Kat Von D with her tattoos in 2017 (left) and with blackout ink in 2023 (right).
Rosdiana Ciaravolo/Wil R/Star Max/Getty Images
Kat Von D began covering her famous tattoos with solid black ink in late 2020.
So far, she's covered portraits, an "angel of death," and a matching 666 she had with musicians.
But she still has a tattoo of her father, her famous face stars, and lettering across her shoulder.
The name Kat Von D is almost synonymous with tattoos.
But currently, the author, musician, and former TV star is in the process of blacking out most of the famous designs across her body.
Von D began replacing her original tattoos in late 2020 and has since spent nearly 40 hours completing the task. In an Instagram post last week, she said she's about 80% finished so far.
As for why the tattoo artist has made such a drastic change, Von D said in her post that many of her old tattoos don't align with who she is today. She renounced the occult and macabre in 2022 and was baptized in her local church this year.
Here's a look at 13 tattoos Von D has covered with black ink, and six she's left untouched so far.
Kat Von D has been covering her tattoos since 2020. Here's a look at what she's replaced with blackout ink, and a few designs she's left alone.
Kat Von D in Los Angeles, California, on June 15, 2023.
"17 sessions, and almost 40 accumulative hours later, we are about 80% done with blacking out my body," Von D wrote, adding that she's covered "many tattoos" that don't align with who she is today.
"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," she said.
She also said she loves the aesthetic of blackout ink and finds it satisfying "to see a clean slate" on her body.
The famous stars across her temple are still there.
Kat Von D at the Virgin Megastore in Los Angeles, California, on November 2, 2007.
In her 2009 book "High Voltage Tattoo," Von D described them as some of her favorites. She also said she originally had one star on each of her temples but added more over the years.
"When I was married, my husband told me to stop getting my face tattooed, and being the stubborn person I am, right then and there I went and added seven more stars!" she wrote about her first husband Oliver Peck.
But she's covered various tattoos across her left leg, including a portrait of her ex-husband and a large skull.
Kat Von D attends a Rolling Stone party on September 8, 2007.
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So far, Von D has seemingly covered every tattoo on her left leg aside from one. In her book, Von D described it as her "yearbook leg," or a place for her non-tattoo artist friends to leave their mark.
Some of the standout tattoos she's concealed with black ink include:
David Letterman caricature: Von D got the tattoo before appearing on his show to surprise him, she wrote in "High Voltage Tattoo."
Skull: Originally a Kore Flatmo design, the skull tattoo was inked by Von D herself. She wrote in her 2009 book that she had to tattoo the image upside down.
666: Inked next to her skull design (after the above photo was taken), the number tattoo was a matching one Von D had with Scott Ian of Anthrax, Kirk Hammett of Metallica, and other musicians.
Repiola: As Von D explained in her book, "repiola" is an Argentinian expression that roughly translates to "really cool" or "really good." Her mom tattooed it on her daughter's leg at a tattoo convention "in front of thousands of people" because it's her "fave word," Von D said.
Oliver Peck portrait: Von D had a tattoo of her first husband at the top of her left thigh. They were married between 2003 and 2006.
J: Von D's first tattoo was a thick letter J near her ankle. She's said in various interviews over the years that she got the ink from her first boyfriend when she was 14 years old.
When she got her blackout tattoo on her left leg, Von D left a woman's portrait untouched.
Kat Von D shared this progress photo of her leg tattoos in June 2022.
Kat Von D/Instagram
It's unclear who the portrait on her left leg represents, though Von D has seemingly left the image untouched.
In a progress photo of her blackout tattoo posted on June 7, 2022, you can see the portrait surrounded by darker ink.
Across her left ribs, Von D covered an "Angel of Death" design.
Kat Von D attends the Teen Choice Awards on August 9, 2009.
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The massive tattoo spread across the left side of her rib cage, part of her stomach, and around her torso near her back. It shows an angel with black hair holding her hand in a devil's horn symbol.
In her book "High Voltage Tattoo," Von D said the black-and-gray tattoo was done with a single needle and "biker-inspired simple shading."
So far, she hasn't covered the roses or TCB lightning bolt across her neck.
Kat Von D in Los Angeles, California, on June 7, 2023.
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Von D wrote in her 2009 book that her "main goal" was to have rose buds across her throat, almost reaching out to "something similar" on the other side of her neck.
It's unclear if she plans to follow through with that idea, but Von D has seemingly left this set of roses alone.
Above that tattoo is a yellow lightning bolt surrounded by the letters TCB, which stands for "Takin' Care of Business."
The author has, however, covered many tattoos on her left arm, including a gray-and-black rose design.
Kat Von D attends a Marijuana Policy Project event on May 14, 2007.
Paul Redmond/Getty Images
For years, Von D had traditional-style roses across her upper arm, a portrait of her sister Karoline on her forearm, and a 1942 Varga girl on her left bicep.
All have seemingly been covered by Von D's blackout tattoo.
You can still see Los Angeles lettering across her left shoulder.
Kat Von D in Los Angeles, California, on May 22, 2023.
Still, she has the name of the city where she spent much of her life tattooed on her left shoulder.
But many of the tattoos she had across her right arm — like a portrait of actor Rosa Carmina — are gone.
Kat Von D attends an Entertainment Weekly event on June 22, 2006.
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Similar to her left arm, Von D covered the gray roses and a portrait, which was of Cuban-Mexican actor Rosa Carmina, on her right side.
She also previously had a skull wearing a hat tattooed by Steve-O from "Jackass."
Von D chose not to black out a portrait of her dad on her right arm.
Kat Von D and Rafael Reyes in Los Angeles, California, on April 6, 2023.
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In "High Voltage Tattoo," Von D explained that her black-and-gray portrait of her father mirrors his high-school photo that was taken in Argentina sometime in the 1960s.