Old ink, reworked
Fixing what's Cover-ups
Almost nobody keeps every tattoo they've ever wanted. Names change, trends age badly, and plenty of work out there was rushed, done cheap, or done by someone who shouldn't have been holding a machine. A cover-up turns that into something you'll actually want people to see.
Cover-ups and clean-ups are a specialty here — over three decades of them, in a private studio in Parksville serving Qualicum Beach, Nanaimo and central Vancouver Island.
What can be covered
The honest version, because it saves everyone time: a cover-up has to be darker and bigger than what's underneath. Ink doesn't erase ink. Light, faded, small work gives a lot of freedom. Heavy black, dense saturated colour, or a large solid piece narrows the options — sometimes to the point where a session or two of laser lightening first will get you a far better result than forcing it.
What almost always works: organic, high-contrast subjects with plenty of movement and dark areas to hide the old lines — florals, foliage, animals, textures, smoke, stone. What rarely works: fine line over heavy black, pale pastel over dark, or anything with lots of open skin in the design.
A clean-up instead
Sometimes the piece is worth keeping and just needs rescuing. Shaky linework re-cut, patchy shading filled, faded colour brought back, a bad edge redrawn. A clean-up is cheaper and faster than a cover-up, and if that's the better call for your tattoo, you'll be told so rather than sold a bigger job.
How it goes
1. Send a photo. Natural light, no flash, straight on, with the whole tattoo in frame. Text it to (250) 813-1667 or attach it to the consult form.
2. Free consult. Thursdays and Fridays, or by arrangement. We look at it in person, talk about what's realistic, and land on a direction.
3. Design. Drawn specifically for your piece — the design has to work around what's already there, so cover-ups are never picked off a wall.
4. Session. Larger cover-ups often run over two or more sittings, with healing time between.
What it costs
The same rates as any other work: $200/hr, $200 minimum, $500 for a half day, $850 for a full day. Deposits start at $100 and come off the final price. Cover-ups usually take longer than a fresh tattoo of the same size, because there's more to build up — you'll get a realistic time estimate at the consult, not after.
Examples
Recent work
Questions
Good to know
Can any tattoo be covered up?
Most can, but not all in one step. A cover-up has to be darker and larger than what's underneath, so heavy black or dense colour sometimes needs a few laser sessions to lighten it first. Send a photo and you'll get a straight answer before you commit to anything.
Will the old tattoo still show?
Done properly, no — not in normal light and not to anyone who doesn't already know it's there. That's exactly why the new design has to be built around the old one rather than simply drawn on top of it.
Do I need laser removal first?
Sometimes. If the existing piece is very dark or very solid, two or three lightening sessions open up far more design options and give a much better final result. It gets discussed at the consult, and it isn't recommended unless it genuinely helps.
How much does a cover-up cost?
$200/hr with a $200 minimum, half day $500, full day $850. Cover-ups generally take longer than fresh work of the same size. You get a time estimate at the consult.
How long does it take?
Small cover-ups are often a single session. Larger ones usually run across two or more sittings with healing time in between — rushing a cover-up is how you end up with a muddy one.
Ready when
you are.
Free consultations Thursdays and Fridays in Parksville — or send the details over and we'll start there.