Kat Von D has taken to social media to share with fans the progress of her "blacking out" her tattoos after embracing Christianity.
The legendary tattoo artist of LA Ink fame showed off the incredible change in her appearance after revealing she's covered up "80%" of her ink. This comes after the star publicly renounced witchcraft and shared a video of her baptism. Check out the cover-up progress below:
The 41-year-old artist - known as much for her gothic aesthetics - took to Instagram on Friday (October 20) to share an update of her transformation - revealing that, instead of undergoing the "extremely painful" laser removal process, she chose to simply ink her skin black.
"I've been consistently flying out to Philly to get tattooed by the amazing @hoode215 at his lovely tattoo shop @blackvulturegallery," she wrote.
Her Instagram post showcased the stark contrast between her previously adorned skin and the newly inked black sections. "17 sessions, and almost 40 accumulative hours later, we are about 80 percent done with blacking out my body," Kat told her fans.
Some of her old tattoos - such as a vine inking on her right side - were still visible, but will also be covered as the sessions continue.
And Kat didn’t shy away from explaining her choice and informing her concerned fans.
In a preemptive Q&A in the caption, she explained her choice to forgo laser removal, stating: "Laser is a slow (and extremely painful) process which can take more than 10 sessions. While laser tattoo removal is effective, I personally wasn’t a good candidate considering how much coverage I wanted to remove."
She also expressed her preference for the "simplicity of the black", adding that there won't be any added white ink layering.
Kat’s decision isn't merely aesthetic; it reflects a deeper personal transformation. "The tattoos represented a part of my life that no longer aligns with who I am today," she revealed. "Some people are fine with keeping these types of landmarks in time on them — I personally grew tired of waking up to them, and seeing those constant reminders every time I looked in a mirror."
And, as previously reported, Kat's transformation is far more than being just skin deep.
The artist surprised many with her conversion to Christianity, marking this transition with a baptism. However, this spiritual journey was met with unexpected backlash.
In a follow-up video responding to her critics, Kat said: "You would think all the hate would be coming from people who are against religion or against Christianity. It was really the Christians who were the worst.
Revealing that much of the criticism is rooted in her unique appearance, she continued: "I think it's really insane we live in a time where people still judge a book by its cover. I wasn't aware that there's a uniform you're supposed to wear once you give your heart to Jesus." Watch the full video below:
Prior to her baptism, Kat publicly renounced her former ties to witchcraft and the occult. Sharing images of discarded witchcraft and tarot books, she questioned her past affiliations. "I just had to ask myself what is my relationship with this content? And the truth is, I just don’t want to invite any of these things into our family’s lives, even if it comes disguised in beautiful covers," she captioned one post.
Her personal transformation has also impacted other aspects of her life. Announcing her relocation from LA to the tranquility of Indiana, she decided to close the doors of her famous tattoo parlor, High Voltage Tattoo. "After much thought, we have decided we will permanently be moving to Indiana at the end of this year," she shared.
Addressing the fate of her shop, she noted, "I didn’t think it would make sense to keep it open if I wasn’t present."