Tattoo cover-up

[Irishgirl71]

My husband had an eagle tattoo with my name above it done over 18 years ago. He recently had some work done on his other arm, he had Frankenstein, Dracula and the werewolf done as a sleeve. Today he went and had some other creature put over the eagle tattoo but left my name…..it looks really stupid, like the creature is me.  I am so hurt and upset by this, it’s like he did it knowing I would think it looks awful so I would tell him to cover my name up as well. 
I am really just looking for an opinion if I am over reacting or not?

Edited February 15, 2022 by a LoveShack.org Moderator
language

[Wiseman2]

Maybe the tattoo artist wasn't that good?

Edited February 15, 2022 by a LoveShack.org Moderator
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[Irishgirl71]

What do you mean, maybe the tattoo artist wasn’t that good?

[Happy Lemming]

A previous friend of mine owns a tattoo shop.  More than once, he has had to attempt to correct or coverup a previous tattoo.  The results were less than stellar.  He told me it is extremely difficult to cover up or correct an already existing tattoo.

Perhaps the intent was NOT to make a "creature" out of the eagle, but the tattoo artist did his/her best with what he/she had to work with.  Was the Eagle in multiple colors??  Also was the intent to keep your name intact, again another challenge for the artist to attempt to overcome...

Just curious... why did your husband cover up the Eagle in the first place??  Was the Eagle done poorly??

[Irishgirl71]

Happy Lemming, 

The eagle was done in multiple colors and also had the American flag in the background . It was a well done tattoo, started to fade a bit but that’s it.

He said he hasn’t liked the eagle tattoo for a while now and when he was getting the sleeve done on the other arm he was asking the artist about putting another monster on the other arm to cover the eagle. My husband wants to keep my name, so he says, but it just looks really dumb now. I just feel like there is some hidden reason for doing this because to keep my name ther above this tattoo doesn’t make sense and looks ridiculous.

[Wiseman2]

7 minutes ago, Irishgirl71 said:

I just feel like there is some hidden reason for doing this because to keep my name ther above this tattoo doesn’t make sense and looks ridiculous.

It's his body so he has to live with it. He did keep your name and perhaps this was the only workaround given his request to the tattoo artist to keep it there.

[Happy Lemming]

13 minutes ago, Irishgirl71 said:

The eagle was done in multiple colors and also had the American flag in the background .

 

Multiple colored tattoos are extremely difficult to cover-up or correct.  They have to use the colors as "field" for the new tattoo or tattoo in a darker color, again creating a "field" problem for the new tattoo.  You don't have a blank canvass to draw a line, so it becomes quite a challenge with the edge of what you are drawing.

Again, the tattoo artist probably did the best he/she could given the multiple colors and amount of field area covered by the flag in the background.

Would your husband be willing to color in your name, so it isn't associated with the "creature"??  Maybe put your name on a different part of his body that doesn't have previous work??

[glows]

It's really his body so he can choose however or whatever he wants to do with it. I'd suggest he remove your name if I were in your shoes. 

Unfortunately you can't quite dictate someone else's choice of body modification or art and you married someone knowing he enjoys tattoos.

[Irishgirl71]

Glows,

I did tell him to remove my name

[basil67]

53 minutes ago, Irishgirl71 said:

I just feel like there is some hidden reason for doing this 

This comment makes me think that there are underlying problems in your marriage rather than just a bad choice of tattoo.  What's going on in the marriage to make you think this was a deliberate slight on you?

[glows]

6 minutes ago, Irishgirl71 said:

Glows,

I did tell him to remove my name

I agree with Basil. Doing this to insult you seems a passive aggressive and wildly elaborate method to insult someone. Or, you find most of him offensive anyway as a whole which may be possible and he's hurt you in other ways.

Do you distrust him or has he shown you he's disrespectful towards you, aside from what you perceive with this tattoo choice?

[Irishgirl71]

Unfortunately, he is passive aggressive. He has done a lot over the years to have these negative thoughts. Issues in the marriage, he doesn’t talk about or try to resolve arguments, he does what he wants when he wants with no regard to me. I finally came to the realization that I do not have a voice in this marriage. He has purchased numerous big ticket items without confidant opinion from me. 
It doesn’t matter now anyways, what was done is done and it’s permanent. No point in arguing about it. I apologized for overreacting.

[basil67]

There may be no point in arguing over the tattoo.  But I do think it's time that you look at what you're staying in the marriage.   Is this the same guy?

 

[Alvi]

1 hour ago, Irishgirl71 said:

finally came to the realization that I do not have a voice in this marriage. He has purchased numerous big ticket items without confidant opinion from me. 

Have you tried a marriage counselling? Forget about the tattoo, this is the real problem in your marriage.

[Irishgirl71]

Basil 67,

Yes, this is the same guy

[glows]

14 hours ago, Irishgirl71 said:

Unfortunately, he is passive aggressive. He has done a lot over the years to have these negative thoughts. Issues in the marriage, he doesn’t talk about or try to resolve arguments, he does what he wants when he wants with no regard to me. I finally came to the realization that I do not have a voice in this marriage. He has purchased numerous big ticket items without confidant opinion from me. 
It doesn’t matter now anyways, what was done is done and it’s permanent. No point in arguing about it. I apologized for overreacting.

He’s selfish but his actions may also indicate that he feels stuck the same way you do. 

It may be time to rethink the marriage as this is no marriage at all. It’s a farce if you’re not on the same page most of the time or feel resentful and disrespected. 

[AngryGromit]

21 hours ago, Happy Lemming said:

Multiple colored tattoos are extremely difficult to cover-up or correct.  They have to use the colors as "field" for the new tattoo or tattoo in a darker color, again creating a "field"

So you couldn't cover a color with straight black? I'll admit I don't know that much about tattoos, obviously you couldn't use a lighter color over a darker one, but I assumed black would cover anything. 

[Happy Lemming]

46 minutes ago, AngryGromit said:

So you couldn't cover a color with straight black? I'll admit I don't know that much about tattoos, obviously you couldn't use a lighter color over a darker one, but I assumed black would cover anything. 

It might make the line you were trying to draw (for the edge of an object) much wider than you intended (as you are trying to cover a field color)  In the example given, you have to find a way to incorporate the red and blue of the American flag into the new design.  You wouldn't want a wide black line, the width of an American flag stripe (red) in the drawing of the new feature.

Now if you are doing something like an "8 ball" tattoo, yes... you could easily fill in over any color in just about any tattoo, but the gentleman in this case wanted some type of creature, so the artist is forced to either use the red and blue of the previous tattoo or make the creature have a wide edge (the width of the American flag stripe).  Again, this is very difficult or so I was told by the tattoo artist I knew.

Personally, after hearing some of the stories (from my friend) about tattoos, tattoo regret and attempting to cover over or correct previous tattoos, I was completely turned off and NEVER got one.

 

[glows]

This is completely off topic. It’s best to see a tattoo artist regarding any particular piece. What one artist will take on, another won’t touch so research and asking around is needed. I’ve seen cover ups and had my own done when I didn’t think it was possible. 

OP, your marriage is the issue. Not his choice of tattoos.