Every time someone I know gets a tattoo and asks me what I think of it, I say I think it "looks brilliant". This is because the reality - that they have just spent hundreds of dollars on a regrettably permanent mistake - is simply too harsh to spell out.

It takes a lot for a tattoo to actually look cool, not least since you need to be a 'tattoo type of person' for any ink to work at all. Some people just don't look right with tattoos; all pasty, freckled skin coloured in with some tribal pattern of which they have no idea of the real meaning.

Perhaps my attitude towards ink is a little dictatorial, but there you have it, these are my feelings, friends.

Of late, though, a new type of tattoo has sprung up, and I have to say I think it's piggin' marvellous. 'Cover up' tattoos have become popular as they use scars, birthmarks and more as the basis for really bloody cool tattoo designs. Not only are these empowering if they help those who feel a little self-conscious about their bodies - but they are also incredibly creative and I could tell a friend who got one I thought it looked brilliant without having to lie to their face.

Here are some of the very best examples.

1. Beautiful 2. So clever  3. Colourful and creative 4. An incredible design  5. Quirky and cool  6. Wow. 7. Flower design down the spine 8. This is so cool 9. Zippers are a popular theme  10. A powerful image 

Which is your favourite? Personally I think they're all ridiculously cool, and a great way of embracing scars on one's body. Of course, there's nothing at all wrong with having a scar in the first place, so leaving them as they are with no tattoo embellishment is also very cool.

Every time someone I know gets a tattoo and asks me what I think of it, I say I think it "looks brilliant". This is because the reality - that they have just spent hundreds of dollars on a regrettably permanent mistake - is simply too harsh to spell out.

It takes a lot for a tattoo to actually look cool, not least since you need to be a 'tattoo type of person' for any ink to work at all. Some people just don't look right with tattoos; all pasty, freckled skin coloured in with some tribal pattern of which they have no idea of the real meaning.

Perhaps my attitude towards ink is a little dictatorial, but there you have it, these are my feelings, friends.

Of late, though, a new type of tattoo has sprung up, and I have to say I think it's piggin' marvellous. 'Cover up' tattoos have become popular as they use scars, birthmarks and more as the basis for really bloody cool tattoo designs. Not only are these empowering if they help those who feel a little self-conscious about their bodies - but they are also incredibly creative and I could tell a friend who got one I thought it looked brilliant without having to lie to their face.

Here are some of the very best examples.

1. Beautiful 2. So clever  3. Colourful and creative 4. An incredible design  5. Quirky and cool  6. Wow. 7. Flower design down the spine 8. This is so cool 9. Zippers are a popular theme  10. A powerful image 

Which is your favourite? Personally I think they're all ridiculously cool, and a great way of embracing scars on one's body. Of course, there's nothing at all wrong with having a scar in the first place, so leaving them as they are with no tattoo embellishment is also very cool.