Need some artistic suggestions for a cover up

[Inkslingers]

Yikes. That IS dark. Instead of Peonies, I may consider some roses. Something that you can have a decent amount of linework underneath it to pull some solid black out of. I always find that the more lines, and more places that you can put some black or almost black, the better the coverups look.

It's a shame that laser is so pricey for most people and that it hurts so bad (as I've been told). It can do such great things and make coverups so much nicer looking in the end.

A few hours from my studio is another shop that does laser, at close to half of what dermatologist's in the area charge. I've sent a number of clients to them and gotten really good results. Since black is the easiest to get out, just one or two sessions with a laser and what you're left to work with can be a whole new ballgame. That said, it's frustrating that I'm not able to convince more clients to take that route.

[DiarrheaSuitcase]

A few hours from my studio is another shop that does laser, at close to half of what dermatologist's in the area charge. I've sent a number of clients to them and gotten really good results. Since black is the easiest to get out, just one or two sessions with a laser and what you're left to work with can be a whole new ballgame. That said, it's frustrating that I'm not able to convince more clients to take that route.

Dude, you should really talk to the main practitioner there to get some brochures and stuff in your shop. And maybe even get a small commission for business that you send their way. Like a "I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine" type thing. Could be an easy way to get some extra coin in your pocket.

[DiarrheaSuitcase]

Okay, so I talked to the guy today about his cover up. I'm really stoked because he is totally down for the raven and roses idea!

I'm leaning towards doing the raven in a painterly type style instead of everything being hard-lined. The roses will be covering the bottom part of the old tat (the Harley Davidson logo), which is pretty dark. Alie suggested the roses because lining the petals would help hide the old tat better. Would I be a fool to attempt doing the roses painterly style (without lines) so it matches the raven? Would lined roses throw off the groove of the painted raven? Any personal thoughts on the matter? Roses with or without lines?

[OwlsDen]

I think you should consider doing it all hard lined traditional look and feel. I strongly feel something more painterly might get muddied by the cover up. The fresh black lines will make the old faded black not seem so dark

[peter clements]

I think strong bold lines are a must in a cover-up, of this sort anyway,and I think the design wants to be neo-traditional,that's the road I'd want to go down.

[nivek]

When you pack solid black over black sometimes you end up jut making the tattoo under it darker. That being said roses blended out to dark colors will make it easier - blues and purples are a easy way to hide that type of stuff.

[DiarrheaSuitcase]

After playing around with the design a bit, here is what I came up with for the linework:
img102.jpg
The rose on the left will be covering very little of the old tat, so I was thinking Deep red fading to orange. The rose on the right will be covering most of the Harley logo, so I was thinking deep Purple fading to red. My only concern with the right rose is that the colors will be similar to the raven. The raven will be black with purple and blue highlights (although the raven will be black where the right rose is due to shadows).

I don't know why it posted two of the same pic.... sorry. :/