New here from Michigan

Hello to everyone. I am an amatuer artist for the last three years. I am self taught...I know, I know..."kitchen magician, scratcher, hack, butcher, etc.." Please take the time to read my background before you flame me too bad. I first got into slingin ink 3 years ago when my friends brother got ahold of a tattoo "gun" from his buddy. They decided that they were gonna make a quick buck by tattin outa there house. No one had any formal training or had done any research into sterilization or how much care actually needs to be taken before you ever even fire up the power supply. They had one steel tube and assorted steel tips(no autoclave). They were using bleach and boiling to sterilize, but they allready had customers lined up . Well I've been into art ever since the crayons became less apatizing so I decided it was my duty to put a stop to this the only way I knew how. I bought a cheap kit from a guy I knew and ordered disposable tubes, needles, set of Iron butterfly primary colors and black and white ink, and other needed supplys and I stole all there customers . I started on myself and some very close and brave friends and then started taking appointments. I have always been very honest about my abilities and have turned people away if I thought the work was over my head. I have done my best to educate myself by any means nessesary, including posing as a college student gathering info for a report and interviewing atists by phone. All attempts to gather info from local pros face to face and honestly have gotten mixed results, but all negative. I am now working with 2 pulse machines, and a cyclone digital power supply that will soon be a paper weight(not a fan). Barrier bags for everything. I have been told by customers that I'm cleaner than some shops they've been to. What started as a public service of sorts has turned into a passion and with any luck a lifetime carreer. I would very much like an appenticeship but it's not in the stars for another year at least. So once again "Hello to everyone"....sorry such a long first post.

[canvasyou]

You should try to do a formal apprenticeship!
Do you have Basic Fundamentals of Modern Tattoo?

Check out SOFIA & Co. Tattoo Machines as well.

Best of luck, welcome to forum

I am planning to apprentice hopefully within a year. I can assure you that I am very clean, sterile, and proffesional in the meantime. All the local artists(100mile radius) I've talked to want $5000.00 or more for a year, and that's without ever seeing any of my art. My biggest desire for an apprenticeship is the hope of learning better technique. I have no problem paying, but I am not trying to hook up with someone just tryin to make a buck, esspecially since I have had clients recently that want me to fix mistakes caused by some of these "proffesional" artist. I don't know how it is in other states, but in Michigan you don't have to be an artist in order to be a tattoo artist. I have to find the right Yoda before I'll pay to be Skywalker.

I haven't gotten the book yet, but it is high on a very short list.

[xDreamerx]

Apprenticeship is the traditional role to follow. Over the years I've read about many artists who are now shop owners, never following a formal apprenticeship but trial and error. Even though that route can take longer to become an accomplished artist....its all they had....regardless...I've seen both routes become successful.

If you have the ability to become an apprentice do it! But....for me...I have declined apprenticeships due to the $ they require and the agreements they require in writing. Examples are......no tattooing within 25 mile range, no tattooing outside shop(understandable) Money is non refundable, work is not guaranteed, becoming employed by the shop afterward is not guaranteed.

I can understand some of those...but not all of them. I think they that shop owners should have the gift of being able to see potential in a future artist.

Become friends with someone in a shop you might have better luck that way. I know several artists who are shop workerz....and ya know it helps with info.

Always read, study, read autobiography's of artists, get an insight to artists and how they became who they are today.

From the days of soldering my own needles, shaders and cutting and bending my own needle bars etc. I've always dreamed....yeah...I know..cliche' word "dream" but its true I've always had that goal and desire to run my own studio. not just to fill it with potential customers, but to sell my paintings, or airbrushings, or white canvase VANS shoes...etc.

So finally for the past year I've been collecting things that I will be putting my studio......when it does happen. So the info I've been trying to get ahold of more and more is the business end of it. Thats the only area I get conflicting info on.

Basically what I'm saying is just keep the passion and drawing and studying the medical side to it all. Here in California the laws are getting stricter and stricter due to some recent issues with shop owners.....not "kitchen magicians" but actual shop owners...the ones I envy lol shop owners are more scrutinized though since they are in the front line and doing things the proper way....soon as they make a mistake or fail an inspection..news is all over it....bullshit if ya axe me.

Sorry for the rant....just one of those nights......I agree about being careful whom you pay........if this is confusing...sorry...lol

Do you believe in yourself??? Be safe and use common sense. If you're an artist be one.