18 Tattoos That Were Saved By Talented Artists

Kasia Mikolajczak
hands doing a tattoo on somebody's arm
Unsplash | benjamin lehman

Let me ask you something, do you have a tattoo? If so, how long did it take you to decide on a) getting one and b) on the design? Guess what? I actually took two whole years to think about my first tattoo, and then I went ahead and got one. And I don't regret that at all.

Why? Here are a few examples that show that when you decide in haste, it's not always a good thing unless you have a great tattoo artist who can rescue a badly done or faded tattoo.

This Unfortunate Choice

badly done tatoo and the cover up
reddit | Reddit | u/g20richasan

I don't blame somebody for wanting to get a black cat tattoo, alright. They're the best. Am I right? But if you do get one, make sure it doesn't look like a blob. This one here got the cover-up it desperately needed.

This Faded Piece

badly faded tattoo and its cover up
reddit | Reddit | u/ezerro

"Got a coverup a few days ago and I love it. The first tattoo wasn’t awful (from what others tell me) but personally I hated it. Couldn’t be happier! I hope this gives hope to others who wish to 'fix' their tattoos!"

I think this looks much better, no?

This Half-Sleeve

half sleeve tattoo cover-up collage
reddit | Reddit | u/LiquorBiscuits

Oh, my goodness. Check this out. It took a total of 14 hours and four sessions to fix this guy's half-sleeve tattoo. I don't know what the heck it was before, but now it's pretty much a masterpiece. Isn't it gorgeous or what?

This Awesome Before And After

tattoo cover up before and after
reddit | Reddit | u/_super_lunary

"Your artist really did you, and himself, proud. That looks amazing! There’s a huge amount of detail, you can just keep looking at it for a long time. The artistry, the way it flows together, everything is beautiful. Congratulations!"

I so agree with that.

This Beautiful Job

tattoo cover up before and after
reddit | Reddit | u/g20richasan

Wow! This is one of those tattoo styles I really admire. I would love to get a starry night just like this one etched onto my arm. Everything about this cover-up speaks volumes to me. How about you? Do you love it too?

This Calf Piece

calf tattoo cover up before and after
reddit | Reddit | u/GrannyPantiesRock

Okay, was that supposed to be some kind of moon tattoo? It looked pretty awful, no? So I'm super glad this person got a professional on the case. Now, they can really show off this new calf piece. I'm really impressed by this.

This Sad Kitty

cartoon kitty tattoo cover up before and after
reddit | Reddit | u/CatTuff

If you're going to get a cartoon kitty tattoo make sure the artist you choose knows what they're doing. Somehow I don't think this was the case here. That's one sad kitty, eh? But the cover-up is exactly what this person should have gotten from the start.

This Lovely Arm Piece

I don't know what when through this woman's mind when she got the original tattoo, haha. It's fun, but it looks like a child drew it, alright. However, this bird cover-up is so vibrant and sure stands out.

This Stunning Cover-Up

leg tattoo cover up before and after
instagram | Instagram | @danmujica__

Oh, my goodness. How pretty is this leg cover-up tattoo here? It's such a stark difference when you look at the before and after. This second design is masterfully done, and I love the adorable little tiger. It looks so lifelike, no?

This Awesome Rose

Not every rose is the same. Am I right? You can say the same thing about these tattoos here. The first one lacked many basic skills, while the second one is the way a good tattoo should like, right? And I love all the details in this cover-up.

This Great Choice

tattoo cover up before and after
reddit | Reddit | u/g20richasan

As much as I love orcas, this tattoo didn't do them justice. It started to bleed, and it wouldn't last the test of time. That's why this person had the right mind to do something about it. Even though it's not the same subject matter, at least it's a good tattoo now.

This Poor Choice

tattoo cover up before and after
instagram | Instagram | @weird.yus

Why the heck do people pick an avocado as a tattoo? I'm always baffled when I see these poor choices, hehe. Now, thankfully, they got their marbles back and decided to get something a lot better etched on their arm. This is what I'm talking about.

This Ankle Piece

tattoo cover up before and after
instagram | Instagram | @soursandytattoos

Oh, my gosh! Take a look at this sad face here, haha. This is exactly how a tattoo shouldn't act. If you see bleeding like this, it's a sure sign of trouble. The person who did this poor tattoo pushed the needle in too hard. But the cover-up is definitely a step up.

This Fix-Up Job

bad tattoo fix up job before and after
reddit | Reddit | u/musicalsteve

"2 months apart. On the left, done for very cheap price - Took 2 sessions, 10 hours total. Fixed by the artist who created the design originally, who was quoting double the price. He did it in under 2 hours. Good tattoos aren't cheap and cheap tattoos aren't good."

Amen to that!

This Crappy Job

tattoo cover up before and after
reddit | Reddit | u/Spiritualrose98

"Bye bye wonky blown-out compass!"

If you're going to get a tattoo of mainly lines, make sure they're done right. This tattoo here was not. That's why I'm thrilled to see that this person opted for a totally different design. I like it much better now.

This Blowout Fix

tattoo blowup fix before and after
reddit | Reddit | u/Born_Joke

A tattoo blowout is when the lines start to visibly blur. That's exactly what happened to this piece here. If this occurs to your tattoo, don't worry. A talented artist can still fix it. Check out how good it looks now after this fix-up.

This Pretty Back Piece

back piece tattoo cover up before and after
reddit | Reddit | u/plswhythis

"After 11 years, my first tattoo got some much-needed TLC."

I'll say so! It's hard to see what was going on in the original tattoo, but this new cover-up is definitely a showstopping piece. Do you agree with me on that? It sure gives this lady a color pop.

This Stunning Piece

neck tattoo cover up before and after
instagram | Instagram | @stellatxttoo

If you had this odd neck tattoo, would you be proud of it? Eh, I don't think so, hehe. I don't even know what it was supposed to be. However, this cover-up is giving me all the right feels. Not only is it gorgeous, but it's done perfectly.

Oh my gosh. What did I tell you?

woman saying "Don't say I didn't warn you."
Giphy | CBS

You should really take your time before you decide on getting a tattoo. First, you need to pick a good design. Then you should make sure it fits the area of your body you want to have it. And last but definitely not least, find somebody who knows what they're doing.

If you follow those steps, you shouldn't have to worry about covering anything up in the future. Don't say I didn't warn you. Okay?