Ethics

Just because you're working arguably the most customer-service-oriented job, it doesn't mean you can't have ethics. Tattoo artists have things they refuse to tattoo -whether it's images, certain body parts, and even certain colors. What I've gathered so far is that a true tattoo artist isn't looking to just make money off a client -he or she is actually deeply concerned about making a client's tattoo perfect and meaningful.

Here are four ideas that are potentially going to be refused:


1. White Ink Tattoo

I admit, they look pretty cool. However, white ink tattoos only look good on very, very fair skin, so us tanner people won't get quite the same effect. Also, you never know how it's going to heal; it could end up looking yellowish, or like an ornate pink scar. For those who really want a white ink tattoo: choose your artist carefully. I know I say that a lot, but it's very easy to fuck up a white ink tattoo! If your tattoo artist begins using a blue-ink stencil -stop them. They don't know what they're doing. The blue will mix in with the white and you'll have a blobby mess.

2. Special parts. 

I won't post a picture for this one, because you know what they are. Before you get all upset when no one in the tattoo shop wants to tattoo your "mommy and daddy button," consider this: Would you honestly want someone's (possibly stinky) junk up close, in your face, for a couple hours? If you find someone willing to put up with tattooing you "down there," keep in mind it's probably going to cost you wayyyy more than any other place you've been tattooed (and I don't blame any tattoo artist for hustling you). 

If this photo sparks your interest you can read her story here

3. Face Tattoos.

In this situation, think of that tattoo artist as your conscience. They recognize that customers can be impulsive and naive, so they may refuse tattoos that are on the face. An artist may go through a long process of interviewing the client to make sure that it's what they really want, and asking what the client does for a living. Face tattoos are very noticeable, they can't be hidden, and tattoo artists who make a big deal out of a doing a face tattoo are only trying to protect the client. 

4. Inner Lip Tattoos.

This is one I've wanted myself. Yes, I will go on record and admit it. But I don't have it yet... and that's because inner lip tattoos are very difficult to do. They have to be free-handed. It's also very difficult for the skin there to "hold" the ink. In fact, many inner lip tattoos "disappear" within a year; they require periodical touch-ups. 

Word to the Wise

This past week I got to sit down with two awesome NYC-based tattoo artists. I don’t want to give anything major from the interviews away just yet, so I’ve chosen one question that I asked both of them. Keeping in line with my previous post on apprenticeships, I asked Daniel Mirro and Minka Sicklinger:

“What advice would you give someone who wants to be a tattoo artist?”

Aspiring artists, read carefully. 

Daniel Mirro is currently at Red Rocket Tattoo. His style is traditional American old school. (Click here to check out some of his work!)

Here’s what he had to say to aspiring tattoo artists:

“…Go to a university and pick a different avenue of [artistic expression]. I really don’t think that people should go out with the aspiration of being tattooers. I think that if through being covered in tattoos (which I think should be prerequisite for anyone that wants to tattoo) -I think that in the course of receiving a bodysuit, that if they receive the vibes from the Tattoo Gods and the people that are tattooing them are like ‘hey, I really think that this is something you should go down,’ then sure.… I think it’s a very hard thing, because when people start off, they don’t really do good tattoos. So every time a new tattooer is born, there’s that line of tattoos that they’re going to start from that’s not going to be the best... If you love it that much and you truly think that you want to be a tattooer: Sacrifice all of your life to it. Spend all your money on it. Obsess about it night and day.”

Minka Sicklinger, originally from the Netherlands, had similar ideas. She’s currently at East Side Ink. She has a really unique style; very abstract, a focus on detailed lines, and grey tones (Check out some of her work on tumblr!)

“Get tattooed first of all… I don’t believe you can be a tattoo artist if you don’t know the pain barriers. You need to talk your clients through that and if you don’t understand it, how are you going to tell someone else?... You will never work as hard… It never stops. I don’t ever have a day off. You have to really put your time in to do well and to produce good work… It’s not a ‘cool’ job. It’s long, long hours. You fuck your hands up, you fuck your back up. You get burnt out really quickly… It’s a really romanticized job. It’s an amazing job but its tough…It’s really important to work as a shop person and learn the proper sterilization of things… That’s the most important thing you can know.”

And there you have it, a little opinion from two established artists. Consensus so far is to have a lot of experience with getting tattooed yourself -and to have a true calling and passion for this particular art form. It is a lot of hard work. It's not all fun and games; Being a tattoo artist is the most difficult customer service job out there!

The Apprenticeship

So you want to be a tattoo artist’s apprentice, eh? Prepare yourself to be the "shop bitch." Your name is no longer… whatever you name is… it is now “Shop Bitch.” Live with it.

Meet your new best friends.

First things first: Yeah, it’s going to suck to do the shop’s bidding but it’s also very important. It builds character and all that.

Your apprenticeship isn’t just about learning how to tattoo and perfecting your artistic abilities. You are going to learn a lot about running a business just by being at the bottom of one. Even more importantly, you’ll have time to learn about proper cleaning and sanitation: your health and your future clients’ is a priority. So while scrubbing surfaces down and properly sterilizing needles doesn’t sound like fun, it’s all necessary in the tattoo industry.

But hey –there is no apprenticeship without an established artist! So how do you go about choosing one? Throughout your apprenticeship, you’ll most likely develop a style. Perhaps you already have an idea of what you like. Do your research. Find an artist that you really admire and who is active in the industry.

Reality side-note #1: You may not get your first-choice artist. You may go through a couple people before you get an offer. All you can do is constantly work on your portfolio and keep networking. Oh... and uh, don’t quit your day job... yet.

Get your portfolio together and draw up some flash. Any kind of art you’re involved in should be in there, whether it’s graffiti or sculpting. Don’t half-ass it; take the time to make your portfolio a good representation of all your current artistic abilities.

Remember: You’re going to be spending a lot of time with your tattoo artist and the other artists at his/her shop! It is to your benefit to get to know this person before you mention you want to be an apprentice. Even if they can’t take you on, you’ve still made a valuable connection within the industry.

Reality side-note #2: Let’s talk timeline. Your apprenticeship will not be short. It could be a year. It could be less. It could be way more. Money-wise, there won’t be a whole lot of it coming in for a while. Sorry ‘bout it.

Your artist is not going to allow you to tattoo a client until he/she knows you are ready. You may start tattooing on oranges and honeydew melons.

"We can still cut this up later for snack-time, right?"

If you’re up for a splurge, you’ll be practicing on a nice pig leg or pig ear.  Once you start tattooing humans, a lot of them will be free. Your artist will be there to observe and guide you through this –and to make sure you don’t horribly screw up.

Reality side-note #3: Nothing in life is free. That includes your apprenticeship. Sometimes it’s enough that you’re cleaning and running errands for the shop. However, there are artists who will charge you a fee in addition to your “shop bitch” responsibilities. The price of an apprenticeship can go into the thousands. Make sure the amount is clear and agreed upon, and figure out a payment plan if you have to.

Long story short: Your apprenticeship is like a college degree. There’s an annoying application process and it’s going to cost you. It’s an investment in your future. Do your research, take everything your artist says seriously, and remain positive. Your patience is going to pay off. 

Different Tattoo Styles

A little piece of knowledge I feel like passing on today: the various tattoo styles. Tattoo artists often develop a certain style -and as you yourself decide on a tattoo, you should not just choose a design you like, but an artist who specializes in the particular style you prefer. Below, I'll take you through a couple of different tattoo styles. Let's say you want to get an eagle...

"Tribal"

Tribal tattoos are done in blank ink. They have a stencil look to them. 

It is a very simple design, and can sometimes be very abstract.  

"Naturalistic"

This tattoo resembles how an actual eagle would look in nature -it is not cartoonish. In the naturalistic style, an artist tries to make the tattoo as "life-like" as possible. 

A "sub-category" of naturalistic would be the "Portrait Tattoo" (below)

A very life-like and very beautifully done portrait of Heath Ledger as the Joker

"Simple"

Think of the simple style as an almost-not-quite naturalistic style. 

It has the major details, but not the little details of the natural style. 

In this example, it would be a cartoon version of an eagle.

"Traditional American/Old School"

Again, I've chosen some flash that includes an eagle to help you see the difference between the styles. 

Old School/Traditional tattoos are probably my favorites. (However I do not currently have any tattoos in this particular style).

"New School"

The new school style borrows a lot from the old school style. 

The two styles have the same bright colors, but the new school style is more detailed. 

...And there you have it! Some of the different tattoo styles you can consider when getting an eagle tattoo... or any tattoo. ;)

Crazy Client Stories

We’ve all seen photos of awful tattoos, and heard horror stories of the pain endured and money spent on tattoos. But hey- isn’t it time to hear the artist’s side?

Chicago-native Tish Bar has been tattooing for six years. Bar currently resides in Colorado, but has worked for the renown Jade Dragon Tattoo in Chicago, and The Shop Tattoo Studio.

One of the strangest requests Bar has ever gotten was when she began working at the Jade Dragon Tattoo. She was the only female artist at the time. She was called up front by her coworker Mike. 

“He directs me to a middle aged man, early 40s maybe, who wanted a tattoo. I approach him all cool, asking him what he was interested in getting. At first he was real hesitant in responding, and he seemed shy. I tried to ease him by bullshitting. Then he said, ‘I want a beetle on my tip.’ Now I will be honest and say that it didn't click the first time so I asked, ‘Where?’”

Where? His penis.

“I look back at mike and in my head I am wondering if they are fucking with me. As a newbie in a shop you sometimes go through hazing. [I was] caught a bit off guard. I asked the customer to wait a moment. I walked back to Mike and inform him what the guy wanted.”

Mike’s response, Bar said, was “And?” Bar said she would not do the tattoo. In her own words, “There is never enough money for me to look at someone's junk.”

And while working at The Shop Tattoo Studio, still in the early stages of her tattoo career, Bar said she encountered the client from hell.

“This white woman in her upper 30's wanted to get the Irish heart with the crown for her newborn child. I was like sure, small little heart would take about 30 minutes. She wanted it on her right ankle, and I noticed when she showed me the spot she already had a badly done shamrock.”

Bar saw this as an opportunity to not only practice tattooing, but to do a cover-up tattoo. But she would soon find out why the first tattoo was so bad…

“I kid you not, as soon I turned the machine on she started nervously shaking her leg. As a new artist it's the worst to have a client who can't sit still and it’s even worse when they start screaming in pain. Usually I am a patient person but she took the cake. It was so bad that the lady called her husband so he could hold her leg down. What should have been a 30 minute tattoo took over 2 hours! I couldn't finish the tattoo.”

Bar had to ask her coworker and shop owner, Hoezae, to step in and finish what he could.  “Learning to deal with special clients like this is not an issue anymore,” Bar said.