| Why is getting a tattoo aprenticeship so difficult? |
| We are running near the year 2008 and the world is overwelmed with people wanting to learn how to tattoo. Nowadays everybody who has some sence of artistic talent or who thinks they can draw, want to learn to tattoo and make it as a tattoo artist. Most of those people see it as a glamorous job, with loads of money to be earned, loads of travelling and an easy life. While in reality it's nowhere near as glamorous and easy as most think. Enhance the many shops opening and closing all the time, the amount of people walking around with tattoos that look more like a kids drawing then a real piece of art. Very few tattoo artists make it in the tattooworld without a tattoo apprenticeship, and those who are selftought, still go knocking on doors, search the net and try to get as much free advice on how to tattoo, as they can. |
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While in my opinion, the only way to learn how to tattoo is by becomming a tattoo apprentice. But now you will think, "It's so difficult to get a tattoo apprenticeship, there's no tattoo shops in my area to teach me or nobody wants to teach me how to make tattoos."
Now how would that come, do you think? Many tattoo studios get people in their shop asking them to teach them to tattoo, but never had a tattoo from that artist. I think it's obvious, that if I've never seen you and I'm not good enough to tattoo you, then I won't teach you how to tattoo. Tattoo artists are not teachers, while you can go to school, get your degrees and after that, f*** the school, many tattoo artists have learned from the past that in most cases of tattoo apprentices, this is what happens. I teach you how to tattoo, you'll think you know it all and then you'll say f*** the artist, I'm opening my own tattoo studio.
In other cases, there's just no place, work or time for an apprentice. But one main thing is for sure, you won't get a decent apprenticeship if you don't show respect. The older generation of tattoo artists have earned their respect in what they do, some might not be as good as others, but never forget that the older tattoo artists have brought tattooing in our lives, starting from scratch, sometimes neglecting their families to get where they are now, living on water and bread, to keep their shop open,....etc. So if you're a young kid, who can draw or think that you can draw, and just walk in a tattoo shop and ask them to teach you, you will get 'the look'.
What I have learned from the past and from other tattooists, is that respect and devotion will give you a tattoo apprenticeship. You choose your tattoo artist, you get tattooed loads by them, you give them respect, keep a low profile and after being many hours together in the chair, you get to know eachother. You spend all you free time in the tattoo studio and offer to help with litlle things, offer to draw a design up for customers, make a cup of tea, clean the floor,... That does not make you a slave of unpaid work, but gives the tattoo artist the time to see that tattoos are your life, and like that you're earning respect towards the artist and yourself. Do never ask for any money, if the artist offers you money, use it to get tattooed again. If the tattoo artist is willing to teach somebody how to tattoo and follow him/her up in the shop, then it will be you, he or she chooses. Maybe not tody, maybe not tommorow, but it will be you. |
| By Premium Karl |
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