Question:
I have a tattoo on my breast, which i did myself when i was thirteen. It is
very deep, and after nine years is still raised slightly and not faded. While
i am emotionally still attached to the tattoo, i have been considering having
it removed or covered up because i don't really like the location of it. I did
it when i was still nearly flat-chested, and then it was close to the nipple,
but as my breasts got bigger it ended up pretty far up my chest (ie visible if
i wear a lower-cut top). The reasons i am bothered by it now are: it is very
crude-looking, and i don't like the fact that it reflects badly on me ("she
must be dumb to have gotten such an ugly tattoo"); the design, a heart with
random dots around it, means nothing to me; and it is now misshapen due to the
changes in my body. I'd considered a cover-up, but i have no particular desire
currently for a large piece on my chest. A girl i work with had a tattoo
removed by a doctor with a "burning" technique (acid, i believe). I know from
previous cuttings in the same area that my breasts are _not_ prone to scarring,
so should i just get it removed? OR should i come up with a design for a
cover-up? OR should i just leave it and try to develop a sense of pride about
it? For the record, i am proud of what it represents: the first time i decided
that it was okay for me to be different from everyone else; but if i woke up
tomorrow and it was gone, i'd definitely be very relieved.
Answer:
-I had my first tat covered up last week (it was a crappy skull on my arm
I had done when I was 15) and Im glad I did. I had a big celtic/tribal
black piece done over it, that covers most of my upper arm. Im proud to
show it to people now, whereas before id never uncover it in front of
people.
-I had my first tattoo (a cheesy bird/sunset scene) covered, also with a
celtic design, a couple of knots. Best thing I've done in a while. I had
lived with this poor excuse for "body art" for 17 years (only because it
was on my shoulder, so I could'nt see it), and had the money, will and time
to get it gone, so why not?
I spent mucho time talking to MANY artists. Here's what I did: I went in,
showed the guy the "problem", and then suggested my "solution"; I wanted a
large black triangle put over the top of it.
Several said that they _would_ do it, but didn't seem to want to. I don't
blame them for their reluctance, as I suppose that they didn't want to have
their name associated with a tattoo that just SCREAMS "coverup".
One guy said that the only thing I could put on it was a black jaguar.
Not.
Eventually I ran into a guy who really talked to me. He immediately said
that he wouldn't do it, no if's and's or but's. He COULD, however, work
with me to design a piece that would both cover AND be something I'd be
proud the show. This guy worked HARD, and the results are beautiful.
- a venerable bit of flash, whether or not it's used to cover-up
another tattoo.
About coverups: speaking from experience, it isn't necessary to cover the
old tattoo with blackwork if the original is fairly light. I had a small
dragon (my first tattoo), done in blue with other pastelly colors, covered
up by the mane (purple, though with a lot of grey) of my dragon bodypiece.
If you look closely, you can see some blue, but that was done deliberately -
my artist tried to use some of the old colors to give the mane more depth.
Also, the original dragon had been done a bit roughly (that artist hadn't
been that experienced, and had reworked the blue too much, which resulted in
some lumpiness and scarring), so Trevor had to contend with that as well.
The thing with coverups - if done well, most people won't notice unless it's
pointed out to them, or they look very closely. Tattoo artists, on the other
hand, can spot one a mile away. At both the Mad Hatters and the National
Tattoo Assoc shows, the judges said, "A coverup, hmm?", though they then
said it was well done
