When your old tattoos start looking like this, it's no fun anymore!
It's quite embarrassing, to be honest.
I was super happy with this tattoo when it was new (early 2008) but after several years of sun damage, this is what it ended up looking like. That, combined with the fact that I went to a sloppy tattoo artist! This just shows how important it is to research your tattoo artist before you decide who to go to. Although it probably looks worse that it is seeing as my tattoo was a light brown with very light flowers from the beginning.
It's quite embarrassing, to be honest.
I was super happy with this tattoo when it was new (early 2008) but after several years of sun damage, this is what it ended up looking like. That, combined with the fact that I went to a sloppy tattoo artist! This just shows how important it is to research your tattoo artist before you decide who to go to. Although it probably looks worse that it is seeing as my tattoo was a light brown with very light flowers from the beginning.
To the rescue came Zannie from RatsEye Design Tattoo. She's originally from Sweden, just like me, but moved over to England a couple of years ago and started up her own tattoo business in Brighton.
It has been a year since I went to see her now, and I'm aware that I've been teasing you with my lovely cover-up in various outfit posts ever since. Well, here's my story!
When I first came to RatsEye Design Tattoo I asked Zannie to just fill in my old tattoo, but she refused! She said it was flat and lifeless, and had some ideas for the flowers. Inspired by Alphonse Mucha's Art Nouveau flowers, she started working on a sketch that would transform my tiny dead flowers to massive blooming ones!
What I really like about Art Nouveau flowers is that they're not perfect, but you could say that they're at the end of their glory just before they die. I also love the dusky colours of this era, and this was what we were going to try to replicate.
What I really like about Art Nouveau flowers is that they're not perfect, but you could say that they're at the end of their glory just before they die. I also love the dusky colours of this era, and this was what we were going to try to replicate.
Zannie drew up the new sketch for the cover-up onto my old tattoo with the help of some stencils, but also by freehand.
As you can see, the basics of the tattoo would remain the same, but the flowers would be twice as big.
As you can see, the basics of the tattoo would remain the same, but the flowers would be twice as big.
Hearing the tattoo machine for hours was not fun!
Tips for when getting a bigger tattoo: bring a book and some other sort of entertainment, as well as sugary drinks and snacks to keep your blood sugar up. Like it or not, but you do bleed quite a bit, and it gets you tired.
Tips for when getting a bigger tattoo: bring a book and some other sort of entertainment, as well as sugary drinks and snacks to keep your blood sugar up. Like it or not, but you do bleed quite a bit, and it gets you tired.
Part one of the process done - the outlines!
Just as with my other tattoos I've gone for a dark brown rather than black, as I think it goes better with my skin colour. Black goes so green after a while...
Just as with my other tattoos I've gone for a dark brown rather than black, as I think it goes better with my skin colour. Black goes so green after a while...
Over all, Zannie sat bent over my shoulder with that horrible buzzing right in my ear for almost 7 hours! Talk about draining! But it was so worth it!
I really couldn't be happier with the beautiful Art Nouveau style flowers that ended up on my back rather than that bleached shit that was there before. Zannie is a perfectionist and takes her time, but I'm definitely staying faithful to her and RatsEye Design Tattoo from now on!
A year on, and the tattoo still looks perfect!
Another tip is of course to take care of your tattoo properly when it heals, otherwise you could end up with uneven colours. Don't pick any scabbing, and keep it moisturised with a mild but thick cream such as Bepanthen.
Another tip is of course to take care of your tattoo properly when it heals, otherwise you could end up with uneven colours. Don't pick any scabbing, and keep it moisturised with a mild but thick cream such as Bepanthen.
Have a look through Zannie's work on RatsEye Design Tattoo Brighton's Facebook page.
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