Tattoos

Top 18 Tattoo Cover Up Before and Afters

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Published: 04.24.2024
Updated: 06.11.2024

If you have a tattoo you regret but love showing off inked skin, replacing a bad design with one you love is an ideal solution. Tattooing cover-ups is a specialized skill that leverages color theory and expert artistry to hide an old tattoo with new, beautiful ink. Professional tattoo cover up artists completely camouflage unwanted ink, making the old design disappear in fresh line work, vivid color, and optical illusions.

Are you considering a cover-up tattoo? Explore the best tattoo cover up before-and-after photos to better understand the process. The results are so astounding you wouldn’t know the tattoo is a cover-up. These expert tattooists have turned an old tattoo into a stunning work of art. Browse eighteen tattoo cover up before and after case studies and get inspiration for your next piece!

1. Samurai Tattoo to Thor Sleeve Cover Up

Tattoo cover up before and after pictures of a samurai tattoo vividly transformed into a very colorful Thor tattoo.

Who wouldn’t want a Marvel sleeve? Five laser tattoo removal sessions and that dense black samurai is now a bright and vibrant Thor sleeve! Cover up done by @evanolintattoo at @powerlinetattoo in Cranston, RI.

2. Prayer Hands to Japanese Sleeve Cover Up

Tattoo cover up before and after pictures of a prayer hands tattoo made into a very colorful Japanese sleeve tattoo.

Everyone went through the praying hands phase, am I right? #throwback to 2016šŸ™ One session to remove the clouds and lighten the hands and a Japanese traditional sleeve was born! Sleeve done by @kikupunk from @good_luck_nyc in NYC.

3. Music Note to Hyper-Realistic Octopus

Tattoo cover up before and after pictures of a musical note tattoo transformed into a hyper-realistic octopus tattoo.

A nice hyper-realistic cover up is music to our ears. Three laser removal sessions later and that note is gone! Re-tattoo was done by @andylargetattoo at @powerlinetattoo in Cranston, RI.

4. Geometric Shapes to Neo-traditional Krampus

Tattoo cover up before and after pictures of a geometric shape tattoo reimagined into a neo-traditional Krampus tattoo.

Who doesnā€™t love a half goat, half demon masterpiece? Five sessions on those old geometric shapes and @raptorlazer created this sick Krampus for @kellydotylovessoup at @9threalmgallery in Salem, MA.

5. BMW Logo Tattoo to Jaws

Tattoo cover up before and after pictures of a BMW hand tattoo made over into a great white shark Jaws tattoo.
Got rid of your old beamer? #RIPšŸš— Weā€™ve got you covered.Ā  Five laser removal sessions and this M-type logo hand tattoo turned into the jaws of your dreams. Duh dum, duh dum duhdum, duhdum, duhdum, duhdum!! Tattoo was done by the king of horror realism @paulackertattoo from the @theseancetattooparlor in Bensalem, PA.

Feeling inspired? Want to get your tattoo removed or faded before your next cover up?

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6. Faded Ink to Elaborate Panā€™s Labyrinth

Tattoo cover up before and after pictures of a faded tattoo to an elaborate Panā€™s labyrinth tattoo.

Canā€™t make out what that tattoo used to be? Get it touched up or faded to a whole new tattoo! This Panā€™s Labyrinth cover up is tattooed on @andylargetattoo and created by @evanolintattoo at @powerlinetattoo in Cranston, RI.

7. Portrait Tattoo to Vibrant Car Sleeve

Tattoo cover up before and after pictures of a faded female card player tattoo to a colorful car tattoo.

Our tastes change! We might like one style for a while then decide down the road to change it up. The same can happen with tattoos! Instead of just covering it up, you can fade it enough for more tattoo opportunities like this vibrant car sleeve. Three laser removal sessions later and @kelseykolors from @inkinktat in Missouri gave this client an awesome sleeve.

8. Flag Tattoo to The Apocalypse

Tattoo cover up before and after pictures of a flag tattoo transformed into the Apocalypse.

Placement matters! Some tattoos are placed in prime real estate. As we get older, we realize that a better tattoo could be in that same spot! Thatā€™s when two laser removal sessions on this flag tattoo came in handy for this apocalypse cover up. Tattoo was done by @mcarrotattoo at @undeadink in Oceanside, NY.

9. Snow White to Naruto Tattoo

Tattoo cover up before and after pictures of a Snow White tattoo reimagined into a vibrant Naruto tattoo.

Disney’s out, and Animeā€™s in! Donā€™t get us wrong, Snow White is the OG Disney princess! But Naruto’s all the rage nowadays. Three laser removal sessions later and this Snow White ate the apple. Tattoo was done by @melaninks at @obsidian.ink.fl in Jacksonville, FL.

10. Freddy Krueger to The Scream

Tattoo cover up before and after pictures of Freddy Krueger tattoo made into The Scream tattoo.

From one great horror film to the nextšŸ”Ŗ this Freddy Krueger tattoo took five laser sessions to fade. The Scream was done by @evanolintattoo at @powerlinetattoo in Cranston, RI.

 

11. Name Tattoo to Traditional Butterfly Tattoo Cover Up

Tattoo cover up before and after pictures of a name tattoo brilliantly transformed into a beautiful butterfly tattoo.

Three laser removal sessions and this badass traditional cover up was born! Tattoo was done by @xdxbx at @resolute_tattoo in Delmar, NY.

12. Patriotic Tattoo to Neo-traditional Rose

Tattoo cover up before and after pictures of a patriotic tattoo made into a beautiful neo traditional rose tattoo.

Full sleeve patriotic tattoo to a neo-traditional rose!šŸŒ¹ This tattoo took four laser removal sessions to fade enough for the cover up. The tattoo was done by @keithison at @sostattoos In Niagra Falls, NY.

13. Name Tattoo to Realistic Rose

Tattoo cover up before and after pictures of a name tattoo reimagined into a beautiful colorful rose tattoo.

We all make mistakes, and thatā€™s okay! You donā€™t have to live with Brandon on your back forever. This client received three laser removal sessions and covered it up with a realistic rose piece! Tattoo was done by @taylorkuhlmantattoosĀ atĀ @monster.ink.tattoo in Crystal Lake, IL.Ā 

14. Anchor Tattoo to Traditional Roses

Tattoo cover up before and after pictures of an anchor tattoo on a foot beautifully transformed into a rose tattoo.

Itā€™s not uncommon to cover up your first tattoo, but some are harder to cover than others!āš“ This tattoo had six laser removal sessions to lighten it enough for some traditional roses. Tattoo was done by @givemetheskull at @divinemachinetattoo in Buffalo, NY.

Is it time to transform and upgrade your tattoo into a brand-new masterpiece? We can help fade your tattoo before you book your next cover up!

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15. Landscape Half Sleeve to a Tiger’s Head

Tattoo cover up before and after pictures of a half sleeve landscape tattoo beautifully made into a tiger tattoo.

Who doesnā€™t want a sick tiger tattoo? One session to fade that old tattoo and the tiger was born!šŸÆĀ This tattoo was done by @stevebishov at @onthegrindtattoo in Sicklerville, NJ.

16. Chest Tattoos to Traditional Butterfly Piece

Tattoo cover up before and after pictures of a chest piece tattoo made into a colorful traditional butterfly tattoo.

You can get those ā€œdemonsā€ off your chest now, literally. Five laser removal sessions and those tattoos are covered by a large traditional inspired butterfly!šŸ¦‹ Tattoo done by @jasontalbot at @tantrumtattoo in Petersburg VA.

17. Portrait Tattoo to Flowers

Tattoo cover up before and after pictures of a portrait tattoo reimaged into a colorful flower tattoo.

A half sleeve portrait takes up a lot of usable canvas! Fade it with four laser removal sessions and smell the rosesšŸŒ¹ Tattoo done by @anz_tattoo at @sostattoos in Niagara Falls, NY.

18. Diamonds and Brass Knuckles to Sailor Moon Sleeve

Tattoo cover up before and after pictures of a diamonds and brass knuckles tattoo made into a Sailor Moon sleeve tattoo.

 

Diamonds and brass knuckles are a girl’s best friend? This client leveled up to a sailor moon sleeve!šŸŒ™ Four laser sessions later and tattoo artist @bunnymachine at @black_rabbit_tattoo in Richmond, VA, knocked it out!

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Removery has completed over 1,300,000 treatments and worked with thousands of tattoo artists- Check out our cover up page for more amazing results, and book a tattoo removal consultation today to remove or fade your tattoo before your next cover up.

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