So I’m looking to change careers. Years ago (20), when I was a young guy, I dabbled in tattooing. Homemade guns, India ink, some real penitentiary style shit. Actually, turned out some pretty decent work. Thought about going pro, but I’m from a small town, newly married, small child, I had to get a real job. Plus, where I’m from, tattooing, at the time, was pretty much connected to a lifestyle and people I was trying to separate myself from.
Anyway, here I am, a couple of decades later, planning for the latter half. Burnt out on a fairly successful business, I’m thinking it’s time for a change. Of course, like any middle age dude, I started dreaming about returning to the passions of my youth. Pretty much have made up my mind on getting back into tattooing.
Here’s my issue, I can’t swallow the idea of apprenticeship. If the tattoo industry has matured to the point that tattooist like to think it has, isn’t it time to get past the archaic practice of unpaid apprenticeships. No other real profession does this. You can’t get licensed to do hair or nails without completing an accredited educational program. If you want to be a hair stylist, 19k gets you 1300 hours of standardized instruction that’s been developed to guarantee some baseline of professional knowledge. Yet, in the world of tattooing one is expected to make a sizable investment for what may or may not be a proper education. Also, the prospective apprentice has no guarantee that he/she is getting properly trained in sterilzation, sanitation, and general tattoo safety.
I guess I’m asking if there is any better way to learn the business than walking into some shop and donating my time and labor in exchange for some unacredited, unguaranteed “advice”.
johnny-means-z243.squarespace.com
By not going through an apprenticeship, you lose credibility in the eyes of other tattoo artists. If you’ve got tattoos and artistic ability, you’ll be able to gauge whether the artist is any good, states and counties have basic guidelines on sterilization and the prevention of cross contamination in tattoo and piercing shops. If you get licensed, you’ll need to take a test and demonstrate your understanding of that knowledge. Any shop owner worth his salt is going to make sure you learn everything you need to know. It’s a business. They want you to be successful and safe. You area constant liability on their reputation and reputation is everything in the tattoo industry.
If you don’t feel like you should be doing an apprenticeship and paying your dues, maybe the job isn’t for you. The whole idea of an apprenticeship is to weed out the undeserving and cultivate the hard workers who’s hearts and souls are dedicated to the craft. You earn the privilege to tattoo by demonstrating your desire through hundreds or thousands of hours of work. Then you learn how to tattoo.
@”Sam-I-Am 140888″ wrote:
After reading your post again, you have a point. You should become a hair stylist!
Wow, how clever, a snarky, useless comment in response to a legitimate question. This could be revolutionary for the world of online forums.
Of course, your only response was to point out something that someone else said. Do you have an original thought to add to the conversation or are you happy to regurgitate the group think you’ve been spoon fed?
It’s great to know that such intelligent, thoughtful ponderings are now archived forever on the internet.
johnny-means-z243.squarespace.com
@DavidJednat 140884 wrote:
By not going through an apprenticeship, you lose credibility in the eyes of other tattoo artists. If you’ve got tattoos and artistic ability, you’ll be able to gauge whether the artist is any good, states and counties have basic guidelines on sterilization and the prevention of cross contamination in tattoo and piercing shops. If you get licensed, you’ll need to take a test and demonstrate your understanding of that knowledge. Any shop owner worth his salt is going to make sure you learn everything you need to know. It’s a business. They want you to be successful and safe. You area constant liability on their reputation and reputation is everything in the tattoo industry.
If you don’t feel like you should be doing an apprenticeship and paying your dues, maybe the job isn’t for you. The whole idea of an apprenticeship is to weed out the undeserving and cultivate the hard workers who’s hearts and souls are dedicated to the craft. You earn the privilege to tattoo by demonstrating your desire through hundreds or thousands of hours of work. Then you learn how to tattoo.
David, is this loss of credibility due to anything in particular? Are you saying that the only possible way to become a respectable Tattoo artist is via the apprenticeship tradition?
What do you mean by paying dues? Are we really talking about learning the craft (which I believe can be done in other ways)?
Or are we talking about doing penance within some sort of social hierarchy until you’ve gained “elder” status?
Who are the “undeserving”? From what I can see, the majority of shops out there don’t have a single really talented person working in them. We all know that actual sanitary and sterilization practices are are not of surgical quality in most shops. From what I’ve seen, the apprenticeship system doesn’t seem to weed out anyone, but those unwilling to work for free.
In my situation, I happen to be married to someone who knows more than any Tattoo artist about sterilization and disease control. I’m pretty sure I’ve got the artistic and business end of things covered (this would not be my first venture). What I need to learn is the actual process of putting pigment into skin and about the tools used to do that.
Seems to me “credibility” should be based upon quality of work and practices, both of which are only loosely tied to apprenticeship.
Maybe rephrasing my question will get more creative ideas. If you had to learn to Tattoo, in the complete absence of any possible apprenticeship, what resources would you bring to bare? Or would you simply consider it impossible to?
Serving an apprenticeship dates back many, many years. Many of the trade unions of today, particularly in plumbing / steamfitting, and electrical fields have their own schools where an apprentice works part of the day and studies another part.
This creates a worker of with not only a high work ethic, but a person who is well rounded. Remembering the less enjoyable times serving as apprentice makes them humble.
I’ve run across people that are extremely talented, some tattoo artists, some co workers, and others, that are so fucking arrogant I don’t care to deal with them.
Take the time and learn what you can. Some day you’ll be glad you did. (as will your future customers)
An apprenticeship pays you in knowledge. College isn’t free. Why should someone just give away all that they’ve learned without something in return.
You’ll progress so much faster learning under someone rather than going at it by yourself. I started my apprenticeship at 32 years old. Sometimes it sucked being critiqued by a 24 year old. I had to suck it up and learn though. He knew way more about tattooing than me.
I guess from the way you seem through these posts, you couldn’t be bothered to even look for an apprenticeship.
It’s going to be a long, lonely road for you.
Even the best tattoo artists still learn things from other tattoo artists. They critique each other honestly, offer each other suggestions, etc…
Do you have any artwork we can look at? I can offer honest critiques on design , color theory, and composition. Technical tattoo info is banned on this board so I can’t give you pointers on anything tattoo related.
I’m not opposed to being critiqued or trained by anyone. I wouldn’t mind paying for any education I receive. I’m certainly not opposed to hard work. What I’m opposed to is dedicating my valuable time, I am a working professional, to what may not be a quality program. One thing I know is that the most talented artisans see not always good teachers. I also know that 90 percent of the artists I’ve seen out there are not of the caliber that I would require, I’m not looking to learn bad habits I believe my website is in my signature, it doesn’t show anything tattoo related, but it does demonstrate the level of creativity and detail I put into my work. Unfortunately I didn’t hold on to any of my artwork from my younger days. All I’ve drawn in years is kitchens and furniture and such.
johnny-means-z243.squarespace.com
Gorgeous carpentry!
I guess the best thing you can do is get a great portfolio together and start hitting up shops. You can meet artists at tattoo conventions too. If you want to learn from the absolute best, you may have to relocate. Some of the best artists are nomads. Where are you located?
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