My mentor thinks that making people pay is a rip off. He says that if the right person with the right portfolio comes along at the right time, they shouldn’t have to pay. He thinks it’s enough that you provide at least a year of unpaid labor (before you actually begin to tattoo) and agree to stay at his shop for five years. You more than make it worth his while and yours. I did have to buy all my own stuff. He suggested what I should get and helped me to set up accounts with quality suppliers.
One of the other interesting things he told me after I completed my apprenticeship was that only about 1 in 10 people who start an apprenticeship actually have what it takes and become tattoo artists. He’s pretty good at finding talent though. He found Josh Woods, Josh Avery, Joel Menter, and Brian Pierce before me. I can only hope to be in their league some day but if he chose me, I want to make him proud and hopefully surpass them all some day.
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Since I was 14 years old I have wanted to be a tattoo artist. I am now 18 and in the process of obtaining my GED. From there I plan on taking several art courses to sharpen my skills and build my portfolio. After that I will then begin my search for an apprenticeship. After reading your post I find myself more knowledgeable and better equipted for that search, so thanks for that. I do have one concern though that I fear will hinder my future apprenticeship. I love tattoos and am fascinated with the history behind people’s tattoos and tattoo history. It blows my mind to think that one day I may be able to use my abilities to give someone something that they get to keep forever. I do however have an issue when it comes to getting tattooed myself. I have for some reason never been able to decide what tattoo I would ever want. I can’t just on a whim say, “You know, I think I want a tattoo today.” I could spend a month planning one for myself and still come up with nothing. Eventually I’m sure I will come to a decission and get my first tattoo. Even so, it troubles me when on TV and in magazines all I see are these inked up artists who are well known and respected throughout the industry. I can’t ever imagine myself ever appearing like them, but that doesn’t change my desire to be a tattoo artist, or my artistic ability. I am wondering though, will this impede my desire to be a successful artist in this industry?
@Ray-Ray 119536 wrote:
I have for some reason never been able to decide what tattoo I would ever want. I can’t just on a whim say, “You know, I think I want a tattoo today.” I could spend a month planning one for myself and still come up with nothing.
Don’t worry about it. As with love, you’ll know it when you feel it 🙂 It’s taken me the better part of a decade to decide on a tattoo and I am nowhere near making up my mind what to get next 😀
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I don’t but I definitely want tattoos!
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I think it’d be interesting being an artist, but i’m definitely not good enough.
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Very well said, I could not agree more! It’s very refreshing to hear such down to earth, honest truth. The good & the bad, U laid it all out. Ultimately, if ur heart isn’t totally in this job, the bad will out way the good. If not, it’s just a constant pursuit of bettering ur skills. 🙂
@Trubble Sum 125133 wrote:
Very well said, I could not agree more! It’s very refreshing to hear such down to earth, honest truth. The good & the bad, U laid it all out. Ultimately, if ur heart isn’t totally in this job, the bad will out way the good. If not, it’s just a constant pursuit of bettering ur skills. 🙂
Welcome to the forum!
I would love to see pictures of your work.
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“-This should go without saying…. DON’T TATTOO ANYBODY!!!! Most mentors won’t have anything to do with scratchers. They don’t want to have to correct the bad habits you probably have from teaching yourself. If you have tattooed anybody, forget it ever happened. Go into it from a fresh perspective.”
Priceless. The most important thing for newbies.
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