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30 Before & After Pics Of Terrible Tattoos Getting Fixed, As Shared In This Online Group
Interview With Expert
An annoying part of getting a tattoo is the constant cliches one, inevitably, hears from parents or relatives. Oh, what if you hate it, how will it look in thirty years, what if you won’t like that band in the future? And as annoying as it can be, they are sometimes right.
So the “Tattoo Coverups” internet group gathers the best examples of ink that needed some corrections at a later time. Get comfortable and prepare to scroll. Be sure to upvote your favorites and comment your thoughts below. We also get in touch with professional tattoo artist Mattia from Mambo Tattoo Shop to learn more about tattoo regret.
More info: Instagram
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Portrait Coverup On My Wife’s Back
H G 2 years ago
When it comes to portraits, always always pay the extra money to go to a great tattoo artist. Research is number 1, look at their portfolio and take time to think and compare.
Jane Stott 1 year ago
How do I send the disaster to you ,, tattoo is on my knee ,,it's a cover up and I've had it about 5 years 😪
hearditontheX 2 years ago
Tattoos -dang it I'm Wolowitz on Big Bang. Screaming when I feel the alcohol wipe Yes give me a dot
RELATED:
#2
What Do You Rate This Coverup?
John Legere 2 years ago
the dimensions of the two tats dont match. the knife stop guard is wider than the gator and the blade is straight while the gators tail is curved
Firefly1617 2 years ago
The knife looks a bit further down, with the hilt starting closer to the gators head, I think
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Annabel Again 2 years ago
Which is the before? Sorry I don't see a real difference but as long as you like it better in the end
#3
Octoskull Cover/Rework
Bored Panda got in touch with professional tattoo artist Mattia from Mambo Tattoo Shop and they were kind enough to answer some of our questions about tattoos and tattoo regret. Firstly, we wanted to hear about their personal experiences with covering up and changing unwanted tattoos. “I have had various experiences over the past 13 years of tattooing, some more serious and some less serious. The less serious regrets may be related to details concerning the tattoo, such as perhaps having chosen to do a tattoo in color but preferring it in black & white, or vice versa to keep it in black & white but wanting it colored at a later date.”
“The more serious ones, on the other hand, could be that the client did not make the right decision, i.e. he was not sure about the subject and got tattooed without thinking too much about it. Let's say, however, that I have never had a client regretting having chosen me as their tattoo artist,” they shared with Bored Panda.
#4
I Did Another Coverup
#5
Got A Coverup!!
#6
Finally Gone!
Tracy Wallick 2 years ago
When mama said you could grow up to be anything, and you grow up to be a dorito
“As for dealing with regret, you have to see to what extent you can change or modify the tattoo. You always have to understand well what it is that the client wants and in this sense dialogue is fundamental. On my side and the client's side, there may not be the same experience and knowledge of what we are talking about.”
#7
Look At This Scar Cover Up….bill Bill Bill!
Exotic Butters 2 years ago
One of the more evil looking tattoos I've ever seen. Why would anyone permanently put that tool on their body???lololo. Talented artist though.
#8
Tattoo Cover Up
#9
Coverup Of Tattoo My Abusive Ex Gave Me
In the end, like in so many parts of life, miscommunication is the main, underlying issue. “Maybe I take things for granted that the client does not know and he takes it for granted that I understand things that he may not have explained well. Dialogue is essential to arrive at a finished product and a tattoo that fits in with the client's requests and expectations.”
#10
Happy With My Coverup
Kiri 2 years ago
a chinese character that i cant read because how bad it is
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#11
Done 3 Years Ago. The Coverup Was Free & At The Same Place I Got The Fucked Up One
K1tt3n 2 years ago
I used to self mutilate. I have tattoos and I do, in fact go to therapy as well. Though, I don't cover my scars with tats, I wear my scars as a badge of honor from past battles with myself. Getting tattoos *does* help me when I want to hurt myself again, I call it "productive pain". Instead of scars, I'm left with beautiful art. You shouldn't instantly judge people based off of a literal snapshot of their lives. You don't know their stories.
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#12
The Original Was Done By A Good Friend So I Didn’t Want A Full Coverup, And I Think The New Artist Did A Great Job!! Satisfying
We also wanted to hear a tattoo artist’s perspective on what customers should research before picking who is actually going to ink them. “A person should first try to leave enough creative freedom to the tattoo artist and the proof is his portfolio of work. If out of 50 tattoos the client likes 45 of them, it means that the tattoo that will come out in the end will generally please the client.”
#13
@leoruiztattooer On Instagram
Catharina Geerts 2 years ago
The left one is not bad, but looks unfinished. The right one is perfect!!!
#14
My First And Only Coverup, What Do You Think Of It?
#15
Sternum Cover Up Done By Me
“So the advice is definitely to choose a tattoo artist on the basis of the work he does and the amount of work that meets the client's taste. You cannot like only 1 work out of 100, the more work you like, the higher the percentage of probability that the final work will satisfy you. The second piece of advice is to assess the type of subjects that tattoo artists do.”
#16
Deathly Hallows Coverup
Bouche and Audi and Shyla, Oh My! 2 years ago
Deathly Hollows are all well and good, but dogs are better!
venintherogue 2 years ago
It’s done well, and it’s their choice. Harry Potter tattoos are cringe anyways
Load More Replies... #17
Friendship Tattoo Covered After She Ghosted Me During The Worst Time Of My Life
Charity Gosswiller 2 years ago
I love how they covered up the friendship tattoo with “stand alone.” It’s a sad but real truth.
Kitty Koshkin 2 years ago
NO I LOVE THAT IT WAS A FRIENDSHIP TAT COVERED BY ONE WITH THE WORDS STAND ALONE
Brett Layton 2 years ago
Honestly they did not do a great coverup I can clearly see the script through the bird. Needs to really saturate that black in there.
K1tt3n 2 years ago
Whoever did the original tat went waaaay too deep with the needle. It's scarring at this point. It's always going to be noticable :\
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#18
I Know I’m Biased, But I Think I Have The Best Cover Up Ever
“If out of 50 works a tattoo artist tattoos 30 flowers and 20 butterflies, then probably the best subject to ask for are flowers or butterflies, and so don't go asking for skulls or daggers because maybe that is not his kind. Basically, however, dialogue is always the key thing, you must not take anything for granted. One must ask questions and not be afraid to ask for things for fear of making a bad impression or being intrusive, but at the same time, one must also trust the tattoo artist and leave room for creativity.”
#19
Star Cover Up
#20
Posted This In R/Tattoos And Everyone Preferred The Shitty Tattoo So This Community Might Appreciate My Coverup Better
Charity Gosswiller 2 years ago
I love the vibrancy of the new one but the old one’s concept is neat.
UnamedJelly 2 years ago
the first has a neat design, but the second is stunning and beautifully done<3
my sox are in flux 2 months ago
The first one falls under the "Bless Their Hearts, It's The Thought That Counts" category. The idea is good, but the e*******n, not so much. Now if the cover-up artist had done the first one, then maybe it would have worked. I prefer the second one, though.
#21
Mother Cluckin’ Cover Up
badger 2 years ago
I knew a guy who wanted a chicken tattoo on his calf so he could say he had a c**k below his knee.
Linnea Miner 2 years ago
Knew a dude that *has* the rooster on his calf. 🙄
Load More Replies... “The advice I would give to someone getting their first tattoo, but which applies in general to anyone who gets tattooed, is not to make hasty choices about the subject. If one has wanted to tattoo a rose for a long time, it means that this person imagines a rose on his or her body. If on the day of the appointment, he completely changes his mind and gets a snake tattoo, perhaps there and then out of emotion, haste, and anxiety he may say that he likes it anyway, but he hasn't had time to realize that he has a completely different tattoo to the one he had imagined.”
#22
Before//After
anarkzie 2 years ago
Wutang Clan symbol, they were a hip hop group from the 90s. The members are still around doing stuff but probably not things that younger people will know of.
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#23
There Is A Life After Hate
Surralvampi 2 years ago
he actually says this is the first session of a cover up he is doing for a client.
juice 2 years ago (edited)
yeah, here's the updated tattoo from the next session a few months later: https://preview.redd.it/hate-tattoo-update-v0-dtkj1fykv5ob1.jpg?width=1538&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b47f48e898d774596f1cdbc4a7e7d5bd834094f7
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Evali 2 years ago
I don´t think it´s finished. Looks like the outlining (outlines? sorry, non-native speaker here^^) and part of the stencil still visible.
Load More Replies... #24
Finally Got It Covered
Zedrapazia 2 years ago
Bier? He has beer written on his neck in German, do I see this right here?
Jewelrygirl 2 years ago
I love the new tattoo I just wonder how good it's going to look in a few years. Will it look like a black blob without a flash photo taken of it?
Ervin Conn 2 years ago
The original post said "Yeah I thought I should stop showing my d**k in public it's not a good look lmao thanks"
“This obviously depends a lot on one's character, but if you are not an extremely open-minded person you need the right amount of time to make decisions and so you should rather take some more time to think about the new option and possibly come back to the tattoo in a new session.”
#25
My Cover Up , I Absolutely Love It. But He Before Wasn’t A Choice So This Was Very Liberating
Jill Rhodry 2 years ago
Well then 'Rob' is somewhere between a cockroach and pond scum. Well rid of him and I hope you have a lovely life.
anarkzie 2 years ago
I can only imagine that Rob did not turn out to be all that she originally thought he was.
Happypenguin26 2 years ago
She said it wasn't a choice. My guess is that she was in an abusive or otherwise controlling relationship.
Load More Replies... Dr Robert Neville 2 years ago
What's Baphomet got written on his arms? It looks like Solve Cobina.
Andrei Iepure 2 years ago
Cool that you covered up Rob, but the new one is pretty bad. I'm talking about the quality of the tattoo, not the subject matter
#26
Horseshoe Crab And Dragon Cover Up
CrunChewy McSandybutt 2 years ago
Personally, I don't dig on the ultra-violent tattoos, but I do appreciate the stunning artistry of the coverup.
#27
What Do You Think? Swipe To See This Tattoo Coverup Journey, Before And After @carrottoptattoos
“One thing I would like to add, as far as I am concerned, is to give great importance to the kindness and helpfulness of the tattoo artist and, consequently, the client on his part must also show kindness and serenity. Only in a serene and friendly atmosphere is it possible to complete a tattoo that, in addition to being aesthetically beautiful and centering on the points the client wanted, is also a beautiful memory of the session with the tattoo artist.”
#28
Shoulder Cover Up
Louise Clarke 2 years ago
Unless the person is actually has the tribal heritage
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#29
My Cover Up
#30
One Of Many Coverups I’ve Been Getting Lately
“It must be a good day spent together, something that also remains on a human level,” they shared. You can find Mattia’s work and the Mambo Tattoo Shop’s other pieces on their Instagram page. And if you want some more tattoo cover-ups, check out Bored Panda’s other article, featuring more tattoo regrets turned into tattoo wins.
#31
Finally Got My Tattoo Covered Up! I Think It’s So Much Better Now! :)
#32
I Got The Coverup
Kosh1k 2 years ago
They are not a good idea, but to be fair they're also often the result of abusive relationships where someone is coerced into getting them.
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#33
Covered Up My First Tattoo I Got When I Was 18
#34
I May Have Made The Cover Up A Little Too Big
#35
Did A Cover Up For A Friend
ToGo 2 years ago
Yeah, it's good work but it's making me feel a bit unwell.
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Bored something 2 years ago
Yes, they drew a guideline on him first with a pen so they can see roughly how it would look and then can edit before getting started with the ink.
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#36
Tattoo Cover Up I Got From A Friend For Dirt Cheap
#37
Tattoo That Had Bothered Me For Years Finally Covered
BatPhace 2 years ago
The one holding the shovel? Or the one in the space suit? I think that ones lumpy because space suit
Load More Replies... #38
Lesson: Don’t Let A 10 Y/O Get A Tattoo Like My Mom Did.🙄
Yvonne Dauwalder Balsiger 2 years ago
My tattoo artist would have probably done that cover up for free in return of the phone number of that idiot mom. She has some strong opinions about parents giving their underage kids permission to get tattoos.
Load More Replies... SlightlyTarnished 2 years ago
Along with the mother, any tattoo professional (or wanna be) who would ink a 10yr old should be in jail for child abuse.
Maartje 2 years ago (edited)
I know of a stunningly good tattoo artist that would tattoo underage girls in a studio in his house- and then try to seduce them. They would not complain because they did something illegal- I made this one girl realize that he was counting on that, and that ultimately, he was responsible and I took her to file a complaint. There are more than just one reason to not allow this.
#39
Coverup I Did
Firstname Lastname 2 years ago
(Romans 8:28) And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
#40
Before And After Hand Tattoo Cover Up
#41
Thoughts On My Coverup?
#42
Blast Over Tattoo Before & After
#43
Upgraded My Floral Ampersand
#44
Before And After Laser Removal Sessions & Cover Up
#45
I Was Worried My Thick Black Letter Tattoo Wouldn't Able To Be Covered, But My Artist Was The Bomb Dot Com
#46
Before And After. Still My Favorite Tattoo Yet!! I Don’t Know How That Magical Man Did That
#47
Awesome Moth Coverup I Just Got Done
#48
Y’all Were No Help For Ideas, But I’m Loving This Coverup
Yvonne Dauwalder Balsiger 2 years ago
We don't know the reasons behind the first tattoo or the coverup. Since the first tattoo was done well and she was apparently searching high and low for a coverup idea, I guess it's a rather sad story. Maybe they had a falling out or - if he's dead - the constant reminder of that was too painful. Anyway, both tattoos are really cool.
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#49
Didnt Like The Moon Shape So I Got It Covered Up
#50
From Impulsive 19 Year Old Mistake To Something I’ve Wanted For Years. Coverup Done By Jake Parsons At Death Or Glory Tattoo In Iowa
#51
Another Cover Up!
#52
Successfully Covered
sturmwesen 2 years ago
I am not sure how far BP censoring extends ... but they sure went overboard in the right picture
#53
Since We Love Sick Ass Panthers In This Sub, Here’s Mine!
B.Nelson 2 years ago
The dark color and the body curves of the panther make it an excellent option for a cover-up.
Load More Replies... #54
All Done. Half A Decade Of Wearing Long Sleeve To Cover This F*clear Up!
#55
Recently Got My First Tattoo Covered Up
#56
Covered Up My Sick Ass Bull !!
Crescent 3 2 years ago
Same arm. The first one seems to be a direct picture, while the second one looks like a mirror photo.
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#57
Posted A Few Weeks Ago! With The Help Of Reddit And My Mom This So What I Ended Up With
#58
This 5 Year Journey Is Almost Done
CrunChewy McSandybutt 2 years ago
I have a friend who god a gorgeous koi tattoo on his shoulder and it still looks amazing after 10 years.
Andrei Iepure 2 years ago
Did the guy who did the original also do the cover up? The linework is so bad...
#59
Ex-Wife’s Name Had To Go
#60
Post-Tattoo Anxiety, Feeling Self-Conscious Because It Came Out Darker And Larger Than I Intended (My Fault)
Louise Clarke 2 years ago
I think the cover up would have been better if the strawberries were in colour
Andrei Iepure 2 years ago
can't wait for the next cover-up. maybe pick an artist, not some dude in a garage next time. Sorry, but it's pretty bad
#61
F**k You’re Goose He’s Dead
#62
Snake Cover Up
LB 2 years ago
There is none. I guessed scar, but apparently it was a name on his pectoral muscle.
Load More Replies... #63
Full Sleeve Coverup
#64
18yr Old Tat Covered
Jennifer Winslow 2 years ago
That does not look correct. His mouth should not be jacked like that.
River wolf (she/her) 2 years ago
I prefer the first one. (If there is a rude/insulting symbol, please explain.)
#65
Would You Get A Cover Up From Somebody Who Did This Cover Up (Not My Cover Up)?
#66
(Not Mine) Spotted This Cool Coverup. Very Solid Black
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What do you think ?
VioletHunter 2 years ago
I think most of these people should have spent the money on tattoo removal instead of covering it up with something larger.
Marley Nachi 2 years ago
how do they get rid of the lines that aren't covered by the new image? Is it lazered off?
SlightlyTarnished 2 years ago
Some people want a tattoo so bad they don't think. Think about this ink being on your body a lifetime, think to get the best possible tattoo professional available, and FFS don't go cheap!
Jessica Jones 2 years ago
I had an ugly tribal tattoo that I (drunkenly) let my Ex pick out. I got it covered up with a kick-a*s Boba Fett tattoo.
VioletHunter 2 years ago
Tattoos have been around for centuries, probably even millennia though. They've just become more popular across the globe. In the past, at least in Europe, only criminals and sailors had them.
Load More Replies... VioletHunter 2 years ago
I think most of these people should have spent the money on tattoo removal instead of covering it up with something larger.
Marley Nachi 2 years ago
how do they get rid of the lines that aren't covered by the new image? Is it lazered off?
SlightlyTarnished 2 years ago
Some people want a tattoo so bad they don't think. Think about this ink being on your body a lifetime, think to get the best possible tattoo professional available, and FFS don't go cheap!
Jessica Jones 2 years ago
I had an ugly tribal tattoo that I (drunkenly) let my Ex pick out. I got it covered up with a kick-a*s Boba Fett tattoo.
VioletHunter 2 years ago
Tattoos have been around for centuries, probably even millennia though. They've just become more popular across the globe. In the past, at least in Europe, only criminals and sailors had them.
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