apprentice

Im 23 and have been lookin for a place to apprentice. So far my options are this, the first shop that said theyd take me wants a G up front and the dude is honestly a scratcher. Im very humble and willing to take whatever foot in the door i can get but i wont lie and say this guy does great work. He does only "flash" off the wall and has been tattooin for five years. His shop has no heat and although he has his certs i get a sketchy vibe. My only other option so far is thhe guy who does my tattoos has offered to show me the ropes from his house. He worls in an actual shop , paints, does amazing custom work(wgich i have a sleeve and neck of) and has been in the game 20 some years.He doesnt however own his shop and cannot apprentice me there. Im posting to get feed back i know how alot of people feel about tradditional apprenticing(which my artist has done) But at the same time i feel my chances of getting the info i actually need would be alot better learning from my artists house than in a scratcher shop

Ok...so the first guy has a sketchy shop, can't really draw, and wants money... While offer #2 is someone who HAS talent, works in a shop but can teach you the ropes at home instead...and who is a 20 yr veteran. Looks pretty simple to me. I would skip the "shop" and learn with someone who has a shop but rather teach you out of his home-nothing wrong with that, who knows maybe they are also seeing how serious you are. A sketchy shop will teach you sketchy things- if at all, and if they themselves did not learn the right way what makes you think they can TEACH you thr right way if they are already not on the up and up? I am all for apprenticeship within reason, but apprenticing with someone who does not have the artistic skill is to me a waste of time. Tattooing is mechanical, creative and artistic-having just a grasp on one part is not enough. Your lucky that someone who is 20 years in wants to teach you the ropes...I wouldnt wait too long on this one...

thats basically my thoughts. When i ask the first guy about needle making or anything ive seen my tattoo artist do he always has some bullshit why he does it different. And by artist is willing to charge me NOTHING provided i follow his rules. I guess the "outta the house" thing is what i got hung up on. But in the end id rather learn out of a house with a legit guy than at a "shop" that puts out crap work. Ive been tattooed on both ends of the spectrum. I definatley aspire to be more than a guy that does poor work but makes money. Id wanna tattoo if it paid minimum wage as long as i could put out work that satisfied me as well as customers

thats basically my thoughts. When i ask the first guy about needle making or anything ive seen my tattoo artist do he always has some bullshit why he does it different. And by artist is willing to charge me NOTHING provided i follow his rules. I guess the "outta the house" thing is what i got hung up on. But in the end id rather learn out of a house with a legit guy than at a "shop" that puts out crap work. Ive been tattooed on both ends of the spectrum. I definatley aspire to be more than a guy that does poor work but makes money. Id wanna tattoo if it paid minimum wage as long as i could put out work that satisfied me as well as customers

thats basically my thoughts. When i ask the first guy about needle making or anything ive seen my tattoo artist do he always has some bullshit why he does it different. And by artist is willing to charge me NOTHING provided i follow his rules. I guess the "outta the house" thing is what i got hung up on. But in the end id rather learn out of a house with a legit guy than at a "shop" that puts out crap work. Ive been tattooed on both ends of the spectrum. I definatley aspire to be more than a guy that does poor work but makes money. Id wanna tattoo if it paid minimum wage as long as i could put out work that satisfied me as well as customers

http://www.deh.enr.state.nc.us/ehs/images/rules/t15a-18a.32.pdf Maybe outta date but a nice read. look up local laws and such and make sure you can't be blacklisted or fined. Free supervision is nice in fact awesome potential opportunity I'd do it but if artist's home or even you are not registered....? State ain't getting there taxes ;) .