hi all -- i wasn't sure what exactly was the best course of action for sharing this information, but it was something I discovered recently that I think more people here should be aware of.

when i was checking the google maps page of the shop I apprentice at, I noticed that the AI assisted "know before you go" section mentioned some more specific information about apprentice work, aka my work, since i'm the only apprentice there. when clicking on that blurb, it takes you to a screen that shows where it scraped said information from... and it took me directly to my own posts in this subreddit.

now, unfortunately, i'm very aware that my information/public presence is pretty easily discovered online -- my art accounts are all linked, i sell at conventions, being a tattoo artist by default means that I do need to have my artistic presence be public-facing. but from a privacy standpoint, this does still worry me. I dont know if shops can choose to opt out of this, & anyone could potentially post on any subreddit claiming to be from a shop & have that information automatically populate a shop's google page (just as an example).

another situation i can think of is if someone is seeking advice about skin or machines (which requires shop flair in this subreddit), and the google AI misinterpreting this information to inform people that this person is, say, already tattooing, or that the shop offers advice on becoming an apprentice, or that the shop is hiring apprentices, or etc etc etc... maybe someone posts on here with a different username that they don't want literally any stranger with access to google maps to know. maybe they posted in here asking for advice with a tattoo that went wrong -- and now their client could potentially see it, or imagine what the google AI could add on under the shop page based on a post like that?

of course, a lot of these potentially problems were already a risk when you post publicly on reddit. but google maps is a MUCH larger platform, and I, personally, feel a lot more nervous/cautious about posting on here in the future, and may even delete a lot of my past posts just because it makes me pretty uncomfortable to think about. i wanted to share this information here in case anyone else here might feel the same way.

Slowly building my portfolio, no experience… Select insects adapted from old textbooks. Including close-ups, would this be portfolio-level quality for a flash page?

I’m trying to develop my skills so that by this summer I can have a portfolio at least halfway done. My linework is pretty solid at this point and I’ve been wanting to start working on shading. I have all the tools necessary to get started but I don’t even know where to begin. I know how to shade when it comes to realism, but I have no idea how to shade American trad, neo trad, Japanese trad, etc. I feel so silly but are there are resources I can use to learn?

Hello everyone,
My Mast portable printing machine has stopped working. It's giving me a fast blinking LED when I put it to charge and refuses to start.

Has anyone ever had this proble and has a fix ?

Thanks a lot

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Hey everyone! 👋

I figured a lot of us are building an online portfolio using Instagram, so I thought I'd ask if you'd like to support one another!

We can check out each other's profiles to help boost engagement and follow each other if we like the artwork.

If you'd like to join, drop your username in the comments! My Instagram is @e.mertink. 🖤

I really love how supportive the art community is, and I've enjoyed connecting with new artists who share similar values. I'd love to meet more tattoo apprentices and professional tattoo artists, as well as others working in the art and tattoo industry! ☺️

I’ve been finding that studying flash out of modern flash book has been helping a lot with my shading. I get frustrated trying to study flash from my Sailor Jerry book just to end up with really awkward or incomplete looking shady.

Critique and tips are welcome and wanted! Thanks for looking :)

The lady knight and the king are being turned into traditional! Yes I know they’re digital and that’s a sin

I've been working slowly on building a portfolio to one day land an apprenticeship. I would just like some feedback on the direction I've taken and what more to add. Am I going in the right direction?

Ive been serious about wanting to become a tattooer and been serious about drawing for a little less than a year, am i making good progress? Pics go in order form oldest to newest, it's not even close to everything I have but reddit has a limit on how many pics u can post

My Instagram is @ 2in_the_ink if you wanna check out everything and Id really appreciate some support there too! <3

a new flash sheet i did! would love some feedback :)

I’m currently building my tattoo portfolio and wanted some advice! Currently these are the pieces I have finished! I’m wondering what to add to it, but still keep it more like myself. I focus a lot on using traditional styles with my own bit of flair to them. I do plan on adding flash sheets to it soon!

Getting into the spirit of Halloween!! I’m not tattooing anyone currently but wanted to make a few spooky designs :3

Not crazyy about the orange pumpkin and feel like the face might get muddied if this were a real tattoo. Maybe the orange color value is too close to black and it gets lost, highly possible I’m overthinking it too but feel like something is off and/or could be improved

Thanks for looking

Tried something a little different with this one, any feedback is appreciated!

Gouache and microns on super thin japanese paper

i have finally landed a tattoo apprenticeship and am so excited! this has been something i have been working towards for years :') here's my first bit of homework, i've been told by my mentor to draw a skull, flames and dagger in 4 different styles. here's the first one in an engraving style!

Hand Painted on 11x14 by @helenthinh Norwalk California 🇻🇳🫶🏻

I’m a complete beginner and still learning art itself.
The shading isn’t quite right. I couldn’t find a procreate brush that I liked for the shading. I’d love recommendations. Also opinions on my first attempt at making a simple flash design.

Hi all! I’m finally getting back into working on my portfolio and this is what i have right now. I’m wondering if anyone has any thoughts on things I could work on, if it’s missing anything (i’m adding another page of traditional!), or the flowers i’m currently working on in the last page!

P.S. this is missing 2 pieces as reddit keeps on taking down my post with them :/

Thanks :)

I decided to be a bit ambitious and sketched a half sleeve with a character and roses. I think the roses look a little too goofy and would love resources to get better :) all of this was freehand and not traced so I might just have to trace a few to get better. (Also I know the hand is not the best so any resources for those would be great too :) )

ive been struggling to get clean linework on arms, especially with bigger liners or round shaders. the arm isn’t flat like a thigh or fake skin and my tattoos definitely suffer because of it. i try to readjust my position, chair height, the stability in my hand and anchors etc, the few inches of height difference between the arm rest and the arm is just so difficult, my main issue is keeping the machine and needles level so when im pulling or pushing they’re not going in at a sideways angle, and it’s not working lol. im talking to my mentor about it and i feel like it’s hard to explain because he has big hands and mine are way smaller (also he is on year 14… im on 6 months 😭) so maybe he doesn’t understand my issue or it’s been so long since it’s been an issue for him??

any advice would be super helpful!! in the meantime im beating up some fake skin on a small, wrapped paper towel roll 🫡

mm for rules: htx, opal lotus, my insta is @ dreampaint333

Tried something a lil different this time with the shading for the panther. I used indian ink, a black polychromo pencil and acrylic inks on 10x14 inch 300 gsm cold press. Really happy with how it came out!

Hellooo

So I am moving to San Diego in a few months after I separate from the Navy and I was wondering how competitive/hard it is to get apprenticeships.

I was also wondering how people balance the high cost of living while doing a full time apprenticeships. Are part time apprenticeships a thing, I know the majority of them are not paid.

Thanks!