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Be prepared to be wowed by this ink art.

Here’s a Genius Hack for Covering a Tattoo, Thanks to Instagram

Here’s a Genius Hack for Covering a Tattoo, Thanks to Instagram

Tattoos are a commitment and a really great form of self-expression, but sometimes things don’t work out. Maybe you’ve broken up with an ex, or are regretting that tat you got that one time on spring break. There’s nothing to fear now, though, thanks to this new Instagram trend that’s been popping up in feeds — #blackouttattoos are a creative, cool way to ink or re-ink yourself, and some even say it’s cheaper and less painful than the notoriously difficult tattoo removal process. Make your own judgement call after checking out these five super talented ink artists.


1.@melkacreative: This tattoo artist from England is working on her friend’s blackout, piece by piece, perhaps to cover up an old tattoo or two? (See the flowers peeking out?) Although the juxtaposition between the two is fabulous! When you think of blackout tattoos, you might conjure up images of dark, moody people, but these tattoos and artists are doing a great job of showing how cool and fun #blackouttattoos can be.

2. @taras_shtanko: It’s crazy beautiful how this blackout arm leads right into a gorgeous, intricate pattern on the hand. A lot of the tattoo artists doing this and posting about it on Instagram are mixing together the blackout with something more delicate, making for a really unique piece of body work.

3. @hanumantra: Got an unwanted reminder of an ex? No problem. Just like this guy, it’s easily taken care of, and might often be cheaper and less painful than tattoo removal. The artist mentions how much of a commitment this is to both him and the artwork, and he says he’s inspired and humbled by the “commitment to the cause.”

4. @ivan_hack: It’s not clear if there was something to cover up on this man’s chest, but it doesn’t matter — the blackout looks really rad next to all the mandala work. The artist, Ivan, is based out of Russia, proving that this is a global phenomenon and definitely a trend to watch.

5. @justinturkus: This is taking blackout tats to the next level — the inclusion of something so boldly graphic and structured is really unexpected and makes heads turn in the best possible way. The only problem perhaps with having a tattoo this cool is people constantly coming up to you to ask about it!

Tell us about the most unique tattoos you’ve seen by tweeting us @BritandCo!

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