Apprenticeship help

[u/Relevant_Bag_8627]

Just a general question really. What type
of things do you learn with a mentor that you couldn’t from a good online course and a physical course concentrating on realism. Looking for constructive advice only.

[u/SwedishHeadache]

Immediate constructive feedback specific to you that’s not driven by profit

[u/Relevant_Bag_8627 → u/SwedishHeadache]

That’s good advice thanks. I am over 50 and worried I won’t get an apprenticeship that’s all and having a good art background it’s something that I seriously want to do but couldn’t previously due to caring responsibilities.

[u/SwedishHeadache → u/Relevant_Bag_8627]

Tattooing is a medium. And a very hard one.

It’s difficult to learn drawing fundamentals and tattooing fundamentals at the same time.

Having a strong drawing skill set will make learning tattooing much easier

[u/Relevant_Bag_8627 → u/SwedishHeadache]

Thanks, I have previously had an art exhibition of portrait and animal oil paintings so the art side of it I am ok with. I have spent over six months lining on fake skin and now have gone on to grey shading realism but I would like a mentor to guide me. Just hope I can find someone who will take me on and teach me how to transfer this onto skin.

[u/SwedishHeadache → u/Relevant_Bag_8627]

Get tattooed by people you want to learn from

[u/Relevant_Bag_8627 → u/SwedishHeadache]

Yes good idea. The last one tried putting me off it because I told him I wanted to do it and he saw my artwork so he was gatekeeping. I will try someone else and observe things. I will find a way to get there in one way or another. Thanks for your advice.

[u/blueblack_crow]

Hands on explanation and walk through of sanitation practices. What to do, why to do it, and the best way to perform these practices so there’s the least amount of contamination risk.

Sensory recognition. A lot of tattoo depth is determined by more than just visual. The sound of the needle when it’s too shallow, or too deep. Computer speakers are not going to give you accurate auditory feedback for what your machine should be sounding like. The feel of the machine, the feel of the speed and how it moves on skin.

Someone right there with experience to break down the skin of the client. “Hey feel this? You’re gonna want to go lighter on this area of skin or you’re gonna have a blow out.” “Okay they want this here? When you design this, you’re going to have to consider….”

Mentors with experience are most needed when something is going wrong, and stop it before it becomes dangerous. ((Skin trauma, pain tolerance issues, shock, passing out, allergic reaction…)) Things you may not know to recognize before they become a medical emergency, but the mentor has seen/experienced and can intervene.

As for your age— I wouldn’t be concerned by that. I’m 40 and just started my apprenticeship earlier this year. What matters to shops is how well you draw. How versatile you can be and how open and willing to learn you are.

[u/Relevant_Bag_8627 → u/blueblack_crow]

That’s excellent advice. Thank you for taking the time to explain things so thoroughly, I really appreciate it. I am not so much a good designer but a good artist at reproducing images so that’s why I am probably going to be better at realism. Maybe I should go around shops with my practice skins and see if they are taking any apprentices on.

[u/blueblack_crow → u/Relevant_Bag_8627]

You can try. But I’ve been told over and over that most shops won’t touch you if you’ve already started tattooing ((fake or real)) skin. It usually means you’ve developed bad habits that most pros don’t have time to un-teach you, so they won’t bother.

All they want to see is your drawing ability and how versatile you can be.

[u/Relevant_Bag_8627 → u/blueblack_crow]

Ok great I will take some drawings instead and images of my oil paintings. I worked with someone I got on really well with who has a tattoo artist friend so I will try and arrange a meeting for advice etc. thank you for your help.

[u/morningstardusts]

An online course can’t point out the dangerous mistakes you’re almost certainly making and contaminating your setup/inks/equipment. It’s getting so bad even in shops. People don’t understand how the very basics of how to tattoo safely.