advice for color packing and blending thanx

I am going to have to disagree on tattooing being a lifestyle. Tattooing is art and art for many is a hobby. I'm one of those many. The only difference between me and the recreational painter or sculptor is that I have chosen to move beyond paints and pencils and try my hand at using flesh as canvas. And just like the first time I picked up a pencil or some prismacolors...it's going to take time to get comfortable.

I have no desires to be a professional. I just want to be proficient. To me, part of being proficient is being safe in tattooing. That means I used disposables, even on practice skin. I bag what I can, wear gloves, trash needles in a sharps container, etc. It also means I'm going to screw up lines, botch shading, put a color in and go "dammit...it looks different" and not be sure how to fix it. For me tattooing is just another challenge in my life that I aim to be good at.

Learning is a process. You can fast-track the process with an apprenticeship and my hat is off to you guys who can afford to work for nothing. You CAN learn without a teacher...it just takes longer. I have more time than money and I guess I"m mature enough at 39 to not circumvent the blood borne pathogen issues or try to take the "cheaper" route by reusing or half-assing.

Put a sticky at the top of every page: "An apprenticeship is the best way to go if it is within your means. If not, please openly share your experiences here in efforts to make us all a little safer and better at this art."

Just my thoughts on it. I love this site, really enjoyed the book, but don't need to be reminded repeatedly that an apprenticeship is the best route. It just isn't realistic for me but that hasn't dissuaded me from wanting to learn as much as I can.

Mark

Awesome points there, bro I guess I should re-phrase my comment to be that tattooing is a lifestyle for some, because of course, it is just an art form which can be done purely as a hobby

I Have YET to get an apprentince, but have been able to be shown some "hands on" by a legend in my area. If i would have been shown this info from jumpstreet, i would not have had a black eye or screwed some dudes tat up! AN apprentice is the way to go for MOST. It would greatly benefit me, bc if u show me once, its there pemanently. On the other side, I have been able to finetune what i DO know and learn on my own to my own likings.

[xDreamerx]

..... Everyone interprets the word "lifestyle" differently.
Lifestyle is a reflection of what we like and who we are and how we live....so I tend to side that tattooing is a lifestyle according to how I interpret the word.

Great thing about this place is you can agree to disagree.....