Cover-ups · Jellyfish · Watercolour

Where there were stars, there's now a little sea.

Have stars that no longer feel like you, and want something completely different? Here I moved from a row of dark stars to a pink and purple jellyfish, a seahorse and a blue underwater setting. Let me show you where we started and how the forearm changed.

The starting point: A row of dark stars on the forearm.
The new subject: A jellyfish, seahorse and colourful underwater scene.
What you can see: Before, colour work and result from the same project.
For your own idea: Changing the subject and composition, not just going over the stars.

In this story01 · The stars were already there. The new idea didn't have to resemble them.02 · The sea doesn't appear all at once.03 · A jellyfish, a little seahorse and plenty of movement.04 · Are yours stars you'd like to change too?

Row of dark stars in different sizes on the forearm before the jellyfish cover-up — The starting point: dark stars across the forearm, near the wrist.

01 / Cover-ups · Jellyfish · Watercolour

The stars were already there. The new idea didn't have to resemble them.

Look at the before photo: several differently sized stars run along the forearm near the wrist. They're dark and spread across the area; I wasn't starting with a single compact drawing.

The change in this story isn't about going over each star or making them prettier. I prepared another composition with a very different lead subject: a jellyfish. If you're thinking about changing a tattoo, that's one of the first things I want to know: do you still like the subject, or do you want a different idea?

Blue colour work and a starfish beside a jellyfish stencil on the same forearm — During the work: part of the underwater background and the still-visible jellyfish stencil.

02 / Cover-ups · Jellyfish · Watercolour

The sea doesn't appear all at once.

The work is still in progress here. You can see the jellyfish stencil on the skin and some blue background already tattooed. A starfish appears near the wrist: the new drawing doesn't stop at the tentacles.

I like showing this part because the final result alone doesn't explain the arrangement. Here you can follow the jellyfish along the forearm and see that the background belongs to the design too. It's not just old stars with a blue wash around them.

Cover-up result: a pink and purple jellyfish, seahorse, bubbles and starfish over a blue background on the forearm — The result: an underwater scene bringing the jellyfish, seahorse and colour together.

03 / Cover-ups · Jellyfish · Watercolour

A jellyfish, a little seahorse and plenty of movement.

In the result, the jellyfish's pinks and purples contrast with the blue water. Tentacles reach towards the wrist, and a seahorse appears to one side. There are bubbles, green strokes and that little starfish lower down too.

The whole piece flows differently from the original stars. Your eye now follows a scene, not a row of separate motifs. That's the change I want you to compare: not just colour, but the way the tattoo occupies the arm.

04 / Cover-ups · Jellyfish · Watercolour

Are yours stars you'd like to change too?

You don't have to want a jellyfish for this case to be useful. Perhaps you like the idea of bringing several motifs into a scene, or the colours and movement appeal to you. Tell me what feels like you and what you don't want to repeat from the old tattoo.

To study your proposal, I need a photo showing all the stars and surrounding skin, their approximate size and how much space you'd like to give the new design. This arm is a reference, not a template I can place identically over any tattoo.

Thinking about your own change

Can I replace stars with a tattoo that doesn't have stars?

This project changes the subject: a jellyfish leads the new design. To consider yours, I need to see the stars, their placement and the available space; choosing a photo of a result isn't enough.

Is it just a colour touch-up?

I don't present it as a simple touch-up. In the original post, I call it a cover-up and show a new jellyfish and underwater composition. If you'd rather keep your stars, tell me: that would be a different proposal.

Do these images show the healed tattoo?

No. These show the before, work in progress and result from the video. I don't use them to claim how this piece has aged. See other pieces identified as healed in the Healed section.

The images in this story come from the same video: before, work in progress and result. Watch the full transformation in the original TikTok post. Watch the original TikTok video

Other paths for your tattoo

Here I replaced the stars with an underwater scene. In the owl case, the new subject is still an owl: the drawing changes, but not the animal. What would you like to keep?

More cover-up examples · My watercolour style · Healed tattoos

LET'S TALK ABOUT YOUR TATTOO

What would you like to wear instead?

Show me your tattoo and tell me your idea. We start from where you are now.

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