As warmer weather brings more opportunities to show off body art, some residents are seeking help to hide tattoos they no longer want on display.
At Sanctuary Collective in Cherry Valley, tattoo artist Frank Benitez says coverups are a regular part of the job—often driven by changes in relationships or personal tastes.
“You could cover up just about anything,” Benitez said. “You just have to keep going over it. If it’s dark and you want color, you blast over it with color.”
According to Benitez, one of the most common coverup requests involves names of former partners, which he considers “fairly easy” to mask due to their typically simple designs. Coverups now make up about 25% of his clientele.
Fellow artist Laz Eco has also seen his share of tattoo reversals during his nine years in the business. He recalled one case where two friends got matching tattoos to symbolize their bond—until the relationship quickly soured.
“About a month later, one girl came in and said, ‘I am not friends with that person anymore. I need this covered up,’” Eco said.
Some coverup requests are more unusual. Artist Ravyn Novak shared one particularly memorable experience from her previous shop.
“Two guys came in once to get a really outrageous tattoo—the only outrageous one I’ve ever done,” she said. “They wanted stick figures of themselves holding hands, and also holding their male parts together like a handshake.”
One friend followed through and got the tattoo on his upper thigh. The other, Novak said, backed out.
The process of covering up a tattoo varies significantly, depending on the size and complexity of the original ink. While some designs can be completed in minutes, others may require several hours—or even multiple sessions—to finish.
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