The Fall of an Empire

The Fall of an Empire There are two schools of thought in our industry, those who believe business is going to keep getting bigger and those who think we have surpassed the apex and will begin to drop and level out or fade to what it started as. Different forms of this statement have been spoken about, written in side notes, and generally complained about in shop gossip all over the world. My hopes are to try and give an honest perspective from the local scene and many friends and co-workers throughout the industry. The main basis for this article is the Las Vegas body art industry. The reason for this (besides living and working here the longest) is that it’s my belief that Las Vegas is the Babylon of the industry. Our town offers a time line and more appropriately a glimpse into the future of other towns feeling the dismay those of us working here are. Its time we as professionals recognize these cancerous problems infecting our industry and band together for the greater good of everyone. Many of you out there will be angered by this article, you are the reason I’m writing this. The problems that frustrate me frustrate all of us and must be eliminated so those of us who worked for and appreciate what we have can flourish. The good die young, or more appropriately the good get the shaft. Listening to a friend and coworker tell you he can no longer afford to be a piercer/tattooist is a terrible feeling. I have been active in the piercing community for seven years now. Generally it’s been a positive and fulfilling experience. Throughout my career friends have come and gone and I’ve had the opportunity to meet and work with many great people in the biz. These people are not just good human beings but astounding artists. The traditional business ethic states that if you have a quality product at a competitive price you will flourish. This idea is no longer correct. The blame can’t be placed solely on a single cause; there are too many problems to list in just one article. There are however a few certain forces driving the decline. The most obvious factor is our deviant economy. Things just aren’t like they used to be. We are teetering on the edge of an economic breakdown and job loss is nagging us all. Our business is considered novelty; people just don’t have the income to spend on adornment. It affects all business but not as much as the second reason over saturation. All of you out there with dreams of opening a new shop need to read carefully. First off march yourselves down to the local college and take a business class. Our industry is over populated and we are all suffocating because of, we are the Chinese population problem of the businesses world. In Las Vegas there are over 70 tattoo and piercing salons. Let that number resonate in you head for a moment. Our local population is relatively small and there for spread thin. The old timers always talk about the thinning time when all the hack shops will bottom out but this has been going on for years and everyone suffers. Instead of encouraging people to spend money on quality work we are breeding the cheap uncaring customer. Who cares what your work is like if you can’t do it for 20 bucks piss off. Thanks a ton Maurey you’ve set the bar so low we are suffocating under it. (Those of you who have been here for a while will understand that.) Because of all this, great artists are having to hang up their needles and go work at wall-mart. Everyone but the non-artist suffers. The artist makes less which intern makes the owner raise rent or cut and the money is spread so thinly it can barley hold our ego’s. The apprenticeship virus is apparently as difficult to cure as a cold. Firstly I don’t want to be misquoted there are circumstances when you have to pass on your knowledge. About 10 years ago there was a serious need for more workers in the industry. There are many great apprentices and many great people doing apprenticeships. Those times are over. Today we are literally being eaten out of house and home by mid-grade workers. These workers have sub-standard values and ability. There is a new satisfaction in doing mundane sometimes bad work as long as they get some money. These workers are selling drugs and having sex with customers during work. You may say this has been going on for years but the height of the piercing is a relatively new thing and this behavior takes us back to the time when piercing and tattooing was associated with only the pariahs in society. This is a learning business. The day I stop learning is the day ill go shear sheep for a living….sheeeeeep. If someone says that they know everything about this business they should be spanked and sent to bed without dessert. How can an artist who has been working less than two years justify taking on an apprentice. There’s only one answer, money. This is a repeating cycle that feeds off itself. You can’t always blame the artist since he has lost money to the abundance of new workers and shops. So he takes on an apprentice to help his income, but you can’t blame the apprentice. The student wants to learn and there is never enough emphasis on the problems with a career with this. Finally, there’s the business owner who opens a shop to make easy money off of cheap apprentice labor and opens multiple locations. Apprentices take apprentices to supplement income and it starts all over again. This is a pattern we can all see in the towns we work and it replicates until its spread so thin you can see through it. Does giving aspirin to someone make you a pharmacist? No, and getting tattoos does not qualify you to own a tattoo shop. A major bane on our industry is the non artist shop owner. And just as dangerous is the get rich quick tattoo shop. Don’t get me wrong there are positive working examples of both types that compliment and further our cause. The owner of the shop I am currently employed has done a reasonable job making myself comfortable. Though in current retrospect of the last few months I see I am being raped. Pushed around and almost completely discarded. My loyalty and skill means nothing anymore. I have given three plus years of my career, made and lost friends, DONE MY ABSOLUTE BEST all the time and created exquisite works of art. I have swallowed every bitter pill and tried to make the best of every situation no matter the circumstances, and in exchange a spit in the face. Trying not to make an example is hard but some of those I have considered dear friends, even family have torn my heart out. In general the positive caring understanding non artist/owner is a tiny percentage of the overall industry. I have seen artists incredibly discontent because their boss knows nothing else but make money or leave. You customers out there don’t think this doesent apply to you. An unhappy artist is an artist who is not doing his best. We are slaves in our own world. The combination bong/tattoo shop is a creation of the greedy business owner. We are being exploited because of our financial situations (I think you all know what I mean). This means we are stuck forced to deal with horrible conditions just to feed our families. These owners are Wall Marts they are Mc Donald’s. They have the money to start off big and shut down people who care about what they do. Most of these smaller shops are just charging rent so people can do art and deal with customers and love what they do. They get to wake up with an empty wallet because the Bong/tattoo shop down the street just hired a bunch of apprentices who work for dirt and do work of the same quality. If you look you can see the similarities between our business problems and the immigration problems plaguing America. These owners are profiteers stealing our lives. They show up to take the money and fire people who are taking too much time TALKING to customers. It is up to us to make these deviants realize that we are not a franchise; we are not an easy way to make a buck without having to work. Just remember this little snip it. Every time a non artist lines his pockets with our hard earned money or opens another franchise a good artist looses his soul. So there’s nothing left. Careers are ended, Lives are ruined, and we all lose a little more. A little more patience and money is taken. A bit more safety and satisfaction lost to kids. It’s not about money it’s about survival. It’s waking up one day and realizing you have to throw away something you have loved and given your blood and sweat to for 7 years because of others greed and the inability to stand up for yourself. I remember a time when walking into a tattoo parlor meant being a bit frightened and intimidated. They sat you down in the chair and it hurt like hell but you walked out feeling like a man. More importantly you had respect for the industry if I would have tried to bust balls on the price I would have gotten beat and rightfully so. I feel violated. It feels like I lost a loved one. Everyone out there needs to feel this because it’s not just my pain we should all feel violated. The idea of a true “old fashioned” tattoo parlor is as extinct as the mammoth. Maybe I’m just complaining or venting to someone that can listen. If I were alone on this notion I would believe it but I’m not. There are many, many people who agree with me most of who are the peers we all look up to. The royalty and inspiration of our industry. Whether you see it my way or not everyone agrees something has to be done. Currently As I’ am writing this the Las Vegas convention looming overhead. I’m sure many of you reading this have seen me there and maybe even had the chance to shake hands and exchange quick thoughts on business. I can’t help but feel a sort of uneasiness I haven’t felt in past years. The thought of the impending army of hacks (you know who I mean) mulling about incessantly bugging. Taking advantage of people like Steve Hayworth, Ron Garza, Allen Faulkner and all the other capos and godfathers by taking the kindness and conversations a green light to hack people apart. An apprenticeship in a vacuum if you will. So what do we do, There has been so much shop related nonsense in just the last week I ‘am throwing up my hands. WHAT DO I DO? Since firebombing is too messy my best answer is to just try. Try to discourage and boycott hack shops. Keep customers well informed, just because someone says they can implant a Buick in your forehead don’t mean it will be done right. Stick with the professionals they are expensive and highly recommended for a reason. Do not encourage people (especially non artists) to open new shops in oversaturated areas. For god’s sake stop apprenticing every boob that walks into the shop. Most of the people doing them shouldn’t be. Don’t get too excited about yourself, chances are unless you’re old you have nothing to pass on. If you need the money go work the corner. Drop the rock star act guess what were in a job like anybody else and I don’t believe I’ve seen any piercers or tattooists on CRIBS. Next, get together with your colleagues and fight the health departments. We want stricter regulations and limiting on licenses. This doesn’t imply picking on us and raising rates with no explanation. This means Working with us and having a productive relationship even forming a coalition or the equivalent of a piercing PTA to get a group consensus. A little more respect from the agencies and involvement of actual industry workers would also be a big step up. CUSTOMERS listen up this rests on your shoulders just as much as ours you need to promote the best and desert the rest. Learn a bit about the work and see the difference between good and bad (don’t be afraid to ask questions and shop a bit. When you find the best place or person for you stick with them. Don’t just settle for who’s around build a relationship with your artist, piercer or tattoo and follow them if they go to a different shop take your biz there. Many of these hacks don’t want to give out locations of moved artists to steal their business but a few calls can find who are looking for. Lastly just be informed and pass it on. Knowing your enemy is half the battle and if we keep closing our eyes to the problems eventually we will go blind. I leave you with a quote in hopes that someday we can conquer this. Regae satanas and thank you for listening. Adam! “You have to paint things black if you want to make future possibilities more vivid” Michel Foucault, IMPULSE,Winter’89

Wow, well put. I think quite a bit of what you said was obviously said from the heart, and I must say pretty spot on. The growth of shit shops, chain/multiple shops, and guys who just had a couple of bucks burning a hole in there pocket shops, has truly gotten so out of hand that there really is no joking about it any longer. I've been tattooing for nearly 13 years now. I got into the business at a time when many people were being hired to deal with the huge influx of people who wanted to get tattooed. Unfortunately long after things started to peter out, these shop owners continued to blow up, by hiring more artists, opening more shops, and taking on more apprentices, as if things would never eventually level out. That led to more artists being upset about how they were treated, and them than opening up more shops, hiring more artists, and taking on more apprentices. It really is a shitty vicious cycle. 4 Years after I began tattooing on Long Island NY there was a ton of shops. people said that things would level out, things couldn't possibly get more out of hand. Granted in the past ten years a hand full of shops have closed, only to be replaced by several more. Now LI is over saturated with tattoo shops, and guess what, there's no one to blame but ourselves. this is mirrored all over the country, very few states can say that they haven't been affected by an influx of good or bad tattoo shops. For years people bitched and complained that the "old timers" of our world would never share there knowledge. that It was impossible to get an apprenticeship, and when you did it was completely unfair. Well I guess they knew something we didn't. I don't believe that there is much more to be learned from our mistakes, that someone else's greed, or ambition to do something that they probably shouldn't be doing, won't overcome. I think that greedy fuck's will continue to open substandard shops, continue to apprentice people who have more money in there pockets, than drive and talent, in the hearts. And a clientele that though continues to grow, doesn't give a rats ass who does there tattoo, as long as it gets done now, and fairly cheap. What I do believe is you keep trying, you educate the people you do have access to, and you build your clientele a little at a time. Hey it's no way to make a small fortune, but you'll be around this bushiness a lot longer than the next guy. All the best... J.Capobianco Hope Gallery New Haven CT www.joecapobianco.com

RE: "LAS VEGAS The Fall of an Empire"

Ok, I should let you know who I am before responding. I am not a tattoo artist, though, I love and have been involved with the tattoo industry as a client and a small business owner helping tattoo artists connect with clients for over 10 years. Darkside Tattoo was our first tattoo website (indeed, Darkside was the first website I ever programmed) from the beginning to the end, and currently work with over 25 tattoo studios and 70 some odd tattoo artists. I love the art of tattooing as much as I love geeking out, it has taught me quite a bit about myself and the world. I am lucky to work with industry leaders as well as artists who are at the start of their career. Because we charge $$$ for our time, we don't work with many cheapskates, though, I do interact with many tattoo artists that "dont get it". When hacks open studios it does indeed bite into my clients business, but we work hard to help differentiate our clients from their competition and help them book more tattoos. Basically I have dedicated this part of my (work) life to hooking up talented tattoo artists and customers who may or may not know they are looking for quality, and our clients feedback is pretty positive. While the art of tattooing is ancient, the "industry" is really young, as is the technology industry. Being in the middle of two businesses that are so young is fantastic. This means if we hustle we get to pave ground. Many entrepreneurs and artists sacrifice security and sleep for years in an effort to make it work. From what Ive seen (and thats not much, Im a young one) the ones who succeed may or may not have business sense, but they *all* *have* to do it and have overcome all odds to achieve success simply because they could choose no other path.

I dont mean to come off as a jerk, a good vent is a good vent, and man, being in business for yourself means you need to vent sometimes (as I have many). Im just trying to play devils advocate here.

"There are two schools of thought in our industry, those who believe business is going to keep getting bigger and those who think we have surpassed the apex and will begin to drop and level out or fade to what it started as. Different forms of this statement have been spoken about, written in side notes, and generally complained about in shop gossip all over the world. My hopes are to try and give an honest perspective from the local scene and many friends and co-workers throughout the industry. The main basis for this article is the Las Vegas body art industry. The reason for this (besides living and working here the longest) is that it’s my belief that Las Vegas is the Babylon of the industry. Our town offers a time line and more appropriately a glimpse into the future of other towns feeling the dismay those of us working here are. Its time we as professionals recognize these cancerous problems infecting our industry and band together for the greater good of everyone. Many of you out there will be angered by this article, you are the reason I’m writing this. The problems that frustrate me frustrate all of us and must be eliminated so those of us who worked for and appreciate what we have can flourish."

You will never eliminate cheap competition. It is good to get these thoughts out so you can devise a strategy to differentiate yourself from your competition, but your not going to eliminate the competition from marketplace. We can help alleviate some of the issues, and you can flourish, but the marketplace is harsh, and in the end, we are not in control, the consumer is. Also, Im not sure that the forces at work in Las Vegas, while common in many many other places, is necessarily a vision of what will happen to the future of the industry. I can be convinced, though, I guess I wouldn't know... I do know that western mass is not the leading edge of the tattoo industry though. heh. I do think that while tattoo studios are springing up everywhere, there are plenty of places where studios that produce quality work can do really well. Most get by somewhat comfortably.

"The good die young, or more appropriately the good get the shaft."

Yeah, no kidding. First rule, life isnt fair. Plenty of good folks live long and prosper for their hard work though. Plenty dont. Times are getting tough.

"Listening to a friend and coworker tell you he can no longer afford to be a piercer/tattooist is a terrible feeling."

Whenever a small business closes it is sad. Its happening all over the place in all industries. When friends lose their jobs its horrible, I agree. Losing your job is horrible too. Ungh.

" I have been active in the piercing community for seven years now. Generally it’s been a positive and fulfilling experience. Throughout my career friends have come and gone and I’ve had the opportunity to meet and work with many great people in the biz. These people are not just good human beings but astounding artists. "

One reason Im in this business!

"The traditional business ethic states that if you have a quality product at a competitive price you will flourish. "

Hmmm, I dont have a business degree (college 2 time dropout), but I think thats a pipe dream. There are *loads* of other factors businesses need (and always have needed) to flourish. Most small businesses don't make it past their first year or two because of poor planning, costs, market, etc, etc, etc. Some of these factors include family wealth, who is the market and how educated are they, how good is your business at marketing (if people dont know you are good and affordable they wont hire you), your sales (if you cann't convince people you are good and affordable they wont buy), the consumers (are they smart? Who are they?), the competition, etc, etc.

A good business plan will cover almost all the things a business needs to flourish.

"This idea is no longer correct. The blame can’t be placed solely on a single cause; there are too many problems to list in just one article. There are however a few certain forces driving the decline. The most obvious factor is our deviant economy."

Yes, business is rough for everyone. BUT though the rules of the game may be stacked against small businesses, hard smart work matched with talent and flexibility and inhuman stubbornness can prevail, and small businesses can flourish. It is a lot harder to break through (any business) because the barrier of entries have been raised.

I have freelanced in many industries, and have traveled all over the states and europe working for many small businesses and corperations. A few years ago I left the freelancing world to work with artists. My first venture was DuckMusic.com, because my good friends were trying to make a living in the music industry while I was living care free charging freelancers rates. It amazed me that talented musicians have such a hard time making a living, and did(and do) my best to help. If you think its hard making a living tattooing, try writing and playing music. The two are both fantastic influential arts, and I love both. Musicians have a much harder business by far!

"Things just aren’t like they used to be."

Nope, and maybe they will again, maybe they wont. But if we can learn about our market, and the forces we need to manipulate to become successful and stable, then our businesses can stand the test of time. Because industry leaders in the true sense of the word will overcome any obstacle. Not everyone has the right to a successful business. I do believe everyone has a right to a fair chance. Tattoo artists have a lot of factors stacked *in their favor* as far as getting small businesses started. Hence all the hack shops. If you dont want to or can't travel, it can obviously get pretty hard. Times are tough, it sucks. Very frustrating.

" We are teetering on the edge of an economic breakdown and job loss is nagging us all."

http://www.smallbusinessforamerica.com

Id like to see more tattoo artists *really* learn how to run a small business. Its definitely not for everyone, though, being a business owner is a lot more than great product and great price. As artists, if you can really get a grip on what it takes to run a successful business, you have quite a bit of power. Thats what I like to see, artists who control their own business and future. Basically, if your in business and you dont have a well written business plan, well, chances are there are things you havnt planned on. Many folks can run businesses by the seat of their pants, but having a well researched and executed business plan makes all the difference in the world. I love writing business plans and marketing plans. Its like programming the real world.

" Our business is considered novelty; people just don’t have the income to spend on adornment."

Its also an addiction to art for many people. And there is the market that is willing to spend big bucks on tattoos. It is a novelty to many, and maybe even most, but there is definitely a market for people who seek out excellent work and are willing to pay for it. You will have to convert casual tattoo fans to addicted tattoo fans with your fantastic tattoos.

"It affects all business but not as much as the second reason over saturation. All of you out there with dreams of opening a new shop need to read carefully. First off march yourselves down to the local college and take a business class. Our industry is over populated and we are all suffocating because of, we are the Chinese population problem of the businesses world. In Las Vegas there are over 70 tattoo and piercing salons. Let that number resonate in you head for a moment. Our local population is relatively small and there for spread thin."

I think the business class will teach also you (hopefully) that in a crowded marketplace you really need to be able differentiate yourself from the competition. Define your ideal target market, your niche, and then reach them. You need to be smart about your marketing. You need to hustle. You need to have a better product and convince people you have greater value. You need to use creative marketing practices, but do them in a unique creative way that engages your clients/potential clients. Make sure you are a cut above the rest, and make sure your art gets better every day. You need to find the perfect mix of making sure interested people get and stay informed, but not overhype yourself or get on peoples nerves. Especially in this business, your work is the essential element to success and should speak for itself.

Your class will also teach you to take problems and turn them into oppertunities. Stupid public goes to 1 of a zillion hack studios. Thats a problem. Well, its also an opportunity. Who is teaching the public the difference between good tattoos and bad ones? Help them. No one? Well, then, get on it!

What are you doing to educate the public to differentiate your business as a cut above the rest?

"The old timers always talk about the thinning time when all the hack shops will bottom out but this has been going on for years and everyone suffers. Instead of encouraging people to spend money on quality work we are breeding the cheap uncaring customer."

Welp we, and most of our clients, are encouraging people to spend money on quality work every day. We all need to fight to educate the public every day. Thats the sales skill part of the business that needs to be taken care of. Selling a high quality tattoo to someone who has learned the difference (either by looking or getting bad tattoos) is very fulfilling, and someday the tides will turn maybe. Or maybe not. But we will keep teaching and encouraging people seek out quality art, especially if they are putting it on their body...

"Who cares what your work is like if you can’t do it for 20 bucks piss off. Thanks a ton Maurey you’ve set the bar so low we are suffocating under it. (Those of you who have been here for a while will understand that.) Because of all this, great artists are having to hang up their needles and go work at wall-mart. Everyone but the non-artist suffers. The artist makes less which intern makes the owner raise rent or cut and the money is spread so thinly it can barley hold our ego’s. The apprenticeship virus is apparently as difficult to cure as a cold. Firstly I don’t want to be misquoted there are circumstances when you have to pass on your knowledge. About 10 years ago there was a serious need for more workers in the industry. There are many great apprentices and many great people doing apprenticeships. Those times are over. Today we are literally being eaten out of house and home by mid-grade workers. These workers have sub-standard values and ability. There is a new satisfaction in doing mundane sometimes bad work as long as they get some money."

In any industry there will always be competitors that will do inferior work for less money, and customers for them. Especially in the tattoo world, where the consumer is very uneducated. This is not something that is unique to tattoo artists. At least you cant ship a tattoo artists job overseas, then you would be in *real* trouble. The tattoo industry (and artists) were blessed that for years the demand so outweighed the amount of artists. Of course the industry will swing in the other direction at some point and find some sort of equilibrium. I do believe that *fair* competition is a good thing. Unfair competition isnt, but nothing you've talked about so far is unfair really. Unfortunate, more difficult than times past for sure, but unfair? I dunno. Its not easy, things seemed to be stacked against the small business...

"These workers are selling drugs and having sex with customers during work. You may say this has been going on for years but the height of the piercing is a relatively new thing and this behavior takes us back to the time when piercing and tattooing was associated with only the pariahs in society. This is a learning business. The day I stop learning is the day ill go shear sheep for a living….sheeeeeep. If someone says that they know everything about this business they should be spanked and sent to bed without dessert. How can an artist who has been working less than two years justify taking on an apprentice. There’s only one answer, money. This is a repeating cycle that feeds off itself. You can’t always blame the artist since he has lost money to the abundance of new workers and shops. So he takes on an apprentice to help his income, but you can’t blame the apprentice. The student wants to learn and there is never enough emphasis on the problems with a career with this. Finally, there’s the business owner who opens a shop to make easy money off of cheap apprentice labor and opens multiple locations. Apprentices take apprentices to supplement income and it starts all over again. This is a pattern we can all see in the towns we work and it replicates until its spread so thin you can see through it."

In my brain, the only reason to take on an apprentice is that their artwork is so good, so mindblowingly good, they will help bring the industry up just a part of a notch. The *business* of apprenticing should come secondary (as the business of any art should come secondary to the art) I think. Great artists who are dedicated to the tattooing should (and will find) someone to teach them. Its shouldn't be easy, nothing about tattoo is easy. Tattooing is not like other arts, its there for life. Of course, other people will treat this circus primarily as a business, and again, just because someone doesnt repect the art of tattooing doesnt make it "unfair". It IS a big oppertunity to differinciate yourself from them.

" Does giving aspirin to someone make you a pharmacist? No, and getting tattoos does not qualify you to own a tattoo shop. A major bane on our industry is the non artist shop owner."

Does being a piercer "qualify" you to be a studio owner? What is the "qualifier"?

"Now, as a non-tattooer entrenched in the tattoo industry I do understand there are things about the proccess of tattooing I will not understand fully, but just because someone can tattoo certianly doesnt quality them to run a small business. I obviously understand that the business people who open studios without a love or understanding of tattoo are a bad thing. I've watched both tattoo artists and non-tattoo artists run bad businesses."

I think the qualifier for owning a tattoo studio is a true love and understanding for the art of tattooing and for running a business. Being an entrepenuer is an art in and of itself, and many "artist types" are horrible at it.

" And just as dangerous is the get rich quick tattoo shop."

I agree completely. This has nothing to do with if someone is a tattoo artist or not, it has to do with motovations.

" Don’t get me wrong there are positive working examples of both types that compliment and further our cause. The owner of the shop I am currently employed has done a reasonable job making myself comfortable. Though in current retrospect of the last few months I see I am being raped. Pushed around and almost completely discarded. My loyalty and skill means nothing anymore. I have given three plus years of my career, made and lost friends, DONE MY ABSOLUTE BEST all the time and created exquisite works of art. I have swallowed every bitter pill and tried to make the best of every situation no matter the circumstances, and in exchange a spit in the face."

That is obviously not good business. Treat your hired help well and they will want to work harder and better! Of course, this is a rule of business and has nothing to do with tattooing really.

"Trying not to make an example is hard but some of those I have considered dear friends, even family have torn my heart out."

Me too.

" In general the positive caring understanding non artist/owner is a tiny percentage of the overall industry. I have seen artists incredibly discontent because their boss knows nothing else but make money or leave. You customers out there don’t think this doesent apply to you. An unhappy artist is an artist who is not doing his best. "

Hmm, I guess some stereotypes are rooted in truth. While I can see a tattoo artist owner having more in the understanding category, I don't think being a tattoo artist necessarily makes you more positive or caring as a business owner. You also left out a very important quality in a business owner, business sense. Im not sure if being an artist helps or hurts in that respect.

" We are slaves in our own world. "

Wow! One thing being a (good hardworking talented) tattoo artist grants you is a sort of freedom workers in other industries dont have. If you feel like a slave, then do something about it. Your not. Well, no more than we all are. Really, I think we are all peasants, not really slaves. Right now we are peasants getting the squeeeze. Hence the need for the rant and the strong understanding we all have with it. Slaves, though?

" The combination bong/tattoo shop is a creation of the greedy business owner. We are being exploited because of our financial situations (I think you all know what I mean). This means we are stuck forced to deal with horrible conditions just to feed our families.

These owners are Wall Marts they are Mc Donald’s. They have the money to start off big and shut down people who care about what they do. Most of these smaller shops are just charging rent so people can do art and deal with customers and love what they do. They get to wake up with an empty wallet because the Bong/tattoo shop down the street just hired a bunch of apprentices who work for dirt and do work of the same quality."

I may be misreading this. If an artist does the same quality of work the bong shop down the streets apprentices do for cheaper, then said artist needs to get better!

Most (but certianly not all) of the talented artists I know are pretty busy. Of course, there are quite a few that arnt as busy as they should be, and we are doing our best to help. and they are working on building their clientel too. Thats one of the beauties of this business, it may take years of hard work but if you are a good person and do great work that is always getting better and inspires your customers to recommend you like demons possesed, then you will be building job security by securing your reputation as a fun solid talented tattoo artist.

" If you look you can see the similarities between our business problems and the immigration problems plaguing America. These owners are profiteers stealing our lives. They show up to take the money and fire people who are taking too much time TALKING to customers. It is up to us to make these deviants realize that we are not a franchise; we are not an easy way to make a buck without having to work. Just remember this little snip it. Every time a non artist lines his pockets with our hard earned money or opens another franchise a good artist looses his soul. "

Im all for taking control and not letting anyone get over on you. But that just means you need to make sure everyone is getting a fair deal, not that non-artists shouldnt own studios.

I "line my pockets" with tattoo artists money because I do something that a tattoo artist cant do that has value. Thats not stealing someones soul.

Its the job of the studio owner to build a safe fun workplace where a bunch of artists can get along and get better that attracts customers. Being a tattoo artist obvoiusly helps tremendously, but its the good business ethics and sence that are most important to running a successful business. Tattoo artist owners can create a pretty shitty workplaces, as Im sure you know.

"So there’s nothing left. Careers are ended, Lives are ruined, and we all lose a little more. A little more patience and money is taken. A bit more safety and satisfaction lost to kids. It’s not about money it’s about survival. It’s waking up one day and realizing you have to throw away something you have loved and given your blood and sweat to for 7 years because of others greed and the inability to stand up for yourself. "

Umm, never give up because of an inability to stand up for yourself! No one said life was easy and you wouldnt have to overcome serious competition and trials. One things that keeps me from giving up is a line borrowed from a friend of a friend. Everytime someone gives up their dream, someone else gets theirs. Dont give up.

" I remember a time when walking into a tattoo parlor meant being a bit frightened and intimidated. They sat you down in the chair and it hurt like hell but you walked out feeling like a man. More importantly you had respect for the industry if I would have tried to bust balls on the price I would have gotten beat and rightfully so. I feel violated. It feels like I lost a loved one. Everyone out there needs to feel this because it’s not just my pain we should all feel violated. The idea of a true “old fashioned” tattoo parlor is as extinct as the mammoth. Maybe I’m just complaining or venting to someone that can listen. If I were alone on this notion I would believe it but I’m not. There are many, many people who agree with me most of who are the peers we all look up to. The royalty and inspiration of our industry. Whether you see it my way or not everyone agrees something has to be done. "

We need to differentiate the "real tattoo artists" from the hacks. No question about it. As people who love this industry, its our job to teach the uneducated public about the art of tattoos. It may seem like a daunting task, but hey, my wife is an early childhood teacher and if you think its hard to convince people that quality tattoos make a difference, try teaching them that the quality of their child's education makes a difference...

"Currently As I’ am writing this the Las Vegas convention looming overhead. I’m sure many of you reading this have seen me there and maybe even had the chance to shake hands and exchange quick thoughts on business. I can’t help but feel a sort of uneasiness I haven’t felt in past years. The thought of the impending army of hacks (you know who I mean) mulling about incessantly bugging. Taking advantage of people like Steve Hayworth, Ron Garza, Allen Faulkner and all the other capos and godfathers by taking the kindness and conversations a green light to hack people apart. An apprenticeship in a vacuum if you will. So what do we do, There has been so much shop related nonsense in just the last week I ‘am throwing up my hands. WHAT DO I DO? "

Artists breed drama. Cant avoid it for long I dont think, though, even the best situations can fall apart horribly. Thats life.

" Since firebombing is too messy my best answer is to just try. Try to discourage and boycott hack shops. Keep customers well informed, just because someone says they can implant a Buick in your forehead don’t mean it will be done right. Stick with the professionals they are expensive and highly recommended for a reason. Do not encourage people (especially non artists) to open new shops in oversaturated areas. For god’s sake stop apprenticing every boob that walks into the shop. Most of the people doing them shouldn’t be. Don’t get too excited about yourself, chances are unless you’re old you have nothing to pass on. If you need the money go work the corner. Drop the rock star act guess what were in a job like anybody else and I don’t believe I’ve seen any piercers or tattooists on CRIBS."

Just wait. ungh

But seriously, I agree (though, I would replace "non-artists" with "non-tattoo-loving un-businesses-savy un-ethical people)

" Next, get together with your colleagues and fight the health departments. We want stricter regulations and limiting on licenses. This doesn’t imply picking on us and raising rates with no explanation. This means Working with us and having a productive relationship even forming a coalition or the equivalent of a piercing PTA to get a group consensus. A little more respect from the agencies and involvement of actual industry workers would also be a big step up. CUSTOMERS listen up this rests on your shoulders just as much as ours you need to promote the best and desert the rest."

I agree.

" Learn a bit about the work and see the difference between good and bad (don’t be afraid to ask questions and shop a bit. When you find the best place or person for you stick with them."

I would say some people should find other great talented artists and collect from the best. Loyalty to an artist is great for many, but having a diverse collection of tattoos is something to aspire to as well. I say find the best artist and get work done by them. Then get work done by the people that tattoo them! :-)

"Don’t just settle for who’s around build a relationship with your artist, piercer or tattoo and follow them if they go to a different shop take your biz there. "

Absolutely follow artists and not studios. Though, there are some studios who are built on a reputation of having only fantastic artists.

" Many of these hacks don’t want to give out locations of moved artists to steal their business but a few calls can find who are looking for. Lastly just be informed and pass it on. Knowing your enemy is half the battle and if we keep closing our eyes to the problems eventually we will go blind. I leave you with a quote in hopes that someday we can conquer this. Regae satanas and thank you for listening. Adam!

“You have to paint things black if you want to make future possibilities more vivid”

Michel Foucault, IMPULSE,Winter’89 "

Well, in the end I guess we agree on some things, but disagree on others. I dont think that any of your problems with the industry are unique to tattooing, and indeed are problems that many/most/all small business leaders face in many industries. It sucks losing yer job, and venting is the inevitable result. I hope my thoughts dont offend anyone...

Best of Luck,

Gabe Ripley

So, I guess I just realized my final thoughts.The summery is: the public really needs to be educated about how to recognize and seek out great tattooing so the talented artists in the field can make a living and the hacks will stop marring people's bodies. So learn up people! Get yourself FANTASTIC tattoos, not bad tattoos. And if you do fantastic tattoos, make sure you are educating your community about the quality of your art, and the possibilities! (And sign up as a TattooNOW artist member! :-)