Art VS. Tattoos

I'm sitting here at the shop, while Marco's prepping for a Marine Corps back tattoo on this giant of a man. Earlier we were having this discussion about this article i came across, which was about artists having high salaries. We started talking about tattooing and fine arts, and the fact that it IS one and the same, yet a lot of people don't consider that. Think about it. You need to be able to have the vision of a 'fine artist' to be able to do a tattoo, to understand where this line needs to go or that area needs to darker, etc. To be able to create from the mind or have a colorful palette like Picasso. You also need to understand the body and anatomy of people. It's a damn shame, really it is, that "normal" people treat the tattoo industry like its some glorified hobby and that it's not a real career choice. Why do people look at tattooists so lowly. Well, then again, there are always all types of people.

Honestly, people treated me like that when I was in college. I would get the "Oh, where do you go to college?" and my response would be, "An art college" and they would get that look in their eyes that would scream 'Art college? That's not REAL college." Why not? Why is it not considered a real college? As for tattooing, to get your certification, it's a 3 year apprenticeship. Guess what? There's another education right there. Yet, people don't consider that either. What's the best way to learn, except on the job so to speak?

I've been at the shop for about, 6 months, give or take. I've been in skin for maybe about 3? I've been drawing, painting, sculpting for as long as I can remember, and let me tell you, tattooing is proving to be quite the feat for someone like me. I'm not trying to toot my own horn, but I know i can definitely draw, and that i have a gift, but damn! Learning how to tattoo from scratch is really something else. I don't understand how people can just ebay some machines, needles, and power supply and hit skin and just think that once they're in skin, they can call themselves tattoo artists. Even with my artistic background and formal training, it's a very complex thing to learn. You have to adjust to the weight of the machine, the feel of it, the way it runs, how it feels to actually be in skin and to adjust to each person, etc. You have to EARN the title of an artist. But I digress.

Just because the education or 'learning of the ropes' of the tattoo world isn't official doesn't mean that it isn't what it's meant to be: an education. I promise you that you will learn far more than you can ever learn about everything and anything once you step into a tattoo apprenticeship. To get your first machine(s) and inks .To feel that feeling of accomplishment when you hit skin for the first time. To ink into your first breathing skin practice pad (lol). To feel those jittery nerves right before that needle hits flesh. Granted, some people aren't meant for the tattooing world, but if you are, go about it the right way, and GET AN APPRENTICESHIP from a legit artist/shop.