Tattoo artist Kat Von D has unveiled her new look after transforming nearly 80% of her body with solid black ink. The change marks a significant departure from the colorful artwork that once characterized her appearance.
Last October, the former LA Ink star, whose real name is Katherine Von Drachenberg, spoke about her decision, expressing that she had grown weary of the tattoos that once defined her. “I think I had been fed up with a lot of the tattoos I got over the years for a long time,” the 42-year-old shared with Inked Magazine.
In recent Instagram videos, Von D’s arms are shown completely covered in black ink, contrasting sharply with the detailed designs that previously adorned her skin. This change signifies a new phase in her life.
Collaborating with blackout tattoo expert Hoode, Von D embarked on a rigorous journey that involved 17 sessions and nearly 40 hours of tattooing. “I think at that time I thought I would just black out an arm, but shortly after, I knew I would end up tattooing my whole body,” she explained.
In addition to the blackout tattoos, she is undergoing laser removal for certain designs, like a rose on her neck. She has been sharing updates with her followers throughout this transformation process. “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,” Von D told the magazine.
Previously, she mentioned to her followers the relief she felt in covering tattoos associated with her past when she used to drink, noting that they “meant nothing to me but landmarks in dark times.”
The outcome is a “nice and clean” canvas that aligns more closely with her current self.
This transformation follows a legal victory for Von D after being sued in a copyright infringement case. A photographer claimed that one of her designs was based on his photograph, which he argued violated his intellectual property rights.
In March 2024, a federal court ruled in favor of Von D, with a jury unanimously deciding she had not infringed copyright law. The case involved a tattoo she inked in 2017, which featured a design of American jazz legend Miles Davis, originally photographed by Jeffrey Sedlik in 1989.