Passionate Artist

[Avia316]

I am a photographer that does the kids picture day photos at schools. I am interested in getting into the world of tattooing and would like to someday to become a tattoo artist. I am currently on the road of trying to procure a apprenticeship, yet i have not applied for one yet I am still reading all that i can. I have books, magazines, and watching videos. I do not have any equipment so those of you that are chomping at the bit to start screaming SCRATCHER! I am not, I am doing drawings, paintings and trying to rebuild my portfolio. In 2011 my home was flooded and I lost the portfolio i had spent my high school, and college years working on. It was very disappointing but I am taking this opportunity to work harder and produce better work.

I truly love art and always have, my first tattoo was not a horrible experience but it was not the best. I went to a shop, met with an artist and showed him a design that I loved. A tribal rendition of a seahorse, my celtic zodiac animal (I'm part Irish and very spiritual). An apprentice did my tattoo, the lines are not clean, their is scarring so the black isn't solid, and it took her three hours for a three by one inch tattoo. I still love it and it stands as an example of what i need to learn to not make the same mistakes. I am currently designing two tattoos for myself one of orcas across my left collarbone and another of a dragon or celtic knot at the base of my neck, not sure which i want yet, I am going to play with an idea of maybe combining them.

I have took Visual Communication: Graphic Design and Printing in college and Learned enormous amounts about typography, color theory and art. I really miss those classes and being able to critique with others. If anybody has an questions for me please shoot me a message, I will do my best to answer any I get, and of course would love any advice folks have to offer.

[Iwar]

Welcome to the forum!

I must ask though, why are you designing your own tattoos? There are so many great tattooers in your area, so why not leave that part to a professional? And why do you want it on your neck of all places?

[Avia316]

Well I am an artist after all and I think there is something deeply personal about designing your own tattoo. I want it at the base of my neck between my shoulder blades, I can hide it if i want or show it off. The artists in my area inspire me to be a better artist and to encourage myself to grow. The process of drawing, designing, and planning is a wonderful kind of therapy. Also I live in Upstate NY not the City, there are some great artists in the area but nothing like NYC.

[tatB]

Also I live in Upstate NY not the City, there are some great artists in the area but nothing like NYC.

Don't settle. Travel to NYC if you like the NYC artists more than what is locally available.

[Avia316]

I go to NYC once and a while but I am a country girl at heart, I like the quiet. NYC is too loud, noisy, rude, and crazy for me. I keep an eye out at the talent and try to learn from them, see what works, what doesn't, what i like and what i don't. I have found my artistic style with black ink, watercolor, and colored pencil. The internet gives me a window into new art without having to go to NYC.

[tatB]

cool, which tattooers are you into right now?

[Avia316]

I am really into Diane Lange, at Moonlight Tattoo right now. I love her use of color, and unique approach on her tattoos. Plus the fact that she is a woman in a male dominated field is inspiring.

[tatB]

Do you follow any of the female artists at Saved?

michelle-tarantelli

stephanie-tamez

virginia-elwood

tamara-santibanez

Or Rose Hardy at Kings Ave?

[Fala]

What tattoo styles speak most to you? Do you have a firm grasp of how those styles are put together, drawn, etc?

Wendy Pham was just here in NYC

Ashley Love is at Adorned

Michelle Myles is at Daredevil

Gill Gold is at Flyrite

Nicole Lopez de Quintana and Tasha Rubinow are at Three Kings

[Avia316]

I love the clean lines and deep meaning of the tribal tattoos. For me those are deeply spiritual. I am still learning the different styles of tattoo and what makes each unique, I can recognize the styles, but I am still exploring creating images in each of them. Tribal images are by far the easiest for me to draw but I have been experimenting with my own twist on bio-mechanical with things such as butterflies, bugs, and scorpions. Right now i drawing anything and everything in my sketch book. I took my husband to the doctor the other day and they had a skull in the room so I took that opportunity to do some sketches in my sketchbook. I do a lot of practice sketches and design explorations in my sketchbook and once I like what I have produced, I polish it and either do a final sketch on bristol or illistration board with watercolor, prismacolor pencils and ink. I will add those artists to my explorations , I think I have looked at a few of them before but I have a bad habit of getting caught up in what i'm looking at and forgetting to make a note of who i am looking at.

[Pleadco]

Well I am an artist after all and I think there is something deeply personal about designing your own tattoo. I want it at the base of my neck between my shoulder blades, I can hide it if i want or show it off. The artists in my area inspire me to be a better artist and to encourage myself to grow. The process of drawing, designing, and planning is a wonderful kind of therapy. Also I live in Upstate NY not the City, there are some great artists in the area but nothing like NYC.

You could probably get your design tattoo'd on you by a random shmo, but I venture that you will learn a heck of a lot more by getting something designed by any of the great artists already listed in this thread. It will most assuredly be a humbling experience that will help you understand what it means to not only be a good artist, but a good Tattoo artist.

Welcome to the forums!

[Avia316]

I have been thinking about that too. There are a few artists in binghamton who are really amazing who I have been toying with the idea of asking to design and tattoo me.

[Fala]

You should also check out Deb Yarian, Junii, Jill Bonny and subscribe to Things and Ink magazine. And, of course, get tattooed by great artists so you learn from how they work.

[Avia316]

I have a subscription to inked magazine and have been researching my local shops I want to know all I can about a studio before I go to it