Tattoos are your ‘passport stamps’ through life; they remind you of places you’ve been, the person you were in your younger days – the things and the people you loved. Tattoos often have a place of great importance in peoples hearts. They can portray moments, memories and experiences that you wish to keep close to your body for many years ahead… holding an emotional connection with sentimental value.
For some people, outgrowing an old design means that a cover-up or removal is the best options, but for those that still fond of their original ink (and the memories they hold), a complete refresh can bring that magic flooding back, and make you love it all over again!
As our skin ages and tattoos are exposed to the wear and tear of life, old tattoos can lose their definition and colour. Damage from sun exposure over the years can fade them, and the pigment can shift and spread under the skin leading to blotchiness and patchy pigment, fatter lines and a look that is less than crisp. This is a natural process – the skin is the largest organ of the body and a living, breathing canvas – as we age and change, so does our ink.
This is where a tattoo repair specialist comes into the picture!
Restoring Old Tattoos
This is where VoodooLou can help
Lou says: ‘I really enjoy refreshing old tattoos. It is such a rewarding and satisfying part of my job. Some of the old, traditional designs are fantastic – and can be restored to their former glory with some fresh line-work and the application of vibrant, modern colours which are built to last.
I remember a client who was in his 70’s; he had an old-school eagle tattoo which was virtually unrecognisable, blurred and blotchy. When we gave the tattoo a total refresh, the look on his face was priceless – it instantly took him back to being 19 years old, to the backstreet studio in Hong Kong where he had had it done originally, when he was serving in the forces. There were lots of memories and some great stories that he had to share – it is a very special thing to be able to ‘reunite’ my clients with the artwork which has so much history attached’.
Repairing old tattoos has become progressively more popular over time as individuals develop an even stronger bond with their artwork.
- What memories do your tattoos bring back?
- How much would it mean if someone could give them a new life?
Instead of just wiping out your old tattoo and having a totally new one, you can get it touched up and restored without disrupting the original design. This involves putting back colours and details into your existing ink so that it looks as good as new.
- Restore and refresh what you once held dear!
- Revive or correct any mistakes on existing tattoos
The initial Step
To start with, its always a good idea to get specialist advice, as not all kinds of tattoos are suited for this treatment.
Older pigments were made quite differently to the modern, vibrant inks used currently, and an experienced artist can recommend which colours are suitable to ink over the existing pigment. Your artist will assess the condition of the skin and the existing tattoo, and recommend the best approach to bringing your design back to life.
Moreover, its well worth spending time deciding on which design, changes or improvements you would like - dont feel like you have to stick to exactly the same as before!
There are also lots of different options that experienced professionals could recommend too!
Consultation
When it comes to renewing your ink, fading and ageing tattoos can be given a new lease of life
through the process of cover up. Once you have found a respected tattoo artist who specialises in this kind of work, book a consultation or simply give them a call.
At the consultation, your artist can inspect your tattoo and determine what are the best solutions to bring its original look back.
After delving into the existing design, they can assess its size, dimensions, location, colours… etc. Your tattoo artist will then craft a plan to restore it according to your preferences.
Youll soon have a tattoo fresher than ever before! Its worth bearing in mind though that some tattoos might not be able to go completely back due to age or other elements such as scarring or skin damage.
In these cases, a more inventive approach like joining two tattoos together or covering up an
affected area with a new design could be the suggested option.
But you will never know, unless you make the first step.
VoodooLou Tattoo
VoodooLou Tattoo in Poole has become a dependable place for people to bring their older tattoos back to life.
Whether you are hoping to restore a fading tattoo, make tweaks or even just give your
original work some TLC.
VoodooLou can help unlock the potential of any existing design, with Tattoo repairs not only meeting but exceeding customer expectations each time.
Countless customers have expressed astonishment at how much more intense and intricate their revived tattoo looks after going through this transformation process!
