I will only take on cover-up projects if we have an in-person consultation. This allows me to see the darkness, size, and placement of the original tattoo so I can better assess how to lay out the design for the cover-up.

During the consultation, I will always let you know if I believe the cover-up isn’t something I can do in my style. That doesn’t necessarily mean the tattoo can’t be covered; it may just mean I’d refer you to someone whose style is darker or who specialises in black work, for example!

Since my style tends to be light and textured, I often recommend a few sessions of laser treatment before starting the cover-up. Laser works by breaking up the ink particles into smaller molecules, which the body can then break down. This lightens the tattoo, and the lasered ink will continue to fade over time.

Because the only thing that effectively covers black is more black, I usually suggest lightening the tattoo first so that it becomes more “grey” than “black.” This way, the cover-up doesn’t have to be as dark.

I understand that laser treatment can be intimidating—trust me, I was so scared I put it off for two years before booking my first session. But I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the process. Numbing cream is highly effective, and laser sessions are very quick!

For example, the laser session for my 15 cm stomach tattoo took no more than 3-5 minutes. I personally go to “The Laser Company” located at Reap and Sow Tattoo in Bulimba. Andre is amazing—he took the time to answer all of my questions, and I’ve had a great experience with him!

Another thing to consider is that the most effective cover-ups are often around 2-3 times larger than the original tattoo. This is because a larger design helps shift the focus away from the original piece, giving us more space to hide it. The result is a tattoo that feels more like something you chose to get rather than something that’s just covering up an old one. Think of it like a “Where’s Wally?” puzzle—it's easier to find him on a page with 20 characters than on a page with 60!

It’s important to understand that cover-ups are specialized tattoos, so they tend to cost more than getting the same or similar tattoo on fresh skin. This is for a few reasons:

1. The Design: Creating a design that covers an existing tattoo often takes more time. We have to work within certain limitations, like where dark areas need to go and how the design is structured.

2. Stencilling: Aligning the stencil to perfectly fit over the old tattoo can take hours, rather than just a few minutes.

3. Tattooing: The existing tattoo may have scar tissue in some areas, which requires extra care and time when tattooing. We may also need multiple sessions to see how the ink settles once healed and if additional touch-ups are needed to fully cover the old tattoo.

For cover-ups, the deposit is $200 (instead of the usual $100). This is to ensure that the additional time I spend drawing and preparing the design is covered. There have been instances where I've spent hours drawing and stenciling a design, only to find that it didn’t work out the way the client hoped. I want to stress that that is completely okay—you have every right to change your mind if the design doesn’t feel right. I encourage clients to be honest about their feelings. However, in these cases, I need to protect my time and effort. So please understand that if we decide on the day of the appointment that the design isn’t working, you will lose your deposit. This isn’t meant to punish anyone—it’s just to ensure that I’m compensated for the time spent if the project doesn’t go ahead.

Lastly, I want to emphasise that the tattoo you’re getting should be something you truly want, even if it's a cover-up. It should be a tattoo you'd choose regardless of whether you’re covering something up, not something you feel pressured into getting just to hide an old tattoo.

A personal example: A few years ago, I got a tattoo on my stomach that I eventually decided I wasn’t happy with. I spent a long time debating whether to laser it or cover it. Once I became a tattoo artist and had more conversations with clients and other artists, I decided to go with laser. In the end, a fellow artist asked me, “Do you want it gone, or would you like a tattoo there?” That question made me realise I didn’t have any specific ideas for a cover-up—I just wanted it gone. I’ll likely get a tattoo there in the future, but I didn’t want to rush into a bigger design I might not like just to cover up something I wasn’t happy with.

That’s not to say everyone should choose to laser their tattoo. Every person has different preferences and goals for their body. My point, however, is that a tattoo should be exciting—it should be something you want, not something you feel you have to get just to cover something up.