Relocating to Orlando

hey all! ill thank you in advance for 1. the patience to read through this 2. your responses :) I'm a young buck hopeful,whom due to extenuating circumstance will be relocating to Orlando FL. I've worked for two shops here in Boston over the past five years( scrubbing tubes, making appointments, mopping the floor and getting coffee) and getting tattooed... and now i feel ready to pursue a formal apprenticeship. I am totally up to date with the Boston certification requirements (cpr, 1st aid and BBP) and ive got my drawing portfolio. My questions are- Any suggestions/ recommendations for shops in the Orlando area? - what would you want to see if i were to show you a portfolio? -thanks so much!

Well as for shops in orlando i am a little shy on answers. Live one the other side of the states haha. But as for your portfolio here are some tips. First off a wide variety of drawings. Fine line, portraits, new school etc.. Now only if your artistic abilities allow you to do so. The first thing that makes a great artist is knowing your abilities and your limitations. Also try putting the line work for all of your drawings with your portfolio. Also all your certs. you have received over the years. Previously working in a shop is a huge plus. Curious though why after 5 years of working in a shop you didn't persue your apprenticeship there. You should be fine as long as your art work is up to par. As for the shop try looking around at all the local shops in your area and find someone whos art you respect. Good luck in your journey and hopefully that helped a little.

Well as for shops in orlando i am a little shy on answers. Live one the other side of the states haha. But as for your portfolio here are some tips. First off a wide variety of drawings. Fine line, portraits, new school etc.. Now only if your artistic abilities allow you to do so. The first thing that makes a great artist is knowing your abilities and your limitations. Also try putting the line work for all of your drawings with your portfolio. Also all your certs. you have received over the years. Previously working in a shop is a huge plus. Curious though why after 5 years of working in a shop you didn't persue your apprenticeship there. You should be fine as long as your art work is up to par. As for the shop try looking around at all the local shops in your area and find someone whos art you respect. Good luck in your journey and hopefully that helped a little.

Well as for shops in orlando i am a little shy on answers. Live one the other side of the states haha. But as for your portfolio here are some tips. First off a wide variety of drawings. Fine line, portraits, new school etc.. Now only if your artistic abilities allow you to do so. The first thing that makes a great artist is knowing your abilities and your limitations. Also try putting the line work for all of your drawings with your portfolio. Also all your certs. you have received over the years. Previously working in a shop is a huge plus. Curious though why after 5 years of working in a shop you didn't persue your apprenticeship there. You should be fine as long as your art work is up to par. As for the shop try looking around at all the local shops in your area and find someone whos art you respect. Good luck in your journey and hopefully that helped a little.

Wow didn't mean to post that so many times lol. So not to be creepy or anything but I looked your e-mail up through myspace and if thats your myspace page on there with your art work I can honestly tell you now you will have NO problem what so ever getting an apprenticeship. Your art work is beautifull. You are destined to be a tattoo artist thats for sure. And if its not look up that page on myspace and check out the art work lol. But if it is just put what you have in your portfolio. Learing to understand tattooing is hard but it seems you have the mentality and originality to be one of the greatest. Your work is very symetrical and original. One of the things that makes a great tattoo artist. Good luck to you and have fun being an apprentice. :)

wow! thanks man, that is in fact ( a little out of date) my online portfolio. thanks so much for the encouragement!

lol if you google your handle you have here all that comes up is rasist black t shirt designs lol, but i put it in my myspace and it did show up your drawings, not too bad, they are tattooish designs so it fits in , you need to work on more then linework though like shading and color, because once you layout your linework you dont want to get stuck with not knowing what to do with no reference... you say youve been at a couple shops cleaning? can these shops be a reference? if you can line up a couple people that will vouche for that , it will probibly be asked from you if its a professional shop, and beware especially in orlando theres a few hack shops there too. but humbleness and the eager to please attitude will get you far, thats what most people dont realize it seems, nobody is going to hire someone who annoys them too much. so work on coloring and shading some of your linework in, create a resume with references like you mean business, and be the most humble person. BUT beware in this economy, even doing that much may not be enough until business picks back up, most shops are struggling to have enough work for the people theyve got

Hey Dear-- First off Orlando is a big city with alot of trash like the previous post said. I would advise you to check out the following studios: Ascension Tattoo , Devotion Tattoo , Bad Dog Tattoo (its in a bad area but they had a lot of talent go through those doors) Most of the studios on Orange Ave. are flash shops , but that might not be a bad place to start, just to get the hang of a fast pace studio. And honestly, if you have no luck Call my studio Envious Ink Tattoo and Art Gallery and I would take you with the talent. We are a totally custom studio (NO FLASH) And I stay Booked about a month or so, but you could learn but we are about 1.5hours away from Orlando. But if you make it To Spring Hill, FL look me up at Envious ! Or check out my DVD on youtube.com under Rob Laux (pronounced Lowe) or here! BEST OF LUCK TO YOU

Checked out your work rob and got to say I would personally drive the extra hour and a half to work under you haha. Work is beautifull man. If the op is still reading this it definetely would be worth considering. Just had to put that one in hahaha. Good luck to you.

hey thanks rob, yoru work is wonderful, and your advice is rock solid, i cannot tell you how much that means to me. I will pursue all of the shops youve mentioned, i did have my eye on ascension anyway.... but like you said it may not be a bad idea to start out in a flash shop... i am obviously take whatever i can get, but i am still aiming high! thanks again!!!