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Breakups can be very, very emotionally draining. Especially if you're left with a permanent reminder of your ex on your body. Getting a tattoo design with your partner's face, name, or initials inked is easier than getting rid of it. Luckily, some crafty tattoo artists have the skills and creativity to turn them into something new, allowing them to let go of the past and move on. Bored Panda has collected a list of clever ways people covered up tattoos that were dedicated to their exes, so continue scrolling to the tattoo gallery below and remember to upvote your faves!

Everyone who wants a tattoo cover-up has to be open to modifications that will allow it to completely hide the old body art. And the more complex the cover-up tattoo design is in terms of fine details and rich shading, and the more solid, deep colors it has in it, the better it will turn out. For example, tattoo ideas with layers like scales on fish, variegation in flower petals, and swirls of hair in different shades are really useful. Also, deep purples, blues, greens, and other dark, cool colors with lots of black shading work really well. Especially if the original tattoo is dark. On the other hand, warmer colors tend to be less successful at covering an old tattoo.

Typically, the new design has to be larger than the old tattoo, so that it provides more than sufficient coverage. According to Painful Pleasures, the shape of the new design and the way it's angled over top of the old one will determine how much larger the cover-up tattoo needs to be to successfully mask what's underneath it.

The artist may also suggest a few sessions of laser tattoo removal to lighten the old tattoo before attempting to cover it up with a new one. The necessity for laser tattoo removal usually depends on the age of the old tattoo, how dark its colors are and what colors the cover up tattoo will consist of as well as the complexity of the cover-up design. When covering up an old, faded tattoo, laser tattoo removal usually isn't necessary.

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Once the ink of the new tattoo settles, the old design may peek through somewhat, but a few more passes should take care of that problem, if it arises.

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#12

From Wife's Portrait To Gorilla

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Mark Smallman
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Mmmm,go around with a tattoo of your ex or replace it with a very random gorilla. Tough choice :)

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#13

Cover Up

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Koalamonster
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You can see it a bit still but with how dark and wide those letters are... not many great options.

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#22

Cover Up Tattoo

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Magpie
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Scrolling down, the middle pic looked really bad.... but the last/bottom pic is very nice.

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#25

Cover Up Session Today

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Aramis
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

first artist was terrible anyway, I think a cover up was inevitable

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#28

Oops

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Hello it Smee
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

O hell, you just doubled down on a bad decision. Hope you and Hollie last.

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#31

Cover Up

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Luis Milian
Community Member
4 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think you just screwed yourself....three times.

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MidgetDogg
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How stupid. Why wear your bitterness? Get over it and move on. Sheesh.

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Ed Souza
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well someone is carrying a grudge... way to ruin your skin.

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Paul Mitchell
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

.... he's called 'Screw You'. An unusual name, even for a lawyer.

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Gracie Mae
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I will never understand WHY someone will do a 'cover up' this way...the name is STILL there AND still visible, ffs! If you're going to cover it up, go all out and do it right!

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Mari Bryant
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Example of a bad decision made when you're still bitter. Lol

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Slune
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Why showing your stupidity and frustration so bluntly?

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bill marsano
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Most of the cover-ups are so hideous that amputation would have been preferable.

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Lainie Campey
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Worst lettering ever. Barely legible fresh so imagine it in a few years faded. D******d,

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David Herz
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

why not wear your inside on the inside so that it can burrow inwards for the rest of your life while still remaining plainly visible...

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Momo Skarsgård
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes girl getting that tattoo was totally a great decision! Lmfaooo

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NanZ
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Must have been drunk or something to choose to do that as a fix. She might be needing a bigger tattoo in the future.

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