Cover-ups · Colour · Forearm

From a dark owl to one full of colour.

This little owl had become rather dark. That's how I show it at the start of the video, before turning it into a bigger, much more colourful one. We still have an owl, a branch and a moon, but the tattoo at the end looks completely different.

Starting point: An old owl tattoo in dark tones.
Placement: Forearm.
The proposal: A new, larger owl with plenty of colour.
What I show you: The earlier tattoo and the cover-up result.

In this story01 · The owl itself wasn't necessarily the problem 02 · Bigger, more colourful and with a different expression 03 · Love the idea, but not the tattoo you're wearing?

The original dark owl tattoo on a branch, with a moon beside it, on a forearm — The earlier owl: dark tones, a branch and a little moon beside it.

01 / Cover-ups · Colour · Forearm

The owl itself wasn't necessarily the problem

In the first image, you can see the starting point without having to imagine it: a big-eyed owl on a branch, with a moon to one side. In the video, I explain that it's an old tattoo that has become dark and that we're doing a cover-up.

What's interesting is that the proposal keeps the same animal. This story doesn't have to be about rejecting the subject: the change is in how the owl appears again. That's a useful distinction if you're thinking: I still like what it represents, but not how my tattoo looks.

Laura Caselles cover-up on a forearm: a colourful owl with turquoise eyes, a purple and pink body, a branch and a moon — The result: a larger owl with turquoise eyes and a composition of pinks, purples and blues.

02 / Cover-ups · Colour · Forearm

Bigger, more colourful and with a different expression

The idea I explain at the start of the reel is visible in the result: another owl, bigger and much more colourful. The huge eyes, pinks and purples in the body and small yellow details give it a very different feel from the earlier drawing.

The composition doesn't stop at its silhouette. Above are the moon and colour washes; below, the branch and more loose touches accompany the owl. Those subjects remain recognisable, but their arrangement and drawing are different. It's not simply the earlier tattoo coloured in.

03 / Cover-ups · Colour · Forearm

Love the idea, but not the tattoo you're wearing?

If that's your situation, explain the two things separately: what you'd like to keep from the idea and what you'd change about its appearance. This piece can help you explain it. An owl can still be an owl without keeping the same size, expression or palette.

To assess yours, I need a full photo, its size and placement. It also helps to know whether you're open to going bigger. I enlarged this one; I don't want a lovely photo to become a promise that every dark tattoo can use exactly this solution.

A CLOSER LOOK AT THIS TATTOO

Questions about this project

Can a dark tattoo be covered with a colourful one?

This case shows a dark owl I transformed into a new colour composition. It's a specific example, not a guarantee for every tattoo: I need to see yours, its size and placement before discussing options.

Do I have to give up the subject I like?

I didn't change the animal here: the new design is an owl again. Its size, expression, colours and composition did change. Tell me which subject you'd like to keep and which aspects you'd like to leave behind.

Is it a cover-up, or was colour just added to the earlier drawing?

In the video, I describe it as a cover-up and show a new, larger owl. It isn't simply the earlier drawing filled with colour. If you want to keep your existing lines, explain that as a separate need when enquiring.

Do the photos show how this cover-up healed?

I don't present them as a healed comparison: they show the before and the result from the video. They were also taken at different angles and in different light. For examples over time, visit the healed watercolour tattoo story.

The original video shows the earlier tattoo, my approach and the result. Both images in this story come from that same post. Watch the original Instagram video ↗

KEEP EXPLORING

More examples for your idea.

LET'S TALK ABOUT YOUR TATTOO

I'd like to ask about changing my tattoo

Tell me what you'd keep from the idea and what you'd like to change. We'll start with the tattoo you're wearing now.

Information & prices ↗