Specialty · Wrocław studio and guest spots in Germany and Austria
Cover-up tattoos — including the cases other artists turn down
Old, dark, or faded tattoos can be covered in most cases — with a new realistic composition that lets none of the old design show through. That is what I have specialized in for 17 years, including the technically difficult cases that other artists have turned down.
Updated: September 2026
Cover-ups are my main focus
Most tattoo artists decline difficult cover-ups — old, dark, or awkwardly placed work. Those are exactly the projects I take on: the old design disappears under a new photorealistic composition in hyper-realism or color realism. Every cover-up is its own puzzle of anatomy, pigment density, and tonal planning — there's no one-size-fits-all solution.
Real examples from the portfolio: a black-and-white panda with densely filled areas became a color dragon in churning water — across the whole thigh, in 3 sessions plus one touch-up, with no laser at all. A solid black tribal became a realistic skull with an octopus in color realism over the full upper arm, again in 3 sessions and without laser. Symmetrical swallows across the chest were done as a cover-up after laser lightening. And a rhino on the arm shows what a cover-up looks like fully healed, 3 years later.
Cover-up examples — before and after
Healed work — months and years after the session — has its own page: see healed tattoos.
What I take on as a cover-up
- ✦ Old, dark tattoos — dense black or heavily saturated work that standard technique can barely cover.
- ✦ Faded and blurred tattoos — work from 10–20 years ago where the lines have spread or the color has washed out.
- ✦ Names and dates — lettering usually needs a larger composition so the text disappears completely.
- ✦ Botched tattoos — crooked lines, unfinished pieces, poorly executed portraits.
- ✦ Scars and skin discoloration — a design built to hide them, adapted to the skin's texture.
How the assessment works
Send me a few photos of your tattoo, taken from different angles, on WhatsApp or Instagram, plus your idea or references for the new piece. I reply with an honest assessment: whether the tattoo can be covered as is, how big the new piece needs to be, and whether laser makes sense first. A deposit reserves your date and is deducted from the total — details on the deposit terms page.
The work happens either in my studio in Wrocław, Poland (see what to know before you travel), or at one of my regular guest spots in Germany and Austria (see the current dates).
FAQ — cover-ups
Can every tattoo be covered up? +
Most can, yes — including very dark and heavily saturated pieces. Sometimes an old tattoo is so saturated or so awkwardly placed that one or two laser sessions to lighten it are the smarter route before the cover-up. That is decided case by case from photos: send a picture of your current tattoo and your idea for the new design.
Does the new tattoo have to be much bigger than the old one? +
Usually, yes. To hide an old design reliably, the new composition needs darker areas and more surface area. Sometimes that means going from an armband to a full sleeve. During the consultation we agree on the minimum size a clean cover-up requires.
Can an old tattoo be covered with a realistic portrait or a scene? +
Yes — that is exactly my specialty. Most of my cover-ups turn old or abstract work into realistic portraits of people and animals, or into narrative scenes, done in hyper-realism, photorealism, or color realism. You can see examples on this page and in the portfolio.
How many sessions does a cover-up take? +
It depends on the size and saturation of the old tattoo. A small cover-up (10–15 cm / 4–6 inches) usually takes 2 sessions, larger pieces 3–6. A session with me runs at least 6 hours. If laser is needed first, add a two- to three-month wait. A real example: the panda-to-dragon cover-up described on this page was covered in 3 sessions plus one touch-up — with no laser at all.
I'm not from Poland — how do I book, and how does communication work? +
Message me in English on WhatsApp or Instagram with photos of the tattoo and your idea. You'll get an honest assessment, a size recommendation, and a suggested date. A deposit reserves the date and is deducted from the total. Many of my clients travel to Wrocław from abroad or catch one of my guest spots in Germany and Austria — the travel guide on this site covers the practical side.
Send a photo of your old tattoo
The assessment is free and starts with a photo. Send it via WhatsApp or Instagram DM — you'll get an honest answer on whether it can be covered, plus a proposal for the new piece.
See also: getting tattooed in Poland · healed tattoos · aftercare · home
