Apprenticeship

All you assholes out there that treat people like shit because they simply want to be Tattooist can "SUCK IT". When you die out "WHICH YOU WILL" only then will tattooing grow into what it really is "AN ART FORM" (in my opinion) because from what i have been reading its all about the MONEY. How you lose customers, how Tattooing is getting a bad rep from scratchers. Do you really believe keeping information from people is helping anyone? If you do then you are more IGNORANT than your so called "Scratchers" Do you really think people are stupid because they do not know what you know? Everytime i see a post from some ASSHOLE who was fortunate enough to have someone teach them everything belittle someone else who has noone to teach them simply because they asked a question on a board that is supposed to be about tattooing information, it makes me sick! I hate to think about all the possible great artists and innovators that we have lost because of the "APPRENTICESHIP LAW." and this "SECRET TATTOO SOCIETY." In short any one out there wanting to be a tattoo artist but cannot get any of these Old School Dinosaurs to teach you because you do not fit thier criteria then my advice is this: 1. MAKE SURE THAT TATTOOING IS EVEN FOR YOU. IF YOU SUCK AT ART THEN YOU WILL SUCK AT BEING A TATTOO ARTIST."COMPLETELY LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT" "GO BIG OR GO HOME" THATS MY OPINION. 2.BEFORE YOU EVEN LAY YOUR HANDS ON ANY EQUIPMENT. GET AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE ABOUT TATTOOING AND I REALLY MEAN SOAK IT IN. GET EVERY BOOK EVERY VIDEO AND ASK ALOT OF QUESTIONS AND HOPE THAT ITS NOT A TATTOO NAZI REPLYING. (If you truly love this art as i do you will study anything that has to do with Art and Tattooing.) 3.GET DECENT EQUIPMENT! $100 KITS FROM EBAY WILL NOT CUT IT! 4. PRACTICE, PRACTICE and PRACTICE SOME MORE (on fake skin, fruit etc. etc) 5.SHOW PEOPLE ( Especially Tattoo Artists) YOUR ART. GET OPINIONS ABOUT YOU WORK IF 4/5 PEOPLE TELL YOU THAT YOU SUCK THEN YOU PROBABLY DO, SO THEN REFER TO ADVICE #1 6.ONCE YOU ARE COMPLETELY CONFIDENT THAT YOU HAVE ENOUGH KNOWLEDGE ABOUT TATTOOING AND PROPER STERALIZATION AND HAVE ALL OF THE NECCESSARY EQUIPMENT. TATTOO YOURSELF. YOUR LEGS ARE EASIEST. GET MORE OPINIONS. 7.WHEN YOUVE DONE SOME NICE WORK ON YOURSELF THEN COMES THE FRIENDS AND FAMILY. AFTER THAT TRY TO GET AN APPRENTICESHIP. 8. WHEN YOU HAD ENOUGH YEARS UNDER YOUR BELT AND HAVE SOME MAD TATTTOOING SKILLS OPEN YOUR OWN SHOP AND PUT THE TATTOO NAZI OUTA BUSINESS. "When the student is ready the teachers will come"

WOW, vent much? Here's the deal you put it plainly your self, "1. MAKE SURE THAT TATTOOING IS EVEN FOR YOU. IF YOU SUCK AT ART THEN YOU WILL SUCK AT BEING A TATTOO ARTIST."COMPLETELY LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT" "GO BIG OR GO HOME" THATS MY OPINION." Problem is most people don't put that much thought into getting into the business. Biggest problem is people just rolling in and expecting the key to the city! For what showing a half assed interest in something they think they like, or may be good at? Guess what, Not good enough. People getting down on others looking to get into tattooing can be crude, and most certainly rude, but guess what if your looking for info on a free forum for tattoo discussion, it's not only wrong, but just plain ignorant! Do ya take life lessons form the Bum on the street? How about lessons in love from oh lets say the bus driver, on the way ta work (nothing against Bus drivers, or Bums). Your right, IM not saying that you can't learn by just picking up some equipment, and starting to hack people up. Hell some of my best friends (who are quite talented) started this way. But they have what most whinny little shits don't, "Talent, & Drive". Most apprenticeships are not all there cracked up to be, but like I said when it comes right down to it, its about the individual. If you've got the drive, than you'll excel, if not, well than.... At least an apprenticeship takes place in a professional setting, I'd be a little leary going to a doctor who trained in some dudes kitchen. You've laid out some very good rules of thumb problem is 3/4 of the people looking to tattoo don't wanna hear it. And after years of speaking to people who simply don't wanna hear it, you tend to be a bit rude, and cert. If someone has the drive, and a little talent he'll make it. And that's what counts. J.Capobianco New Haven CT www.joecapobianco.com PS oh by the way I wouldn't count on the dinosaurs in the business dying off any time soon, we care entirely too much about what we do for a living, and train others to feel the same...

The fact of the matter is, in any art, if you want to do it right then go to the masters and ask directions. If they all say the same thing, then take their advice. Its not just dinosaurs that dont answer questions on public internet forums(the dinosaurs dont surf as much as us young'uns), its professionals who care deeply about their profession. If you read the sticky message at the top we say specifically that this is NOT the place to talk technical. Fact is most people shouldn't be tattooing the public, so theres no reason to teach people who arnt kick ass artists. If your a kick ass artist, dont ask questions online, ask the ridiculously talented artist who is tattooing you. Cause as we covered in another thread, there are tons of really talented cool artists out there who dont have (many, heh)hang-ups because their art is so bad ass they dont have to. If you are an aspiring tattoo artist you should cranking on your portfolio and getting tattooed by the best artists you can. Ask them what they think of your art, and if its good you will get an good break, if its not good enough the artists your getting tattooed by could probably point you in the right direction... Ok to respond to your comments: All you assholes out there that treat people like shit While I dont ever really advocate treating people like shit, sometimes people do deserve it. Tattooing is very important and the consequences of tattooing poorly is harmful to the public. And when people harm the public without care or regard, well, that pisses people off. So, do I think that scratchers should be treated like shit? Well, no, I guess Im too much of a hippi. If anyone deserved it, though, its people that have little regard for the public... Will I lend them any sympathy? No, they are screwing up the public and probably deserve worse. Ill let their karma catch up with them, it always does. When you die out "WHICH YOU WILL" only then will tattooing grow into what it really is "AN ART FORM" (in my opinion) because from what i have been reading its all about the MONEY. Your wrong(mostly). While there are too many tattoo artists for the cliental in some places (and not enough in others) I think all professional tattoo artists would agree that the biggest threat to the pocketbook is an uneducated price shopping get-it-quick-and-easy public. I bet most would agree that there arent enough *talented* quality tattoo artists. In any event, as far as "bringing anyone in" it has more to do with quality of artwork and dedication to profession than with creating competition. It takes a lot of work to be a tattoo artist, and in this culture of quick and easy its real hard to find dedicated hard working talented people who dont expect the world on a silver platter... As has been stated, dedicated people will overcome all obstacles, and when your talking about permanent art, those obstacles tend to be big so only the best get through (or should). After all, another amazing tattoo artist in the studio will bring in a larger clientele and generate more business... As far as tattooing *becoming* an art form, man, look around you!!! How you lose customers, how Tattooing is getting a bad rep from scratchers. It is frustrating for professionals to lose customers to scratchers, but honestly, its not as much about losing that initial cash (though it is frustrating to see how stupid the public can be about something so important) its more about covering up scratchers crap 1-2 years later. If anything, coverups generate more $$$, but its a lot more work and not necessarily as much fun as having a fresh piece of canvas. Mostly its a reminder of how stupid people can be (and in many cases its a reminder of how stupid we were ourselves!). In any event many professionals are working very hard to make tattooing more, well, professional. by definition scratching isnt professional. Do you really believe keeping information from people is helping anyone? Unfortunately, yes. If any punk 14 year old had access to all the info they need to tattoo they would be hacking shit on their friends for years and years. In fact, many professionals did just this and now understand the repercussions of their actions more than they ever could at 14. they are reminded of it every day. On themselves and their friends and their family. There is a responsibility to tattooing that needs to be learned and respected (both for aspiring artists and the clients). Its real easy to make mistakes that are real difficult to fix. You need to get your information from a talented trusted source (and that goes for any business/art!). Thats not to say Im an advocate for a closed society or not sharing information. I do believe that sharing important information is very very important. In fact, there are many many great people sharing their knowledge with the visitors of this board, and believe you me, if aspiring artists take the advice given here they will be thanking themselves (and the artists) a ton later. As for the step by step, it seems ok up till the friends and family part. If 4/5 artists tell you your art is great, then you very close to having someone say ok, Ill be that person to teach you. Keep looking (and getting tattooed) and you will find them, then when they say, "what are you waiting for, go hack on your legs" you'll understand why you waited so long... with tattooing, its pretty important to do it perfect the first time... We've got an apprentice at our studio, Ryan Jacque. The fact is the best path to becoming a tattoo artist is to draw your ass off obsessively for as long as it takes. Someday you will be so good theres no other choice but for someone to take you on. So, if your not a tattoo artist and wannabe what are you doing reading this internet forum? This is a soap opera not work, go work on your portfolio!

This is a strange profession indeed. On one hand, I've met some of the coolest, most talented and overall great people within this field, and on the other hand, I've never met such a bunch of lazy "give it to me now 'cuz I want it" brats in my life. It boggles me that in most other respected professions, there is training, education, certifications, diplomas and degrees required, and it's common knowledge, nobody says a thing about it, but with tattoos, so many people just want free information off of an internet forum because they think they deserve it, for absolutely nothing. People get their panties in a wad because nobody will teach them to tattoo, and half of them bring nothing to the table (sorry, junior high school level "drawings" on a folded up almost torn in half piece of notepaper that came out of the back pocket doesn't warrant an apprenticeship, regardless of how good of a "draw-er" their friends tell them that they are) You have to proove yourself in more ways than 1, proove that you have a true desire and drive, and yes, proove that you have the TALENT AND ABILITY to do this with the PROPER TRAINING AND EDUCATION. If you want to take shortcuts and do things the easy way, I'm sure there are gas stations near you that need someone to pump fuel. But tattooing is not something to just try out and see if you can do it. There will always be a victim in that case. All because you didn't want to take the proper measures. p.s. THERE IS MORE TO TATTOOING THAN JUST TATTOOING, THERE ARE CROSS CONTAMINATION CONCERNS THAT YOU DIDN'T BRING UP, ALL OF WHICH ARE LEARNED FROM PROPER TRAINING AND APPRENTICESHIP--- NOT LEARNING AT HOME ON FRUIT AND FAKE SKIN!!!!!

hello i love your style i was just like you and i practiced till my hands hurt i also drew for 3hrs a day if you put your mind into it you can become very good now i own my own shop and have return customers and doing very well just keep on track