Hello to all,
I have a very important question to ask. I am 37 and unemployed and heavily tattooed. I hate having to explain my tattoos as not being racist or gang related. I cant seem to shake the jobless funk but still obviously seem to think my ink very much has something to do with it. I am talking about obvious positions to warehouse, night shift behind the scenes where I wont be seen. Any way as I ponder my future [or lack of one] I begin to think why not tattooing ?I have always had a very strong passion for it since my first one 20 years ago. My only draw back is although a very major one indeed it is, I can’t draw. So with the chips stacked against me i.e age, no skills, no point of contacts. My question is can a 37 year old man start a career in tattooing or is it too late? If it isn’t too late then what type of training and or art classes should I take? All advice will be greatly appreciated.
I am so sorry to hear about your job woes bud. I really hope you find something soon.
i always say its never too late, however……. Its a big leep to go from no artistic ability to tattooing from a standing start at 37 especially with how competative the market is right now.
In addition I wouldnt pin my future hopes on tattooing, I am not alone in thinking that the bubble will burst sooner rather than later and leaving a lot of half trained people out in the cold.
Please dont take my advice, its your race you have to ride it but the above is my honest opinion.
Out of interest how much inked skin do you have that cant be covered?
Oh ine more thing please please tell every 17 year old kid who “cant wait to get fully inked” your story, you may save someone from your problem in the future.
peace.
Thank you for your reply. I understand what your saying completely. My hands are covered as well as a neck piece on one side & back. Believe me I warn many young kids including my nephew who has done his and his friends own “home” tattoos . It pisses me off because he does have the talent to make it a career but he goes about it wrong.
Bob Tyrell (http://www.bobtyrrell.com/tattoos/) was 34 when he started tattooing. It’s not too late.
Yes, but how old was he when he started DRAWING?
Yes it probably would, but first impressions are everything. If the people doing the hiring only see a tattooed goon, they won’t hire. If they see a man, they’ll hire or not hire you based on your qualities instead of how you look.
It’s only an idea for discussion, but..
After getting called back for a second interview, or if you feel the first interview is going well, you could tell them that you have tattoos and although it is quite a bother to do it, to get the job you are willing to wear long sleeves and make-cover the exposed areas as you are doing now, but you would like to wash off and show them your ink, so there would be no surprises.
Out of that there are three possibilities:
A) They hire you and ask you to keep covered up. You decide if that’s doable and either accept or decline the job.
B) They appreciate that you are willing to cover up, but having started off on the right foot and seeing that you’re a human, they decide that the tattoos aren’t too bad and you aren’t going to be a bother so they hire you and allow you to show your tattoos.
C) They decide they no longer like you, at which time you know you wouldn’t want to work there anyway.
All of those options beat being shunned and judged on a first appearance you CAN avoid.
For most of his life he didn’t draw actually, he spent it playing music.
What Bob did was get a tattoo at 30 which got him hooked to get more tattoos so he decided to start drawing and take a few classes. Eventually he took his “portfolio” into a local shop and they gave him his break.
I guess an advantage you have being in the older age bracket is that you have more “life” experience than the all the 18 year old kids who walk in expecting it to be handed to them.
What Bob did was get a tattoo at 30 which got him hooked to get more tattoos so he decided to start drawing and take a few classes. Eventually he took his “portfolio” into a local shop and they gave him his break.
I guess an advantage you have being in the older age bracket is that you have more “life” experience than the all the 18 year old kids who walk in expecting it to be handed to them.
He just decided to start drawing one day and now look at him 😮 determination is the key to success!
It’s interesting that considering his father was an artist he drew so little. From what I understand from being a teen about 13 years old, he went with music up until atleast 30.
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