't aged well. The good news? You aren't stuck with it. Cover-ups are a specialized skill at Bad Apples.

The Golden Rule: Darker & Larger

To cover a tattoo, the new design usually needs to be 3x larger than the original. Why? We need clean skin around the old tattoo to distract the eye. Also, you cannot cover black ink with yellow ink. Deep colors (blues, purples, blacks, greens) work best.

Your Choices Are Limited

Not every design works as a cover-up. Geometric, Mandalas, and Traditional styles (lots of black) are excellent. Watercolor or Fine Line designs are terrible cover-ups because they are too transparent.

Laser Lightening

Sometimes, the old tattoo is just too dark or dense. In these cases, we recommend 2–3 sessions of laser removal first. It doesn't need to be gone, just faded. This opens up your design options significantly.

Trust Your Artist

Cover-ups require strategic placement. If we say a design won't work, trust us. We are trying to stop you from having a 'double blob' situation. Come in for a consult and let us draw a solution for you.