125 Cover Up Tattoo Ideas That Will Hide and Transform Any Design

If you need to cover up an old tattoo, then you can do so with flowers, animals, cultural symbols, religious imagery, and so much more!

After so many years of designing tattoos, I almost have a sixth sense for figuring out when people are going to regret their ink. Sometimes, it's because they got a girlfriend or boyfriend's name tattooed. In other cases, the design is a fad or just poorly thought-out.

If you are looking for cover up tattoo ideas, you can find dozens of different concepts here. I have also provided some insight into what kind of coverage you should get for various designs. Let's begin!

The Best Tattoo Cover Ups

If you are looking for inspiration for cover up tattoo ideas, then here are some of the options that you should consider:

Floral, Fruit, and Leaf Cover Up Tattoos

A flower or a bunch of flowers are one of the most common ways to cover up an unwanted tattoo.

A Classic Design

There are a few different reasons why a flower works so well as a cover up tattoo. For one thing, flowers are a classic tattoo design.

With a cover up tattoo, you want to make sure you get a design that will be timeless. After all, the last thing you want is to have to go through the tattoo cover up process again.

meaningful new designs

Another reason is that flowers make a beautiful cover up tattoo. It will be a meaningful cover up tattoo design as well. Each flower carries its own symbolism.

As you will see from the following tattoo cover ups, roses and peonies are a common theme. However, make sure to do your research and check out the varieties of flowers that you can use to cover up an existing tattoo.

FLORAL COVER UP TATTOOS

Of course, remember to consult with your tattoo artist before finalizing your decision. This is because your new tattoo has to sufficiently cover up the old one. As a result, you need to make sure that the design, color, and size are a good match.

In some cases, you may want to keep your cover up tattoo simple like with this one. Here, the goal is to hide the cross behind the flowers. The tattoo artist has chosen to just add a few more flowers around the existing ones.

When attempting the above cover up tattoo, it is important to remember to match the design concept as well as the color tones - here it is light and pastel.

I absolutely love the update with this tattoo cover up. Here, the olive branches serve as the boundary for the flowers and the mirror - they have also been incorporated into the leaves of the new tattoo. In this case, the client didn't want any part of the previous tattoo to be seen, so they blacked out the the remnants of the tattoo.

This is another great tattoo cover up. Although it may not look like it on the surface, this wasn't an easy job. The haphazard design of the earlier tattoo, not to mention the black, thick lines meant that the artist had to get creative with the new tattoo.

They cleverly used a thick outline and went over the original lines with fresh, brighter colors.

This is also such an inspired cover up! As you can see, wherever there is a letter from the tattoo underneath, there are flowers or leaves. The vines connect the blank spaces, covering the tattoo completely!

This is another one of my favorite cover up ideas - the symbols of the earlier tattoo are the boundaries for the new ink. All the areas where the the old image existed is completely inked out.

These two cover up tattoos are great inspiration for covering up thick black lines in a tattoo. Instead of using the older tattoo as a base for the cover up, the artist has decided to use stunning shades of dark blue to hide the earlier work.

As you will note with this tattoo cover up, you can take a simple tattoo and turn it into a work of art. The loops of the earlier tattoo is used as a base for the knuckles and the rest has been blacked out with the sketch-likes strokes surrounding the hand and the rose.

This artist has used shading beautifully as a part of the tattoo cover up. If you take a close look, you can see that the parts containing the words have been gently shaded out. This has been done so carefully that the shading acts as a contrast and doesn't look like it's hiding anything.

Here are some of the other top floral cover up ideas that you can check out:

Butterfly and Moth Cover Up Tattoos

The butterfly tattoo is one of the most enduring tattoo designs around. Not only does it make for a stunning tattoo, but butterflies are very meaningful.

They are symbols of change and transformation. They form a chrysalis around themselves as caterpillars and emerge as butterflies.

Due to this, having a butterfly tattoo as a tattoo cover up is a pretty cool and meaningful idea.

Also, butterflies have to fight their way out of the cocoon, so they are seen as symbols of strength. They also represent freedom.

If a butterfly seems a bit too light or frivolous as a tattoo cover up for your original tattoo, then a moth can be a great alternative. They, too, are a symbol for transformation.

A moth as a tattoo cover up can also be a sign for someone who is constantly heading towards the light in the darkness. While they are generally symbols of good luck, moths do have a slightly more gothic vibe.

With this tattoo cover up, watercolor shades have been used to overcome the deeper tones of red and the black. This technique is also a good option if you're trying to cover up a tattoo that doesn't follow a strict outline.

For this tattoo cover up, the client has chosen a similar color scheme for the new tattoo. This makes it a lot easier as you can blend into the old design.

This cover up is a good lesson in how to use colors and not just design to get a good tattoo cover up. To cover up the initial tattoo, the artist has used darker shades of orange and red. However, as they are still fairly warm and bright hues, the tattoo artist has used light shades for the surrounding details without creating too much of a contrast.

Here are some other tattoo cover up ideas:

Animals, Birds, and Fish Cover Up Tattoos

Animals, birds, and fish work really well as a cover up tattoo. Once again, this is a rather classic tattoo design - these tattoo cover ups won't be going out of style any time soon.

Furthermore, there is a lot of symbolism regarding an animal, bird, or fish cover up tattoo. Each animal represents certain characteristics or associations. Due to this, your tattoo cover up can add a great deal of significance to your ink.

Of course, this doesn't automatically mean that your animal, bird, or fish cover up tattoo has to be a serious affair. You can get cute and cuddly animals, cartoon ones, or even stuffed ones as a tattoo cover ups.

All that matters is that you like the look of your tattoo cover up and that it sufficiently masks the old tattoo.

This is an absolutely mind-blowing tattoo cover up! Setting the realism of the design aside for a moment, let's take a look at how the artist has hidden the old design. The initial portrait has been hidden behind the multi-colored teddy bear, effectively removing all trace of the outline.

This is another breathtaking tattoo cover up. The shape of the tiger's head is informed by the earlier tattoo - apart from this, the artist has added more details. As some color has been used, the artist has blacked out this area and then drawn over it with white and grey to add contrast and dimension.

This tattoo cover up shows how you can gain some inspiration from your earlier ink. Here, the artist has used the edges of the tribal tattoo as an outline for the owl head. At the same time, the overall shape of the original design gives the artist a particular form and flow to follow.

You may go for the craziest and most unusual tattoo ideas when you're young. This tattoo cover up shows how you can borrow from even the zaniest design and come up with something different. The cool thing about this tattoo cover up is that it continues to be unique even with the new design.

The following image is a master class in tattoo cover ups! At the same time, it shows you how to take a fairly solid design and to still camouflage it within a new design. Here, it is all about shading and creating negative space to hide that initial tattoo.

This is another tattoo cover up that proves you don't just have to rely on black ink to hide old tattoos. Here, the dark shades of blue and the thick black lines do a good enough job to ensure that the earlier lettering can't be seen.

Use this one as inspiration when trying to cover up an existing design with color. Here, the original design is blacked out so that none of the color comes through. Then the artist uses white and grey to add detail and contrast.

Just beautiful and the tattoo cover up looks so natural too.

This tattoo cover up is especially tricky because it's covering up two tattoos in two different spots. For this kind of tattoo, you first have to figure out the positioning of the new image. Draw the outline so that it covers the outer limits of the old tattoos.

The artist has kept the original flowers and simply added detail and color to them. As for the stripes on the tiger, this has been covered up with the diamond pattern of the snake scales.

The density and the shading of the scales is a lot heavier on the smaller tattoo near the neck. That's because this piece of ink is nearly solid black in color.

In the case of this tattoo cover up, there's already been a few rounds of laser tattoo removal. In some instances, this is necessary if the colors are too dark. Keep in mind that the earlier colors can have an impact on the future tattoo.

Once the original artwork has been lightened, the artist can determine the dimensions of the new tattoo. Then, dark colors and shading will take care of the rest.

With this tattoo cover up, the artist has improved on the first design, which has an awkward outline and details. If you look closely, however, you will notice that the new bird looks smaller than the original.

So, how did the artist do this without adding any other elements around the bird? Through the power of shading. The outline of the new bird is very similar to the old. However, the artist has shaded the tattoo in such a way that the lines look sleeker.

I love the attention to detail in this tattoo cover up. With some cover ups, the new image can seem a little crowded as a result of trying to cover the old one completely.

In the case of this tattoo cover up, though, the details of the new image has been planned so that only the old ink is covered. This allows blank spaces to exist within the tattoo, allowing the finished result to look a lot more natural.

Sometimes, trying to cover up an old design completely can create a bulky effect for your new design. This is especially true if you want something sleek and slender like a snake. This tattoo cover up gives you an alternative idea.

Here, some of the older tattoo is covered up by the new design. The rest is hidden by the flames surrounding the design. As the flames are a fairly dark and vibrant color, they cover up the old design nicely.

Here are some other cover up ideas:

Portrait Cover Up Tattoos

When you think of a portrait tattoo cover up, you might picture someone who gets a portrait of an old lover and wants to hide it. This does happen a fair amount of times.

More recently, as portrait tattoos are increasing in popularity, I'm noticing a different trend - people getting old tattoos covered up with portrait tattoos instead.

With this tattoo cover up, the artist has turned a simple band tattoo into a tattoo of an ancient Prince. What's really cool about this cover up is that the band has been hidden by creating texture for the material!

If you don't want to give laser removal a try first, you may want to consider the technique this artist has used. Not only is the original a fairly large tattoo, but it also contains bright colors. To compensate for this, the artist has blacked out the old design and and done up the new one over it.

Here is another design where a fair amount of color is involved. For this cover up, the artist has used careful shading and a brown shade to hide the areas that were previously red. As for the leopard spots cover up, the artist has used a deep green along with yellow sections to successfully blend out the old shades and design.

While black-out sleeves were trending for a while, a lot of artists were hesitant to do them. For one thing, they fade quickly and unevenly. Also, due to the rather boring nature of the tattoo, most people get fed up of them pretty fast.

This artist has managed a blackout sleeve cover up tattoo by using white and grey over the initial ink. Then, they have added in detail with black ink.

Check out some of these other cover up ideas:

Animated Character Cover Up Tattoos

I've been seeing a lot more of this kind of cover up tattoo. Anime, manga, and material relating to these topics have been soaring in popularity over the last few years. Due to this, more people are requesting their favorite characters for a cover up tattoo.

Your tattoo cover up doesn't just have to be of anime characters. You can go the tried-and-true method with your cover up tattoo and use childhood or Disney characters to hide your unwanted tattoo.

Skull and Skeleton Cover Up Tattoos

Speaking of designs that never go out of style, skulls and skeletons are certainly always in. I would argue that they are becoming even more popular as people no longer see them as bad omens.

Instead, skulls and skeletons are symbols of the circle of life. As everything has a beginning, they have an end too. In this sense, a skull or a skeleton make a fitting cover up tattoo for almost any old tattoo.

Another great thing about having a skull or a skeleton as a tattoo cover up is that they are versatile designs. Due to this, you can create virtually any concept out of them, broadening the horizons for your cover up tattoo.

This is a pretty impressive cover up, considering how much space the piece took up and how dark the ink was. Despite this, the artist has made the most of it with clever white and grey shading.

Here's another example of how careful shading has allowed someone to get a sleeve cover up tattoo without any of the earlier ink peeking through:

I love this cover up because it uses certain elements of the old design to take the new template to the next level. Of course, a certain level of blacking out is required if you want to make sure that the colors are fully hidden.

These are some of the other cover up ideas to check out:

Religious Cover Up Tattoos

Many people find that spirituality comes with age. So, as you become older, you get more involved in various religions or spiritual beliefs. As a result, religious-themed tattoos can often be the right cover up for you.

In some cases, a spiritual or religious tattoo cover up is the perfect remedy for a tattoo that was borne out of youthful indiscretion. You can replace your childish previous tattoo with one that is more mature and meaningful and is a better fit for who you are now.

Keep in mind that your religious or spiritual cover up tattoo doesn't need to have Christian symbology. You're free to borrow elements from Hinduism, Buddhism, and any other religion as long as your beliefs are in line with them.

If you are more spiritual than religious, your cover up can also extend to tarot, meditation, yoga, etc.

Cultural Cover Up Tattoos

You can get a cultural cover-up tattoo if you want to depict something in your own culture or from another one. People are learning more about cultural appropriation and gaining more respect for their and others' cultures.

Due to this, many people are covering up old tattoos that may be considered offensive or off-color. For this kind of cover up tattoo, there are two ways you can go.

If your previous tattoo is from another culture, you can replace it with a more respectable one. This involves doing research on that particular culture and determining what would be a right fit.

The other option is to get your old tattoo covered with a new tattoo that represents your own culture.

Of course, you don't just need a cultural cover up tattoo if you're hiding a cultural design. If you have learned about your culture or another one, you may simply want your new tattoo to represent this.

I have to say that this cover up is one of my favorites. The artist has not just managed to cover up a large and dark tattoo, they have also incorporated elements of the old ink into the new one. It takes a skilled tattoo artist to pull this off, so make sure to find someone who is up for the cover up job.

Check out these other really cool cover up ideas for your ink:

Geometric Cover Up Tattoos

The minimalism trend among tattoos have been growing recently. As a result, the geometric design for tattoo cover-ups has also been increasing.

The great thing about this kind of cover up tattoo is that it's intricate but still minimalistic. Due to this, it gives your tattoo cover up a modernistic feel. This is ideal if you want to update your old tattoo and cover up to appear more relevant.

The intricate elements of this cover up tattoo ensures that you can hide the original tattoo easily.

Abstract Cover Up Tattoos

This is another really creative and cool cover up tattoo idea. What's so great about this tattoo cover up concept is that there are no rules or limitations. Due to this, your tattoo artist can design the cover up tattoo to perfectly mask the old one.

An abstract tattoo cover up works well if your old tattoo has a rather unusual flow. The abstract cover up tattoo can be designed specifically to its form.

Landscape Cover Up Tattoos

I love the landscape cover up tattoo idea is because, once again, it allows you to be as creative as you like with your new tattoo. This cover up tattoo can take on all forms - the Serengeti, jungles, forests, city silhouettes, and more.

As a result, your tattoo cover up can be designed to completely cover up your old tattoo without a hint of the previous design showing through. These also come in all types so it works just as well for a small tattoo as well as a large one.

You can also get a landscape cover up tattoo over an old landscape. This works well if you have created a home in a new city of if you simply feel like your old tattoo needed an upgrade.

Getting a good cover up is no easy task. So, it's important to have some concept of how you can cover up different kinds of tattoos. With the cover up ideas here, you'll have no trouble figuring out how to cover up your own design.