Soon starting a tattoo course any tips appreciated.

[Brunovc]

I am soon starting a course on tattooing which includes health standards, theory, machine tuning, techniques, proper tattooing form and everything to do with the art. I feel this will prepare me for an apprenticeship so I don't go in with no idea. I thought joining a forum would give me a good start and help me to learn from more professionals. I welcome any advice but what I'm really having trouble with atm is picking a good starting machine since one is required for the course. I don't want anything super professional and nothing crappy, a good first tattoo machine, if you know any reliable online stores or anything really would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for taking the time to read this.

[SeeSea]

Welcome! You'll find that talking about specific machines or techniques is not tolerated on the boards. Please read the forum rules. But you'll find lots of other great stuff here!

Do not start threads asking about specific tattooing equipment or techniques, LST is not here to teach anyone how to tattoo. Ask your own tattooer, the next time you are getting tattooed. Maybe they'll answer you, maybe they won't.

Last Sparrow Tattoo - Forum Rules

[CultExciter]

Hate to break it to you, but that sounds like nothing more than a way for someone to get your money with no guarantees for your future. Spend your money on getting tattooed.

[Brunovc]

well then guess I'll have to find the info elsewhere, it gives me a license that allows me to open my own shop and I was recommended there by a shop owner, but rules are rules. guess i'll just ask the tattoo artist teaching the course. Mod can close this thread if you want i'm off.

[JimmyS]

hahah love it, every time they dont get the answer they were looking for they bounce, classic LST

[SeeSea]

hahah love it, every time they dont get the answer they were looking for they bounce, classic LST

That gives you an idea how they will fare in the long term. If they feel that nothing else is useful here, even the "biggest complaints" thread for some perspective on artist/client relationships, or http://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/general-tattoo-discussion/2396-what-makes-good-tattoo.html, they are not someone I'd be interested in being tattooed by.

[The Tig]

Having been a member of many different types of forums for almost 15 years, I must admit I've never seen one with such odd rules such as this one about not discussing the very equipment people may use to make a living, or for those interested in what is being used on their skin. Hell, you can't even mention hourly rates or tip amounts?

I can see why so many well intentioned people are run off.

[pidjones]

I can see why so many well intentioned people are run off.

You want to see a forum with people run off? Try thetattooforum. Seems to be set up just so about a dozen regulars can berate new folks and run them off. Only a few survive that are not in their click. I've deleted links to them in my browsers. Folks on LST are generally gentle with new folks, but if they don't read the rules and jump right in breaking them and dissing the forum...

BTW, what course gives someone a license to open their own shop?

[Tornado6]

Oh, Google turns up several interesting results. ;)

Some of them are even in the US...

[The Tig]

You want to see a forum with people run off? Try thetattooforum. Seems to be set up just so about a dozen regulars can berate new folks and run them off. Only a few survive that are not in their click. I've deleted links to them in my browsers. Folks on LST are generally gentle with new folks, but if they don't read the rules and jump right in breaking them and dissing the forum...

Sorry if my post sounded the wrong way, but I' guess I'm more confused than anything, especially about the reasons behind certain rules. I'm sure there are trade secrets that artists want to protect, but some of the culture can be unique compared to most others.

[hogg]

Sorry if my post sounded the wrong way, but I' guess I'm more confused than anything, especially about the reasons behind certain rules. I'm sure there are trade secrets that artists want to protect, but some of the culture can be unique compared to most others.

This forum was started by a professional tattooer, which should give you some insight into certain rules.

I appreciate everyone's civil responses in this particular thread.

[joakim urma]

I'm waiting for @Graeme to step in with his righteous fury, sparks flying and banhammer at the ready

[Graeme]

I'm waiting for @Graeme to step in with his righteous fury, sparks flying and banhammer at the ready

I have enough going on in my life at the moment that I'm not going to waste any effort on morons. Though if the person running the "school" mentioned by the OP suffered some unfortunate calamity that caused severe and permanent damage to his or her hands, I wouldn't be very upset about that.

[Dan]

You want to see a forum with people run off? Try thetattooforum. Seems to be set up just so about a dozen regulars can berate new folks and run them off. Only a few survive

IMO that's true with any of the online "tattoo" discussion forums,I have been involved with online discussion forums of a wide variety for many years and of the 4 tattoo related forums I know of,running off new members with rudeness is the common theme, Graeme here is a perfect example of that.for some reason he gets a free pass to do it.anyway,I see that rude crappy attitude at all the tattoo related online forums I have looked at.I belong to 4 of them.

[SeeSea]

....

Chill. We know how you feel about @Graeme. Let it go - be part of the solution. Get Great Tattoos!

[Dan]

Chill. We know how you feel about @Graeme. Let it go - be part of the solution. Get Great Tattoos!

LOL you chill,we all know how Graeme is to people here,I don't need to chill,do you say let it go to him ? I am as much entitled to my opinion as you or anyone here is ! we all know how you feel about me ! so maybe you need to chill sweetie. I have not said anything more than you or Graeme have ever said here,(which is our opinions and thoughts) you sure do seem to come after me for anything non hallmark I ever say here.

LOL I'm not the only one that says their opinion ,you sure did seem to ignore this one and all his I have seen like this in the past LOL

I'm waiting for @Graeme to step in with his righteous fury, sparks flying and banhammer at the ready

[SeeSea]

! so maybe you need to chill sweetie.

Oh grow up for god's sake. Everything is fine and then there is another verbal vomit out of you. I have seen more rudeness out of you than a majority of people here.

Let. It. Go. SMH.

Let me try again, to everyone here:

GET GREAT TATTOOS!!!

[Synesthesia]

Damn people, tattooing has enough drama with all the reality show bullshit, can we just not bring that crap onto the forums? You don't like each other (or at least one of you doesn't the other), fine, I really don't care. I'm sick of it being brought up all the time. Just ignore each other. This is the best tattoo forum I've found and I don't want it to dissolve into petty fussin' and feudin'.

To the OP, if you're even still around (sounds like you didn't like people saying you shouldn't take a shortcut and you ran off), this course sounds like a horrible idea. The best way to learn about tattoos is to get tattooed. Find a shop, hang out there a lot, get a lot of work done there, and maybe you'll get a foothold in the business through an apprenticeship. I can't imagine anyone would want to take on someone who started their career this way, and I think in the long run, it'll just be limiting to you. In the meantime, just work on drawing and studying tattoos. Build up a good portfolio while you're making connections and don't fuck up anyone's skin in the meantime.

As for the forum rules, I don't question it. I don't really need to know all the details of the profession. Tattoos are expensive, hurt, and require a lot of time and skill. That's all I need to know as a customer. If you're going to not get tattooed just because a forum won't tell you how much so-and-so charges per hour or how much their backpiece cost, that's just pretty sad. I really think it's unnecessary.

[Iwar]

Damn people, tattooing has enough drama with all the reality show bullshit, can we just not bring that crap onto the forums? You don't like each other (or at least one of you doesn't the other), fine, I really don't care. I'm sick of it being brought up all the time. Just ignore each other. This is the best tattoo forum I've found and I don't want it to dissolve into petty fussin' and feudin'.

To the OP, if you're even still around (sounds like you didn't like people saying you shouldn't take a shortcut and you ran off), this course sounds like a horrible idea. The best way to learn about tattoos is to get tattooed. Find a shop, hang out there a lot, get a lot of work done there, and maybe you'll get a foothold in the business through an apprenticeship. I can't imagine anyone would want to take on someone who started their career this way, and I think in the long run, it'll just be limiting to you. In the meantime, just work on drawing and studying tattoos. Build up a good portfolio while you're making connections and don't fuck up anyone's skin in the meantime.

As for the forum rules, I don't question it. I don't really need to know all the details of the profession. Tattoos are expensive, hurt, and require a lot of time and skill. That's all I need to know as a customer. If you're going to not get tattooed just because a forum won't tell you how much so-and-so charges per hour or how much their backpiece cost, that's just pretty sad. I really think it's unnecessary.

THIS!

[The Tig]

So I'm to believe that I'm the first one to walk into this place and ask what the fuck is going on?

As for the forum rules, I don't question it. I don't really need to know all the details of the profession. Tattoos are expensive, hurt, and require a lot of time and skill. That's all I need to know as a customer. If you're going to not get tattooed just because a forum won't tell you how much so-and-so charges per hour or how much their backpiece cost, that's just pretty sad. I really think it's unnecessary.

What we have here is failure to communicate. I'm not sure why you read into my post and put new meaning to my words. At no time did anything closely resemble:

If you're going to not get tattooed just because a forum won't tell you how much so-and-so charges per hour or how much their backpiece cost, that's just pretty sad.

I am simply wondering why all the draconian rules that resemble Free Mason secrecy is about, and not a single person will come close to explaining the reasoning of such rules. If you don't know, that's fine. To provide cryptic answers like

This forum was started by a professional tattooer, which should give you some insight into certain rules.

just deepens the mysterious it is all magic and don't dare ask culture. Sorry, I'm not that simple of a person. I'm not wanting to know any secret details or enter the sacred society of tattoo artists club, but when the rules make absolutely no sense, I have to ask about them and not blindly accept them like sheeple.

Talk about what is unnecessary?

[marley mission]

always hate to see threads like this originate because the OP always takes off and leave a dust storm of stuff like this behind - its well established here (on this forum) what the focus is - getting tattoos and sharing the awesomeness of it - sure there are off shoots of this general theme but i think when you see a thread like this develop the best thing to do is leave it go

all forums have their uniqueness of the forbidden or taboo topics / discussion so this one is no different - i quite like it and to me there are plenty of cool folks on here just sharing all the good stuff about collecting tattoos, etc

anyway - lets put this thread to bed

go have some fun elsewhere on the site - and if you havent watched every interview twice - then what are you doing :)

[Steve]

Closing thread. Please remember to be respectful and courteous towards each other folks. Let's try to avoid arguments and keep things on a positive note around here. Gracias.