Can you cover an old tattoo with a realism piece?
This is a question I get quite a lot, and to be honest, I used to ask it myself years ago when I first started tattooing realism.
Can you cover an old tattoo with a realism piece? The short answer is yes, but it takes a bit of thought and planning.
Realism tattoos rely on soft transitions, subtle details and depth to create something lifelike. So when you’re trying to work over an old tattoo, especially something dark or with thick, solid outlines, it’s not as simple as just drawing over it. That’s where things like design strategy, colour choices, and sometimes even laser fading come in.
It’s a process I’ve refined over the years, and these days, I’m lucky to work alongside my wife, Kelly, who does laser tattoo removal right here in our studio. We’ve ended up teaming up on quite a few projects like this.
What makes a realism cover-up work?
When I’m planning a cover-up with realism, the first thing I look at is what’s already there: placement, size, how dark it is, and how it sits on the body. Usually, the new piece has to be bigger - not just to hide the old tattoo, but to give me enough room to build something that flows well and actually looks like it belongs there.
With colour realism, I can use contrast, texture, and depth to disguise the old tattoo. If I can work in darker tones and shadowy areas where the original tattoo is strongest, that gives me space to redirect the eye and let the lighter parts breathe elsewhere in the design. I often sketch the layout with this in mind - where the darkest parts need to fall, where the eye should land first, and how the forms can overlap without anything feeling forced.
Some subjects work better than others for cover-ups, but almost anything can be adjusted to fit. I always discuss options with the client and plan the design so depth, shading, and flow hide the old tattoo while still creating something you’ll love.
Sometimes, though, the old tattoo is just too strong to work with as it is. That’s when I turn to Kelly.
She does laser tattoo removal and fading, and we work together often when a client wants a realism cover-up that really works. We’re lucky that we’re both under one roof at the studio as it makes the whole process simpler and more personal for the client too.
Laser doesn’t mean wiping the old tattoo away completely. Often just one or two sessions can lighten it enough to give me more freedom with the design. Once it’s faded down a bit, I’m not fighting the old lines or density - I can build something smoother and more balanced.
I’ve seen first-hand how much of a difference it makes. Plus, Kelly’s great with clients - she’s honest, clear about what’s realistic, and genuinely cares about making the tattoo process easier. I may be biased, but I think she’s brilliant at what she does ;)
One of the best examples of this was a piece I posted recently. The client had an old outline tattoo that they wanted to transform into something much better, and bigger. Kelly did a couple of sessions of laser to fade it, and then I stepped in to design and tattoo a new piece on top. The result will be a full-colour realism tattoo with good depth and flow, and you’ll never know something else was there before. It’s still in progress, but this is how much progress we’ve made so far:
If you’re thinking about covering an old tattoo with realism, here are a few things I’d suggest:
Bigger is better - the new design needs enough space to breathe and to work around the old one.
Laser might be part of the process - not always, but sometimes even one session can make a big difference.
Trust the process - every cover-up is unique, and the concept might need to be adjusted slightly as we find what works best with your old tattoo.
If you’ve got an old tattoo you’d like to transform, feel free to get in touch. I’m happy to take a look and let you know what’s possible - and if laser fading would help, Kelly can give you a plan too. We’ve helped quite a few clients through this process now, and it’s always rewarding to see them walk away with something they’re proud of again.
Thanks for reading, and as always, feel free to message me if you’ve got questions or want to chat through an idea.
Tibor