The mistake I made becoming a tattoo apprentice + portfolio tour
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- Опубліковано 28 сер 2022
- JUST BE SAFE! DONT BE DISCOURAGED!!! DONT LISTEN TO BS!! you don’t have to be amazing at art to be a tattoo artist. You just have to be safe about tattooing. There are so many new styles people love, and individuality plays a big role in that. And don’t be taken advantage of!! Hope my video gave you something useful to use in the future
#tattooapprentice #portfolio - Фільми й анімація
Hi oh my, okay a few things, this is getting more views than I expected so,
1. The quality of my videos have gotten better check them out!
2. For anyone suggesting that I don’t support apprenticing at a shop, I wanted to clarify that I 100% do! I think learning from an artist and being surrounded by other artists is so very important. I just want people who are looking for an apprenticeship to be careful and thorough
when deciding on where to go. In every industry there are people who will take advantage of you, and this was just me explaining my personal story with my apprenticing experience. I believe in all of you! Be safe and kick ass!
I skipped the gatekeeper phase and just taught myself. Started tattooing friends and then just got hired as a Junior Artist at an amazing studio because my work was good. You don't need anyone's permission to be a tattoo artist, it's not rocket science. Love that you decided to go your own way
Everyone who I tried to show my drawings or paintings to told me my art was too dark. So I decided to get into tattooing as my main medium and got an apprenticeship at a place called " Dark Arts" 😅
Cool
The stars aligned and by fate I found a tattoo artist who I vibed with and is super kind and not gate keepy at all. She took me under her wing and less than year under her (with lots of practice) I will be tattooing my first human soon!!
That’s amazing!
Apprenticeship can be a great experience. You just have to find the right artist for you. My mentor was the most supportive man ever. Even helped open my own tattoo shop. We still talk and share ideas. Help each other out. He helped me adapt my own art style into tattooing.
This is so amazing. I hope others find a similar dynamic. Also congrats on opening ur own place
Girl you gotta have a backbone in the tattoo world. But don't lose that sweet side you got a great personality.
I think it’s dumb to go thru hazing/bitch work to become a tattoo artist. It just shows the insecurities of the industry. It’s silly to me because it’s not gonna make you a better person, or a better artist. It’s just straight up immature and negative just cause. I respect tattoo artists that do their best to be good people, to be authentic, and cut thru the bullshit of pointless tradition.
I completely agree. I’m currently in New York and I met some new people in the tattoo industry that I really respect and have built their business out of nothing, and they very much disagree with apprenticeships and learned tattooing by befriending other artists who help them with out expecting anything in return.
@@michelledoesfun That’s awesome to hear! I’m very excited for you 😌 I’m starting my journey of getting into tattooing, so we’ll see how it goes
I find it so crazy that people think they absolutely have to do months or years of apprenticeship before tattooing people
I found this amazing studio with the owner having very progressive views. The dude made me practice on fake skin only two weeks and i can already tattoo on people (small and simple tattoos, but its on real skin nonetheless)
He says he hates places who take advantage of their apprentices and make them do the dirty job. He makes sure to keep social harmony with his artists, he likes his working space to be healthy and drama free.
Its like a small family really, i befriended everybody easily because they're so social. I consider myself extremely lucky for that
Oh girly, I’m currently struggling to find a decent shop.
I apprenticed in a private studio for over a year before having to move to another walk in shop because they both closed suddenly.
Terribly unregulated industry and most artists are gate keepers and your competition so they won’t want to teach you anything valuable
I have felt this
Gosh I LOVE that stylistic skinny lady you did. It’s exactly the kind of odd semi realistic thing I’d want to get tattooed on my body.
Thank you!
Haha the chaotic energy in this vid is so good, really great vid btw and yes hazing/gatekeeping in this industry just gotta go like fr
Wow i f**king LIVE for you and everything you said about “b***h work” cuz im thinking and going through the exact same thing starting off as an aspiring tattoo artist and ugh i hope you have an amazing day!!
Dude this freaking video was amazing. Thank you girl! 😂
This video is so helpful!! You should do a video of you giving some of your first tattoos!!
Also, I am so in love with your drawing style. I love everything about it
thanks for showing your portfolio it’s helping me prepare mine a ton, sucks to hear about the first shop glad you’re paving your way
Thanks! I wish you luck!!
I love that you have your own style, it's so unique and creative! 💖 I'm sorry you had a bad experience, it's so easy for apprentices to be taken advantage of. Apprentices should be treated with respect, even if we're learning and "have to pay our dues", we're still people. I'm thankful I had a great experience but I've heard of so many traumatizing stories. 😅
Shame that your mentor wasn’t a great fit. Hopefully I’ll l be able to find a good artist to teach me when I get into it
you're so talented!! 😍
Thank you!!
😍🥰Do more vids !!!! It felt relaxing 😌 and I personally can relate 👌
You’re work is amazing, I’m 4 months into an apprenticeship rn and I’m in the exact same boat I were in with the bitchwork and minimal progression, trying to find another apprenticeship in the most of this which is overwhelming but I’ll def get another ik my arts worth it, thanks sm for this vid!!
Of course! Honestly don’t put up with it, it’s truly a scam and the best way to learn is from people who want to help you with out anything in return. Totally believe in you
3 months? Lol. Yeah... I've never met anyone, even to this day, who began tattooing during an apprentiship in 3 months. It's lots of fake skin, different styles, different machines. Coils, rotary. Understanding tattooing history. Then practicing on your leg or friends. Then onto small pieces on clients, more fake skin, ect. Calling yourself a tattoo artist in 3-5 months is asinine.
Good luck I’m sure things will be great once you find a nice shop with some honest ppl. Also you should do some outside down town LA vlogs like taking blinkers in Home Depot, I’m sure you would get 100k subs within a year if you kept at it too! Have fun!
You’re so sweet! Thank you!
Amazing video o /
Btw
The short hair looks great,you should keep it
you have a sick style! differently love the comics
Thank you!
You basically described the exact relationship I had with my apprenticeship
Some interesting points you bought up..based on your experience.. which makes your points an EXPERIENCE based opinion not just cheap ignorant talk 😉
First off.. I think your dead right on having faith in yourself..committing to the deal. Don't give up.. don't quit
I also like that your not in chains to a system.. that the scene is so varied and diverse now.. fine line sticker book type tattoos & black work.. right the way through to traditional bold colour.. to realism etc etc.. there's room and demamd for so many styles
I also like what you said about don't just learn from UA-cam.. now.. if your part taught and know the basics, as you progress you can, for sure, learn techniques from watching UA-cam artists you like, perform there methods for application etc.. but that will depend on you having the fundamentals.. which I guess you "could" get from UA-cam.. but not easy as its a 1 way convo.. them talking at you, pre-recorded, from a screen..no option to ask questions, bar the (often) looney comments sections.. and no option for them to watch you, help you, correct you and stop you picking up bad habits..
However.. although your experience was unpleasant in the end, i guess it helped you did learn alot.. my experience was similar.. fell out with the guys midday after a year of them getting me to clean up a lot, but not really give me much tattooing tutoring.. 2nd shop, similar, had fight with the owner out the back of the shop.. obv didn't end on good terms.. 🙈😂
But.. I thank them all really, as I learned all the things you spoke of which you just ain't gonna pick up in a regimented procedural way if you haven't had em drilled into you through repetition and correction.. ie, cleanliness/hygiene/how to set up and clean down..
Hygiene.. sounds simple doesn't it, but as you know yourself.. there are so many Lil oversights you can make if your not shown correctly.. one error, everything is poss contaminated.. and if your unaware of the standard.. it's really not good.. plus, if you start working in a legit high standard studio then your bad practices are gonna be spotted quickly & your gonna get exposed..so anyone who read this far.. PLEASE make sure your on point with hygiene.. we work with BLOOD
Tattooing is part art based, in the design side of things, but in more ways it's a craft.. the creativity is from the mind, the artwork happens on the paper/ipad.. the tattoo is about having the ability to transfer the image onto the skin so it looks as close as poss to the reference artwork, and heals well. Obv it can help if your artistically talented in certain aspects of tattooing, like realism etc, but there are many tattooists who are fantastic at tattooing who cannot draw to a super high standard.. not many tattooists just start drawing on skin without a transfer..the odd Japanese master, but most are using stencils and pre prepared artwork.. it's a craft and a skill that your continually lwaning and growing in.. till your on ghe decline, eyes failing, hands cramping, carpal damage,lower back damage.. it goes withnthe territory.. if your young you'll maybe think "nah, not me".. but you can't spend 6hrs a day hunched over and unconsciously twisting your back,for decades, and not have a kick back from it 🤣
There are some fantastic opportunities in apprenticeships with some studios.. sadly I didn't get a great experience and sounds like you didn't either.. but I did still learn invaluable stuff in hind sight..
I'd Def promote an apprenticeship over giving some dude 2+k of your money for a 3 day online seminar via zoom with 20 other cats also signed up watching.. they'll teach you real basic stuff that YOU COULD get from UA-cam.. and then tell you they need another 2-3k for the next level/techniques..
Makes me bit sad sometimes that there are charlatans around who pray on people's naivety.. but I guess is no different to most of life nowadays hey.
Oh.. and did i forget to mention you'll regularly be up at 11pm or later, trying to make ideas work for a client brief on an ipad 😀 😉 😄
Ps..charge for your design work!!!
Keep doing you m8. Good luck in all you do 😉👌
Im working on my art right now because i dont have the fundamentals down but one day i aspire to work for free for 4 years
Nice portfolio.
all u need is a good personal style. if u cant draw ur lost. if u can draw ull figer the rest out.
Your eyes are amazing
PREACH ❤
LITERALY THANK U
What machine/setup did you end up going with?
What products did you use for ink pieces?
what kind of certificate did you need to have to start tattooing ?
It’s different for every state. You need a license to tattoo in most states. Just search up on the internet what ur state requires and then you fill out a form with all the requirements to get certified
This could be totally different from the states but here in Canada you have to call the government of the major city you live in or near (for me it's Winnipeg). It's called the Body Modification Certificate and it covers tattooing, piercing, and electrolysis. They set up a date for you to take a 50-question multiple choice exam and you need 80% to pass. They also send you links for free study material when they set up the appointment. I just got mine last week!
"Do not learn from youtube learn from a tattoo artist"
* Literally tattoo artists existing on youtube 💀*
Watching artist tattooing on youtube is the same as watching in real life.
@@indigo555artno it is not what 😂
UA-cam taught me so much. I love UA-cam.
Do you have an instagram dedicated to your tattoos and artwork? I’d love too check it out!
Hey! Yes I do!!!! Unfortunately I had one but I got locked out of it so I created a new instagram yesterday just for tattoos. Is @empatheticcinder2
If you’d like to check out my old account as well with more of my artwork that’s not tattoo related it’s @empatheticcinder
I really love your energy and uniqueness! And yes don’t put up with bitchwork.
Thank you ☺️☺️☺️❤️
Yeah the fact that people think doing unpaid labour without being taught anything for years is a good thing is beyond me. Cleaning and helping with the shop isn’t a big deal, but being used as a free cleaning lady without any actual mentoring is ridiculous, and idg why people defend that.
Cleaning to get knowledge is much better than a pile of debt you’d get from a university. I’d look at the cleaning as a payment for the learning. And the whole gatekeeper idea is silly. Do other professions gatekeep because they require a degree. Plumbers, electricians, and any other skilled job require an apprenticeship.
hm. I understand your point, but I don’t agree with tattoo artists who refuse to clock your hours.
@@michelledoesfun the way my apprenticeship worked was I tattooed when I was ready. Only took me 4 months to be able to do simple walk ins for cheaper rates, with them signing an apprentice tattoo convent form. In a year I shed the title, and stopped bitchwork That’s how most shops work here in Detroit. Some people take longer, usually not people like yourself with art talent. Keep with it though, I promise the suffering is worth it. I love my profession.
I agree with you on the portfolio part, show progression and a deeper knowledge of the craft then the average person.
Show the basics and try to form your portfolio around the style you see yourself doing in the future But and here’s where I somewhat disagree with you, I myself have been tattooing for some years now and I’m still the “bitch boy” in the studio, I’m still taking out the thrash every morning, doing the dishes and the store run’s for snacks and coffee but it’s a part of the game.
Yes the absolute abuse some poor apprentices go through is not okey and you should get the F out if that’s the case but to remove all of the struggles and stresses your gonna face as an apprentice is not gonna “harden” you for the long run and it’s not gonna give you the respect from other artists that went through it, the first tattoo convention I worked in I didn’t tattoo and I just did what I needed too and talked to other artist and asked them for stories from there apprenticeship, and most if not all told me the same. You need to put in the work to get the respect in the culture or what you wanna call it.
So basically doing the grunt work is needed if you wanna make a living of this, it’s not a glamorous job, the thing that’s gonna pay your bills are boring Pinterest tattoos and infinity symbols the first couple of years and the more you build up a clientele the more fun stuff your gonna get and life’s gonna get a lot more enjoyable but to get there your gonna go through a lot of shit and boring tattoos and if that too much for you, then maybe its not the job for you
I’m not saying this to be a grumpy dude or talk down to you who made the video, but it might help someone and if it does I’m happy, and if not then welp
hmmm, I don’t know if I agree with this. The industry is changing. Since my last apprenticeship I’ve had an amazing artist reach out and tell me she’d love to help me out- without having to be her apprentice but rather her equal because she appreciated my art and wanted me to work out of her studio.
I do not agree with unpaid apprenticeships, especially when the tattoo artist won’t even report your hours.
My favorite tattoo artists came up a different way that was less exploitative. But hey! If it works for you, and you think it’s worth it that’s all that matters! But I do not think there has to be any correct path to a tattoo artists success. Just that they do it safely.
my style is ignorant ignorant.
So they are supposed to mentor you for nothing? Taking in a new and inexperienced artist is a liability and you aren’t owed anything.
Yea the payment is labor?
Sounds like you’re gatekeeping
I wanna be your best friend lol
Sorry but you can’t change the tradition and culture. You are never done learning. You seem to be the one that doesn’t want to put in the work and just want want want. We all have been there your not any special than any other artist out there. Humble yourself and stay open minded stop rushing. SMH 🤦🏻♂️
I think people should just pick an apprenticeship they feel comfortable with. And I agree you are never done learning anything. But it’s easy to be taken advantage of in any field and I just wanted people to be cautious they pick a good environment to learn in.
Love the honesty you're hilarious
🥺❤️
hey michelle! what’s your instagram? i would love to follow you as an apprentice myself (and one who had a harrowing experience with my first apprenticeship)
Hello friend! My personal Instagram is @michellefinninger. I got logged out of my original tattoo Instagram so I had to start a new one yesterday. It’s linked in my personal Instagram‘s bio! would love to follow you along your journey as well!❤❤