Johnny Means
@johnny-means
Forum Replies Created
I could give you the perfect symbol to represent all your hardships, your struggles, your triumphs, your defeats, your loves, your joys, your power, your frailty, your fears, your heroism, your greatness, your grace, your beauty, your wisdom, your spirituality and your passion. I could give you the a symbol that would strip your soul bare, exposed like a skinned rabbit to be devoured by the hunter. It would shine your very essence so brightly anyone seeing it would have your ghost burned into their retinas for life. I could give you this, but it wouldn’t mean squat to you.
In my work (furniture maker), I spend a lot of time talking to clients about what they like and what they find meaningful. In the end, they think I’ve come up with a design, but all I really did was pull the design out of them. You need to think about the moments and events in your life and figure out something or things that ties them together or somethings that made it all right. After you have some ideas, whatever thy might be, then an artist can turn your ideas into a design.
I like the design a lot. Bold with a touch of detail. The curves are pleasing and work well together. I don’t know if it was on purpose or not, but the cartoon art look of the lines work well with the subject matter, actually reminds of a blown up piece of newsprint.
But, I think it is way to big and the placement is poor. Tattoos are not done on a blank canvas. They are an addition to an already perfect work of art. I don’t think this piece works with the natural lines and curves of the body. It breaks the shoulder/neck line in a disruptive and brusque manner. Any t-shirt shop would have seen that the design is to high on the back. Just doesn’t seem to me like the artist considered your body at all.
Of course, that’s just my opinion and we all know what they say about opinions.
It seems very well done. The watercolor and spatter effects do look quite natural. I’m far from an expert but I would say it was a quality piece. It is very hard for me to see that much time in it though.
That being said, 10 years from now would you rather have a good tattoo that you paid too much for or an extra $400, that you can’t remember what you spent on, and a shitty tattoo.
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
@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?
@”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
First post here, hope I don’t come off too critical (actually I don’t care). Aren’t there a lot better symbols of protectors than a Dragon Ball Z character?
My 15 year old just outgrew DBZ. After years he finally realized how horrible it was. Not that there is anything wrong with enjoying it. God knows I’ve got my guilty pleasures. My point is in 20 years is this going to still mean anything to you or are you going to feel somewhat embarrassed about saying Goku or Gohan or whoever symbolizes any serious meaning to you.
