Honest assessment first
Not every old tattoo can be sensibly covered directly. The first step is evaluating how dark, how large and how problematic the existing work really is.
Every cover-up starts with an honest assessment of the old tattoo — its density, contrast, size, colour and how it sits on the body. Only then does a design that makes technical and visual sense get created. As a cover-up tattoo artist based in Poland, I take on cover-up and rework clients from across Europe — with regular guest spots in Austria (Vienna, Salzburg, Graz, Linz, Tulln) and, from autumn 2026, Munich.
Not every old tattoo can be sensibly covered directly. The first step is evaluating how dark, how large and how problematic the existing work really is.
Sometimes Q-Switch lightening is the better first step. It makes the later cover-up cleaner and gives more creative freedom for the new design.
A good cover-up does not just hide something. It works as a new tattoo even when nobody knows the old work underneath. The design itself is included in the tattoo price — I don't charge separately for it.
For a meaningful assessment, clear photos of the old tattoo in good light are needed — from several angles, relaxed and without filters. The less guessing, the better.
After analysis it becomes clear whether:
If travelling is an issue, everything can be initially assessed remotely based on good photos.
If a motif only looks good on screen but does not work over the old tattoo — it is not worth doing.
Cover-up and rework examples are available in the full gallery filtered by category.
I price every cover-up individually — it depends on the old tattoo (size, saturation, colour) and on the new design. The design itself is included in the tattoo price. The quickest way is to send a photo of the old tattoo on WhatsApp; I usually reply with a free estimate the same day.
Not always straight away. Very dark, heavily saturated tattoos sometimes need to be faded first so the cover-up heals clean. I tell you what is realistic based on your photos, before anything is booked.
For light and medium tattoos, usually not. For dark work I recommend staged fading with a Q-Switch laser — it is the difference between forcing a cover and getting a new tattoo that genuinely looks good.
It depends on the size and condition of the old piece. After the assessment you get a realistic plan — sometimes one session is enough, larger projects need several. If you are travelling, I plan the sessions so you make as few trips as possible.
Send clear photos first, so the design direction and size are agreed before you arrive. The studio is in Bielsko-Biała, in southern Poland, open Monday to Friday 9:00–16:00; Kraków and Katowice airports are about 1–1.5 hours away by car. I also tattoo on regular guest spots in Austria and Germany.