I’ve been going to art school for a while now with the intention of seeking out an apprenticeship once I felt my art was up to the task. Well, after some gentle prodding from a couple people in my life, and Tattoo Forum’s Sherav, I’ve decided it’s time to stop trying to finish my degree, man up, put a portfolio together, and try to get apprenticed.
I’ve already got an artist I’ve had a relationship with for about seven years. He’s done all of my work, and by his own estimation, I’ve brought thousands of dollars worth of work in through referrals, and he’s encouraged me to go to art school, then come annoy him with a portfolio.
Getting apprenticed with him is by no means a guarantee, but he’s gonna be my first stop. Figure at the very worst he can point me in the right direction.
But my question for you professionals, what would you be looking for in a portfolio when someone comes to you, cap in hand, asking for an apprenticeship? Professional presentation aside, what should be in there?
I’m thinking the best thing I can do is present some professional quality pics of some of my work, like my paintings, landscape drawings, and the 15 foot robot I had to build for class. But the bulk of it should be reproduced flashwork and original tattoo designs.
Am I totally off base there, or is that about accurate?
Love. Peace. Metallica.
The first thing that would want me to give you an apprenticeship is as follows
1. Fantastic artwork, in colour and in shading, some flash work, some original work, i wouldnt give a shit about any landscape paintings
2. A firm knowlege base on Sterilization, hygeine, bbps cc etc.
3. THE MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL…..the look in your eyes that tells me that this is what you want to do with a passion and drive for it, want it with all your heart and soul.
KH, ive had so many people through my door wanting an apprenticeship and i havent seen that look yet….i may be a bit hard but in my book if you want something bad enough you will make it happen. I worked for free for an entire year for a signwriter just so i could get my foot in the door, i turned up there and just told him that i was coming to work for him for free and i’d see him monday, i was there waiting for him when he got to work, dumped my boyfriend, moved town , got my apprenticeship, served the required 5 years of being treated like dogshit and achieved my goal. I had tunnel vision….i wanted it and i made damn sure i got it, now as for tattooing that was the same….all consuming, taught myself, and strive to be the best i can be.
My two pesos
It’s a damn good two pesos Izzy.
I want this. There hasn’t been a time I can remember when I didn’t. I can’t say I’ve sacrificed as much as you…but I would. I’ve put myself into $10,000 worth of debt last year going to an art school just to maybe, POSSIBLY, get a chance at this. I’m not afraid of hard work, or working for free, or being treated like shit. I’ll do whatever I have to do. This is going to happen. It’s just a matter of fighting for it….and I can do that.
Thanks again for the advice.
Love. Peace. Metallica.
Hi KH
I rang a tattoo artist I know up and asked him bluntly what would he be looking for and he was nice enough to give me a run down.
He said that he gets several requests for apprenticeships and some from art students. He said the main issue that let many down was the fact that their portfolio sucked or did not show what he wanted to see.
I jotted down his advice;
1. Each piece has to be properly mounted in a professional portfolio (none of this coffee stained back of a cig packet crap as he put it).
2. He would want to see between 15-25 pieces each of at least A5 size preferably A4 to show linework.
3. He would want to see examples of the following work;
Fantasy (Dragons, Angels, Demons)
Animal (Tiger Wolf Butterfly – ok this is insect but I wasn’t splitting hairs with him :p)
Old School (Anchors, Swallows, Hearts, Dagger n Banner)
Portrait (Facial – Female, Child, Animal head)
Flash work (Tribal, Celtic bands, Koi – he insisted he wanted to see koi in all prospective applicants).
Religious (Crosses and Praying Hands – also Rosary beads at the least).
He stated that other types that would interest him would be examples of pin-up girls and maybe 1-2 examples of comic type characters as well as examples of everyday objects.
Whilst I know this is one individual i hope it might help in the portfolio setting.
Take Care
Matthew
good luck with it KH, i know how much this means for you and im sure you will get it !!
take a read of michelles posts about her apprentices, they either didnt fit her standards or the ones that seemed like they would fit just didnt last 5 mins in the shop…. im sure somewhere there is an apprenticeship awaiting you
get that portfolio together 😉
I want this. There hasn’t been a time I can remember when I didn’t. I can’t say I’ve sacrificed as much as you…but I would. I’ve put myself into $10,000 worth of debt last year going to an art school just to maybe, POSSIBLY, get a chance at this. I’m not afraid of hard work, or working for free, or being treated like shit. I’ll do whatever I have to do. This is going to happen. It’s just a matter of fighting for it….and I can do that.
Thanks again for the advice.
Love. Peace. Metallica.
If you were here i’d take you on:)
I’ve put myself into $10,000 worth of debt last year going to an art school just to maybe, POSSIBLY, get a chance at this. I’m not afraid of hard work, or working for free, or being treated like shit. I’ll do whatever I have to do.
.
Did you say you were going to forget about your degree? That’s a shame. Stick it out, further education is no weight to carry.
As far as being ‘treated like shit’ is concerned, I take it the attitude you sometimes display here is purely the endevours of an on-line persona? One that would be entirely too intolerant of the demands put on an indentured apprentice, and scathing of us mere mortals, who would be customers, with dodgy ideas and/or body art?
As far as being ‘treated like shit’ is concerned, I take it the attitude you sometimes display here is purely the endevours of an on-line persona? One that would be entirely too intolerant of the demands put on an indentured apprentice, and scathing of us mere mortals, who would be customers, with dodgy ideas and/or body art?
I can’t finish my degree for some personal finance reasons I really don’t want to go into again. After countless hours filling out paper work, asking for help from the professionals at my college whose job it is to find me money to attend their institution, and going cap in hand to private scholarships, I’ve determined that returning to my art school and finishing my degree just ain’t gonna happen.
As for the other, no, I’m a genuinely unpleasant person at times. I’ve been known to roll up on complete strangers at my gym and explain why their tattoos suck. Don’t use the word gay, or god help you, faggoty to describe something you dislike. I will go off on you, or, if you’re a teenager or in your twenties, smack you upside the head. My father and I argue politics at the top of our lungs in public. It’s like my ex-wife told me yesterday when we were hanging out–I’m an asshole, but at least I’m no boring.
However, that’s on my time.
I’ve been working in customer service since I was fourteen. First thing I learned was that my opinion doesn’t matter. What matters is smiling, and doing my best for the person standing in front of me. If they’re calling screaming profanities at me at the top of their lungs because their credit card is being denied because they haven’t paid their bill in months, it’s my job to apologize, tell them I’ll do my best for them, and put them on hold. Then, while cursing at them under my breath, it’s my job to remove as many late charges as policy will allow me to, restore their credit limit if I can, and do my best when I get them back on the line to make’em leave with a smile, content in the knowledge I, and by extension, the company values their business.
And I’m damn good at that.
When you’re paid to do a job, and teaching is a form of payment, you’re obligated to keep your opinions to yourself. Yes, if a customer is asking you to do something stupid, you’re supposed to try to gently lead them into something better, but, at the end of the day, you’ve got a job to do, and in the case of a tattoo parlor, it’s to shut up, take the money, and do the best cock riding a skateboard smoking a bong tattoo you can.
Or at least that’s my view my from the outside.
Love. Peace. Metallica.
As one who’s worked in front of customers my entire life, I agree with you, but a picture/thread in these forums recently has made me reconsider. The two horrible ‘angel’ sketches are a prime example of a tattoo artists that should have refused to do the picture IMO.
Christ, are you talking about that Angel/Demon abomination? The one with the scribble wings and the flat faces who look like they were drawn by a precocious six year old? God, yes, an established artist should definitely have told that idiot, politely and professionally of course, to go fuck themselves. Lord knows hanging out at my artist’s shop I’ve seen him turn people who’ve insisted on low quality tattoos before. Them, and the racist/gang tattoo idiots.
But, working in someone else’s shop on sufferance like I hope to be in the coming months? Naw, not my place.
Matthew, you’re always a font of the clear, sweet water of information. I take back nearly every bad thing I ever said about the British. Not Canadians though. Fuck Canada, with their awesome health care, decriminalized marijuana, and not starting wars with everyone who looks at’em crosseyed.
And Izzy….thanks. That gave me warm fuzzies. I’m being genuine on that.
*wanders off to follow Outlaw and Matthew’s advice*
Love. Peace. Metallica.
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