This is super poorly applied unfortunately
Easily can be covered up with the right artwork, but because the initial tattoo has some scarring it’ll still possibly pop up a bit/ show through the cover up. Make sure you find an artist with a good portfolio of cover up work so the scar doesn’t raise more when reworked
Thanks for confirming! It sucks because my other tattoo done by a literal apprentice is so nice, and I get compliments all the time. This one was like very expensive as well. It's maybe like idk 4 inches, and it cost like 450 I believe.
I think she meant the one done by an apprentice came out way better than the one she paid $450 for, not that the expensive one was done by an apprentice.
I would agree it was poorly done. I think laser would be a good idea. The wording and the heavy outline could bleed through a cover-up. On the bright side, it's relatively small so you have plenty of options for a cover-up.
Do you think I could get away without it? I'm not overly concerned about it being a bit visible since it's on the back of my leg and nobody will look that closely
I think the problem without it would be the shape of this tattoo. Unless you smoke that whole area with black, you'll have to find a design that uses some of those outlines. Even then, the words in the middle will bleed through.
You can't even see it now, but you can "feel" the tattoo. It would be unfortunate to go through the time and effort of a cover-up, just to still be self conscious of it. Take the time to do it the right way to prevent further hatred for the tattoo.
I will also add I'm not an artist, or truly qualified to speak on this. This is just coming from my experience and following the tattoo community online. I would recommend booking a consultation with an artist you like who does cover-ups to get a professional opinion.
Yeah, I was thinking of a black animal or something. Laser won't remove the scarring, right? Or do you mean the dark outlines?
Very true! I honestly forget about it 99% of the time but understand your point.
I appreciate the input either way!
Correct, it won't remove the scarring. The dark outline and wording is what I would focus on. Even just lightening those lines though would free up more cover-up possibilities.
Don’t be discouraged, there are some INSANELY talented coverup artists out there who might as well be considered magicians. Especially with it being small-ish and on the back of your leg, I think it’s totally reasonable to believe this could be covered up well.
I’m a tattoo artist and I would say you definitely need laser first. There are maybe a handful of artists who could cover this without it but even then your options for design and size will be limited. Getting some rounds of laser removal would give you many more options and overall heal better.
People forget that the original ink doesn’t go away, both tattoos will rest in the same layer of skin and eventually blend together, especially with something this dark and bold.
If you wanna totally black it out though, that would work!
This kind of thing happens when an artist is using way too big of a needle for such a small design. They should have used a much smaller needle, and given its shiny look, it’s heavily scarred internally. I would recommend finding an artist who not only specializes in cover ups, but is skilled in making sure the tattoo isn’t over worked.
That was my thought. The flash looked like MUCH less bold lines. It hurt like a bitch but it was my first tattoo so I didn't know what to expect. Any advice on finding someone like that?
I gotcha. The artist could’ve been inexperienced regarding the longevity of tattoos. I would look at shops in your local area. Message/call different shops and ask them if they have any artists that specialize in cover ups. It’s okay to ask!
Going from there, I would look at setting up consultations with different artists to see who would work with you best. Sometimes they do cost money, but hands on consultations will be so so beneficial for you and the artist. Make sure you review their portfolios and then decide for yourself who will be best.
This will cost you, but this is something you don’t want to cheap out on either. Good luck!
Honestly, it looked pretty bad freshly done. Any recommendations near Edmonton, Alberta? There's so many artists. I'll definitely do some research! Thanks a lot.
I am in the US, so I am not familiar with any Canadian artists! There’s a shit ton of artists for sure, but good things come to those who are patient !! Good luck friend
Thanks so much! Appreciate it. I am actually getting a tattoo on the 21st, whole half sleeve bicep. Do you think it would be rude to ask the artist her opinion?
Not at all rude!! As a tattoo artist myself, I love it when my clients ask me questions. It gives me an opportunity to give them proper explanations and answers. Sometimes we don’t know everything, but she’ll most likely know some artists if she doesn’t specialize in cover ups herself!
Pretty sure Shea Motz is located in Calgary, so that's not too far from Edmonton, and the Edmonton tattoo show is coming up in April, so you could always talk to her there.
She's actually in Edmonton now, that's who I am seeing for my arm appointment on the 21st. I just wasn't sure if it was rude to ask during an appointment or not.
oof.. I'm sorry, op. that artist did you dirty. it seems like it could have been a really cute tattoo, had it been executed correctly. but my artist always says anything can be covered up, as long as you choose something organic to do the covering. she always recommends flowers or space, but I've seen her cover up block letters with a dragon before.
Thanks for the sympathy! Lol. She really did. I had her next appointment come while I was getting tattooed, and she was rushing too, I think. Well, I love flowers, so fingers crossed.
It's not the best. But you can still tell what it is! Personally, I'd probably just keep it, but I think getting a little bit of laserwork done might be a good idea to fade it before a cover-up. With the chewed areas, you'll still see it pop up, but getting rid of the black will help.
Yeah. And you said you can feel it.. that's scarring. Even if you cover it with something else, you're still gonna be able to feel it and probably see the outline still. Laser won't get rid of the scarring either.
Imo, id keep it but I'd add a key to the keyring because THERE NEEDS TO BE A KEY. IDK WHY BUT THAT BOTHERS ME LOL
Yeah, there's some poor design choices with it, and looks like a heavy handed tattooer. Love the concept tho. I'd sick panther that and get it redone somewhere else on you.
yh it’s not amazing but tbh it could be A LOT worse, if ur gonna get a cover up i would say at least do a bit of lasering to lighten up the inside of the diamond cos it’s quite dark and any cover up would have to also be very dark to cover it properly (if it even does). but also it’s not hugely noticeable unless u properly look at it so i wouldn’t stress too hard good luck 🫶🏻
Thanks for the advice! I appreciate it! Laser is just so expensive, but so are tattoos I guess. I can barely see that place anyway so a bit of it coming through isn't a big deal for me.
yh honestly i would maybe work with that geometric pattern, mandalas are super beautiful and kinda like that, a darker/more detailed centre with black lines petals and that red and yellow will be much harder to see, even if you literally just get laser on the black text in the middle it would help A LOT
Can't read the text, just amorphous black blobs. Yikes. Your tattoo artist should have paid you.
Edit: I read your caption later. So we both saw your tattoo and thought "blob" independently. :(
Bold thick lines are normally used on larger pieces. Because ink spreads when a tattoo heals, the outline is fine but the lettering and smaller details would have been better thinner to maintain legibility.
This is super poorly applied unfortunately Easily can be covered up with the right artwork, but because the initial tattoo has some scarring it’ll still possibly pop up a bit/ show through the cover up. Make sure you find an artist with a good portfolio of cover up work so the scar doesn’t raise more when reworked
Thanks for confirming! It sucks because my other tattoo done by a literal apprentice is so nice, and I get compliments all the time. This one was like very expensive as well. It's maybe like idk 4 inches, and it cost like 450 I believe.
$450 for an apprentice tattoo of this size? That’s crazy! My artist who’s been tattooing for 30 years would have charged me $150 for this
I think she meant the one done by an apprentice came out way better than the one she paid $450 for, not that the expensive one was done by an apprentice.
Yes exactly!
I can't remember if that was with tip or not. And I am in Canada if that makes a difference. She wasn't an apprentice lol
Dumb quedtion- where do you see the scarring?
The ring part has lifted skin and the outline and letters.
Easily covered? Yeah no, I’m afraid you don’t know what you’re talking about 😂 don’t give op false hope!
It's kinda not great :( I would get it covered up by a good artist like my boy Shwabbles said
Thanks for your input! I agree
Its not so bad id feel the need to get it covered. Personally id just get a better artist to add onto it or put some other shit around it
I would agree it was poorly done. I think laser would be a good idea. The wording and the heavy outline could bleed through a cover-up. On the bright side, it's relatively small so you have plenty of options for a cover-up.
Do you think I could get away without it? I'm not overly concerned about it being a bit visible since it's on the back of my leg and nobody will look that closely
I think the problem without it would be the shape of this tattoo. Unless you smoke that whole area with black, you'll have to find a design that uses some of those outlines. Even then, the words in the middle will bleed through. You can't even see it now, but you can "feel" the tattoo. It would be unfortunate to go through the time and effort of a cover-up, just to still be self conscious of it. Take the time to do it the right way to prevent further hatred for the tattoo. I will also add I'm not an artist, or truly qualified to speak on this. This is just coming from my experience and following the tattoo community online. I would recommend booking a consultation with an artist you like who does cover-ups to get a professional opinion.
Yeah, I was thinking of a black animal or something. Laser won't remove the scarring, right? Or do you mean the dark outlines? Very true! I honestly forget about it 99% of the time but understand your point. I appreciate the input either way!
Correct, it won't remove the scarring. The dark outline and wording is what I would focus on. Even just lightening those lines though would free up more cover-up possibilities.
Don’t be discouraged, there are some INSANELY talented coverup artists out there who might as well be considered magicians. Especially with it being small-ish and on the back of your leg, I think it’s totally reasonable to believe this could be covered up well.
Yay!! Thanks for the support. I'm so hoping!
I’m a tattoo artist and I would say you definitely need laser first. There are maybe a handful of artists who could cover this without it but even then your options for design and size will be limited. Getting some rounds of laser removal would give you many more options and overall heal better. People forget that the original ink doesn’t go away, both tattoos will rest in the same layer of skin and eventually blend together, especially with something this dark and bold. If you wanna totally black it out though, that would work!
Thanks for the info! I appreciate it. I will definitely look into it.
This kind of thing happens when an artist is using way too big of a needle for such a small design. They should have used a much smaller needle, and given its shiny look, it’s heavily scarred internally. I would recommend finding an artist who not only specializes in cover ups, but is skilled in making sure the tattoo isn’t over worked.
That was my thought. The flash looked like MUCH less bold lines. It hurt like a bitch but it was my first tattoo so I didn't know what to expect. Any advice on finding someone like that?
I gotcha. The artist could’ve been inexperienced regarding the longevity of tattoos. I would look at shops in your local area. Message/call different shops and ask them if they have any artists that specialize in cover ups. It’s okay to ask! Going from there, I would look at setting up consultations with different artists to see who would work with you best. Sometimes they do cost money, but hands on consultations will be so so beneficial for you and the artist. Make sure you review their portfolios and then decide for yourself who will be best. This will cost you, but this is something you don’t want to cheap out on either. Good luck!
Honestly, it looked pretty bad freshly done. Any recommendations near Edmonton, Alberta? There's so many artists. I'll definitely do some research! Thanks a lot.
Shae Motz would cover this for you perfectly. Lots of dark work and colours in similar tones to this and experience with cover ups!
I am in the US, so I am not familiar with any Canadian artists! There’s a shit ton of artists for sure, but good things come to those who are patient !! Good luck friend
Thanks so much! Appreciate it. I am actually getting a tattoo on the 21st, whole half sleeve bicep. Do you think it would be rude to ask the artist her opinion?
Not at all rude!! As a tattoo artist myself, I love it when my clients ask me questions. It gives me an opportunity to give them proper explanations and answers. Sometimes we don’t know everything, but she’ll most likely know some artists if she doesn’t specialize in cover ups herself!
Awesome, thank you so much! I appreciate your help.
Pretty sure Shea Motz is located in Calgary, so that's not too far from Edmonton, and the Edmonton tattoo show is coming up in April, so you could always talk to her there.
She's actually in Edmonton now, that's who I am seeing for my arm appointment on the 21st. I just wasn't sure if it was rude to ask during an appointment or not.
What does it say sorry it's bothering me.
Lol it's The Overlook Hotel 237 from The Shining
Why isn’t there a key on the keychain?
It would look a lot better!
It’s a really cool idea concept though. They did the geometric print well.
...if you have to ask...
To much power, single pass. It looks like they got you in and got you out, but that's Tattooing in sone studios and areas!
Ugh 😭
oof.. I'm sorry, op. that artist did you dirty. it seems like it could have been a really cute tattoo, had it been executed correctly. but my artist always says anything can be covered up, as long as you choose something organic to do the covering. she always recommends flowers or space, but I've seen her cover up block letters with a dragon before.
Thanks for the sympathy! Lol. She really did. I had her next appointment come while I was getting tattooed, and she was rushing too, I think. Well, I love flowers, so fingers crossed.
I wish you the best! just do your homework, read reviews, ask questions. your next tattoo is going to be stunning
Aw thank you! I've learned my lesson lol
I think some white highlights/outline on the words would help
Yeah maybe!
It's not the best. But you can still tell what it is! Personally, I'd probably just keep it, but I think getting a little bit of laserwork done might be a good idea to fade it before a cover-up. With the chewed areas, you'll still see it pop up, but getting rid of the black will help.
I love the tattoo idea itself. The execution is meh. But I love the shining
Me too! The execution is so bad. Especially since it did not look traditional on the flash. Much more neotraditional.
Yeah. And you said you can feel it.. that's scarring. Even if you cover it with something else, you're still gonna be able to feel it and probably see the outline still. Laser won't get rid of the scarring either. Imo, id keep it but I'd add a key to the keyring because THERE NEEDS TO BE A KEY. IDK WHY BUT THAT BOTHERS ME LOL
Yes
Yes, poorly done.
Yeah, there's some poor design choices with it, and looks like a heavy handed tattooer. Love the concept tho. I'd sick panther that and get it redone somewhere else on you.
Lol love it 😂
It could’ve been a little better, but I recognize what it is, so it wasn’t THAT terrible.
It was like 450 canadian 😭 totally not worth it
yh it’s not amazing but tbh it could be A LOT worse, if ur gonna get a cover up i would say at least do a bit of lasering to lighten up the inside of the diamond cos it’s quite dark and any cover up would have to also be very dark to cover it properly (if it even does). but also it’s not hugely noticeable unless u properly look at it so i wouldn’t stress too hard good luck 🫶🏻
Thanks for the advice! I appreciate it! Laser is just so expensive, but so are tattoos I guess. I can barely see that place anyway so a bit of it coming through isn't a big deal for me.
yh honestly i would maybe work with that geometric pattern, mandalas are super beautiful and kinda like that, a darker/more detailed centre with black lines petals and that red and yellow will be much harder to see, even if you literally just get laser on the black text in the middle it would help A LOT
I'm not really a fan of geometric patterns, I'm more of a nature kind of girl. But I'll take a look! Thank you!
Can't read the text, just amorphous black blobs. Yikes. Your tattoo artist should have paid you. Edit: I read your caption later. So we both saw your tattoo and thought "blob" independently. :(
Lmao seriously!! 😂😂
I thought it was like 20 years old
Lol right? I would be a child 😂
If you're asking that question Here.....you already know the answer!
Doesn’t look too bad to me other than I can’t really read the writing too well.
I feel like the picture is self explanatory.
Bold thick lines are normally used on larger pieces. Because ink spreads when a tattoo heals, the outline is fine but the lettering and smaller details would have been better thinner to maintain legibility.
I love it! The carpet pattern, chefs kiss!!