My mom worked with old folks when I was a kid. Loved their tattoos. Or, really, I loved trying to figure out what they used to represent. The options were fewer for them (and easier for me to figure out for the most part). The old mil guys always had like four options chosen off a wall. "Is that a panther/ship/anchor/hula chick?"
The best work I've ever seen is a pet memorial portrait. Just beautiful. Three dogs. The worst was a knitting project by a guy with minimal skills.
My bf has a tat he wants to cover. I'll suggest something quilty just to watch him blanch.