Thank you :)

I stumbled upon this website trying to learn something about practice skins and what I got instead was a massive fright.. but not in a bad way.. I am 30 years old and a fairly well paid fashion designer trying to get out of my industry (14 years is enough!) and into tattooing as art is my first love and permanent art fascinates me. Right now I have too much debt and too many bills to just quit my job and lose my income so apprenticing full time ain’t gonna happen.. I learned a bit about tattooing from a tattoo artist who worked on my sleeve for 6 months and seeing some potential in me afetr I painted a pinup for his studio as payment he gave me my first machine.. well that just sealed the deal for me and when he left for the UK I decided to go at it full steam. I ordered a practice kit and thought I was really clever figuring out how it all worked.. downloading books, drawing up flash for shops over here, pestering people to teach me without much luck.. eventually I tried my “practice” machines on myself and in retrospect I’m pretty lucky I didn’t get a weird infection.. God I really did have my head firmly stuck up my ass!! Until I read the posts on this site from the likes of Taz and Gabe and others, I was perfectly prepared to start inking up my mates and thank christ I found this site before I did. For all the kids learning at home and saying “fuck you” to the pros, don’t be too proud to admit you don’t know what the fuck you’re doing. I’ve been studying solidly at home for months and practicing on fake skins and fruit and playing around with settings, needles, stencilling et al.. but I still don’t know shit. The guys on here telling us “scratchers” to go learn from someone who knows have a really valid point and they aren’t gonna stroke our egos and exacerbate the problem that is irresponsible “home-tattooing”. If you are in a pickle and you can’t apprentice then at least be sensible enough to not tattoo anything with a pulse until you know what the fuck you’re doing.. It’s not impossible to get someone to help you. I have nagged someone in my town for months to help me out and he turned me away again and again until I actually started to supply his studio with art and accessories I made at home and we developed some semblance of mutual respect. I decided the other day to offer him a painting as payment for teaching me some stuff in his free time and he accepted.. finally!! Yes it sounds like I'm grovelling but if you think about he’s teaching me a skill that I’ll have for the rest of my life and will likely change it forever.. that kind of knowledge is priceless. Tattoo artists just want to see you're serious, dedicated.. and responsible enough.. that's all.. So.. use your brains guys.. don’t break any skin until someone trained is at least watching you and guiding your hand. Thanks so much for scaring the living crap out of me.. seriously..I feel really fortunate I found this site by mistake before I made the biggest mistake of my life!! Tam

Hey, no problem. You have a bad ass convention coming up there in a few months, Southern Ink Exposure. There should be a lot of very talented people there! Anyways, thanks for sharing your story, its hard to see the benifit of fighting all the time, ha.

Yeah tell me about it.. half the replies to posts on this forum are peeps slagging eachother off.. pointless really.. some respect is lacking.. ah.. anyway!! So excited for the con.. Bob Tyrell.. Lyle Tuttel.. Paul Booth and sooooo many talented local dudes too.. it'll be really interesting! And South African artists really do deserve some exposure.. Some seriously talented guys down here.. Thanks for the positive reply.. I hope I've acheived what I set out to do and cleared the air.. You guys have definately changed my ideas for the better.. Nothing in life worth getting comes easy.. or cheap!

Tam Tam, Thank YOU for your post, as it is certainly a refreshing change from all the 'others' who would rather badmouth those of us that respect the profession and went about it the 'right way'. It is truly gratifying to learn at least someone got the message so many of us try to convey and makes all the other crap a bit easier to deal with when someone actually seems to understand. Again, Thank You for your very well expressed post and personally, I wish you luck in your desire to 'do it right'.

I think you both (as well as myself) need to spend less time worrying about what other's are doing and focus on our own shortcommings....which NONE of us are lacking.

What the hell happened in the last 3 posts? Thx Doc,, I'll post you some art if you're interested.. and gabe.. respect man.. I'm happy someone understands where I'm coming from.. last post.. ?? Sorry dude I'm not a scratcher so I can't sympathise.. go do some soul searching and read up on BBP.. no joke guy.. I don't have an ego.. going into tattooing as a female over 21 you gotta leave that shit at the door... grow an extra layer on your skin dude. No disrespect but I'm not for inking my mates up at home and getting a shit rep for infecting them..

Tam Tam, As to the prior 3 posts thing, just irrelevant poop that was thankfully removed. As to your offer to post some art, while I'd love to see it, it's only fair to warn you it may invite moronic comments no matter how good it is so perhaps you could email it to me to avoid that drama. At the risk of being repetitive, Tam, I'm really enjoying your posts and the intelligence you seem to have as well as the respect you obviously have for the profession. What a welcome 'change', to put it mildly.

Hey you guys saved me.. only fair I share some of the sentiments that come with that.. read my last post on that "tattoo gun" post and you'll see why.. I think a lot of people.. myself included.. go into tattooing thinking it's so fuckin easy.. takes a lot of strength of character to admit you were wrong.. thank god I have strength of character! You guys are great.. don't let all the haters get you down mate. You've changed my whole idea on shit.. I'd be inking up my friends if it weren't for this site.. I'm a member of deviantart.. some crazy fuckers there too.. some of the most amazing stuff and seriously supportive artists.. I even got a couple apprenticeship offers! http://tamartosauce.deviantart.com/ just goes to show if you put yourself out there with zero ego and a real passion you can do anything you want!

Tam Tam, Again, what a welcome change, Wow! Frankly, speaking only for myself, of course, it is posts like this that makes all the rest worth it- worth all the shit-talking, bashing and disrespect thrown-that makes all that meaningless when someone actually understands and stops trying to learn at someone else's expense. I DID check out your deviantart site and, damn, you really DO have some real talent, once again, you have really impressed me-this time with your artist skills. I did not really get the opportunity to fully check it all out as I worked late tonight but I am damn sure going back to take a better look when I get the chance. You have a great eye for proportions and perspective, that painting of the little girl rocked my fucking world. You did a fantastic job on her forward hand and anyone who knows shit about art KNOWS that hands are invariably a bitch to capture properly, let alone at that particular angle. I do not know why in the hell you are not already apprenticing from someone good, but I sure think you more than deserve it. In fact, if the local economy wasn't so fucked, I know I would feel privileged to apprentice you, totally free of charge and have no doubt you'd do both of us proud. I sincerely mean that, I'm hardcore 'old school' I do not say things I don't mean. You've got serious skills, I'd love to see it coming out as tattoos and have no doubt that with your skills AND the way you look at Tattooing, you WILL be quite good. I've been around long enough to recognize 'the gift' when I see it, you definitely have it.

Haha.. I wish I knew why I didn't get into it sooner.. I actually feel really down sometimes that I've dedicated 14 years of my life to something I have no passion for.. *sigh* we live and learn! Thanks for checking out my gallery.. the little girl is actually my baby sister! (Half sister really.. her mum is thai) That was a christmas present for my dad last year :) Eventually I would love to tattoo realistic portraits with my own edgy touch.. but I know you gotta do all the grunt work first.. tribals/touch ups etc.. I'm actually looking forward to all that tho. I'm busy saving money so I can support myself for a year and just concentrate on finding someone to mentor me. Thanks so much again for changing my mind about learning from home.. Sometimes what you think is the "easy way" is actually the hardest way! I'm sooo glad I didn't use my substandard equipment on someone I care about! I was very close.. As for the offer of your advice.. thanks so much.. really means a great deal to me that you see potential in my work. I guess all I can ask is for you to keep an eye on my gallery and if you get time, drop me a few pointers every now and again ;) I certainly won't be using my machines on anything except grapefruit for a while.. back to pencils and paint!

Tam Tam, While I do regret you spent years doing something you have no passion for, it is hardly 'too late' now and I've been around long enough to know that not only is life 'weird' in how it plays out but also that the experiences we have make us into whatever we become. Personally, I also think the fact that you are not a 'snot nosed youngster' may well be a 'good thing' in that you're far less likely to be interested in 'this' for the wrong reason or as a 'whim' Myself, I'd far rather take on an apprentice of your 'maturity' than any 'hot shot kid', been there, done that and learned from it-never again. As to my checking out your gallery and comments re:, as I said, I am very impressed by your artwork (and if you knew me better, you'd KNOW I am not only a 'detail freak' and do not pass out compliments casually, they MUST be earned) and, again, your work truly deserves praise. Your Dad, not to mention your little sis must have been ecstatic when they saw that one as that truly is a piece of art. Having seen your work I truly have no doubt you will do some great realistic portrait tattoos and yep, you will undoubtedly have to do 'the grunt work first', that's just part of the apprenticeship process and, if it's any 'help' to you, it is something every apprentice (and your mentor) went thru, much like walking before you can run. Personally, with you artistic ability, I really don't think it will take you that long as you are obviously not only 'driven' but intelligent as well- which sure makes it 'easier' I assure you. I sincerely wish you luck in not only saving the money to support yourself while apprenticing but in finding someone truly capable to teach you. I'm sure you're smart enough to be 'picky' in that respect as not all are 'good teachers' Again, I truly wish like hell things were 'different' as I'd love to teach you myself as, unfortunately, despite the many request over the years, I've never had anyone with your artistic abilities AND great attitude about the profession even approach me and I'd love to pass along the knowledge I've accrued over the years to someone 'worthy' As to you thanking me for changing your mind about learning from home, NO-THANK YOU for understanding that is NOT the wisest way to go about it and could, very conceivably have seriously jeopardized the future I sincerely believe you do have in this profession. Again, it is so 'rewarding' to hear I reached someone with that advice and to know SOMEONE 'out there' is actually listening and understands. My 'offers' are indeed real and I am definitely going to keep an eye on your gallery and will gladly give any pointers/support I can. Now, as to the grapefruit thing, frankly I have absolutely no knowledge about that, that is not how I was taught 'back in the day' but, aside from being far better than practicing on living human flesh, it is still a step in the right direction, so to speak, although I have heard from fairly reliable sources that pig skin is even better to practice on- Do Not waste your time,talent or money on 'fake skin', I have seen that and it's a rip off at best and not at all like living, human flesh. I sincerely hope you will be a frequent poster here, your post are indeed a welcome change from the 'standard