Videos & Livestreams
Breaking Through The Shapes of the Old Tattoo
Breaking Through The Shapes of the Old Tattoo
“To cover that band, I was going to need some big, beefy, kind of chunky shapes.”
- Jake Meeks
Cover up designs require careful consideration when it comes to the kinds of shapes used; they must effectively break apart, conceal and integrate with the problematic area. It's a good idea to section off or chunk out the old tattoo into smaller areas and shapes instead of trying to just cover the whole thing in one go.
When you have a thick black armband like this, making huge wide shapes can create motion, fluidity, and direction in your design. For example, Jake used the blocky shape of this hammerhead shark to cut through the band at an angle which draws viewers' attention up into the waves before leading them down, past the old tattoo towards the other elements of the design.
You’re also going to need to make multiple passes at this stage, so packing in a layer of white into the thick dark areas at each pass can really help to break those shapes down even further. Now, you’ll never really be able to get rid of the black completely, this only lightens it about 15-20% every healed layer. This starts to neutralize the area and gives you some extra workability room to come in later with other shapes and colors.
Lastly for this section, the key to ensuring the new design stands out over the old one is contrast. Make sure the new design has darker features and hues compared to the original tattoo, as this will make a huge difference in separating both designs.
Watch the full episode:
White Ink Over Black Ink!?! | 3 Minutes to Better Tattooing |
Plan As If the Client is Getting their Whole Body Tattooed
Plan As If the Client is Getting their Whole Body Tattooed
“I didn’t think I’d have to deal with that tattoo. But, as we start the first block-in sitting, the client mentioned that he wants to cover the band and move past it.”
- Jake Meeks
Tattooers doing large scale work, often when asked about their process for starting a design, mention planning ahead "as if" the client is getting their whole body tattooed. Ensure that you are taking into consideration not just the area you're going to work on, but also leaving room or shapes for potential additional tattoos or designs to be added on later. Not only does it make it easier for you or the next person, but it makes it easier and more satisfying for the client.
Planning out the design as if it will become a full sleeve is really ideal, and gives you a chance to think of some “What If” scenarios. Things like running up against existing tattoos when the client wants to extend the piece, what other ideas the client might have down the road, or in the case of the clip what would you come up with if they DO decide it’s time for a cover up.
Honestly, it's really common for the client to change their mind or get inspired mid-tattoo. So always keeping that in mind and planning ahead “just in case” can keep you from getting into tight spots. And, could really be incorporated into most of your process and design choices.