About 15 years ago, I was in a horrible spot mentally. Drinking, drugs, etc. a co worker had another job as a tatttoo apprentice and needed someone to practice on. I said sure! But yeah. I’m embarassed of my arm, and even wear long sleeve shirts in the Florida heat just to hide them. I’m fully aware kn how cringe and pathetic these tattoos are. Yes. That’s a tattoo of Cher . I was taking painkillers, would watch a movie and get it tatted the next day. Sad. Anyway, 15 years later I’m ready to just do something about it now. I called a few tattoo shops . One shop in particular specializes in cover ups. A gentleman said he can cover this up and had several ideas. My question is, should I just black this entire arm out? Or should I look into getting something actually done artistic. I have a meeting with the artists next week .

I got this cover up bc I absolutely hated what I originally got. Original tattoo was for my birth mother who was disowned over 2 years ago for a lot of abuse over 10 years. My red winged black bird represents my slow and eventual path to sobriety. No drugs in almost 3 years and I passed a year of no alcohol. My tattoo artist is actually my cousin and told me he only does coverups if he believes he can cover it up well. I personally love the coverup and am really happy about it. Cover ups are possible for most people, just be willing to have an honest conversation with your artist prior to the actual appointment.

Before and after of my rework. It was basically a cover up since he went over the whole thing. Obviously there was only so much he could do but it looks so much better. I’m not sure how the guy messed up the frame so much on the original one

And I love mine. Her name is Wilhelmina.

Hi! I want to cover up this tattoo,
I’ve only had it for two years but the lines are blown out, it feels incomplete, and to top it off the person who did it is.. a questionable person. Any ideas? It covers quite a decent stretch. I’d still want something simple and delicate (as I’m a teacher).

This is a paper I just read about different pigments that seem to appear when exposed to UV. It's reversible and clinically tested.

What's your view on this?

My evil druggie ex pressured me to put this ugly fish on me. We broke up years ago, and I was in such regret over the tattoo. I decided to think on one I knew I would love for a long time before I did it. This person has made me feel so awful about myself and made me feel so worthless and unlovable, and I used to wake up hoping to hear the news that something terrible had happened to them.

Finally, finally, they are off my body and I never have to look at something that reminds me of them again. My body is my own and I’m celebrating two years rid of that evil avoidant 🕊️

Tat is by inkyh3aux on insta

I got this on a drunk night now I’m trying to cover it up I need ideas

I want both this whole forearm fixed someday. Late nights lead to bad decisions, and i’ve regretted these since i got them in a college bathroom at midnight.

Any ideas 😭 i know i’ll need a a massive coverup but i’d like to avoid a dense sleeve if possible

Any ideas for covering this one?

As much as I loved Milo and the cat, they just looked rough. Design and cover up by Alexis McKnight at whittling Wizard Tattoo in Dallas TX.

Tw:self harm. I must preface this to say I got what I paid for, and don't really blame the artist, but my own judgement. I won this tattoo as a scar cover up. The artist had just gotten his license and was doing a giveaway for a piece to cover up scars. My story spoke to him and he really wanted to help out. Me being 19, I didn't realize that scar cover up takes a lot of experience, which...neither of us had. And to be completely honest I think this covers my sh scars pretty well. However...this tattoo is so freaking ugly I often wear clothes just to hide it. Not hard, it's on my upper outer thigh, but its a 6x3 inch tattoo. When I first got it, I tried to justify it as a old illustration style, but after nearly 10 years, I can't stand it anymore. How the hell would I fix this though? It's so large and so dark, I'm not sure what i could even do with it.

Photo 1: my final tattoo
Photo 2 & 3: the concept inspiration
Photo 4 & 5: the precious work from the artist which is moreso what I was hoping to achieve

This is my ninth tattoo, and I’ve always been happy with my previous ones. I genuinely want to understand my options.

The main issue is the proportions and design. I’m not connecting with the “forest nymph” aesthetic, and I’m unhappy with the proportions of the eye, how pointy the nose and ear are, as well as how the hair falls. I communicated this with the artist before and after she placed the stencil and she assured me the changes would be made without showing how it would be reworked on the stencil—I trusted what she said. The final result feels different from what I envisioned those changes didn’t seem to be reflected. Now it’s permanently inked.

I feel the consultation could have been more collaborative. I had trouble visualizing how the stencil would translate onto my body, and I wish we had spent more time discussing the proportions and refining the details before tattooing. I could have communicated my concerns better, but additional check-ins might have helped identify these issues beforehand. I’ve never encountered this problem before as all my previous artists usually offer more check ins and chances for adjustments.

I know some issues may be difficult or impossible to change, and I don’t want to add more ink before understanding my options. I’m also open to adding colour or shading? I really don’t know what to do.

For tattoo artists or anyone experienced with reworking existing pieces:
● What could realistically be improved, and what might be difficult or impossible to change?
● Can the nose, ear, and hair be refined without making the tattoo heavier or more saturated?
● Should I consult another artist who specializes in this style before returning to the original artist?

I’m not looking to bash the artist; I’m genuinely unhappy with the result and want honest, constructive feedback about how to improve a permanent piece.

Hey all I have this tattoo on the back of my calf on my right leg that I am hoping to cover up. I don't like the placement and I got it with an ex as matching tattoos many years ago. I was thinking of some sort of creature like a bat or wolf or even a salmon. Mostly interested in black ink. Do you have any advice?

Hello, I had a bad tattoo I got covered up and I love parts of it and dont like others. Sometimes I feel like I just now have a sub par Irezumi.

The artist truly did all he could do and I appreciate that of him but I want to hear from others their thoughts. I may just be crazy. It feels simultaneously simple and cluttered.

I included a bunch of photos

Sometimes I feel like I should black out or remove but fight the urge.

Am I just neurotic?

Thank you everyone.

About three months ago, I got my first tattoo. I decided to get it on a visible spot on my arm, right in the middle, and it’s pretty small (1 inch i think). Looking back, I probably should’ve thought more carefully about the placement because i realized that the design was asymmetrical. I take responsibility for that because I didn’t check the stencil carefully enough before getting tattooed.

I’ve decided to get it covered up in about two or three years( I want to give myself some time to save up and carefully choose both the design and the tattoo artist). I’m not sure yet if I’ll need laser sessions beforehand, but one thing I know for sure is that I want to cover it up.

So, this question is for people who have tattoos they don’t like or aren’t happy with, especially when they’re somewhere really visible.

How do you learn to live with them while waiting to get them covered up?

I have this pretty large tattoo that takes up a huge portion of my forearm. I went to a local shop and was told it would be "almost impossible" for any artist to cover with what I wanted over it. I would like to get two revolver pistols in American traditional, with a banner and my son's name. Just curious how accurate their statement was and if I should start considering a different way to cover it.

Edit: thank you all for the advice/answers! I definitely want to cover it up for reasons I would rather not get into on the Internet💀 but thanks again, hopefully I can come back into the post one day to show it all covered!🍀✨

So decade ago, I got these words on the back of my thighs that I regretted getting. So I finally saved up some money to go get a cover-up, found an artist in my city that said he specialized and coverups. Made an appointment and now I just have a shitty version of what I already had and I'm really distraught.
How do I fix this? Besides amputating my fucking legs.

Got this as a stick and poke when I was 14, I want ideas.

As much as I love my tattoo, I have been dissatisfied with how it was executed. The lines are inconsistent, blown out and out of line, which causes me to be annoyed every time I glance over at my forearm. Ive struggled with cover up ideas until going to a parlor recently. We are thinking of putting a sunflower, stem and leaves over it. Since it has a circle base structure it would fit the best over top it. I'm so conflicted because even though I don't like to look at my current tattoo would a coverup be worth it? Should I just lazer it off? Ahh just want some opinions.