Cover-ups: what the artist needs to see

Prepare photos and measurements

• Take one photo showing the whole body area and another showing the existing tattoo clearly. Include the surrounding tattoos or empty space.
• Use even light and no filters. Avoid glare, deep shadows, and an angled photo that distorts the shape.
• Measure the current tattoo's height and width. State the body area and how much larger you are willing to go.
• Tell the artist how old it is, whether it has been reworked or previously covered, and whether it has had removal treatment.

How to share your photos.

What must disappear, and what can stay?

Name the part you want changed: a name that must no longer be readable, an image you no longer want, or a design you still like but want reworked. Those are different requests. Tell the artist if any surrounding work must remain untouched.

Separate what matters to you from what is flexible: subject, size, color, placement, and how much surrounding skin can be used. If you will only accept a particular small design in exactly the same footprint, say that before an artist spends time planning it.

Get an assessment before booking the tattoo

Ask whether the proposal is a full cover-up or a rework that keeps parts of the original. Confirm what may remain visible, whether an in-person assessment is needed, and whether the estimate covers one session or several. Photos can start that conversation; they do not guarantee the project is workable.

A cover-up is not automatically a walk-in job. Do not plan around same-day completion until the artist has assessed it.

Start with the existing tattoo

Email South Town your photos with a short description, such as: “The lettering is 3 × 1 inches on my shoulder. I want the name unreadable, can go larger, and want to keep the tattoo beside it.” This is an example of useful information, not a promise that a cover-up is possible.

Email your cover-up photos, or send a text inquiry. Read the deposit policy before booking.