WANT TO START TATTOOING...(READ THIS FIRST)

kustomkeifer · Posted: Thu May 18, 2006 10:22 am Post subject:

I am in total agreement with James and wes here. Great advice, and well said. You may want to start at your county health departmentment as well. Take all the classes and tests for disease control, blood bourne pathogens, and cross-contamination. I think your friends will be more upset if you give them Hep-C, than if you give them a cross-eyed panther tat.

APPRENTICE, APPRENTICE, APPRENTICE.....
Tattooing is NOT a self-starter trade. Why do people assume so? It's like going out, buying a tool belt, and attempting to frame houses for a living. Just because a professional carpenter makes it look so easy, doesn't mean your house isn't going to fall down around your f'n head!!! Laughing

DON'T MESS AROUND WITH TATTOOING. IT IS NOT A HOBBY. IT IS A SERIOUS PROFESSION.

Keith Ciaramello
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David · Posted: Thu May 18, 2006 10:46 am Post subject:

aboyandhisrobot · Kult Member Joined: 05 Dec 2005 Posts: 28

I am wanting to get an apprenticeship. How should I go about it? I am working on my drawing skills but how much stuff should I take with me to give the artist a good idea of what I can do? I want to impress them enough to where I look teachable at least. Any hints/pointers on how to land the apprenticeship?

Thanks!

kustomkeifer · Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2006 7:12 pm Post subject:

Just bring your best. Don't bring anything you need to make excuses for. And bring tattoo oriented drawings. Fully colored, fully shaded artwork.
KK
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aboyandhisrobot · Kult Member Joined: 05 Dec 2005 Posts: 28

cool, so how should i approach an artist? do i choose them or let them choose me?

kustomkeifer · Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2006 7:46 pm Post subject:

No one is coming to you. Get out and hustle. You should start by making and selling flash. That may get you in the door. It shows commitment.
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jinx13 · Posted: Tue Jun 20, 2006 1:14 am Post subject:

And don't get discouraged if all you hear is "no". A lot of artists will put you through little tests to see if you're committed enough before giving you the knowledge.
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aboyandhisrobot · Kult Member Joined: 05 Dec 2005 Posts: 28

right on, thanks guys!

GEEZ · Grand Poo Bah Joined: 29 Jan 2006 Posts: 63

Also in your portfolio try and include some diverse images(example-black and grey work, old school, new school, portraits/realism, etc.) this will make you much more of an asset to a tattoo shop, the bigger range of material in your portfolio is better.
DON'T have a folder full of lined paper sketches.
And remember as much as you need to showcase your portfolio you also need to showcase your personality as this is a customer based industry so you need to be a people person.
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KAJ GRAFFIX · Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2006 4:25 am Post subject:

i talked to the owner of a shop a coupla weeks ago about an apprenticeship and he told me it would cost me $4500. is this normal to charge so much for an apprenticeship, and would it be stupid to come up with the money and pay it?? i thought that most apprenticeships didn't cost anything and that you worked for their knowledge not pay.
j

kustomkeifer · Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2006 10:07 am Post subject:

It's worth what you're willing to pay for it, BUT......
Ask yourself these questions:
1. Does this guy tattoo like you want to. Is he where you see yourself, or just the average run of the mill tattoo guy.
2. Can he provide you with an outline (not literally) of what he will cover, what you will learn, what is expected of you, what is expected of him? How long will it take?

Unfortunately most apprenticeships are scams for free bathroom and shop cleaning (which is fine if you're learning, but usually you're not), and gettin ga warm body in the chair to churn out crap and make money. You'd be surprised how many of thse apprenticeships go like this...

Paid 5000
Cleaned tubes, toilets, and floors for 6 month
Got handed a machine 6 months later
Started tattooing customers fo full price without any supervision
I hear it ALL THE TIME...
That isn't an apprenticeship, its a disgrace.

Go back to those two questions. You will know if it's worth it.
KK
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aboyandhisrobot · Kult Member Joined: 05 Dec 2005 Posts: 28

I always thought you paid OR you were the shop b!tch. Not both...am I wrong? How long do apprenticeships last? Not that I'm in a hurry...just curious. I'm prolly going to refine my drawing for the next year and try to get an apprenticeship when I move north. Even though its legal to tattoo in Oklahoma now...most of the places still suck.

El Mono · Big Kahuna Joined: 29 Mar 2005 Posts: 196

I still plan on working with my friends to learn as much as i can but i just finished the best two weeks of my life at "tattoo school" and spent the majority of it working with Greg from N2Skin in Ferndale Michigan and tattooing with lots of guidance as well as learning the business end getting certified and educated in blood born pathagens, buiding my own machine and learning how it works and how to fix and adjust them. I'll post some pictures of the tattoos i did and it was around 6 grand and worth every penny. I plan on going back to Michigan this winter to work with Greg and hopefully turn out some good work between now and then.

jinx13 · Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2006 12:00 am Post subject:

Face · Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2006 4:02 am Post subject:

Last Time i went to a shop in my town, thw Fuckin guy Wanted 2500$ for an Apprentiship,too expensive for me,guess its not my Carrer Path.
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FACE