To all apprentice hopefuls & kitchen wizards:
If you are seriously trying to get into this industry because it's "easy work", and "fast money"...I've got news for you, dumbasses. First of all, IT IS NOT EASY!! When you are a LEGITIMATE tattoo artist, you are not ONLY an artist. You need to do MANY different jobs. Once you begin a consultation with a client, you have now become a MIND READER. You have to basically take what they have in their mind, get the image into your head, and turn it into a "tattoo friendly" piece, that will look right on their body contours, and (if it's a coverup), how to use the right coloring and shading techniques in order to eliminate the existing tattoo. Now that they've magically beamed the image they want into your head, it's time for you to, maybe, do a little research, and get to drawing. THIS DOES NOT MEAN TRACING ANOTHER ARTIST'S CUSTOM TATTOO WORK!!! The ONLY TIMES that it is acceptable to trace something is when: A- It's a flash piece B- It's a portrait/photo realism piece. (And this should be traced ONLY from copies of photos...not other artist's work) C- It's in a sketchbook, that you have purchased (or your coworker, client, etc.), where there are no disclaimers in said sketchbook to NOT RECREATE the work done within. D- You have obtained WRITTEN CONSENT by the original artist to use his/her work. ANYTHING ELSE IS TATTOO THEFT, AND YOU COULD BE SUBJECT TO A LAWSUIT, DUE TO COPYRIGHT LAWS. Or, at the very least, be subject to ridicule, and basically blackballed by the tattoo community. It's always better to draw your own pieces. If you cannot do this...you probably should just stop tattooing right now. You NEED to have a strong drawing background in order to become a good tattooist. Ok, so now you've got your (hopefully) original piece drawn up. Time to show it to your client. If your client loves it, and is good to go, THAT'S GREAT! But, you should probably prepare yourself for a very heavy critique, and numerous explanations as to why some things don't transfer well to tattoos, how some things won't hold up well over time, how "adding something" could make it look too busy/cluttered, why certain parts are necessary to cover up the older piece (if it's a cover up), and you may need to redraw the piece (if your client requests you to do so). Do NOT catch an attitude, or treat your client like they are annoying you, or like they're bothering you. It's your JOB to create a physical reproduction of what they have envisioned in their mind! (unless they're giving you free reign) So STOP WITH THE ATTITUDE, BUDDY! Remember, you're tattooing it, but they will have it on their skin for the rest of their lives. That being said...in this profession, THE CLIENT IS NOT ALWAYS RIGHT!! Yes, they have to be happy with the tattoo you create for them, but most clients don't really understand what makes a great tattoo, or what will make a tattoo stand the test of time. This isn't because they're "stupid"...it's because they're not a tattooist! It's your JOB to explain why certain things won't work. It's your JOB not to trace the picture they brought you from Google...but to draw something similar, and with your own style!! So, again...don't catch an attitude. So now your finally going to tattoo your client. This is the easy part, right? WRONG!! For those of you reading this who DO tattoo, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about here. First of all, if your client's an asshole, be ready to slap a fake smile on your face for a couple hours, because you will have to deal with them the entire time you're tattooing them (duh...it's not like they can leave their arm/leg/whatever behind, so you can work on it, and come and pick it up later!). I've been pretty lucky so far. The majority of my clients are friggin awesome. If you're not a "people person", or you're super shy, or YOU'RE an asshole, or anything like that...don't even think about taking up tattooing. It's not for you. You have to deal with every type of personality in this profession, and if you're antisocial or something like that...well, you're not going to go very far. You're also going to get the "squirmers". You know, the people who can't sit still while you're tattooing them? You know what? SAY SOMETHING! They might not even be aware that they're moving that much! Need someone to move, so you can reach the area you're trying to tattoo easier? SAY SOMETHING!! You cannot expect them to know what YOU need them to do! If you're thinking that tattooing isn't a very physical job...you're totally wrong. It's EXTREMELY hard on your body! Those long 6-7+ hour sessions are MURDER on your body!! Your back will kill you. Your neck will be sore as hell. Your arms will be sore and tired. Your hands will hurt. Your fingers will either be numb, or killing you. Your shin and feet will be in pain from using the footswitch. You will be doing the same motions, again and again for hours. You will be twisting your body up in the most awkward positions, and staying like that for hours. Basically, your entire body will be sore and exhausted. I can't even tell you how many times I've come home from a long day, and felt like I was going to collapse on the floor as soon as I walked in my house. There ARE very important things you must do to help with this. A- Stretch!!! This is insanely important! Before you start tattooing, stretch. During the tattoo, stretch! After the tattoo...STRETCH!!! Focus on stretches that focus on the back, neck, and hands...but be sure to do full body stretches as well. B- Take a break! Now I'm not saying take a break every 15 min, but if you need a break, TAKE ONE! C- Do exercises that build up your muscle strength! Do full body workouts, and exercises that specifically focus on your core, back, and hands. D- NSAIDs are good for pain, and won't get you all twisted in the head like a narcotic. Use them if you have to, I like Motrin, but don't overuse them. Still sounding like "easy money"? It's not. Far from it. And this only covers the drawing, tattooing, and the "dealing with clients" aspects of tattooing. There's a whole lot more to it than just that. Maybe I'll go over that another time. But for now, I think I'll call it a night. You're friendly, neighborhood tattoo artist, Laura xoxo
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