Scott Sylvia

It's easy to write off dissenting opinions as "hating" or "ego maniacal". Don't make that mistake here. Look at how you approach us instead once in a while. We are this harsh to ourselves, and each other bye the way. Not just in critiques. If you are looking for the "passive happy information machines" go somewhere else.

Oh thank god, I have been off and on the forums a few weeks (been couch surfing), I just got settled into my apt finally...thanks for that.

At the same time, I must admit Megan Massacre's contribution to Inked Magazine obliterates what Hardy Marks Publishing has accomplished.
Put the fucking crackpipe down and find someone to teach you something. If an idiot like me can develop somewhat of an eye for tattooing, anyone can. I had no idea what I was doing when I first started getting tattooed (hence, 36 laser removal sessions). However, when Adam Ciferri kept shoving Jerry flash books in my face, I listened. When he strongly suggested I get tattooed by Mike Malone, I did. When he showed me Greg Irons' flash, I looked at it, even though I didn't get it. Ami James? I'm not here to shitbag anyone, but if you asked him to compare his contribution to the evolution of American tattooing to Hardy's, his eyes would look like saucers. They sure as fuck better. Dude's making money. That's it. You see all that aboriginal-derivative "tribal" imagery adorning motorcycle tanks and douchebags' t-shirts? Thank Ed Hardy, Mike Malone, and Leo Zulueta for that. How do I know this? I read it in a Malone interview, in which he bemoaned the fact that no one knows this shit. Ami James is a "tattooer." Ed Hardy is arguably the greatest tattooer in American history. Period.
Wanna see real tattooing? Buy Kuronuma's "Horiyoshi's World." Zeke Owens, Jerry, and Hardy all pored over any 5x7 photo they could get of that guy's shit. He's the greatest tattooer I know of.
I need to leave the coffee alone.

This question stupefies me almost as much as the actual video I watched last night of two nineteen year-old Ukrainian dudes slowly bludgeoning an innocent 48 year-old man to death. (Google "Dnepropetrovsk Maniacs Murder Video", if feeling particularly intrepid.) It disturbed and nauseated me. With all due respect, for Christ's sake, do your homework. Read, study the tattoo aesthetic for a decade or so, then reconsider your question. I personally can't wait for "Tattoo School" to debut. It looks hott and hopeless.

Jaycel, I got the tone of your post and the intention. Although the intention was sincere enough, It's great that you realised, or have started to realise that the principles of most other crafts can seem to be applied but don't translate well to tattooing. Mostly because tattooing is a permanent mark that somebody has to live with and carry with them every day of their life - There is a responsibility that comes with that, although I'm reluctant to discuss it (and other subtleties of tattooing) with non-tattooers as it's easily misunderstood and mis-used by laymen.
The reason any discussion of this type is met with hostility from tattooers is firstly because of the responsibility I mentioned and unlike other crafts, tattooing has magnetic attraction for people who wouldn't involve themselves with any other craft-based endeavour. Many of these people are not prepared to undertake the work necessary to create good tattoos. They are only prepared to do the steps they think are necessary to make sick tats.
Here's the bit that may get me some shit.
Getting an apprenticeship isn't the holy grail. An apprenticeship from a shitty tattooer is worse than no apprenticeship at all.
What's that you say? No good tattooers are prepared to teach you? Well there's a reason for that. That doesn't mean you should let an incompetent fool enable you to become a more inexperienced incompetent fool. This is the part non-tattooers ignore when they spout on and on about 'sticking it out and finding an apprenticeship, doing it the right way' It's not right if you are taught wrongly.
Many many shitty, inexperienced tattooers have an apprentice. Some of those apprentices have a lofty sense of self-worth and think they are 'real' tattooers because they cleaned the toilet of a shitty tattooer for months. Eventually the work you create and the way you conduct your affairs becomes more important then the way you got there.
Mel, I seriously doubt that your dad could make a shitty machine better. Maybe better looking or better constructed, but without knowing how to tattoo, or having a great tattooer teach you. It isn't possible to make a tattoo machine work well.
If someone came to me asking for an apprenticeship with pretend tattoos drawn on a mannequin, I wouldn't take them seriously at all. An apprenticeship isn't an art school mixed media project. There are a million smaller things to learn before you get to that point.
If any budding tattooers/apprentices read this, the important thing to remember is - Never take advice from someone who isn't a tattooer. Even better, don't take advice from someone who isn't teaching you.

I think it begs the question that WHY is this topic you started related to you getting tattooed in the future?
I had similar, or somewhat at least ideas in one topic at tattoodles years ago. Im not bothered to find it but mister Wells put me in my place and smakked some good ol sense into me.
I see people writing stuff about this and that, line weights and stuff, even if they arent a tattoo artist. Not that it matters... But I dont know shit about that kinda stuff and I dont care to know. Like what machine someone uses. As long as it makes a hole, good. When I have gotten tattooed by Sailor Andy, I dont even talk about the tattooing process. Like "what kinda shading and color will you use in that part?". Maybe Im just antisocial or stupid, but I just dont care :)
I care about the history and stuff, but the process, there I am just a another Joe Average who wants to get tattooed and then leaves (after I have payed first and complimented the tattoo, of course.)

They certainly are. I started off with one, now I've got five.
I couldn't agree more about neutering.
Heres a typical evening with my wife.

Casper is currently living with me.
Sleep mode..

Took this one while he was yawning. Kinda scary looking..

Jeff Cribb is a great dude!

I can see that. Luckily he's stuck with music, which has no creepy hero worship factor. :D

Has anyone ever thought maybe the reason Dann Higgs doesnt want anything to do with tattooing is the crazy Dan Higgs posts and sometimes creepy hero worship like the ones that happen here and everywhere else his name is mentioned. I mean ive never been tattooed by him nor met him, but i would think that its all pretty overwhelming.

Got this from Chad Koeplinger 2 weeks ago in Chicago.

A bunch of tattooers went shark diving for 5 days 2 years ago. Oliver brought some tattoo equiptment, and we all tattooed sharks on each other while the boat was rocking all over the place, and then we all got in wet suits the next day and soaked them in the ocean. The one I did on Oliver got so infected that it's no longer recognizable as a shark. I'll try to find a picture of it.

Sheee'it. I don't even tattoo and I have an apprentice.

Dan, I'm having a hard time figuring out the tone of your message. I hope you aren't trying to imply with the last sentence that tattooing is a more special thing than other trades. I can assure you there are people who feel as strongly about their trade or craft as tattooers do about theirs. There's people who put as much hard work, time, money, etc. into their craft as a tattooer or tattoo apprentice does.

Hey Peter- I think the best thing you could do is to visit a good studio and let the know what you want- they can do the rest. A lot of people think they have to come up with how the tattoo will look, and that's not really true, so don't worry about not knowing how to create anything! They'll know what works, and what looks good.
As for artists in Jersey (NJ, right?), I think everyone else will have a better grasp for who's the best for this, since a lot of people live closer. I like Scott Terry's work, though.

JAllen, if you change "peace out" to "peacethefuckoutthomassss", it's perfect.

I bought some in hollywood that shit's the business!

Really happy to own a drawing of his. My dumbass shoulda spent everything I had in my pockets instead of that machine I never really did like.

i sympathize with her disease and love the "back to black" record from start to finish.

Thank you for this thread, has been lucky to avoid the comments going around about Amy Winehouse. When people are snarky and nasty I remember this monologue by Craig Ferguson about Britney Spears, obviously this is more serious situation, but strikes the right notes, then and now:

I was a bit shocked that she had passed.You wan't to see the happy ending where she get's sober and continues to do what she loves.As a recovering addict myself,it's challenging to stay on the straight and narrow.It's probably more challenging when your famous,and have all that money.But in the end,at least she got to do something she loved,and was able to express her unique talent to the world.

I second this, joe has been patient and helpful in helping me locate great artists close and far

Great post, Perez. All they can do is ask, and all the pros have to do is not answer.

Was worried this would be a negative thread, but relieved that others are bothered by all the negativity. Makes me want to quit the internet.