Tattoo Cover‑Up Specialists in London  London Blue Lady Tattoo

With over 30 years of experience, Phetrus brings refined technique and precision to every design. He specialises in covering extremely dark and heavily saturated tattoos — including massive black tribal pieces that most studios refuse to attempt — and he is highly skilled at working over deep scars where careful planning and controlled shading are essential. The upper‑arm floral cover‑up shown here was created over a very dark, solid tattoo (before photo unavailable), showing his ability to rebuild shape, flow and detail even when working over dense old ink and complex surface textures.

Zsolt is a master of realistic tattoo work and has extensive experience creating cover‑ups on dark skin. We have fewer photos of these transformations because dark skin often becomes shiny and swollen immediately after tattooing, which makes it difficult to capture clear images straight after the session. Cover‑ups on dark skin usually need a retouch to achieve perfect saturation once the first layer settles, and Zsolt plans every design with this in mind to ensure a smooth, natural result.

Goska, just like Zsolt and Phetrus, takes on some of the most demanding cover‑ups in the studio — especially half‑sleeves where the skin is almost fully saturated with old black ink. She specialises in transforming heavy, dark coverage into fresh, flowing new artwork by rebuilding structure, contrast and detail in areas most artists avoid.

Dita isn’t tattooing, but she works at a highly skilled artistic level with strong drawing ability and a head full of creative solutions for the most difficult cover‑ups. She has been in the tattoo industry since 2000, giving her deep knowledge of techniques, possibilities and limitations when designing cover‑ups that actually work. Dita creates detailed hand‑drawn concepts and Photoshop mock‑ups (not AI) to show how even the most complicated old tattoos can be transformed into clean, balanced new designs for the artists to execute.

• Can any tattoo be covered?

Most tattoos can be covered, but only with the right design. A cover‑up must disguise the old shapes, not sit on top of them. Some tattoos need a bigger design to hide the old lines properly.

• Do cover‑ups need to be bigger?

Usually yes. To hide the old tattoo properly, the new design often needs to be 2–3 times bigger. Small cover‑ups are only possible when the old tattoo is small and light.

• Can you cover black ink?

Yes. Even solid black tattoos can be covered — but only with the right technique. We work with opaque grey over very dark black ink, some dark colours can go over black, and white ink can be built up over black to break up the old shapes and rebuild a new structure on top. The design must be planned properly to disguise the original lines and create a clean new shape.

• Can you cover a tattoo with skin‑colour ink?

No. Skin‑tone ink does not hide tattoos. It heals as a strange patch and the old tattoo still shows through. Skin has natural variation that ink cannot copy, so “skin‑colour cover‑ups” always fail.

• Can you cover one name with another name?

No. Lettering cannot hide lettering. The old name will still show through. A proper cover‑up needs shading, texture and new shapes to break up the old lines.

• Does skin colour affect how well a cover‑up works?

Yes. Different skin tones heal colours differently, and some colours simply won’t hide old ink on certain skin tones. This is why every cover‑up must be planned individually.

• How many sessions do I need?

It depends on the size and darkness of the old tattoo.

Small tattoos can usually be covered in one session. 

Bigger or darker tattoos often need multiple sessions, especially if we need to break up old lines before adding the final shading.

• Do cover‑ups need retouching?

Often yes. Cover‑ups heal differently from tattoos on clear skin. Retouches for cover‑ups are not free, because the old ink affects the healing.

• Can you do fine‑line cover‑ups?

No. Fine‑line tattoos do not hide old ink. A cover‑up needs shading, texture and structure to disguise the old shapes.

• Can I choose any design for my cover‑up?

You can send ideas, but not every design will work. We choose the option that hides your old tattoo best — not every style can cover every shape.

• What photos do you need to give me a price?

We need:

• a few close‑ups
• a few photos from a distance
• photos taken straight on, not at an angle
• the tattoo’s position on your body
• your ideas for the new design

Without this, we can’t estimate anything.

• How much will my cover‑up cost?

The price depends on:

• size
• complexity
• colour vs black & grey
• placement
• how dark is the old tattoo

We can only give a rough estimate before the design is ready.

• What is your hourly rate?

We charge £110 per hour or  discounted £700 for a full‑day session

• Do I need to pay a deposit?

Yes. To start the design or book an appointment, we require a £50–£55 deposit (depending on payment method). The deposit goes toward the final price.

• How does the design process work?

We create a custom design based on your photos and ideas.

We send you the mock‑up for review, and we make all possible changes.

Some artists prepare the design on the same day before the tattoo session.

• Do you offer consultations?

Yes — free consultation in person or online.

If you live far away, online is fine.

• Can I get a geometric design as a cover‑up?

Usually no. Geometric designs do not hide old tattoos — the old shapes show through.

• Do you offer instalments?

Yes — you can pay in advance in instalments.

Card payments have a small surcharge 1.7% on the transaction .