My Tattooed Life: My apprenticship

When I first started apprenticing. I didn't just pick up a machine and start Tattooing. In fact it was over a year before I was even allowed to tattoo someone. shit it was about 3 years. Apparently, I was being used alot. just for grunt work. Which by the way... it is important to know the grunt work... Its also your payment to your shop and your mentor so in return you will learn something. Unfortunately, I endured a few mentors that did not have my artistic ability or ambition in mind when I first started out. So here are a few Key points you should know if you ever decide to pick up a Tattoo apprenticeship...

1. YOU DO NOT PAY FOR AN APPRENTICESHIP.
   Yeah, I learn that the hard way... first shop I started at, a gentleman(more like a jerk) had me pay weekly for him to teach me his ways.What ended up happening instead was him, leaving the shop and me behind in the middle of the night. literally took my money and ran. I was not given any direction....
   You pay for your apprenticeship with your sweat, blood and tears. You show the Shop and your mentor Loyalty and passion. show up on time, be ready to do grunt work, and always stay busy. you work very hard to not be a burden.... So don't get in the way of your mentor. Always be helpful and always do what you are told! when you earn your place and you feel like you're settled in and have mopped and cleaned the shop like Cinderella for 100 billion times in a row... usually is when your mentor should start dropping some knowledge on you about tattooing...

2. Do NOT EXPECT TO TATTOO FOR AT LEAST 3 months to a Year.
   Many Traditional apprenticeships do not start you on Tattooing right away... For me it was over a year before I got to tattoo... Your mentor will want to go through many procedures like sanitation, sterilization, disinfecting, set-up, clean up, blood born pathogens, art, tattoo styles and history, shop etiquette, ect ect. it will be a journey before you get to hold that glorious machine in your hand and put it to use on someones skin.... with that being said be sure to have a part-time job, cause you wont be making money right away. even when you start tattooing you wont be making a substantial amount of money to live off of. so hold on to that crappy job you want to leave for your dream job till it starts paying out.

3. ALWAYS LISTEN, ALWAYS OBSERVE,NEVER STOP LEARNING, ALWAYS ASK QUESTIONS!
   This industry today is so saturated with "tattoo artists" and when you start realizing how saturated it is it could make you feel defeated inside. But if you are always striving to learn, if you are listening to every bit of advice from every source you have your hands on... you'll realize there's a million different ways to do something. its just finding the way that best fits you and your needs. Same with looking for an apprenticeship... your success MOST DEFINITELY defines the mentor you have. and you will want to work with a mentor that is like minded, That you'll enjoy to be around 24 7 and even when you argue (which I would not recommend, but it will most definitely happen at some point.) you'll be able to get over both of yourselves and come up with a conclusion... one of my earliest Mentors said something Ill never forget. DO WHAT YOUR TOLD.... and I think its pretty important... A mentors job is to guide you appropriately to your goal to becoming a tattoo artist... and he will show you the way. its not going to just happen though!.YOU HAVE TO DO IT YOURSELF.... your mentor isn't going to do it for you. if you lack ambition. you are NOT going to survive in this industry, let alone get through an apprenticeship.

Those are My Main key points that I think anyone should know before deciding to do an apprenticship. I DO NOT Recommend learning how to tattoo on your own. Not because I don't think you cant do it. because I KNOW YOU CANT DO IT.... and its more than just frowned upon in the industry to be tattooing at home with out a lick of knowledge of what the fuck you are doing! Its like doing a medical procedure on someone. you are dealing with someones body and their fluids and if you have no Idea what cross contamination is or proper tattoo set up procedure for a safe and clean tattoo experience you can turn a fun tattoo experience into a very haunting possibly life threatening experience.... also tattooing at home can limit the possibilities of you making a good name for yourself in the industry.