why IS tattooing so sectretive?

Why is tattooing so secretive? I really dont get it, now I'm sure some of you will say "why should we show anybody", but tattoo is the only profession to be like this. Plumbers, surgeons or whatever dont keep their secrets the same way. Not that I am a tattooist or want to be but I've just seen how the situation is over the past few years. I totally get it from the early days when they were secretive as they didnt want a new tattooist opening up and taking business, now though times are so different with the advent of the internet and TV, theres a whole different tattoo scene now than there was 20 years ago. Surely now it is self regulating as people generally are more/better educated than they were years ago when a tattoo was just a tattoo. I dont want to get anybody worked up over this but it is a genuine question.

Its not that secretive if someone has a bad ass art portfolio. Someone fishing to learn on the internet is dumb, ask the doctors and plumbers how many people they taught online... Plumbers also select apprentices to teach, and doctors go through TONS of schooling to (hopefully) weed out the hacks.

My wife payed 10 grand to cut hair.And every year or two she has to have so many hours to keep current,that cost more money.Is cutting hair that much of a secret. Why should tattooing be any different. Do you think someone should teach 4 free? I dont see any secrets in tattooing,just laws are not hard enough on scratcher.If I did dental work out of my house how long before I go to jail and how many lawsuits??

I think the mentality of tattooing as an occupation is different from most others. And I think it has mostly to do with the history of tattooing as well as how you get into the trade. I actually think if there were official tattoo trade schools and as many people who wanted to enroll could, there would be less people trying to do it on their own. The ratio of shops willing to apprentice vs. people wanting to learn is just incomparable. However, that doesn't mean that people don't want to learn the right way and that they wouldn't if given the chance. But, unlike many other trades, people are almost forced to be self-taught given the numbers. And given the fact that you can buy tattoo supplies and instruction material makes their dream seem a little more tangable even if they can't get an apprenticeship. I understand the industry being secretive though. There are already more wannabe tattoers than there is room for. Even though tattoing is much more accepted today I just don't think there is a demand for that many artists, especially if you are not on level with the quality of art being done today. But think about it. Why would an artist spend his/her time and energy teaching someone who is not giving them anything in return (money, shop help, eventual artist in their shop, etc...)? They also go in and put in a full day of work. Why would they want to spend their off-time on you? There is absolutely no pay-off for them to teach you and is a huge waste of their time. Really, where's the entitlement come from?

The ratio to apprenticeships offered to the number of artists that deserve it is just fine. If anything, its even harder finding a worthy apprentice than it is finding a crappy apprenticeship. It took us a few months to find the right person, and I own a big massive publicity machine! Fact is, there are not enough AMAZING ARTISTS who have the work ethic and the other qualities it takes to learn to tattoo. I know plenty of tattoo artists who have taken on and take on apprentices all the time...

You're right. But you're talking about the people who deserve it. I'm talking about the people who merely want it and the lack of willingness to share information among those people.

Yeah some interesting points being made. I'm not talking here about a monetary issue. It just seems - well I guess I'm thinking more about the good artist who wants to learn the tattoo but will never get the chance to due to lack of instruction. Inksane raises very interesting and good points about the number of apprenticeships versus the number of willing applicants. Of course it is redundant to suggest that a tattooist work all day and then teach someone in his spare time for free, that doesnt happen in any walk of life - the difference between tattoo and other trades is that any other trade is available through the work place, academic vocation or a mixture of the two, so what I'm saying is that the gifted artist may never be able to fulfill their ambition of becoming a tattoo artist. Does anybody think that one day this issue will ever be addressed by the powers that be? Is it plausible to think that there might be a vocational tattoo course? Or is that crazy talk?

Inksane, people who dont deserve it should not just be able to go to school to get it. Putting art on a persons body isnt something just anyone should be able to do. Its something bad ass artists who have respect for the publics skin, focus to do something from start to finish perfect the first time, and a boatload of patience should do. Good artists who get tattooed by good tattooers will become tattoo artists if they have the other traits needed. there are not too many very talented artists who have all the qualities out there looking, as I said, it took us almost six months to find someone who had everything needed. the difference between tattooing and other trades is in tattooing the artist is marking a person's skin forever, for all intents and purposes, its a sacred art, or should be considered such. People who dont have bad ass art portfolios shouldn't be learning to tattoo, and people with bad ass portfolios who get good tattoos ultimately learn to tattoo. Its like you are whining for the artists that dont deserve it, and want to make it easy for hacks to tattoo the public. Whatever, if those artists got better then they would get it... Ill say it again, it is easier to find a crappy apprenticeship than it is for a good studio to find a good artist to apprentice. From my perspective the issue at hand wont get fixed by people teaching more bad artists who cant find teachers now, it will be by more truely talented artists wanting to learn to tattoo.

Gabe it seems that I have struck a raw nerve with you which was never my intention. My intention was, however, to see if we could get a nice discussion going between forum members about what is a highly volatile topic. Really you dont have to call me "whining", it shows a lack of maturity on your part and it's unnecessary. I will leave the subject here as clearly you cant discuss it in an adult manner and to be honest your verging on childish. Lets hope someone else can get an interesting topic going on what is ultimately a quite boring forum.

Very sorry, didnt mean to accuse you of whining, my bad. That said, your arguments have been echoed by many people in the past who were definitely whiners. I apologize for confusing the two. In any event, your not hitting a nerve, as much as stating things as facts which I strongly disagree with. from my point of view, There is not a shortage of tattooers willing to teach good artists to tattoo. There is a shortage of good hard working talented artists who deserve and want to put in the work to tattoo. Many times I have seen great apprentice offers on this board, and had a very attractive one open myself for a long time. For all the artist wannabees on the board talking about how hard it is, I think I got maybe one or two real bites from here and I know other studios who got none. For all the chatter on here and everywhere about how hard it is, thats not very many people taking action. So sorry if I sound short, but Im confident that we dont need any more outlets to teach tattooing, we need more outlets to teach art. And maybe we have enough, there are more and more amazing artists hitting the scene everyday. As we have found out, good artists plus good teachers makes great tattooers quickly. So, we are looking for the good artists and they are much rarer than you seem to think. As far as schools go, pretty much every artist that I have met who went to the Ringling College of Art and Design has been a bad ass artist who should be able to land an apprenticeship no problem. they seems to teach folks to create art for clients, as well as nurture your personal vision. Two of the three apprentices at Off the Map attended there for at least a year. There are other intense art programs that will turn people into art machines.

Many tattoo artists started exploring art after being involved with tattooing. But in most cases you are talking about people that are born with talent. As far as tattooing being secretive... I think that tattooing should be even more secret these days, since every kid out there after watching an episode Miami Ink wants to grab a machine and "be cool" I don't think the right word is "secretive" instead "protective". And you have to be. With so many people trying to hack in the industry you have no choice. The day a tattoo school open with teachers like, Nikko, Bob Tyrrell, Guy achison, Nick Baxter, Horiyoshi, Joe Capo, Jeff Ensminger, etc... I'll be the first student to subscribe.

Gabe, You took my post completely the wrong way. Maybe I worded it poorly. I don't disagree with you at all.

Gabe I apologise also. I agree with what you say entirely. I think that tattooing is so advanced that you need to be a capable artist first and foremost as the tattoos being done are so art orientated. I should imagine that most people dont automatically have the skills (art wise) to compete with todays talented tattooists although I also believe that drawing skills can be advanced with lots of practice. It would appear that these days too many people are wanting to straight away pick up the tattoo machine without honing drawing skills first. And yes it's amazing that you had trouble finding an apprentice with the amount of people who appear to be wanting one. I'm not for people wanting to learn and I'm not against it, but both sides of the argument have some good points. This was going to lead to my next question about magazines and such like advertising tattoo supplies but I'll probably forget that for now. If nothing else I think this is a topic that has been and still looks like it will be argued over for some time.

FallenKing, I am not talking about anyone born with talent. But Learning art after/during your tattooing apprenticeship is ass backwards, and part of the old school we can leave behind. You dont need to be "born with it" necessarily, but thesedays if someone wants to tattoo and doesnt have a slamming portfolio and wants to know what to do... go to art school (or spend 5 years starving and drawing and pushing yourself). Fact is, its the art that stops most people, and the rest usually get weeded out because they dont have the drive to do something perfect from start to finish perfect the first time. Most artists dont have that. And hey, off the map has had 3 of those 6 teachers here! Seriously, our apprentice has an amazing opportunity to learn from 40 some odd artists a year. most people dont have the art skills necessary, but the thing stopping them is hard work and dedication. Magazines and supply companies... well, it would be much easier if the industry was self policing, but whatever. I am never for manipulating a system with legislation when education is the foundation to the solution. Should suppliers sell to the public? no. Do they? Yes. Do I lose sleep over it? no. Do I put ad money in those magazines? No, but I might someday I guess. The solution to all these problems is educating the artists and public about what is quality tattooing, and the best way to get it (both getting the good tattoo, and learning the right way).

What ya said Gabe is right on the money. I am the first person to put art first. My "theory of color" teacher told me in college "Art can be trained, but you def are born with it. Some people will awaken it some others won't"

this is about the phoniest mass of bull shit i have ever heard. but of wanna be tatooist flunkys GABE hes a fuckin wannabe .. aint got a bit of machine time and is always trying to be givin out advice and posting bullshit. he needs to sit the fuck back and read cause he aint about shit in a sespool LOL

Well, he's doing something right. I can say that and that's after he called me a whiner. lol

hey man, Im only my opinion, take it or leave it. the only reason my posts are bold is cause I lose sleep programming this website. Inksane, sorry to call you a whiner! though, I think my exact words were the argument reminds me of whiners... ha. thanks for your posts, they are always appreciated.

For what it's worth i completely agree with gabe... with the acception of his wording of someone who "deserves" an apprenticeship, implies that (in my mind) it's some sort of birthright. If someone works at it they will eventually get it. I've busted my ass for the past few years to gain as much knowledge as i can about every aspect of tattooing, i've studied the art of the tattoo artists i look up to and respect, artists in other mediums as well. I've studied the mechanics of tattooing from skin depth and tension, needle types, the pros and cons of mags vs. rounds, different techniques for working ink in the skin, shading, color blending, color layering. I've studied machine mechanics and what it takes to make a good machine, what parts should be used for what purpose the machine is going to be used for, and i'm not talking basic "liner and shader" bullshit, theres a difference between building for round mag color packer and a magnum color shader, a small mag shader and a large mag shader. And throughout those years and everything i've learned, in all honesty i can say is still don't know shit. The wealth of knowledge is out there, it is much harder to find it on your own than finding someone who is willing to teach you. I completely disagree with artists charging apprentices to learn it defeats the entire principals of the master apprentice relationship. Being a gifted artist is only half of it, if someone can only draw stick figures they have no place tattooing anyone unless (it's with a sharpened guitar string in a corrections institution) If the apprentice has the talent, willingness and more importantly the drive to learn and shows that everyday and lives and breathes tattooing and the love of the art then there should be no reason for them to not succeed. I would personally never support a trade school for tattooing (FYI there is already at least one in existence, it's located in michigan and teaches tattooing and piercing, It costs $5600 to learn how to tattoo, includes equipment and their site even gives reasons to not get an apprentiship... oh yeah and they offer financing) I believe it demeans the entire purpose of the art and the last thing we need is a bunch of "cookie-cutter" tattoo artists out there that can be mistaken for good tattoo artists simply because they can lay a line. ps. HUH... grow up and learn to speak intelligently. If you had any passion for the industry you wouldn't quickly dismiss people so easily, especially someone who employs some of the top artists in the country and had the ability to recognize their talents...