Tattoos are not always forever. If you regret tattooing someone's name on your body, have a tattoo that is not aging well, or have a tattoo you simply no longer like, a tattoo cover-up may be able to hide or disguise your old tattoo, turning it into something completely new that you love. However, cover-ups are complicated, and as such, you need to take your time to ensure you find a great tattoo artist who can fix the situation, rather than make it worse. Here are a few important things you should always ask a tattoo cover-up artist to help you narrow one down. 

Ask the Tattoo Artist If They Have Experience with Tattoo Cover-Ups

Completing a cover-up is very different than creating a tattoo from scratch. The right types of ink and the right ink colors need to be used or your old tattoo can peek through the new tattoo. Also, the new tattoo needs to have unique lines to incorporate the old lines from your existing tattoo. As such, you want to find a tattoo artist who specializes in cover-up work or who has a lot of experience in cover-up work. 

Ask What Options Are Available for Covering Up Your Tattoo

Prior to having a tattoo cover-up completed, you should always have a consultation with a tattoo artist. During this consultation, you should ask the tattoo artist what options are available for covering up your tattoo. They can work with the existing tattoo to come up with a new design that fully covers the old tattoo. They should give you various options for design styles that can fully conceal your tattoo. 

Ask to See a Portfolio of Their Past Work

Lastly, always look at a tattoo artist's portfolio of cover-up artwork. As you look at the photographs, ask yourself if you would be happy with the work they completed. Looking at a portfolio is one of the best ways to see examples of an artist's work and ensure that they do quality work that you would be proud to display on your body. 

You may not be stuck with a tattoo that you do not like. There are options for removing the tattoo or covering it up. If you decide to go the route of covering up an existing tattoo with a new one, you need to find a great tattoo artist that specializes in tattoo cover-ups. As you look for a tattoo artist, always ask the artist if they have experience covering up tattoos and what options are available for covering up your tattoo, and be sure to look at their portfolio of cover-up work. All of this will help you find a great artist who can conceal your old tattoo.