I just want to say that again these are my opinions based on my years in the Tattoo Industry. This video wasnt to discourage or encourage, simply just to give a little insight into why. YOU CAN tattoo without ever getting involved with the industry, however I do recommend if you can, please try to..the knowledge you can pick up from being in the industry can progress you further in your career, rather than trying to do everything on yourself. The Tattoo Industry has a very ugly side, but surrounding yourself with the right people, reveals how beautiful it is also. Id like to also point out that in the video I say 'The Correct Way' to get into the industry if you wanted. By the correct way, I wasnt saying that I think/implying its the correct way..I use the term very loosely as an Apprenticeship is seen as the industry standard.
Because it's nearly impossible to get an apprentice position nowadays due to not being enough openings, why couldn't established artists collaborate and open tattoo schools where people could pay a tuition and learn the correct concept of tattooing by professionals? Reelskin is a great way for beginners to practice and if given projects to do and be graded on, it will only advance the industry. It would give a graduate a real world portfolio and a certification to then apply for positions at studios instead of the way it's going now. Most tattoo apprentice are unpaid labor who do the grunt work nobody in the shop wants to do with minimal if any actual training given. I think a lot of people would rather pay x amount of money to go to a school for 2 years to learn how to do it right than do an unpaid apprentice position where the people who are supposed to be teaching them may or may not have their best interest in heart.
Been turned downed for apprenticeships so many times told I was not good enough 3 years later have a small studio have done cover ups off artist who turned me away, learned so much from watching channels like this and pushing hard every day to develop and I’m still average but doing decent quality work
Inspirational as hell man. I’m a self taught tattoo artist, and I worked in shops where some of those guy’s skills were garbage. I been self taught for 2yrs and people think I been doing it longer than that. I hate the whole “you can’t hang with us” industry mentality
Let's be real. Not every artist/tattoo artist wants to work at a shop. I myself am renting out a lil studio space because of how toxic the industry is. The industry just reminds me of high school girl cliques
Yeah I agree, after 20 years of tattooing in street shops I have a private studio at home and couldn’t be happier. The Egos in tattooing are out of this world it wore me down, not saying every tattoo artist is like that but a lot are, now I see my family more and don’t have to deal with the crap.
I started off when the ex’s friend bought a D.H. coil kit from Amazon wanting me to tattoo her bc she knew I could draw. Without any practice I did four line work only tats in total on the friend and ex and all turned out really well considering, and no blowouts 👍🏻. Fast forward post divorce, I immediately switched to wireless cartridge machines, started buying a few more sanitary items at a a time, and started tattooing myself. I continued to build up my sanitary items, germicidal wipes and sprays, barrier film, etc. I have done tattoos on my son and his friend since. Before tattooing the friend, I was setting up wearing gloves, laying out everything, wrapping my machines, bottles, etc. he said "why are you doing all that?" I said "it’s for protection". He said "I don’t have anything and I’m sure you dont either" and laughed. I said ‘that’s not the point. If you go to any tattoo artist be it someone like me just starting out or a professional, if they don’t do all this to protect their client and themselves, you don’t want them tattooing you!". I told him I even do all this when I tattoo on myself. I may fall into the scratcher category in terms of working from home and not being a ‘professional artist’, but I am professional in my setup in terms of protection for myself and the client and the use of equipment. I constantly watch videos from professional artists for advice and techniques to improve myself.
This applies to all fields, especially artistic: why caring about "earning pros respect" since the vast majority is on a gatekeeping mission, seeing new faces as potential competition... In the end, quality is the only thing that matters.
I respect what you just said in the video bro! I’m giving everything I can to this industry and I’ll be dammed if I’m gonna let someone tell me my starting point defines who or what I am as artist. Much respect to you bro!
I was working in Studios so much and been pushed down too. I have an own Workspace now and my Clients come to me at that Place. I am Professional and the Studios hate me too. The Tattoo Market is Rough and i feel like Tattooers themself are not Fair to others. I will open a Studio one Day by my self. The last Studioowner has got a real Problem now cuz‘ he Touched a Client and there where other Problems. I think a good Artist is a good Artist even if he works at Home.
This is a good video I agree with you. Another issuer here in Australia is around 50% of the shops are owned by non tattoo artists who don’t understand the process and just want to make money, they over quote, put unwanted pressure on tattoo artists and also charge apprentices out at the same rates as experienced artists. I think if your looking for an apprenticeship avoid tattoo studios that are owned by people who have never tattooed.
I'm learning, but at this point I'm just doing it on practice skins as another art form, and have not decided if I want to do it professionally or humans at all. If I did, I wouldn't be able to complete an apprenticeship as I have disabilities that make it almost impossible to answer phones and difficult to do certain physical activities like sweep and mop. Those are things I can hire someone to do for me, but I would have to do if I did an apprenticeship. Forcing everyone to do one means people with certain disabilities who could otherwise do the job (albiet differently) would never get into the industry. I get frustrated when people assume that I can't do something just because I have a disability and need to do it differently. An apprenticeship could not accommodate my needs. A good school and later hiring an assistant to do things I can't would accommodate them. That said, at this point, I just like learning and don't intend to do people.
I'm coming in here late but I've been drawing all my life an wanted to start tattooing so I did. But now I'm 2 years in doing them at home an everyone I've inked have been happy but the one time I was called a scratcher was by someone that only gets tattoos an doesn't do them I just laugh. But there's always going to a learning point where you will be bad. But you will always get better
If the “tattoo artists” where honest, they have to say it is an money issue. Every potential client who is going to a “scratcher” costs the industry money, like many other branches. And the second reason should be that the real “tattoo artists” have to cover up the shit made by “scratchers”, what by the way never happens, because the real “tattoo artists” refuse to cover them up or are asking enormous high prices. Of course there are wannabe tattoo artists who mutulate their customers, but I also see work from tattoo shops which ar so bad or the skin is so damaged. My advice, ask for the portofolio and have common sense. If the artist starts and you don’t trust it, pick up your things and leave one line is easier to cover than a bog black blob.
I have been asking my self that question for a while now, I have been tattoing from home for about 2 months for free, family members only and I starting tattooing people after endless hours, days and weeks of researching and practicing on fake skins and reading the books and watching the videos and started with very small minimalistic tattoos and I have some of the best tattooing machines money can buy, Bishop wand, FK Irons Xion, Sidewinder V3, Avenger 2, Axys Valhalla, Cheyene Hawk among other high end coils along with Fusion and Eternal ink, I have spent about 4k in tattoo equipment so far (and I got the receipts) and I have also been studying/learning (and I still am) as much as I can about blood born pathogens and cross contamination, but that does not matter at all to some pros, all they know is that they hate me and that is it. Am I trying to get simpathy from them by saying all of this? NO WAY!, like you (Chris) said I am going to have pay my dues that way, by getting hate and disrespect, that's just fair since there is no way I can get an aprentiship due to my living situation . I cannot deny that all the hate and disrespect is discouraging at times and I feel like just quitting but it is due to videos like this that I just smile again and keep going, thank you so much for this video, it is the most inspiring thing I have found, thanks again...and by the way, my drawings are better (at least for now) than my tattoos, after almost 30 years of drawing they better be!
Wait, no! You can't be a good artist without first mopping the floor of a tattoo shop for 6 months, learning to solder your own needles and know how to build a machine from scratch! /sarcasm
@@Sfffenit’s ridiculous imagine someone graduating from college in fine arts, and just because I want to tattoo I have to mop floors. Lmao the nerve of these so called “ professionals “ the part I hate the most is they say “ you are disrespecting the industry “ what industry lmao anyway. Good chat
I think get your drawing skills on point. Build up your own tastes in terms on of what you like or don't. Do not stop learning, be honest and just focus on yourself and what you are doing and not doing enough of. Practice constantly on fake skins first. Have a thick skin. And fk the haters. The self doubt will never go away so just get on with it and get better. The "scratchers" term is irrelevant if you are undeniable in the end.
The issues are that people working from home aren’t being apprenticed by an experienced artist . There for they aren’t being guided in how to improve . RUclips will only give you a small amount of advice . What it doesn’t do is sit next to to for your first 20 tattoos ready to grab the machine off you when you’re just about to fuck up . The main point is that tattooing is hard even with someone teaching you . You’re making it 100 times harder for yourself by not doing an apprenticeship and the harder it is for you the more bad tattoos you do . The other thing is tattooist in studios have massive overheads and won’t help you to get as good as them because you’re basically able to charge way less at home . I’d say the other point is if you’re tattooing from an unlicensed studio then there’s a risk that you’re not keeping with the health regulations.
Hey Chris I live in the USA I don't tattoo people yet. I just use fake skin until I get more experience. Im praying that I can get some money from the government to get to pay for an apprenticeship. Im waiting to speak to a case manager. Hopefully things will be on the up and up. Im a sponge willing to learn as much as I can. Im super clean I practice that so I'll have good habits when I get my apprenticeship Im super clean just using practice skin, but if I'm doing it wrong when I got a shop I'll change whatever I have to. Im willing to listen take constructive criticism. Love your videos bruh.
Im also on a fixed income I take care of my elderly mother. So I usually only get time at night to practice. I'll stay up till like 2- 3 am. I put the work in I bought everything I could need barrier film machine bags disposal grips, gloves, green soap, watered down bleach, for surfaces before I put down and set up my work space. I have sharps container. I even have a small autoclave. Im in need of a mentor. Im working on drawing to always looking to improve. I've not arrived nor do I want to. Im very open minded. Im 11 months sober. I've been tattooing for 7 months ever since I started to do it and draw I found that I can make a career out of tattooing. on picking up what I can on here. I' m not doing anything everyone else's ways I'm finding what works for me. Im still learning and I have a lot to learn but I'm willing to do whatever it takes to become a professional tattoo artist.
Draw on paper using different media. Draw, draw, draw, as many hours a day as you can. It's like playing an instrument. I've been drawing for over 50 years, and watch my skills fade away when I'm not practicing for at LEAST one hour a day. A minimum of two hours a day drawing everything, including boring subjects really trains your hand and eye. Also learn color theory. Not a tattoo artist, just appalled at how many cannot draw
Back in the day there were very few videos on RUclips giving lessons on how to tattoo,you had to go and source videos online to buy for stupid money “Become a tattooist,learn all the secrets from professionals”😂.30yrs ago there wasn’t even RUclips! I was turned away from every shop bar 1 I visited with a friendly F/off by what was predominantly hairy arsed biker types,my apprenticeship consisted of clean this down set my station up,all character building stuff🤔.I as a lot of other ppl starting out gave up after around 4/5 yr later I couldn’t handle the anxiety, I digress..RUclips is now saturated with hundreds of videos on every aspect of the trade? Which to me kinda defeats the object of keeping the trade indeed secret,is this still a thing?These ppl back in the day were considered lower than ‘scratchers’ for being sell outs,times have indeed changed? No disrespect to anyone, it’s all love. Love the content.
Don't lesson to this dude he is saying it's okay to be treated like trash just because someone calls themselves a expert I know people that have never set foot in a Belding and are better than people that do
All of this is just gatekeeping that maintains profitability. This is why groups that require licensing (doctors, psychologist, physical therapists, etc) all push for making it harder and harder to enter the field, to maintain their value. Scratchers do NOTHING negative for a professional artist, they aren't making them look bad and they aren't taking money from them. People can make their decisions on who they let tattoo them. So why do they need YOUR respect? "Paying dues" is BS elitist nonsense. I think the irony of your title is naming "toxic tattoo artists" and then you literally detail and support their toxic behavior, telling people that they need just suffer the disrespect because it's the right thing to do. No. There are multi-million dollar companies who's client lists could fit on the back of a business card, they aren't running around begging the approval of Microsoft or Boeing or asking them to respect them. Yes, do your due diligence and learn all you can. Run a clean and sanitary setup. Keep evolving and get better with time you'd be sucking up to some "professional" artists. Im all for Practice, practice, practice before touching needle to someone else's skin ... but I won't be begging the respect or taking someone else's shit just because they got there first. F that.
I just want to say that again these are my opinions based on my years in the Tattoo Industry. This video wasnt to discourage or encourage, simply just to give a little insight into why. YOU CAN tattoo without ever getting involved with the industry, however I do recommend if you can, please try to..the knowledge you can pick up from being in the industry can progress you further in your career, rather than trying to do everything on yourself. The Tattoo Industry has a very ugly side, but surrounding yourself with the right people, reveals how beautiful it is also.
Id like to also point out that in the video I say 'The Correct Way' to get into the industry if you wanted. By the correct way, I wasnt saying that I think/implying its the correct way..I use the term very loosely as an Apprenticeship is seen as the industry standard.
Because it's nearly impossible to get an apprentice position nowadays due to not being enough openings, why couldn't established artists collaborate and open tattoo schools where people could pay a tuition and learn the correct concept of tattooing by professionals? Reelskin is a great way for beginners to practice and if given projects to do and be graded on, it will only advance the industry. It would give a graduate a real world portfolio and a certification to then apply for positions at studios instead of the way it's going now. Most tattoo apprentice are unpaid labor who do the grunt work nobody in the shop wants to do with minimal if any actual training given. I think a lot of people would rather pay x amount of money to go to a school for 2 years to learn how to do it right than do an unpaid apprentice position where the people who are supposed to be teaching them may or may not have their best interest in heart.
Been turned downed for apprenticeships so many times told I was not good enough 3 years later have a small studio have done cover ups off artist who turned me away, learned so much from watching channels like this and pushing hard every day to develop and I’m still average but doing decent quality work
Inspirational as hell man. I’m a self taught tattoo artist, and I worked in shops where some of those guy’s skills were garbage. I been self taught for 2yrs and people think I been doing it longer than that. I hate the whole “you can’t hang with us” industry mentality
Keep at it. Your clients know where to go for quality now
Let's be real. Not every artist/tattoo artist wants to work at a shop. I myself am renting out a lil studio space because of how toxic the industry is. The industry just reminds me of high school girl cliques
Yeah I agree, after 20 years of tattooing in street shops I have a private studio at home and couldn’t be happier. The Egos in tattooing are out of this world it wore me down, not saying every tattoo artist is like that but a lot are, now I see my family more and don’t have to deal with the crap.
I started off when the ex’s friend bought a D.H. coil kit from Amazon wanting me to tattoo her bc she knew I could draw. Without any practice I did four line work only tats in total on the friend and ex and all turned out really well considering, and no blowouts 👍🏻. Fast forward post divorce, I immediately switched to wireless cartridge machines, started buying a few more sanitary items at a a time, and started tattooing myself. I continued to build up my sanitary items, germicidal wipes and sprays, barrier film, etc. I have done tattoos on my son and his friend since. Before tattooing the friend, I was setting up wearing gloves, laying out everything, wrapping my machines, bottles, etc. he said "why are you doing all that?" I said "it’s for protection". He said "I don’t have anything and I’m sure you dont either" and laughed. I said ‘that’s not the point. If you go to any tattoo artist be it someone like me just starting out or a professional, if they don’t do all this to protect their client and themselves, you don’t want them tattooing you!". I told him I even do all this when I tattoo on myself.
I may fall into the scratcher category in terms of working from home and not being a ‘professional artist’, but I am professional in my setup in terms of protection for myself and the client and the use of equipment. I constantly watch videos from professional artists for advice and techniques to improve myself.
This applies to all fields, especially artistic: why caring about "earning pros respect" since the vast majority is on a gatekeeping mission, seeing new faces as potential competition... In the end, quality is the only thing that matters.
I respect what you just said in the video bro! I’m giving everything I can to this industry and I’ll be dammed if I’m gonna let someone tell me my starting point defines who or what I am as artist. Much respect to you bro!
Thx dude! Your channel is so helpful.. 🙏🤝
I was working in Studios so much and been pushed down too. I have an own Workspace now and my Clients come to me at that Place. I am Professional and the Studios hate me too. The Tattoo Market is Rough and i feel like Tattooers themself are not Fair to others. I will open a Studio one Day by my self. The last Studioowner has got a real Problem now cuz‘ he Touched a Client and there where other Problems. I think a good Artist is a good Artist even if he works at Home.
This is a good video I agree with you. Another issuer here in Australia is around 50% of the shops are owned by non tattoo artists who don’t understand the process and just want to make money, they over quote, put unwanted pressure on tattoo artists and also charge apprentices out at the same rates as experienced artists. I think if your looking for an apprenticeship avoid tattoo studios that are owned by people who have never tattooed.
Great point
I'm learning, but at this point I'm just doing it on practice skins as another art form, and have not decided if I want to do it professionally or humans at all. If I did, I wouldn't be able to complete an apprenticeship as I have disabilities that make it almost impossible to answer phones and difficult to do certain physical activities like sweep and mop. Those are things I can hire someone to do for me, but I would have to do if I did an apprenticeship. Forcing everyone to do one means people with certain disabilities who could otherwise do the job (albiet differently) would never get into the industry. I get frustrated when people assume that I can't do something just because I have a disability and need to do it differently. An apprenticeship could not accommodate my needs. A good school and later hiring an assistant to do things I can't would accommodate them.
That said, at this point, I just like learning and don't intend to do people.
I'm coming in here late but I've been drawing all my life an wanted to start tattooing so I did. But now I'm 2 years in doing them at home an everyone I've inked have been happy but the one time I was called a scratcher was by someone that only gets tattoos an doesn't do them I just laugh. But there's always going to a learning point where you will be bad. But you will always get better
Never forget where you came from
I’m 40 and I’ve started working on my art. I want to start tattooing fake skins. If I get good enough an apprenticeship would be pretty awesome.
Appreciate your content!! thank you for sharing! 🖤
If the “tattoo artists” where honest, they have to say it is an money issue. Every potential client who is going to a “scratcher” costs the industry money, like many other branches. And the second reason should be that the real “tattoo artists” have to cover up the shit made by “scratchers”, what by the way never happens, because the real “tattoo artists” refuse to cover them up or are asking enormous high prices.
Of course there are wannabe tattoo artists who mutulate their customers, but I also see work from tattoo shops which ar so bad or the skin is so damaged. My advice, ask for the portofolio and have common sense. If the artist starts and you don’t trust it, pick up your things and leave one line is easier to cover than a bog black blob.
I have been asking my self that question for a while now, I have been tattoing from home for about 2 months for free, family members only and I starting tattooing people after endless hours, days and weeks of researching and practicing on fake skins and reading the books and watching the videos and started with very small minimalistic tattoos and I have some of the best tattooing machines money can buy, Bishop wand, FK Irons Xion, Sidewinder V3, Avenger 2, Axys Valhalla, Cheyene Hawk among other high end coils along with Fusion and Eternal ink, I have spent about 4k in tattoo equipment so far (and I got the receipts) and I have also been studying/learning (and I still am) as much as I can about blood born pathogens and cross contamination, but that does not matter at all to some pros, all they know is that they hate me and that is it. Am I trying to get simpathy from them by saying all of this? NO WAY!, like you (Chris) said I am going to have pay my dues that way, by getting hate and disrespect, that's just fair since there is no way I can get an aprentiship due to my living situation . I cannot deny that all the hate and disrespect is discouraging at times and I feel like just quitting but it is due to videos like this that I just smile again and keep going, thank you so much for this video, it is the most inspiring thing I have found, thanks again...and by the way, my drawings are better (at least for now) than my tattoos, after almost 30 years of drawing they better be!
Wait, no! You can't be a good artist without first mopping the floor of a tattoo shop for 6 months, learning to solder your own needles and know how to build a machine from scratch! /sarcasm
@@Sfffenit’s ridiculous imagine someone graduating from college in fine arts, and just because I want to tattoo I have to mop floors. Lmao the nerve of these so called “ professionals “ the part I hate the most is they say “ you are disrespecting the industry “ what industry lmao anyway. Good chat
I think get your drawing skills on point.
Build up your own tastes in terms on of what you like or don't.
Do not stop learning, be honest and just focus on yourself and what you are doing and not doing enough of.
Practice constantly on fake skins first.
Have a thick skin. And fk the haters.
The self doubt will never go away so just get on with it and get better.
The "scratchers" term is irrelevant if you are undeniable in the end.
The issues are that people working from home aren’t being apprenticed by an experienced artist . There for they aren’t being guided in how to improve . RUclips will only give you a small amount of advice . What it doesn’t do is sit next to to for your first 20 tattoos ready to grab the machine off you when you’re just about to fuck up . The main point is that tattooing is hard even with someone teaching you . You’re making it 100 times harder for yourself by not doing an apprenticeship and the harder it is for you the more bad tattoos you do . The other thing is tattooist in studios have massive overheads and won’t help you to get as good as them because you’re basically able to charge way less at home . I’d say the other point is if you’re tattooing from an unlicensed studio then there’s a risk that you’re not keeping with the health regulations.
Hey Chris I live in the USA I don't tattoo people yet. I just use fake skin until I get more experience. Im praying that I can get some money from the government to get to pay for an apprenticeship. Im waiting to speak to a case manager. Hopefully things will be on the up and up. Im a sponge willing to learn as much as I can. Im super clean I practice that so I'll have good habits when I get my apprenticeship Im super clean just using practice skin, but if I'm doing it wrong when I got a shop I'll change whatever I have to. Im willing to listen take constructive criticism. Love your videos bruh.
Im also on a fixed income I take care of my elderly mother. So I usually only get time at night to practice. I'll stay up till like 2- 3 am. I put the work in I bought everything I could need barrier film machine bags disposal grips, gloves, green soap, watered down bleach, for surfaces before I put down and set up my work space. I have sharps container. I even have a small autoclave. Im in need of a mentor. Im working on drawing to always looking to improve. I've not arrived nor do I want to. Im very open minded. Im 11 months sober. I've been tattooing for 7 months ever since I started to do it and draw I found that I can make a career out of tattooing. on picking up what I can on here. I' m not doing anything everyone else's ways I'm finding what works for me. Im still learning and I have a lot to learn but I'm willing to do whatever it takes to become a professional tattoo artist.
Draw on paper using different media.
Draw, draw, draw, as many hours a day as you can. It's like playing an instrument.
I've been drawing for over 50 years, and watch my skills fade away when I'm not practicing for at LEAST one hour a day. A minimum of two hours a day drawing everything, including boring subjects really trains your hand and eye.
Also learn color theory.
Not a tattoo artist, just appalled at how many cannot draw
Back in the day there were very few videos on RUclips giving lessons on how to tattoo,you had to go and source videos online to buy for stupid money “Become a tattooist,learn all the secrets from professionals”😂.30yrs ago there wasn’t even RUclips! I was turned away from every shop bar 1 I visited with a friendly F/off by what was predominantly hairy arsed biker types,my apprenticeship consisted of clean this down set my station up,all character building stuff🤔.I as a lot of other ppl starting out gave up after around 4/5 yr later I couldn’t handle the anxiety, I digress..RUclips is now saturated with hundreds of videos on every aspect of the trade? Which to me kinda defeats the object of keeping the trade indeed secret,is this still a thing?These ppl back in the day were considered lower than ‘scratchers’ for being sell outs,times have indeed changed? No disrespect to anyone, it’s all love. Love the content.
Don't lesson to this dude he is saying it's okay to be treated like trash just because someone calls themselves a expert I know people that have never set foot in a Belding and are better than people that do
All of this is just gatekeeping that maintains profitability. This is why groups that require licensing (doctors, psychologist, physical therapists, etc) all push for making it harder and harder to enter the field, to maintain their value. Scratchers do NOTHING negative for a professional artist, they aren't making them look bad and they aren't taking money from them. People can make their decisions on who they let tattoo them. So why do they need YOUR respect? "Paying dues" is BS elitist nonsense. I think the irony of your title is naming "toxic tattoo artists" and then you literally detail and support their toxic behavior, telling people that they need just suffer the disrespect because it's the right thing to do. No. There are multi-million dollar companies who's client lists could fit on the back of a business card, they aren't running around begging the approval of Microsoft or Boeing or asking them to respect them. Yes, do your due diligence and learn all you can. Run a clean and sanitary setup. Keep evolving and get better with time you'd be sucking up to some "professional" artists. Im all for Practice, practice, practice before touching needle to someone else's skin ... but I won't be begging the respect or taking someone else's shit just because they got there first. F that.
That chip on your shoulder…is what will hold you back. I say that from a place of respect my friend.
Scratchers cut into ther profits...plain and simple
I have seen better ate home tattoo artist than those so called professional artist there just a bunch of babies that complain
Only marginally as much as we hate making everything public...