Hello, I’m Terry Ribera, the proud owner of Remington Tattoo, your premier tattoo
destination in San Diego’s vibrant North Park district. With over twenty years of
expertise in the tattoo industry, my passion lies in perfecting the art of cover-up tattoos
for clients across the San Diego area.
A crucial aspect of achieving a successful cover-up tattoo is entrusting your skilled artist
with the creative freedom to craft a purposeful design. The key to a flawless cover-up
often involves a meticulous layering process, allowing for the new tattoo work to heal
properly before progressing to the next phase.
When selecting colors for cover-up tattoos, I recommend vibrant hues like blue, teal,
green, purple, and opaque grey tones with a strong white base. These shades
effectively conceal old tattoos, seamlessly blending with the new design for a striking
result.
To elevate the success of your cover-up tattoo, I employ advanced techniques like
layering white or “flesh-like” colors over the existing tattoo after outlining the new
design. This approach minimizes the visibility of the old tattoo, ensuring a seamless
transformation in subsequent sessions.
Expanding the size of the new tattoo, sometimes up to three times larger than the
original, can aid in camouflaging the old work and creating an aesthetically pleasing
cover-up. By skillfully incorporating existing shapes and strategically placing shadows, a
cohesive and visually appealing result is achieved.
Cover-up tattoos can be likened to tattoo camouflage, necessitating a seamless
integration of new and old elements for a successful outcome. Thoughtful decisions by
the artist to blend with existing shapes and lines are crucial for a harmonious cover-up.
Through my experience, I’ve found that older tattoos typically respond better to cover-
ups than newer ones. I suggest considering laser removal sessions before cover-up
attempts, especially for newer tattoos, as lightening black lines and larger shadows can
greatly enhance the outcome, even after just a few laser treatments.
Sometimes, clients may have tattoos too dark or intricate for complete coverage without
laser intervention. While I always aim for optimal results, compromises may be
necessary based on time and financial constraints. Effective communication between
the client and artist is key to devising a tailored plan that meets their needs, ensuring a
successful cover-up tattoo in San Diego’s dynamic tattoo scene.
Link to Terry Ribera’s cover-up tattoo gallery:
https://www.remingtontattoo.com/san-diego-tattoo-artists/terry-ribera/cover-ups/
