Hey everyone,I’m new to forums and to this site. Fist off, all the respect in the world to accomplished tattoo artists who have earned the right to call themselves just that. I fully understand the need to find an apprenticeship in order to protect yourself and others from the pitfalls of unsafe tattoo practices. My question is this, I live 3 hours away from the nearest tattoo parlor and my girlfriend(who had been giving homemade tattoos with a walkman motor gun and guitar string type machine) wants to get into tattooing. She has done really professional looking pieces of work with this caveman setup, her skill is undeniable. Since we’ve been together I have convinced her to wait and go through proper channels. Apprenticeship looks near to impossible from here. Is there anything besides unscrupulous tattoo schools that she can look into? :confused:
Hi,
if you can’t get an apprenticeship then you can’t, loads of us, infact I’d go as far as to say the majority of working artists are where they are without apprenticeships behind us. Yes you get slagged off a certain few artists with a big chip on thier shoulder whenever you mention going it alone and learning on the way but fuck em they are more than likely jealous that you had the balls to do it yourself, the whole repetative ‘scratcher’ comments people get are just that, repetative and boring.
Like said, many are unable to get an apprenticeship or just didn’t want one, need to earn money are not very good at kissing ass (as most apprenticeships will have you do) and feel their artistic talent along with many years around tattoos understanding everything that was being done before doing it and practicing alot is enough to set out themself.
Loads set out without apprenticeships, many of us without license as it isn’t needed where we live etc, managed to get our own studios and make some sort of a living from it. You just need to look at options infront of you, have the balls to go for it and enough money to set yourself up professionally, safely and legally.
The first step I would take is to try and work a few weeks on full days, it is a huge, massive, enormous difference from doing the odd tattoo here and there on odd days to tattooing all day 5 or 6 days a week, it is absolutely knackering and alot find the reality of being a professional very different from what you might imagine from the outside.
Good luck.
Thanks for your time. I too have seen the term “scratcher” and to be honest, every professional artist that has worked on me or my friends I’ve went with, the artists all say they made homemade “guns” when they were young and tattooed every kid in the neighborhood long before apprenticeship. I’ve worked in trades where paying your dues counts for something so I can only assume the same is true here.
I’m looking into a pathogens class at our local hospital, and have purchased quite a bit of equipment to ensure as much safety as possible. But no one will get tattooed here until I know more. My girlfriend wants me to try it also but, I’ll need to feel better about what I’m doing first. Drawing and shading is one thing on paper… but I have a feeling my left inner calf is gonna get the honor of “guinea pig”.
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