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Dan Higgs design by Dustin Wengreen at Tattoo 13 in Oakland, CA. Super stoked on this one. One of my favorite Higgs designs.

I used "plainskin" at the shop yesterday...all I got was fucking crickets. No one had a single clue what I was saying.

I've taken on an apprentice. I'm 12 years in and do not feel like I could've or should've taught anybody before this. First, a little shop background I work in an small isolated area that is expensive and inconvenient. You can't drive in or out and while we have some of the modern conveniences, like costco, we do not have a lot of things, like art supply stores or fast food restaurants. I bought the shop almost two years ago from the original owner, who moved back south. I did not ever expect to take on an apprentice. I also did not think I'd work alone for a year and half straight. I thought I'd make the shop the best I can and some one would slip right in to that glass slipper and it'd be sweet. Well, nobody did. A few artists expressed interest, but costs, inconvenience and ever gloomy weather killed the deal every time. Sometimes the tattooer would be pumped, but their significant other couldn't hang with living a borderline "village" lifestyle. So I worked alone for a while. I wanted the best for the shop, so I didn't turn down anything and worked myself silly. I got a sweet eye twitch out of that that has finally went away unless I'm really tired. So after talking to enough artists about why they couldn't make the move, I started to realize that I may have to grow my own. I took on one of our shop's regulars as counter help. How do you get to work at a tattoo shop? I wasn't looking to hire a friend as I've seen that go bad, so I hired someone that I had built a professional relationship with already, because they were always at the shop getting tattooed. Once I saw that he was doing a good job and began to notice that his other plans (school, etc) starting to fall to shit, I realized that I may be able cultivate a mutually beneficial apprenticeship. It wasn't that I didn't want to mop, or I wanted my ego stroked or I wanted to try and get an extra $15,000. We talked a lot about his future and future plans before we entered in to this and if fulfilled, he will contribute back into the shop for several years as his obligation for having a place to learn and a person to learn from. It was understood that he would not be tattooing for quite a while, it would be the slow road and that he's going to have to learn a lot of things that are other people don't, like needles, mixing pigment, painting flash, taking apart machines, making footswitches and all the other stuff folks with real deal apprenticeships learn. I'm trying to give him a combination of the apprenticeship I had and the apprenticeship I wanted. So far, I'm pretty proud of the little fucker. He filled a sketchbook of traditional designs cover to cover ( most tattooers I know haven't done that), put a machine together, rewired a footswitch, made needles and we've done an oversized split sheet on coquille. He studies a lot. He looks at good stuff. And while we have a pretty good generational gap, I'd like to think we've become friends. Being busy, isolated and working by myself made me feel like I was a little stagnant. He's into it and younger, so he looks at both my influences and shows me the stuff he's into. So it's not out of the question for him to introduce stuff to me, even at this point. When you have to teach, it makes you step back and present things to somebody else. That step can often make you put thought towards something that had previously become automatic. So, in that respect, I get charged up on shit again. That's the new blood factor. Overall, I hired a regular who was already familiar. Not a friend who will break my heart if things didn't work out right away. And I do feel as though there is a need for entry level tattooing at the shop here. That can free me up a little to do the best I can on the bigger projects for now. There is another factor that I don't know if it has been addressed directly (richard's quotes were closest) but yeah, it takes time and a lot of effort to teach somebody right. I'm invested in this shit now. I have a one year old baby and a wife, and I'm sneaking out in the middle of the night to teach him how to make liners at 3am on a friday night. Why would I ever do that for a stranger? I don't know if I could even hang in the same room with the person,let alone have to teach them all these pain in the ass aspects about tattooing in the middle of the night. Also, If I still tattooed down south, I would never take on an apprentice. There was just never a need. ps- I also asked the people who taught me if it was ok for me to teach someone. They looked at me like they had nothing to do with the decision and granted me permission, but the fact it, if those important people to me said no, I wouldn't have an apprenntice right now

I have a friend who lives in Providence and has been thinking about getting tattooed, I'll let him know about this. He's doing a masters in graphic design at RISD so he probably wants some pretentious art school garbage, so hopefully he'll act on this and actually get a good tattoo. But I doubt it.

And yet no one hates on the companies that took advantage of a guy that is bipolar, and trying to survive in a shit economy.

I'm in my forties, too, and am finding my tattoos just keep getting bigger. I'm not rich either...but since sessions on a bigger piece are spaced out, I can save the money needed for the next one in between. Anyway, I like your attitude-- you are thinking it over and I'm sure whatever you get, you will like. Your first one looks nice. It's just the more you get, the more you may want to get. You never know...

Hey Guys, just a heads up if you are in the area, Ron Henry Wells will be working at our new second location at Providence Tattoo in Providence tomorrow, Saturday and Wednesday! [email protected] for appointments maybe ill see you? :)

I appreciate you sharing. You seem to have your head on straight. Kudos to you sir.

Looking great. I love the expression on the face. - - - Updated - - - Second of my pair of Amund Dietzel inspired dragons. Tattooed by Jordan at Frith Street, yesterday.

@Kahlan ......find a good shop....go inside and tell them you want to help with the shop in your free time (scrubbing the toilets, taking out the trash....sweeping the floors....etc.) AND tell them you'll do it for free! Don't even mention you want to tattoo....and definitely that you are doing it at home....even on practice skin!!! Put away your machines doll....it really is disrespectful to those who have earned the right to tattoo the proper way. For over 20+ years i had been getting tattooed and never ever thought about picking up a machine to tattoo someone because of the respect I had for my friends who tattooed and just out of respect for the craft. One day i went into a shop while i was on a "tattoo road trip" and a guy told me he'd "trade tattoos" with me! I explained that i did not tattoo and why i was against this! He told me he had learned to tattoo from bob shaw on the pike in california after the vietnam war and had 40 years in the biz and he wanted me to tattoo him. I was really worried what some of my friends would think about me tattooing him but I figured he had earned the right to tell me it was okay to tattoo him....so i did! You may think it is silly of me to have been scared of what my peers would think....but it's because I respect them.....and they respect me! I didn't want to loose their respect because that is a very hard thing to gain back! You can learn the way you are learning.....BUT....to truly have the respect of your peers you should learn the proper way! And to have the respect of your peers in this craft.....is one of the highest honors there is! I'm not busting your balls doll......just trying to give you a different perspective on why you should learn the right way! I personally think you should be offered an apprenticeship....not ask for one! And why do I suggest you should offer your services to a shop for free and work like a dog for them for free??? Because you will never learn the proper way to tattoo until you earn the trust and respect first....then you learn to tattoo! It took me 20+ years to be offered an apprenticeship that was the right fit for me! My answer to the original question in this thread is....yes....there do still need to be apprentices! But not because you need free help or because the shop is slow and you need the 5-10k you can get for teaching someone! It's because the craft needs quality people in it that are willing to earn it and one day pass it on! An apprenticeship is not about learning to tattoo....it is about learning the business as well....at least it used to be! - - - Updated - - - i had the pleasure of sitting down with Zeke at the Philly Convention and the world is definitely a much more wonderful place with him in it!!!

Trust.....you have got to build trust and faith before anyone will do anything for you. I don't normally trust random people.

I don't think there's anything wrong with tribal, but make sure you go big. - - - Updated - - - Also I'd look at some of the people doing more geometric things like Thomas Hooper, Jondix, Tomas Tomas, Xed Le Head, etc. to see different ways that people have taken tribal to give you some inspiration. Also since you're willing to spend some money, get yourself the Tattootime book because it will give you a lot to consider and it's pretty much the greatest thing ever published about tattoos.

Thanks Johannes! I might take you up on that once since I'm planning to visit Sweden again in the summertime. If i'm still on the road that is. Thanks for checking out my blog

I'll be the first to admit that I fell victim to the internet/myspace era of tattoo portfolios. I saw a few "realistic color portraits" and thought they were the best tattoos I had ever laid eyes on. I went out and got myself a real expensive one from an artist held in high regard within that style of tattooing. To this day it was my least memorable tattoo experience. I didn't feel like I was in a tattoo shop, I had to deal with huge egos, there was little to no respect or care for other tattooers in the industry, and in retrospect I was paying a lot of money for a "temporary" tattoo. The internet falsely represented good and humble tattooing to me and I ate it up. It's much like what I believe the internet has done to music on both the artist and fan side of things. People no longer physically go out and buy records to find music. They download music (usually not even full albums), claim they found an awesome band that they believe to be talented via a computer screen, then when they go to see that band live it's a bunch of pre programmed auto tuned bullshit that lacks any skill in playing an instrument or understanding proper song writing. Hopefully they leave feeling disappointed, stop buying into it, and mark it as a lesson learned. Much like how I felt after I got my "realistic portrait". Bands no longer have to tour non stop in a van for months on end under shit conditions before they become successful. They are now fueled by internet hype and are playing sold out shows before ever even touring. I feel that this draws a perfect parallel to this new generation of tattoo artists that have no idea how to lay down a proper outline, shade with black, paint flash, etc yet they have kids flocking to them and are booked out months before ever paying their dues at a shop. The consumer is the only one that can stop all the garbage that happens because of the internet. If we put in a little effort into going to a tattoo shop and talking to someone about why a color portrait with no black won't make for a good tattoo as opposed to reading a blog about it we will make for a much more educated consumer and hopefully end up with quality tattoos. Fuck, I really wish I had done that and not depended on what I saw on a screen. It wasn't until I physically walked into shops like Spotlight, Classic, or Gold Rush that I truly understood what I wanted out of a tattoo. And that's the end of my rant...

that mad bio fire honeycomb thing ? Amazing stuff . The Vulture is amazing too

I've always said you just can't trust a guy with a nekkid face and no tattoos.

I'm an apprentice... I started to learn from Richard in 2002, then we all got a long so much I bought his partner Stace out of his partnership, which was Skin & Bones, a completely different business in the same building... As a business minded person I had to set down the apprenticeship, and focus on the piercing business, but knew I would get to be around and maybe get to have time enough to pick up a few things... It never happened, we maintained a partner relationship from then on... In 2009, we were reunited somewhat... after about 6 months, I was his apprentice again, and still am... What I have gathered from my 13 plus years in the body art profession is this, Tattooers or some of them, are a lot like teenage couples that don't think about the big picture, they get all hot and heavy and forget to take that pill or wear a condom, and oops a baby is born, and they themselves are still children... Babies having Babies is not an ideal situation in population or profession control.... Especially if you care about people and people getting good work. And Richard has always ALWAYS said... Taking an apprentice is like getting married and someone taking your last name as theirs.... And there is no divorce, that's forever. Hence even too risky for him to teach or just trust even a friend to tattoo... They are bound to you for the rest of their career, and you want to teach good tattooing, and it's hard to teach something that we should constantly be learning about... especially if you love it.

@Kahlan No lecture here, everyone else seems to have done a great job of that. Just some straight up info: At the shop I work in (Which may or may not have a reputation on being harsh to 'wannabes') we get at least one person each week asking for an apprenticeship. In the summer months we get AT LEAST two per week, often more. Aside from the fact than none of them can draw and most haven't been tattooed at our shop, - I'm not even sure if any of them know what kind of work we do (hint: almost everything) they certainly don't look through any of our folios while they are in the shop. - There is no way that our city can support 52 to 104 new tattooers each year. I've been there since 2007. That would be over 800 new tattooers. But really, shitty tattooers should stop taking apprentices and helping them become shitty tattooers. If a good tattooer won't teach you, tough shit. If a good tattooer does teach you, I hate you because I never got that chance and I did a whole bunch of shitty tattoos while I was 'learning'.

Hey y'all Finally registered and thought I should step out of the shadowws. Mike Rennie of Absolute Art did my only tattoo so far -in 2011 but am eagerly looking forward to getting my second one soon. Sooner than I expected. As a matter of fact I'm kinda scrambling cause out of the blue (and after a 3 year wait) I got a call from an artist who's website stated that they really weren't accepting new clients. My consultation is Wednesday, I'm beyond psyched but hell am not sure where I want it or what I want. I own a business that requires it to not be visible during the day - well requires in the sense that fuckin lawyers don't want to see it when I'm in their offices or with their clients. The flip side being in my personal life I don't care if its on display - err would proudly display which I think Means I need it on my calf or at least below my knee. Thoughts? Suggestions? - - - Updated - - - So I also really want some advice on how to distill down the swirling ideas in my head to a cohesive and manageable tattoo. It's the normal sob story fuck up through drugs, find sobriety and sanity and blah blah blah. I'm assuming this isn't the area to get answers or advice... Correct.?

AMEN!

It's odd, there was a spate of people getting obama tattoos after he was first put into the Presidency, and that has continued fairly steadily. haven't heard a thing about that, yet this guy keeps drawing the hate...

I have religious tattoos, and I am an agnostic with strong atheistic leanings. But what seems to me is that the meaning of tattoos seems like such a big deal nowadays. Almost like as if someone needed to explain why did they get every single piece they have, and if they fail they'll be seen as a frivolous person. I believe that images have a power of their own, that cannot be properly put into words. This also happens with with tattooing, there are images that have been tattooed over and over again, which no one can properly pin down as to when did people start getting those tattoos and what do they mean. But they have such a visual impact that carry on it's wordless appeal and make people keep on getting them tattooed. And with religious images I believe it's the same, even tho some images now have been associated with this or that specific religion, they have been around for aeons. There are crosses in a lot of religions, there are many cults to female deities virgin Mary like, there are many saviour like characters in several religions like Jesus and Gilgamesh, and so on. So getting a religious tattoo can be an identifier for some people, showing their devotion to a specific religion, but it can be so much more than that... particularly if it's done by a good artist. It gets on my tits when people are more interested in the meaning of a specific tattoo, than in its wordless impact that goes well beyond meaning. And sorry for being so pedantic...

It's not that I hate the tattoo or the specific experience as much as it's that I wish I went into it with a better understanding of what I was buying into/supporting. It's like if you were going to buy a car and one salesman is an honest hard working guy that has been selling cars for years. He is trying to sell you a car that is reliable and tells you the car is going to last forever. The other salesman is flashier has a car that looks better aesthetically but he doesn't say anything about it. You just know that it looks newer and shinier than the other car. You buy the flashy car and it breaks down after a couple years. It's not necessarily the salesman's fault for not saying anything to you about the car not being reliable. You just should have done more research and better understood what you were getting. But it's a bummer you gave your money to the wrong guy and supported the wrong business.

Thank you very much. I'd love to take credit, but I told him what I wanted and let him run with it. The one thing I do know about tattoos, is I know nothing about tattoos. I told him I loved what he did and gave him free rain to run with it. My only request was I wanted the dragon to look wise and benevolent and not menacing. I think he nailed it. I'm excited to see the tiger. Unlike the dragon I won't see a study before hand because I wanted to be surprised and I know any ideas I have will pale in comparison to his vision. One more month to go.

I can't say for sure I have one tattoo at the moment. It covers my left pec, over the clavicle shoulder on to my back and a 1/4 way down my upper arm. with the exception of the area around my nipple and the area very close to my arm pit it wasn't bad at all. From the opinions of the folks here who have far more experience than myself, and I respect immensely the ditch hurts. a lot. You kicked ass getting your first tattoo there, whether you realize it or not. When you get a tattoo some where else you will probably sleep through it. Major props, seriously.

This is my first tattoo. It was done this February and is in honor of my Grandfather. It is an olive hinge in the ditch of my arm and instead of metal plates you will see scroll work. Respect the Ditch!!

Hi Joana, and welcome to LST. Since you're an Alaskan, this should probably be your new favorite shop... Eagle River Tattoo Enjoy the boards, and let's get those pictures up!

ChrisvK; i just read your blog...and dude, good luck!! seems like a fun adventure! if your travels take you north by any chance you're welcome to stay!

Just your luck, because I managed to find an hour free wifi at a gasstation somewhere near Austria and I'll be writing another fancy story now

Hey I know a dude with that same tattoo done by the same dude.

"My (in-progress) sleeve is an interpretation of the Raven myths, and because it's being done by Thomas Hooper it's interpreted through a sort of hermetic lens with some sacred geometry, Ernst Hackel references, and so on. The eye of the raven is referenced directly from Bill Reid's drawing on the cover of the book The Raven Steals the Light. I'm thrilled with it. I've been also thinking of one day getting a gagiid mask, maybe done sort of in the style of a hannya. I'm still figuring that one out though." That sounds rad! Hope to see those tattoos one day. I'm also in love with american traditional and had Chad Koeplinger put a raven head with a sun it's mouth on my hand at the 2011 SFO convention. (I'm not sure I posted your quote the proper way, I'm still figuring this computer stuff out). I see tons of room for interpreting the stories and legends over a variety of styles. Stories could be illustrated like japanese style interpretations of their legends, broken down and fit within the style of american traditional like Chad did for me and explored in the abstraction of form line tribal, but taken more in the large scale tribal style of the europeans... I'm excited to explore these in the future.

@davelang Great post, man. I came across something really interesting when reading up about Bill Reid and formline drawing, which is that a lot of what we see in terms of carvings, jewellery, and paintings originated from Reid's study of traditional Haida tattoos: So, in a sense, tattooing these designs is really taking it full-circle. There are a few really cool things online about Haida tattoos as well, like this: Haida Tattoo - The Bill Reid Centre - Simon Fraser University I grew up on the West Coast of Canada, and I love this style of art, but as a whitey I have a hard time getting it as-is on me so I've been trying to find ways to take some of what I find powerful about Haida art, as well as myth and legend, and interpret it in a way that doesn't feel so appropriative. My (in-progress) sleeve is an interpretation of the Raven myths, and because it's being done by Thomas Hooper it's interpreted through a sort of hermetic lens with some sacred geometry, Ernst Hackel references, and so on. The eye of the raven is referenced directly from Bill Reid's drawing on the cover of the book The Raven Steals the Light. I'm thrilled with it. I've been also thinking of one day getting a gagiid mask, maybe done sort of in the style of a hannya. I'm still figuring that one out though. - - - Updated - - - And just because I love to geek out on this stuff, here's a picture of a print I bought last summer by an artist named Jonathan Erickson. From what I understand, he's mostly working in jewellery right now, but the guy at the gallery said that he's also done tattoo designs...kind of figures that I'd be drawn to art done by a guy who also designs tattoos. Anyway, I think it's super cool. I need to get it properly framed still.

I'm based in the UK. I booked an appointment at Frith St in London and discussed a few ideas there but they said to bring all my ideas on the day of the appointment. It's hard trying to visualize what it's going to look like!

Waiting outside War Horse to get tattooed by Ron Wells. We're finishing up my skull and mandala from a few months ago. Pictures to come.

White ghost tiger using only black light ink?

I have written a bunch of long winded responses to this thread but decided against posting them each time. I guess in regards to what Seth said about Portland, the monster created in Portland came about mostly because they made it illegal to apprentice someone, instead they required people to open state sanctioned schools. There is a million things I could bitch and moan about, but what it mainly comes down to is that most of these graduates go through school and get licensed and have no report with any established tattooers in town and gives no reason for tattooers to hire them. So what you see is a bunch of these new tattooers opening shops together and creates even more tension and bitterness from the old guard, who rightly so aren't interested in chopping up the pie any smaller. I think if it was established respectable tattooers that got to choose who learned to tattoo, instead of just anyone who can afford tuition, they would weed out some of the douchebags and wannabes, they would be more accepting of young tattooers that make it through an apprenticeship, and likewise young tattooers would have to have respect for the process and the craft in order to get an apprenticeship. But as they say dam has been busted open, no way to get water back in at this point.

Some amazing stuff posted here, wow! Here's my entry, by javi Rodriguez guesting at frith street

I think the thing to remember is that everyone who is tattooing as a career got into it differently. There is very few tattooers I know that had a real apprenticeship. Most worked for free as shop help first. Learning to tattoo is a lifetime commitment and it takes years just to understand the basics. All the good tattoos posted on here are more than likely executed by people who are more than seasoned. Its easy to look at this industry from the outside and think it would be great to be in. You know, tattooers are on tv and at celeb gatherings, they look like they have lots of money and have spare time to be in bands. Shops are portrayed as super fun spots to hang out where you dont have to take life too serious. What could be better than doing "art" for a living and making money doing what you love?? I think a steady paycheck is better, health insurance is better, retirement...There are a huge amount of sacrifices that come with this demanding job. Its not all roses and especially not until you start to really get a handle on the craft and the drawing and coloring aspect. Just about the time you have something figured out, you get humbled right back down by something else or, maybe even that something you had figured. Now, tattooing is so mainstream, that a fair amount of people treat it with a lot less respect than they did say fifteen years ago. These are only getting worse with the amount of people now tattooing. With all that said, Support your Local Tattooer, give them lots of money in exchange for tattoos. Support the industry and the people doing the thing everyday and maybe someday, someone will invite you to clean the nicotine stains off their bathroom walls:)

Well,I've already voiced my opinion on this subject- but.... One thing nobody has mentioned is that there are still shops out there willing to take on an apprentice- for payment. In the 70s I knew of a few people that were charging thousands of dollars for the opportunity to learn and work at an established shop. ( Set up equipment usually went w the deal.)Today it would not be unrealistic to be asked to pay tens of thousands of dollars. Think of the money you would pay to attend a trade school or university. If a person is serious and committed, a financial obligation along with an agreed upon length of time/work commitment- isn't unreasonable. So find a shop that you love, get tattooed there and ask if they would be willing to take you on as an apprentice for 2-3 years, if you would be willing to pay them ( what ever amt) you agree upon, $10-$15,000 a year, let's say. Unless you just want them to give it to you, which seems to be what everybody wants.

Was going to comment early on in the thread but wanted to know where it would go, my question is why are non-tattooers trying to respond to this tread?

It may be a pompous attitude but just because you've been working hard and doing things right doesn't mean you deserve to be taught. As well if you're a random person just coming in how is anyone supposed to know all these things about you? I believe in teaching people as well, but I don't think everything should be taught to everyone that asks. At the end of the day it's their world, which means they make the rules. You may not like them, they may frustrate the shit out of you but that's life.

I know you've said you're looking for an apprenticeship, so firstly -- and this is not coming from a pompous holier-than-thou attitude -- tread lightly here. One of the reasons we've lost solid contributing tattooers to LST is for this very reason. Every few months someone joins up and says, "Hey, I want an apprenticeship, what's the problem?!" The forum is here to help and to share -- but not when it comes to technical how-tos and certainly not when it comes to the ins-and-outs of getting your foot in the door. Second -- and this is coming from only a very slightly more life experience -- go get tattooed. I know you've got two tattoos.. But apprenticeship aside, if you want to learn about tattoos and that world, go. get. tatt.ooed. Make that your primary goal, put the apprenticeship out of your mind. How do you know that you want to commit your life to something when you've only got two tattoos? I bet things will be a little more clear after having spent more than a few hours in a tattoo shop. Tried being as nice as possible here and there's a good chance it's as nice a response as you may get.. It's not that it's a cult or that people are assholes. Take a step back. Listen to what people are saying. Godspeed.

And that's the pompous attitude I'll never understand. Who says that the people that walk in the door haven't been struggling? Why assume? But it's ok to you that just because you happen to know an artist they'll give you a shot? I guess we're different. I believe in teaching others and educating people into doing the right thing. It just gets under my skin when professionals complain about people starting off in their basements, when it's almost a one in a million shot you'll get someone to teach you. Anyway... I guess I'm just frustrated. I have no time to socialize and hang out in shops like I did when I was 14. The *way* they want people to do things is a little unrealistic for me BECAUSE of the fact I'm working my ass off to get to where I wanna be!

I LOVE that face!! I'd be talking to it all the time... "good morning Dragon, let's go make some coffee." ;)

Tattoo by Chad Koeplinger done at Frith Street Tattoo in London, England Filled up the spot nicely! (and quickly 2 Hours!)

What the heck, I'll throw mine in the ring this month...Got this one back in Janurary. Done by Thomas Deaton at Twisted Reality tattoo

done by Nick Colella Chicago Tattooing Co. 3/2/2013

Done by Cecil Porter. Douglas from the movie "Where the Wild Things Are".