Kat Von D has revealed she is covering up a series of designs she previously had tattooed by having solid black ink put over them.

The TV star and tattoo artist, 40, has been charting her cover-up journey on her Instagram for several months after deciding to 'black out' all of the tattoos she is no longer keen on.

Last week, she shared her latest update after having undergone the solid black inking on her back to remove a host of designs she no longer likes...

... however, it looks like a tribute tattoo to her mother, Sylvia Galeano, is among those that will be staying.

Kat (pictured with Motley Crue's Nikki Sixx) previously had a portrait of her mother on her left shoulder. Credit: Minas Keukazian / Alamy

Kat had previously had a portrait of her mother's face on her left shoulder, as well as a picture of Carmen Miranda and the words "Mi Vida Loca" among a series of tattoos on her back, most of which were covered up in her latest session under the needle.

Taking to her Instagram story, the former LA Ink star revealed that she'd had the back of her neck and almost the entire top of her back blacked out.

She told her followers: "Got so much done today! Thank you so much @hoode215!"

Kat Von D's cover-up is well underway. Credit: Instagram/Kat Von D

She and the tattoo artist have been working together since December 2020 - marking 13 years at the time since she had gone sober - beginning by covering the tattoos across her arms, though she left the portrait she had done of her father on her inner forearm visible.

Kat wrote at the time: "Feels so good to finally cover up so many of the tattoos I got back when I used to drink. Those tattoos meant nothing to me but landmarks in dark times, and I'm so lucky to have the best blackout artist @hoode215 cover them up for me!

"Now my arm looks so nice and clean, and the portrait of my Father stands out even more."

Pre-empting potential criticism, she added: "*PS. Before anyone feels inspired to negatively criticize my tattoo, please remember that not everyone connects with the same things.

"I’ve been tattooing well over 2 decades and have seen so many tattoos in my lifetime that I personally would never get, yet feel happy for the wearer because it means something to them. I don’t think there should be room for criticism when it comes to self expression, and a tattoo is personal to the person wearing it. So thank you ahead of time for being respectful. Much love."

Kat also showed off the blackout on her left leg in June 2022, adding: "Read my caption before commenting please!! I’m so happy with how this blackout tattooing by @hoode215 is coming together! Today we knocked out my entire upper thigh all the way to my butt [which I would share with you guys the entire tattoo, but you know I always like to keep it PG].

"Before anyone starts criticizing, I encourage you to remember that it’s ok not to like or even understand things. Trust me, I’ve seen plenty of tattoos I personally would never get. And those differences make this world so much more interesting! So no need to comment any negativity.

"Just know that I absolutely LOVE it, and it’s extremely refreshing for me to see all the garbage, drunken tattoos I had scribbled all over my leg that I got before I became sober, be covered by sleekness and simplicity. Thank you @hoode215 for sharing your incredible abilities with me. Your blackout tattoos are my ultimate favorite!"

Blackout tattoos have been around for years and began as a cheaper and easier alternative to tattoo removal for unwanted designs.

In more recent times, blackout tattoos have begun to be used as standalone designs of their own, growing in popularity in South Asia in the 2010s before spreading around the world.

The practice has come under some criticism, however, with complaints of cultural appropriation and some even comparing it to blackface in certain circumstances.

Blackout tattooing takes several hours as the area must be expertly filled in to appear a solid color while minimizing the risk of scarring - as well as breaks needing to be taken due to pain from the volume of skin being inked - and does come with some risks.

As well as the expected health risks from tattooing in general, blackout tattoos can also have an increased risk of swelling, infection, and keloid scarring due to the large surface area being tattooed.

The pigments used can also contain carcinogens or cause allergic reactions, and the coverage of a dark pigment can make it hard for dermatologists to perform cancer screenings and identify suspicious moles.

However, if anyone's going to know about the risks and the best possible aftercare to minimize complications, it's someone that's been in the tattoo industry for decades, like Kat herself.

Featured image credit: WENN Rights Ltd / Alamy

Kat Von D has revealed she is covering up a series of designs she previously had tattooed by having solid black ink put over them.

The TV star and tattoo artist, 40, has been charting her cover-up journey on her Instagram for several months after deciding to 'black out' all of the tattoos she is no longer keen on.

Last week, she shared her latest update after having undergone the solid black inking on her back to remove a host of designs she no longer likes...

... however, it looks like a tribute tattoo to her mother, Sylvia Galeano, is among those that will be staying.

Kat (pictured with Motley Crue's Nikki Sixx) previously had a portrait of her mother on her left shoulder. Credit: Minas Keukazian / Alamy

Kat had previously had a portrait of her mother's face on her left shoulder, as well as a picture of Carmen Miranda and the words "Mi Vida Loca" among a series of tattoos on her back, most of which were covered up in her latest session under the needle.

Taking to her Instagram story, the former LA Ink star revealed that she'd had the back of her neck and almost the entire top of her back blacked out.

She told her followers: "Got so much done today! Thank you so much @hoode215!"

Kat Von D's cover-up is well underway. Credit: Instagram/Kat Von D

She and the tattoo artist have been working together since December 2020 - marking 13 years at the time since she had gone sober - beginning by covering the tattoos across her arms, though she left the portrait she had done of her father on her inner forearm visible.

Kat wrote at the time: "Feels so good to finally cover up so many of the tattoos I got back when I used to drink. Those tattoos meant nothing to me but landmarks in dark times, and I'm so lucky to have the best blackout artist @hoode215 cover them up for me!

"Now my arm looks so nice and clean, and the portrait of my Father stands out even more."

Pre-empting potential criticism, she added: "*PS. Before anyone feels inspired to negatively criticize my tattoo, please remember that not everyone connects with the same things.

"I’ve been tattooing well over 2 decades and have seen so many tattoos in my lifetime that I personally would never get, yet feel happy for the wearer because it means something to them. I don’t think there should be room for criticism when it comes to self expression, and a tattoo is personal to the person wearing it. So thank you ahead of time for being respectful. Much love."

Kat also showed off the blackout on her left leg in June 2022, adding: "Read my caption before commenting please!! I’m so happy with how this blackout tattooing by @hoode215 is coming together! Today we knocked out my entire upper thigh all the way to my butt [which I would share with you guys the entire tattoo, but you know I always like to keep it PG].

"Before anyone starts criticizing, I encourage you to remember that it’s ok not to like or even understand things. Trust me, I’ve seen plenty of tattoos I personally would never get. And those differences make this world so much more interesting! So no need to comment any negativity.

"Just know that I absolutely LOVE it, and it’s extremely refreshing for me to see all the garbage, drunken tattoos I had scribbled all over my leg that I got before I became sober, be covered by sleekness and simplicity. Thank you @hoode215 for sharing your incredible abilities with me. Your blackout tattoos are my ultimate favorite!"

Blackout tattoos have been around for years and began as a cheaper and easier alternative to tattoo removal for unwanted designs.

In more recent times, blackout tattoos have begun to be used as standalone designs of their own, growing in popularity in South Asia in the 2010s before spreading around the world.

The practice has come under some criticism, however, with complaints of cultural appropriation and some even comparing it to blackface in certain circumstances.

Blackout tattooing takes several hours as the area must be expertly filled in to appear a solid color while minimizing the risk of scarring - as well as breaks needing to be taken due to pain from the volume of skin being inked - and does come with some risks.

As well as the expected health risks from tattooing in general, blackout tattoos can also have an increased risk of swelling, infection, and keloid scarring due to the large surface area being tattooed.

The pigments used can also contain carcinogens or cause allergic reactions, and the coverage of a dark pigment can make it hard for dermatologists to perform cancer screenings and identify suspicious moles.

However, if anyone's going to know about the risks and the best possible aftercare to minimize complications, it's someone that's been in the tattoo industry for decades, like Kat herself.

Featured image credit: WENN Rights Ltd / Alamy