Apprenticeship 101 - How to Build a Tattoo Apprentice Portfolio
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- Опубліковано 6 чер 2024
- In this Video ill be going over some simple tips and tricks for building a solid tattoo portfolio, the core to the apprenticeship seeking arsenal and your main focus before heading out on the journey of becoming a tattoo apprentice. I'll be going over do's and don'ts, as well as what worked for me and my portfolio. This won't apply to everyone but it is information i gathered from artist i've worked with and interacted with, and the multitude of other apprentices i have met in my 4 years in the tattooing industry. Everyone helped pitch in and thanks to them i was able to start this series and hopefully help a few people get their foot in the door and potentially become tattoo artist some day.
Disclaimer: I just want to add that this is what worked for me, and a few people i've become friends with who are tattoo artist or are currently apprentices themselves, plus advice that i've gotten from well known artist such as Bryan Merck, Myke Chambers, Horiokie and other amazing artist that i've met and talked with. This might not work for everyone and you have to make slight adjustments depending on your area and things like that but this is a good general overview or at the very least a good point in the right direction. While these things have worked for me, i have been in the tattooing industry for several years, i know a lot of people and i have a bit more knowledge of these things over someone who's just starting out, i've been an apprentice at 4 different shops, i've worked in tattoo shops as custom design artists, i've been a receptionist, i've been all over the place, that's why i feel i can help a lot of beginners out, because i see a lot of people come in asking for apprenticeships and i can't personally pull them to the side and give them advice, but i can make videos on my experiences and show whats worked for me and hope that it helps someone out. It's not guaranteed to get you an apprentice but it should help you get a good head start, and that's all that matters. It's about finding your own way and the journey, and don't get discouraged if you don't get an apprenticeship right away, continue to work on your artwork and improving yourself and continue to go to shops and meet new people and make friends and eventually you will get yourself where you wanna be, it takes time.
Feel free to follow me on instagram to check out my work, and ask any questions you may have. I also do Giveaway's and art suggestions and cool things like that. Give me a follow while i build my brand and continue to grow as an artist and UA-camr.
My instagram: @Kalvin_Rosario_Art
Timestamps:
Introduction 0:00 - 01:42
Presentation 01:43 - 02:42
Content 02:43 - 06:37
Artwork Copying & Stealing 06:38 - 09:54
My Portfolio's & What Worked for me 09:55 - 14:26 - Навчання та стиль
I am so happy you addressed how to cite flash designs but others!
This is all fantastic advise! your voice is very suited for youtube bro keep posting and your channel is gonna blow up
You are awesome professional. Thank you so so much for your advice!
Thank you for this. Good video. Lots of helpful ideas
Thanks! This was very helpful! Your channel is great thank you ♡
My biggest issue is trying to make sure it all looks cohesive, but also at the same time not just doing everything in a sketch book. I have trouble using the expensive paper I buy for specific drawings. I usually just end up in my sketchbook
Trying to get back into my passion and talent as an artist, hopefully I can branch out to tattooing
This is so helpful thankyou!
Wow thank you so much for your advice
such a great artist you are
Thanks for the info!
Your artwork is really good im jealous
I’d like to know your backstory - thanks for the video. I’m hoping to get an apprenticeship soon as well
Any tips im going to start a portfolio and try and get a apprenticeship but i dont draw regularly or anything so this is going to be a challenge but I believe i can do it!
Hey Yokai Moose thanks for the helpful video! You sound very humble and respectful of that art so that's awesome. I was just curious about the process of creating a portfolio. Are your drawings pencil drawn or printed after you used an iPad? If pencil drawn, what others materials did you use to create it? (like micron pens?) (I have prismacolor pencils but my work doesn't seem to turn out as crisp). Any advice would help!
When I started out I used a little bit of everything, colored pencil helps if you do it on toned paper and just take your time saturating and layering, it goes hand and hand with how you would saturate tattoos. Micron pens for linework, I’ve used markers, colored pencils, watercolor, silk dye, oils, acrylics, all of the above, but recently I found watercolors to be my favorite. Also when I started I did everything directly on paper, nowadays I print a sketch and render on paper because sketching is easier and quicker on the iPad. My Instagram is @Kalvin_Rosario_Art if you ever have anymore questions
Thank you so much! I appreciate that you replied!! I'll definitely check out your Instagram and shoot you some questions. Thanks manA
Thank you for this, I was wondering if you have a second job along with the apprenticeship, I’m hoping that after high school I can go for an apprenticeship but I’m not sure if I should be employed during it or not.
Some are non paid so I recommend getting a casual job just incase
So did u do it 😂
A couple years late but I've just stumbled across this video, do tattoo artists prefer you to use certain mediums over others when looking at a portfolio? Like could you include digital art pieces or are they looking for traditional?
I think they would prefer traditional and maybe include digital studies or sketches but honestly mostly traditional, color pencil or graphite or watercolor illustrations would be best. Markers even sometimes can make certain artist upset from my experience.
Wat program r u using
What's your advice for someone who is a traditional artist (drawing and painting) looking to get into tattoos? Like how do you go about learning what makes a tattoo design different than a drawing? Like if I went in with a portfolio of my normal artwork, it might not translate to tattoos. Any experience in how to close that gap and connect the two worlds?
In a tattoo it’s all about contrast, line weights, and the life expectancy of a tattoo. You’re designing for body retention, how it’ll heal, how it’ll look years down the road while still trying to give it the proper contrast. In color, subject matter, background to foreground. Simple tattoos like a traditional rose is completely different, those are timeless and classic and they are that way because of how long they last, almost everything can be translated into tattoos, all you have to do is take into account detail vs size, is this piece too small for this amount of detail, things like that because over time the ink will start to bleed and smaller more detailed pieces will eventually turn into a blob and be unreadable. Besides that it’s all free game. If you wanted to shoot me a message on Instagram with a couple photos of your works I can give you a better idea, but it’s hard to give you the best advice possible when I don’t see your work. Hope that helped man. 🤘🏼
@@KalvinRosario omg that's extremely helpful!!! I do wonder a lot about those fine line tattoos. I think they're lovely, but even with zero tattoo experience I imagine they don't last well. Thank you, I will definitely reach out to you on Instagram soon. I dont have any current work online, but as soon as I do, I'll write you.
what do you use for your color in your drawings? Colored pencils dont seem bright enough
i use a combination of silk dyes, markers, watercolor, and colored pencil.
Does your portfolio have to have only original art work? And just to make sure if you do use other people’s art in the portfolio it’s okay as long as it’s referenced?
Generally shops would love to see original artwork, but if you do use references it's fine, as long as you make sure you put it somewhere on the page who the original art was. alot of people do things like "original art by such and such, redrawn by me" and things like that. As long as you dont take credit for drawings you didn't do and you make it clear that yes you used reference or redrew someone else's work but you still drew it yourself without tracing then it's ok. Like i said tho most shops would prefer original artwork. It is also dependent on the style you do, obviously if you do realism then you will use reference 100% of the time and that's ok, but for more illustrative styles like neo traditional, japanese, even american traditional then yes, being original goes a LOOONNGG way.
Is it possible to ask you some more questions privatly? Hopefully applying for an apprenticeship in the next few weeks
that's totally fine dude, best way to get ahold of me is through instagram :)
Question for all the tattoo artists out there. I've always been able to draw decently w like references but never really that well of my own thoughts and ideas. What would y'all recommend to be able to fix that and kinda start being able to draw my own designs
Message me on Instagram and I’d be down to chat with you about it. :) my Instagram is Kalvin.Rosario.Tattoos
try to mix match references into each other. like if you use deer horns on a lions face and then integrate roses into the mane of the lion. think of yourself as a dj but instead of songs you use pictures you like.
@@9Calavera6 :-)
Hi! What would you consider new traditional? ❤️ And what kind of paper do u use?
neo traditional, think he just said it funny
@@salilodonnell908 ohh gotcha 💜
How did you do the face drawings on iPad perfectly symmetrical ?
Kalvin_Rosario_art
Mirroring I believe
is it considered 'cheating' if you draw your sketch/design digitally, then print and trace then color that traditionally? ive been a digital artist for about a decade and i consider traditional sketching a weakpoint, so id like to know if thats a good tactic to overcome it or if its a bandaid on a broken bone
i wouldn't consider it cheating for sketching and conceptualizing the piece, but obviously the final result in the portfolio should be on paper and done traditionally, i would also include the sketch done digitally because processes like that are good to see for someone considering taking you on, we want to know that you can actually draw, some ppl bring in finalized pieces that look great but after a bit of digging around, we find out the pieces were traced or copied and that in my book is an automatic no, some shops might be different.
@@KalvinRosario sweet, thank you for the insight. gread vid btw
How did you learn to draw these?
They look sick
Can I show digital art? Or should work be done in a physical medium, and if so, which ones? Thank you!
i would say if you could show both then go for it, maybe if you're using procreate you can show timelapses and progress, show sketches and concepts, but i would say for final drafts, it should be done via a traditional medium :)
that's what we would want to see at our shop if someone was coming in for an apprenticeship.
@@KalvinRosario ok, Thanks!
Quick question man. Do all my pieces in my portfolio have to be original pieces of work?
I’d say preferably yes but also if you do replicate someone’s work or do a portrait of someone, make sure you include the original reference material you used as well, and just make it known like if you copy a traditional piece, just be up front about it and say you only copied it because you were just studying and trying to understand it better, instead of trying to claim it as original and get caught lying about it. No one lies an art thief but everyone likes someone who takes the time to study source material and use it to better understand what they’re doing.
Can you use digital art as well as hand drawn
yea, personally i dont see a problem with digital art so it might be a case by case basis. some old school shops might absolutely hate the idea of using an ipad or digital media for your portfolio so take it with a grain of salt and be cautious when going in. i would say have a good half/half of digital and traditional art to balance eachother out and it shouldnt be a problem, just as long as you're actually drawing everything yourself and can prove it if they decide to test you. some people think digital art is a crutch and all we do is push a button and a design magically appears so you have to be able to draw on paper as well for those moments people try to put you down.
the issue with copying is that so many people get designs from pinterest and want that tattoo on them… so is that our fault as artist or? cause when my customers come with designs it’s like the 1st thing you see on pinterest and when i try to recommend some originality it’s flat out denied and i just tattoo what makes them really happy. it makes me feel terrible cause i don’t want people to think im stealing it…
I would say that certain clients can be very head strong, do this exact design and not everyone is in a position where they can say no, especially as an apprentice. I would say that in those cases, even tho it’s wrong, you gotta do it unfortunately, but what I used to do was draw 2 versions, one inspired by the piece; and one really close to it, still drawn by me, unless it’s like lettering or something that has to be exact, let’s say it’s just a bird sitting on a branch. So I’ll draw my bird, my way, show them that first, explain to them that it’s similar but original because you’ve seen that exact tattoo design tattooed many many times ( it might be a little white lie but honestly, if you seen it on Pinterest, there’s gotta be atleast 1000 other ppl with it too somewhere in the world) if they go for it great! Keep doing that until it becomes easier and easier. On the chance they hate it and want the other design, well, that’s ok, it’s already ready to go and you can try this tactic on the next person. It takes a minute to build up a following of ppl who want your work but with a bit of finesse, you can baby step your way in that direction. Also side note: referencing from Pinterest is one thing, straight up copying someone’s work and putting it on your portfolio and saying it’s original work is what’s completely unacceptable, tattoo artist have to do designs all the time we don’t necessarily enjoy, it’s just part of the job, I like to call those “work days” :)
For your portfolios, do you have to hand draw everything from scratch?
for my portfolio's personally, yes. everything was hand drawn with the exception of a few larger pieces that i drew up on the ipad first then redrew them on paper once i was happy with the end result.
@Siebe Van Oplynes
From a shop perspective we like to know that a person can use digital and analog. We also like to see people be able to sit down with a pencil and pull something together without reference or with a 3d reference. We aren't interested in someone that is just tracing with reference in photoshop. Yes that's an important skill but we are looking for your foundation as an artist.
Jill Ashley I really struggle with just coming up with ideas then transferring it onto paper. I can never draw what’s in my head but I can draw in that I have a degree in advanced higher art in all. Idk just scared I can’t get good enough...
I focused on realism drawing people and animals
I’m trying to improve my art but I feel like I have doodles and not finished pieces.
Those doodles can turn out to be great tattoo designs down the line :) I always tell people to finish every single piece as fully rendered as they can make it and even if it’s not the best, atleast you gained some experience. A lot end up tattooing a lot of my random doddles :) ppl love that shit
@@KalvinRosarioyeah I’ve been forcing myself to finish a lot of stuff. Your art is super polished and sick. I can’t even draw people or roses so I need to practice atleast a year before I even approach a shop!!!
I hope you see this question! I'm making an online portfolio to email to shops in the state I will be moving to in about a month. I also know a lot of shops aren't allowing walk-ins right now due to covid, so, I figure email is my best approach?
My portfolio is comprised of different mediums (acrylic on canvas, mural work pen, watercolor) I've used to show versatility and that my work quality can translate well. Is that a good Idea or should I make new pen art specifically for this?
i think that sounds like a great idea, but keep in mind its going to be even harder to get into shops with the virus still around because places are looking to stay with minimal employees for the mean time, so dont be discouraged if you dont find a shop right away, just continue to reach out and make a few connections atleast and that will serve you better for the future.
I’ve only done work on fake skin can i use that or no?
I wouldn’t but it might work for you, I think artwork is better to show instead
@@KalvinRosario oh okay, I do have drawings as well I just don’t ever use color with mine. Majority of my work is black and grey and I didn’t think it would be good enough. Do you think it would be fine to show both of them?
Did you go to art school/college at all?
i wish, i was self-taught. i just hung around alot of other artist and leeched off of their knowledge and i drew alot to make up for the fact that i didnt go to school. im not sure if school wouldve helped me with what i wanted to do with my artwork but its always been a thought in the back of my mind.
Do you think having tattoos seriously affects the chance of getting an apprenticeship?
Definitely
Really love your stuff. Having trouble finding your Instagram.
instgram has changed, its now kalvin_rosario_art :)
Do you get paid for apprenticeships
Hell no I wish, i didn’t start making money until I was tattooing for a few months, I had to work 2 jobs to get by.
Damn my lines are messy
Bro WHERE are your subs
haha its ok man, i just did it to help out really. ive been wanting to make an updated video too but works been insane
photoshop..for an apprenticeship portfolio? smh...
I never said anything about photoshop specifically but ok :)
This guy can definitely draw. Photoshop is just a plus if he uses it. It is helpful when trying to make symmetrical line tattoos. Work smarter and not harder. Kudos to him. His work is awesome!