Trying to find some community

[MizTea13]

Hi everyone. I've been interested in tattoos and tattooing my whole life! I have studied many facets of tattooing and body modification, and I just can't get enough. I hope that one day I may be able to call myself a professional tattoo artist, and to specialize in surrealistic colour work. At the moment, I continue to self educate and study until I find a Mentor.

Through my journeys of the tattoo industry, I have come to find that the community is not quite as supportive as I would have hoped. I constantly come across so called tattoo artists who will instantly insult you and treat you horribly because you don't subscribe to their vision of tattooing. I have encountered people online and in real life who have out right threatened myself, or told me to go kill myself, over trying to start discussion on sensitive topics. I have also lost a lot of respect for those who tour how apprenticeship is the only way, as no one seems willing to discuss alternatives, and will basically threaten to kill you if you propose otherwise. I want to talk, and gain more information, not be told I'm not worthy and then threatened and insulted. But I digress...

I truly believe the tattoo community suffers because of this certain attitudes that have perpetuated and really do not embody the true tribal roots of tattoo. I hope that I may be able to have some meaningful discussions here with true professionals who wish to educate, not scare people away.

[Graeme]

Hello. This isn't the community you're looking for.

[jen7]

If you find it, shoot me an invite. People get pretty hammered on here.

[SStu]

It's just not responsible to perpetuate "alternatives to apprenticeship" (ie: scratching) at all - but especially on the internet, where literally anybody who can barely read can get "educated" on how to do damage to some other poor soul.

[TrixieFaux]

Get good tattoos.