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Inked Mag Staff

May 18th, 2017

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Ink Redux: Reviving Drop Dead Ugly Tattoos

These Artists Breathed New Life Into These Tattoos Regrettable tattoos will never cease to exist. Whether it’s a tattoo done in the spur of the moment by a sketchy artist…

These Artists Breathed New Life Into These Tattoos

Regrettable tattoos will never cease to exist. Whether it’s a tattoo done in the spur of the moment by a sketchy artist or something you let your friend scratch on you, people sometimes simply just get bad tattoos. Luckily, there are options springing up these days to alleviate your bad experience, such as cover up tattoos and laser removal, for example. But what if you actually like the idea behind your tattoo, but it was just poorly executed? There’s no need for a cover up or removal. You only need to find an artist who will re-do your tattoo. Consider the following artists if you’re ever in search of someone to breathe life into your lifeless tattoo.

From Pale to Peppy

https://www.instagram.com/p/BJVZhOYgVsG

Sharon of Needlecraft Tattoo in Worthing, UK, saved this dying lily flower by adding bright colors and details to it and adding budding flowers. The artist also added leaves and extended the branch, which flows beautifully down the client’s back.

Make The Heart Beat Again

https://www.instagram.com/p/BE_v7lmGXeI

This heart gets to beat again thanks to Xavier Rodriguez. With superb dotwork and fine lines, the Bayamon, Puerto Rico-based artist took this eye soar to a work of art, unlike any other heart tattoo you’ll ever lay eyes on.

A Little Goes a Long Way

https://www.instagram.com/p/BCBDiKckTxV

This re-do was the fine work of Charlie Cook of Black Unicorn Tattoo. Charlie says that she felt that doing an entire cover up would be overkill, therefore, she and the client opted for a re-do. Charlie added some leaves and dots around the stem, and passed over the stem with black. She also gave the flower some much-needed details, and finished off the piece by adding white here and there.

Bright and in Flight

https://www.instagram.com/p/BFYlJwmL_kE

Jay added some color to these swallows. Although he says that there was nothing much he could do with the dark shading on the birds’ bellies, he made up for it by adding details and definition to the birds and the chain that links them.

Minimal Doesn’t Have To Be Simple

https://www.instagram.com/p/BB2nwrATWJ1

Gero took these simple intertwined triangles and created a minimalistic yet intricate tattoo that we’re sure had the client a bit prouder to wear it than what they had prior.

Tattoo Fit For Royalty

https://www.instagram.com/p/BUJJjbiBiB1

With some well-executed color saturation, Dawid Walczak of Straight Line Tattoo Studio, was able to make this lion piece roar.

Walk With the Stars Once Again

https://www.instagram.com/p/BTWOV6tB9n6

Star tattoos are among the list of tattoos folks typically regret. What was in style back then, isn’t any longer. However, Anna Corbett of Alternative Art in Northampton, UK, gave this old fashioned design a contemporary spin by adding watercolor to the mix. With spurts of pinks, oranges and purples, this tattoo is now one beautiful foot tattoo.

Picture Perfect Portrait

https://www.instagram.com/p/BS8OrFPjUpE

Packing some ink and details rejuvenated these portraits. Tony Evans, the artist who saved this tattoo, says that sometimes things can be fixed.

Tattoo Artists Are the Real Heroes

https://www.instagram.com/p/BPVZsGSlZ6C

Another fellow comic book fan who was done wrong, but, luckily, Brian Freda of Electric Cat Scratch Tattoos, came to the rescue.

This Kitty Needed a Facelift, Desperately

https://www.instagram.com/p/BO-9FG9gQ4R

The original tattoo seemed almost unfixable, but Ge Zhang was able to revive this leopard’s spots.

Editor's Picks

Heartless Ink Banner Art
Bridging Classical Art and Modern Tattooing

Esteban Rodriguez brings the discipline of classical fine art to the living canvas of skin, creating hyper-realistic tattoos that merge technical mastery with emotional depth.

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Show Your Ink Fashions creates custom shirts designed to showcase your tattoos as wearable art, blending fashion with personal expression.

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The Ultimate “Superman” Tattoo Roundup: Just in Time for Superman’s Return to Screens

With Superman’s big return to theaters, fans are revisiting some of the most iconic ink inspired by the Man of Steel.

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