Tatanium2012

I was as nervous on my first tattoo as i was when i lost my virginity, once i penetrated i was no longer nervous. And it was a short session.......

Myself, realism tattoos are a fav I see a lot. Black and grey realism will have a longer lifespan so long as its actually healed out in the intended shades of black and grey. However color realism or color in general will always have more presents to it, and more artistic value at a distance. Lifespan is the main issues, or "criticisms", more traditional favored tattooers have towards realism, for good reason. However even in traditional color tattoos, color will fade, more so the lighter the color, just like a Pepsi can on the sidewalk that gets beat by the UV rays provided by the sun. Difference being that traditional, and similar nontraditional styles, always has the black backing and solid lines, and even the packed bold colors instead of the softened "pastel" colors, that actually makes the fade less noticeable to the eye, and still makes the tattoo obvious as to what it is in age, carrying the design more further in life as the result. Which is the general goal in a tattoo, of course! So it really boils down to just what your after as the style of art, sacrificing longevity for the wow factor found in the realistic style of your art and getting it reworked to keep it what it is, at a risk of retaining it's original glory, or wear something bad ass that will last a lifetime while sacrificing the realistic soft details that makes the tattoo art "lifelike", or even finding that happy medium between the two. At least that's the understanding I've developed so far in my career. And that's the great thing about art that I love, It's able to be done in soooo many unique ways. And i feel realism has been an example of a push forward in the industry, and will inevitably in the future lead to more of a push forward making pastel colors last a lifetime as a realistic lifelike tattoo.

Poor little alien butterfly thing:( ... looks like it got hit by an electrified semi going 90 mph down the highway to hell.... and the stepped on by Hitler.

I'm seeing a lot good and bad points here. Apprenticeships is not only a vital learning stage under a good tattooer, meaning where you learn good habits instead of taking on bad, which is why a lot of good artists don't take on people who have attempted to self teach, or "scratch" out of the house and develop bad habits that's hard to break. But also apprenticeships help weed out those who won't put in the heart and sacrifice that's required of quality tattooists. Also on that note it helps to be friends, or known by their mentor, instead of being a stranger because they would be more convinced that a person isnt going to waste their time and take what they teach only to go scratch with it.
So yes, as a young tattooer in the industry, apprenticeships, i feel, is vital to the continuation; progression, and keeping our history and respects alive in this grand industry of tattooing.
And on a final note, with all the attention good tattooers get with tv and such, more people will understand the difference between quality and crap, and those nasty quality shops out there will become less and less and increase in being considered a "pop-up" studios. while more notable artist will take their place who had done right through an apprenticeship, or had enough natural ability to rise on their own. Which can happen too, but is still a long road to take over good apprenticeships.

@ChrisvK Nobody believes you when you say you don't want to be a tattooer. But like everyone else says, practice. Practice, then practice some more.
Here's a golden nugget: Doodling requires you to repeat shapes with your hands. Drawing requires you to use your mind more than your hands.
Good luck.

That is something that's easily covered. Which in turn opens up a large amount of options that understandably makes it difficult to make a decision. It would be best to talk to your artist in person so that He/She can help read whats right for you and narrow down the options at the same time. Roses, Peacock feathers, and motion off a larger designs are my personal favorite to use covering up things like that. hope this helps.

That is something that's easily covered. Which in turn opens up a large amount of options that understandably makes it difficult to make a decision. It would be best to talk to your artist in person so that He/She can help read whats right for you and narrow down the options at the same time. Roses, Peacock feathers, and motion off a larger designs are my personal favorite to use covering up things like that. hope this helps.

That is something that's easily covered. Which in turn opens up a large amount of options that understandably makes it difficult to make a decision. It would be best to talk to your artist in person so that He/She can help read whats right for you and narrow down the options at the same time. Roses, Peacock feathers, and motion off a larger designs are my personal favorite to use covering up things like that. hope this helps.

I have done several memorials on whole families, so yes it is done commonly, however the designs are always different to represent the person, or people, getting remembered in the tattoo. I'd recommend discussing representation of a common trait that everyone likes or loves about the deceased. And the artist can take that and make it suitable for a tattoo at proper size. for example if she was a person who was religious and loved everyone, a sacred heart would be a good representation, or if she was a person who amused everyone with poking people gently with a knife when she cooked, like my grandmother, a traditional knife with a banner would be a joyful representation. etc...
Hope this helps some.

Poor little alien butterfly thing:( ... looks like it got hit by an electrified semi going 90 mph down the highway to hell.... and the stepped on by Hitler.

“He who works with his hands is a laborer.
He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman.
He who works with his hands and his head and his heart is an artist.”
― St. Francis of Assisi

when i was like 12, maybe 13 yrs old i seen my friends father's tattoo on his back of a naked girl laying on a back of a scorpion, which also was my first time seen seen a nude portrayal. so ya that had changed my outlook on art in a couple different ways LOL.

I recently decided to take on learning Pyrography, inspired by Jean Bouick's youtube video

. Which oddly enough carries a lot of similarities as tattooing, yet not the same at all lol.

I was as nervous on my first tattoo as i was when i lost my virginity, once i penetrated i was no longer nervous. And it was a short session.......

I was as nervous on my first tattoo as i was when i lost my virginity, once i penetrated i was no longer nervous. And it was a short session.......

I was as nervous on my first tattoo as i was when i lost my virginity, once i penetrated i was no longer nervous. And it was a short session.......

I was as nervous on my first tattoo as i was when i lost my virginity, once i penetrated i was no longer nervous. And it was a short session.......

I was as nervous on my first tattoo as i was when i lost my virginity, once i penetrated i was no longer nervous. And it was a short session.......

I was as nervous on my first tattoo as i was when i lost my virginity, once i penetrated i was no longer nervous. And it was a short session.......

she was probably thinking "Hmmm, how can i get some attention, I know!! get a tattoo around my rectum while having only some tape on my chest, and hope i don't fart during the tattoo. or else my letter will look like a penis and that would just send the wrong message..."

she was probably thinking "Hmmm, how can i get some attention, I know!! get a tattoo around my rectum while having only some tape on my chest, and hope i don't fart during the tattoo. or else my letter will look like a penis and that would just send the wrong message..."

My mother told me after i turned 18 that if i ever came home with a tattoo, i wouldn't have a home to come home to. well when i turned 18 i went into the navy and to her "surprise", i returned home after doing so with of course my first tattoos. she was pissed for a while then she became more pissed when i decided to make it my career, and now guess what. Years later after seeing the work i do and how more common tattoos have become, shes thinking of getting one now. moms are goofy, and a lot of times hypocritical, but they'll eventually realize, and i can't speak for all mas, that their kids aren't kids anymore.