11+ YEARS IN BRISTOL
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TALENTED ARTISTS OVER MANY STYLES
THE BASICS
What is a cover up tattoo?
A cover up tattoo is a new tattoo placed over an existing one, carefully designed to conceal, incorporate, or completely transform the old tattoo beneath.
Whether you're dealing with a name you'd rather forget, a design that's aged badly, or a piece of work that no longer represents who you are, a cover up tattoo offers a way forward without laser removal. Done well, a great cover up replaces it with something that looks like it was always meant to be there.
At Forever Bound Tattoo Studio in Bristol, cover up work is something we approach with real care. It requires a particular set of skills: the ability to read an existing design, understand how the old ink will interact with new pigment, and engineer a piece that achieves genuine, lasting coverage.
Three types of cover up tattoos
COMPLETE COVERAGE
A new design that fully covers and conceals the old tattoo. Typically requires a bolder, darker, or larger design. The most common approach for unwanted tattoos.
CREATIVE REINVENTION
The existing tattoo becomes part of the new design, incorporated rather than hidden. Great for tattoos with strong shapes that can be worked into something new.
BLAST OVER
A new tattoo placed directly over the old one without attempting to hide it, creating a layered, textured effect. Works best with bold, high-contrast designs.
WHAT'S POSSIBLE
Can any tattoo be covered up?
Most tattoos can be covered up, but the right approach depends on several factors. The good news is that cover up tattoos have come a long way, and a skilled specialist can work with far more challenging pieces than many people expect.
There are several things we'll assess during your free consultation:
How dark & dense the existing ink is
Size & placement of the original tattoo
Whether there is any raised scarring or texture
How old & faded the existing tattoo is
The area of the body it is on
A cover up tattoo will generally need to be larger and darker than the original. This is a natural constraint of the process and not a limitation of the artist's skill.
ON LASER REMOVAL
Do you need laser treatment first?
Not always, and this is something we'll give you an honest assessment of during your consultation.
Many tattoos can be covered directly, without any laser treatment whatsoever. That said, for very dark, saturated, or heavily packed tattoos, a couple of sessions of laser lightening can make a significant difference to the final result giving the cover up design more freedom and a cleaner canvas to work on.
We'll never push you towards laser treatment unnecessarily. Our goal is always to find the most effective route to a result you'll genuinely love and we'll tell you honestly if we think it will make a difference in your specific case.
Scarred or raised skin behaves differently to unaffected skin. During healing, textured areas may still be slightly felt or visible beneath the new tattoo, something we'll always be upfront about.
OUR TATTOO COVER UPS
Before & after examples
Every tattoo in our studio is a bespoke design specifically for that person. These are real cover up transformations carried out by our artists.
BEFORE - Cover Up One
BEFORE - Cover Up Two
BEFORE - Cover Up Three
AFTER - Cover Up One
AFTER - Cover Up Two
AFTER - Cover Up Three
DESIGN APPROACH
What styles work best for cover up tattoos?
Some tattoo styles lend themselves particularly well to cover up work. At Forever Bound, our artists are experienced across a range of styles and we'll always help & guide you towards the approach that best suits your situation.
Bold black designs are one of the most effective tools for cover up work. The density and opacity of solid black ink is unmatched for concealing dark or complex existing tattoos and the results can be genuinely striking.
Strong outlines and solid colour fills are excellent for complete coverage. The bold visual language of traditional tattooing is well-suited to designs that need to make a confident statement over old ink.
Heavy shading and tonal contrast can be used cleverly to absorb old linework into a new design. Black and grey realism is particularly effective because the gradual tonal range offers a great deal of flexibility.
Leaves, petals, and organic flowing shapes are naturally forgiving and can be composed to flow beautifully over old tattoos of many shapes. A popular choice for cover up designs.
Browse all tattoo styles offered at Forever Bound Tattoo Studio. VIEW OUR STYLE GUIDE
IN EXPERT HANDS
Our cover up tattoo specialist
Cover up tattoos require a very particular skillset that goes beyond standard tattooing. At Forever Bound, we have a dedicated specialist whose focus and passion is transforming unwanted ink.
COVER UP SPECIALIST
Toni Moore
Toni Moore is the founder of Forever Bound Tattoo Studio and has been tattooing professionally since 2007. Toni enjoys the journey of taking an old tattoo and turning it into something her clients can be proud of
BEFORE & AFTER EXAMPLE
STEP 1
Free in-person consultation
Come and see us at our Bristol studio. We'll look at your existing tattoo, talk through your ideas, and give you honest advice about what's achievable with no obligation to book.
Please book your appointment in advance so we can allocate quality time to you.
STEP 2
Custom design
Once you're happy to proceed & upon receiving your deposit and your artist will create a design that works with the size and shape of the existing tattoo, while making sure the end result is something you're genuinely excited about.
STEP 3
Your session
Depending on the complexity of the cover up, it may take one or more sessions to complete. We'll be upfront about this from the start too. Most cover ups are completed in one or two sittings.
STEP 4
Aftercare and healing
Your artist will give you full aftercare guidance and, importantly, are always available if you have questions during healing.
Proper aftercare is essential for a great result.
Contact The Studio
Whether you have a question regarding your design ideas, not sure who to book in with or anything else, our friendly team is always happy to help. Please fill out the details below and we will get back to you shortly.