TAU vs Scratchers

[Tatanium2012]

I had become aware of TAU (Tattoo Artist United) awhile back after seeing a post of one the videos educating the public about scratchers. I was intrigued by this because it is something I have thought about needing to happen for sometime now. In my area in america scratchers are a common issue, and i assume it's an issue in other parts of the world aswell. It gets old dealig with folks coming in with scratcher work along with the scratcher perspective of tattooing. The thing i hate the most is best explained by an example......the other day a guy walks in asking a price on a portrait. After telling him he responded with "seriously!? I got this portrait of my mom from my brother doing it with a homemade gun on his kitchen table and it only cost me a 12pack of beer and 4 packs of cigarettes." As he was saying this he was showing me the most cartoon looking face with no visible shading and nasty looking linework. That helped me realize more of how bad scratching has got, when people think that crap is good quality, and dont understand why studios who got overhead and had dedicated there lives to putting out quality work are charging more than the value of beer and cigarettes.

What are your opinions on TAU and/or scratchers in general?

[slayer9019]

From when I talked to people who scratch or have some scratcher stuff on them, they seem to be the type that wouldn't have gotten a tattoo from a good artist anyway. Price is almost 100% of the reason for getting it anyway. It's like me and home décor, I could give a shit for the most part as long as it works and is cheap, but the big difference is I don't have to wear my shitty couch on my body forever.

[Colored Guy]

We have a number of local scratchers around here doing shitass work for low buck$. I think there may be some status among younger people having real cheap work done on them. And they find this acceptable. I just think they know jack about what a good tattoo really is.

Rob

[slayer9019]

We have a number of local scratchers around here doing shitass work for low buck$. I think there may be some status among younger people having real cheap work done on them. And they find this acceptable. I just think they know jack about what a good tattoo really is.

Rob

Or kids just want the cheapest, fastest coverage. Like buying an outfit....

[Brock Varty]

In my experience it is purely a money thing.

[David Flores]

That Tattoo Artist United, looks like amateur hour. Nobody likes a scratcher, but usually the people who form groups like this, do about the same quality of work and are competing for business with scratchers. Obviously most tattooers wouldn't recommend get tattooed out of someone's house, but most are too busy making a living to worry about what the kid tattooing out of his house is doing. Not to mention they understand it's not a problem that can be solved. It would be like a Michelin star restaurant starting a campaign against McDonalds. I am not saying that it's not a good idea to educate people about good tattoos, but I think forums like the one we are on do a much better job because they focus on good tattooing and try to minimize bad tattooing. It's really all about distancing yourself. Posting pictures of shitty work on facebook doesn't make the health department do their job any better What kind of group about quality tattooing can't even come up with a decent logo. This leads me to believe the group isn't even run by tattooers.

[jayessebee]

i hate tattoo activism

[CultExciter]

I have no opinion.

[irezumi]

the comments there are priceless.

User44468

so sence I just tattoo myelf and the wife am I considered a "scratcher" I dont tatto other people just because I dont have the exsperience or the license, Its hard to find a apprenticeship when u are trying to support 2 babys and a family, the cheapest place I've found is $10,000 and thats not one of the most reputal places

User44699

User44468 i feel you on this.. i tattoo my self and my close friedns and will never go above my level i know im capable of... i do not charge any one for the ink and im under my uncles wing who has been a professional tattooist for around 24 years.... soooo am i considered a scratcher?? i have massive passion for the industrie and im working hard to achive what i know i can.. the respect i have for the pros is unreal...

Wiccan420

wow TAU, what the fuk, i garauntee you were considered a scratcher when you firet started tattooing, who the fuk do you think we all got started, i have at least 7 years of hold and running a tattoo gun, you gonna call me a scratcher? i started out tattooing in prison, where you really dont want to fuk up someines ink.yea i hear you about the phonys, those that tatt without the love, this is not just some "new" fad that has just come out. it has beed around sence the cave men.and it should be treated with respect. but to you. i say this. if you stop all the socalled "scratchers" how will any one get new ideas,and how would the tradisions live on.

[Graeme]

I'm reading George Burchett's memoir right now and he talks about scratchers. Phil Sparrow, in his book, talks about them too. They've always existed, always will, and it's more useful to promote good tattooing than trying to stamp out the shitty stuff.

[lving4today]

Love that spelling. American tradisional y'all

[Our Endless Days]

From when I talked to people who scratch or have some scratcher stuff on them, they seem to be the type that wouldn't have gotten a tattoo from a good artist anyway. Price is almost 100% of the reason for getting it anyway. It's like me and home décor, I could give a shit for the most part as long as it works and is cheap, but the big difference is I don't have to wear my shitty couch on my body forever.

i was talking to my girlfriend about this recently and I think that you could say this about pretty much every aspect of life. Most everyday people don’t take the time to educate themselves about most things ie good music, books, tv, movies, art, really anything. People are just impatient, and, to be quite frankly, willfully ignorant. How many regular, everyday individuals will consider what you hear on the radio as what music has to offer? If you’re not willing to broaden your horizon, you’ll most likely be left with bland shit. the sad part is that the internet makes it so much easier to do research and find your niche, and people still don’t.

my younger brother lives in long island. He goes to some shit shop out there for his tattoos. His tattoos, for the most part, are straight up garbage. I try to point him in the right direction of quality tattooers and shops, but he just doesn’t want to listen. For him, he’d rather go around the corner to some schmohawk tattooer than travel an hour to get tattooed by someone in NYC. He also doesn’t want to pay the cost of getting tattooed by someone in NYC. I went with him when he got tattooed once by said tattooer. I was blown away by how shitty this dude made my brothers tattoo look. Again, I tried talking to him and talking him out of it, but he just wouldn’t listen. He straight up thought he was getting a quality tattoo.

[Hogrider]

Love that spelling. American tradisional y'all

wut iz rong wit hes spelin?

[Tatanium2012]

After reading all the replies it has indeed opened my eyes to a new perspective on Scratchers. It's something i guess all tattooers will just have to cope with since there's no real way to not only get the general public/tattoo receivers but especially getting the scratchers to understand the dangers, and quality one would receive or give. And when i speak about scratchers, I'm not speaking about people starting out and learning from a professional. I'm not speaking about the guy making his way in prison tattooing. And I'm not talking about tattooers who have experience and set up shop in their home for whatever reason. (depending on how they do it and not regarding that person's skill). I'm talking about the people tattooing without knowing crap about it but do it anyways because the have dollar signs in their eyes. I've never done surgery, so are you going to see me pick up a scalpel and get the equipment and cut into someone and try to perform a breast implant, or liposuction. Hell no! so why would a person think it's ok to put ink into people without learning the safe and artistic way to do so? I guess quality tattooers will have to keep doing cover-ups and doctors will need to keep treating blood borne diseases like MRSA as a result of tattoos done unprofessionally.