45 Creative Ways People Covered Up Tattoos of Their Exes

Let’s face it — falling in love can be intense. We’ve all had that moment in the early stages of romance when we want to tell the world about our newfound boo. Instead of simply changing their relationship status on Facebook, these folks decided to declare their love with tattoos. Unfortunately, not all relationships survive, calling for another trip to the tattoo shop to get their tributes covered up.

I Suspect Fowl Play

It’s been said that getting inked is a great way to kiss goodbye to the break-up blues. A creative solution, this woman covered her ex’s name with a watercolor-inspired feather. Cover-ups usually have to be large enough to disguise the original design, and the artist of this piece decided to take it one step further, getting creative with color.

Nature-themed cover-ups are a popular choice, and feathers can event represent freedom from a toxic or troubled relationship. Goodbye forever, Darwin!

Marge Makes the Best Muse

Cover-ups don’t have to consist of the typical images of flowers, birds, roses, skulls, or feathers. If you want to erase bad memories of your ex, why not replace your ink with a fun tribute to your favorite cartoon character?

Altering the text on a tattoo is a convenient way of changing its meaning without having to cover the design entirely. This tattoo artist cleverly altered ‘Mary’ to say ‘Marge’, complete with a portrait of the blue-haired mother of three.

Portrait Gone Wrong

Getting a portrait of your significant other can be risky, and when the relationship breaks down, a trip to the tattoo shop is inevitable. Thankfully, some tattoos are more easily covered than others.

Sometimes, the artist may suggest a few sessions of laser removal, but this is not always necessary. When a design has faded over time, the artist can conveniently cover the original piece of work using bold colors, as seen in this ‘Day of the Dead’-inspired piece.

Birds of a Feather

When a tattoo consists of a long line of script like this one, it can be difficult to cover it up. This tattoo artist decided to experiment with vivid shades of blue and purple, creating a colorful and fun feather. This bright design leaves no trace of the original, transforming the client’s arm into a canvas.

Sometimes the old tattoo can peek through, but not in this case. Even the small flower has been covered with a splatter of ink!