Every week I drive to work, I feel like I notice a new tattoo shop. Every time I spin through Instagram for a minute, I feel like I find five more people that have just begun tattooing in Orlando. It's an industry that exploded in popularity with reality tv shows, and has apparently inspired a lot of artists to try their hand at tattooing. That means there's a lot of bad tattoos out there walking around. Good thing is, I like doing cover ups.
Some people say the economy is contributing to less discretionary spending. Understandably fewer large scale projects like sleeves or back pieces are being started. However, those old tattoos are still hanging in there. The one that you got when you were 18. The one you got by Spider Pete one night because your friends dragged you in. The time you trusted an artist friend that wanted to "try something out" on you. The portrait that didn't quite match the picture. The ex's name that needs to go. There's also the one that you got from that beautiful storefront shop with 5 star reviews that was staffed with brand new artists with only a couple months of experience. Either way, I find anyone with more than one tattoo tends to regret at least one.
The trick with making old tattoos go away is understanding that light ink will only temporarily cover dark ink. If your tattoo is dark, that tattoo has to be hidden within the dark portions of the tattoo that will cover it. Customers always seem to ask for a portrait or bright colored flowers to cover the stunning black tribal design they picked off the wall in '05. Despite what is shown online, dropping that picture of mom's smiling face on top of an old design will guarantee one day she'll end up as a sweet Mike Tyson tribute.
Covering tattoos is an art form in itself. It requires working with the customer to find something that they won't end up regretting even more than the one being covered. It has to work within the confines of the body since it's working with the decisions of the first artist. The cover up also has to not look like a cover up, which is easier said than done. If you have something that is nagging you, something you'd like to leave behind as you move forward with your life, let me know. I'd be happy to talk ideas.
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