Great Lakes Tattooing

All I can say is that in this area, 3 hours of work for a deuce would be like a major discount. Most places, I'd say a hundred an hour is gonna be about the minimum.
You play, you pay.
You can always find someone working at a truck-stop or out of a motel, or go to a "tattoo-party", but you'll get your $50 worth there.

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

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:)

done by me

I am new to this. I am still trying to figure out the format, so I have not dug very deep yet. Most of the things Ive read do sound like counter talk. I get enough of that and have nothing to add. Some of the threads i have read(the ones i get the most out of) are a little out of my league and if i had something to add, its already been added. I do have some things to discuss, but they seem to come too close to giving away information to whoever may be on here. I own and am the sole tattooer at my shop and I am at a turning point in my ten year career. I have a customer base that needs education, but shows potential. I have nobody around me to take advice from, but I know I have a chance to bring real tattoo culture to my town. I am hoping this site fills some of those gaps for me and, in turn, I can find folks I can trust with advice i have to give. I am a tattooer and i am here, learning the ropes and waiting for my turn to contribute. Thanks for this.

done by me

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:)

I think these are two of the top reasons why people end up with bad tattoos. They can't wait and they don't want to pay.
If you get on his waiting list now you will have at least a year to save for it.

done by me

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.

I don't know, Richard Stell is so badass, he might live forever.

Got tattooed by Matt Arriola at the West Texas Tattoo Conv. Super pumped on how this came out.

done by me

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

done by me

doesnt everyone? it makes me feel like my money is secure and a little bit like a stripper. plus who could resist the pleasure of purchasing something with a fist full of musky cash pulled from their pants?

done by me

done by me

done by me

In 15 to 20 years, I would like to be getting referrals from people I tattoo today. Its easy to avoid trends and poorly crafted tattoos when youre busy doing what you and your peers deem good. Im not in that position yet so I am faced with making decisions on craft verses art all the time. I try to plant seeds of education while I talk of how their tattoo idea isnt the best case scenario. In the end, they make the decision, and I get the final say on awful ideas. Sometimes we, as tattooers, can have all the right equipment and theory, but the customer determines if they will get a quality tattoo or not.

Pictures, please.

Pretty much cant go wrong anywhere you eat in Autstin

In 15 to 20 years, I would like to be getting referrals from people I tattoo today. Its easy to avoid trends and poorly crafted tattoos when youre busy doing what you and your peers deem good. Im not in that position yet so I am faced with making decisions on craft verses art all the time. I try to plant seeds of education while I talk of how their tattoo idea isnt the best case scenario. In the end, they make the decision, and I get the final say on awful ideas. Sometimes we, as tattooers, can have all the right equipment and theory, but the customer determines if they will get a quality tattoo or not.

In 15 to 20 years, I would like to be getting referrals from people I tattoo today. Its easy to avoid trends and poorly crafted tattoos when youre busy doing what you and your peers deem good. Im not in that position yet so I am faced with making decisions on craft verses art all the time. I try to plant seeds of education while I talk of how their tattoo idea isnt the best case scenario. In the end, they make the decision, and I get the final say on awful ideas. Sometimes we, as tattooers, can have all the right equipment and theory, but the customer determines if they will get a quality tattoo or not.

A point touched on in the original post is the separation of art and craft. Do you approach tattooing as an artform, or as a craft. A lot of the old school guys seem to be craftsman. They made their needles and machines, and they tattooed. Many of the new school seem to be artists first, tattooers second. Obviously, every tattooer is some blend of the two.