Tattooers with little to no tattoos

[heathenist]

hahaha what a joke..

Took the words right out of my mouth.

[ksp2001]

Sure I look at an artist’s portfolio, but it’s not until I actually meet them, that I become committed to getting tattooed by them. It’s that first impression that matters to me, and it would be a red flag if they didn’t have tattoos.

Everyone tattoo artist I’ve worked with has had more tattoos then me, and I respect that.

[EricB]

I'm def not covered but I tattoo, I have my chest done left shoulded and a ton on my legs which are covered up in the winter. I just don't have the kind of money I need to get the ones I want. Plus being in MA theres only a handful of artists that I want to get tatted by. I totally agree with everyone on here though. If you are a tattooer then you should have tattoos, the best way to learn and gain experience is from getting tattooed. It also helps us understand what are cleint is going through. So we can better address pain management problems when needed.

[Juan Carlos Carvajal]

Can't trust a skinny chef, I am not heavily tattooed and when I did get a shot at a good shop it was the first thing they brought up. They are absolutely right! I know of a couple of artists that are amazing artists, but have never been tattooed before picking up a tattoo machine, why don't they just oil paint or do something else. I have always been fascinated with tattoos as a kid. I would make homemade tattoo spinners, did some letters on my stomach, and later got tattooed at shops just twice pre-tattooing. I thought of those guys as some of the coolest mofos out there! I have always liked the look and the people, I wanted to be part of that community but didn't know how. I knew to be heavily tattooed you have to have a skill, a career because people still judge and will close doors on how you look. So to be heavily tattooed and thinking of a career as a kid was out of the question. I wasn't exposed to good tattoos, and then the only mags were Flash and International, and the homeboys I hung around with had the majority their tattoos done in prison. So I was and am not in a rush to get tattooed, I have a whole arm of patches some good tattoos and some not so great, my left arm is almost completely clean, and just now I finally know what I want to get. It's lame I know, but I understand. It's no excuse, but a friend told me once you have your whole lifetime to get tattooed, take it easy. I have a couple tattoos I regret, but that's life and I love those tattoos because of that. At one point in your life you thought that was cool. But I DO WANT TO SAVE ROOM FOR TATTOOS I REALLY WANT!! And barely I'm getting to know of some tattooers I really want work from them. ( Setted up an appointment with Casey Corlic, backpiece Kirin. Backed down because of a tattoo infection I had at the time. ) If it's a guy whose barley starting off and has a few tattoos its cool, they want to be part of the community, and eventually will be covered. Thats part of the whole adventure! But if its a kid who has no tattoos at all, and is tattooing or wants to tattoo that's LAME! I'm glad to be in this community but you have to give back and not just take. And if I had a little more money I would be getting tattooed every other week.

[Jason Lee]

just to put my two cents in, I am what you would consider lightly tattooed for a tattoo artist, but as an artist that has seen what is available out there, i dont want to fill my canvas with joe shmoe nobodies that do half ass work, which seems to be the majority of the people im surrounded by. I dont work in a busy shop, i dont have buttloads of money, i devote my time to my shop instead of working a side job, and i live in the midwest without the time or funds to travel. Someday i hope to change some of that but in the meantime im more than happy to be lightly tattooed. That just gives me the space to get stuff done when i get to start going to conventions and meeting some of my tattoo heroes. And on a side note, not trying to say the midwest doesnt have some good artists, just none within a short drive that i know of, and i have no funds to pay any of them anyways.

[David Flores]

just to put my two cents in, I am what you would consider lightly tattooed for a tattoo artist, but as an artist that has seen what is available out there, i dont want to fill my canvas with joe shmoe nobodies that do half ass work, which seems to be the majority of the people im surrounded by. I dont work in a busy shop, i dont have buttloads of money, i devote my time to my shop instead of working a side job, and i live in the midwest without the time or funds to travel. Someday i hope to change some of that but in the meantime im more than happy to be lightly tattooed. That just gives me the space to get stuff done when i get to start going to conventions and meeting some of my tattoo heroes. And on a side note, not trying to say the midwest doesnt have some good artists, just none within a short drive that i know of, and i have no funds to pay any of them anyways.

Having the desire to get tattooed I think is the most important part of this argument. I picture the guy with no tattoos who tattoos being the guy who thinks his tattoos are better than everyone's and he has nothing to learn from other people. Having people you look up to in tattooing, and knowing who those people are and aren't are just as important as having tattoos. I would say however that I think there is a lot to learn from getting tattooed by people who have mastered the art, and have seen many people improve their work, merely by getting tattooed by better people. But if there isn't people around that can teach you stuff, then I wouldn't get tattooed either, however the thought of living in a town without good tattooers sounds like a nightmare and not a place I would want to exist in.

[Jason Lee]

I dont want to give the impression that there are no good artists in the area, just that im new to the area and havent had a chance to find any. with that said, if anyone knows of good artists around des moines, pls let me know.

[Dustin Davis]

If someone is "interested" in tattooing, then they're gonna get one... If they're really into it they're gonna get a bunch more, period. That's how you learn anything. There's always exceptions to the rule, but with this thing you have to have them to understand them....looking down five years later shows what is going to work and what won't . You don't just do it and hope for the best...

[Joe Shit]

I dont want to give the impression that there are no good artists in the area, just that im new to the area and havent had a chance to find any. with that said, if anyone knows of good artists around des moines, pls let me know.

Iron Heart Tattoo Sacred Diamond Tattoos O'Tool Custom Tattoo

Electric Heart https://www.facebook.com/carrie.black.tattoo

[Rhapsody831]

I would rather be tattooed by someone with tattoos

[KeithReed]

Half of the whole tattoo experience is GETTING TATTOOED! If you leave that out you will never understand. Most of my best tattoo experiences were on the customer side of things. I wouldnt trade those times or tattoos for anything regardless of whether or not those tattoos are dated now. Thats what made me the tattooer and person I am today. Not an abstract "love" of tattooing but actually taking part in it for the last 20 years. Its fine with me if you do not love tattooing enough to get tattooed, just dont expect any respect from those of us who do.

100% The best response. It is about the experience. You learn, you meet people, and you make memories that will last forever. You can get a great tattoo, words of wisdom, or just a good time. Few people understand what tattooers go through daily so it is nice to sit with someone that does and share it. You can get tattooed by someone twice your age or half your age but there is a common ground and bond. It is mind boggling to me that a tattooer wouldn't want to have these experiences. If you are in it, then be a part of it.

[McCaul]

Before I knew anything about tattooing, and was at my 1st apprenticeship. My mentor had half sleeves, and said he'd never get visible tattoos. I always thought it was a little odd, but thought no big deal. I later learned that it was a money machine for him, he had no care for the art. After he was done for the day, tattooing wasn't in his life. I learned that he was the wrong person for me to learn from, for various reasons. I have since found a much better shop and am happy where I am (Sorry for the offtrack ending). I DO think tattooers with little to no tattoos CAN produce good work, but I would rather be tattooed by someone who really knows what it's like...and has dedicated themselves to the craft.... my 0.02

- - - Updated - - -

Before I knew anything about tattooing, and was at my 1st apprenticeship. My mentor had half sleeves, and said he'd never get visible tattoos. I always thought it was a little odd, but thought no big deal. I later learned that it was a money machine for him, he had no care for the art. After he was done for the day, tattooing wasn't in his life. I learned that he was the wrong person for me to learn from, for various reasons. I have since found a much better shop and am happy where I am (Sorry for the offtrack ending). I DO think tattooers with little to no tattoos CAN produce good work, but I would rather be tattooed by someone who really knows what it's like...and has dedicated themselves to the craft.... my 0.02

[rocketfish344]

I don't know much about the tattooing world. I'm thinking about getting a couple pretty soon here. any input / advice would be helpful.

[spyro]

I would, if i saw good work.. You don't need to be inked to be able to ink.

Betoven couldn't hear, and he could play music. I could not eat steak but cook a mean steak. I could be able to drive but not own a car. Shall i go on?

[Scott R]

I would, if i saw good work.. You don't need to be inked to be able to ink.

Betoven couldn't hear, and he could play music. I could not eat steak but cook a mean steak. I could be able to drive but not own a car. Shall i go on?

you could be missing the point but still list meaningless ones

[Brock Varty]

I would, if i saw good work.. You don't need to be inked to be able to ink.

Betoven couldn't hear, and he could play music. I could not eat steak but cook a mean steak. I could be able to drive but not own a car. Shall i go on?

Absolutely none of the "situations" or "examples" you listed work in the context we are talking about here. None of those involve or require a connection or deeply personal bond. There are mountains of reasons that tattooing and tattoos are about much more than what you see. There are things you feel when you are part of a tattoo connection that you can't get from anything else. It is a kind of brotherhood that you can only be a part if you share that bond with someone. You are not capable of giving a deeply personal experience if you have never experienced that with someone tattooing you. It is an absolute and non-negotiable fact of tattooing. Tattooers need tattoos. Period.

[Jepollock]

I liken being tattooed by someone without tattoos to being led into combat by an untrained civilian. First off, when you are a soldier, and I was one for 6 years, you want your leaders and battle buddies to have the most training possible. An artist with little or no tattoos has little or no "training" IMO. Secondly, there is an unspoken bond that soldiers have through their shared experiences that civilians can't understand. It's the same when an artist is tattooed, the tattooed artist knows what you're about to endure, you share that bond with him/her.

[Kurse]

Maybe it's a perfectionist personality thing. Perhaps these artists just don't trust anyone else to do exactly what they want... too anal?

Recently my husband and his crew of old friends got together and planned to get matching tattoos to remember the ol' days. They got the graphic designer in the group to draw up the basic design. 4 of them went and saw the tattooer we normally use. He drew the design up and tweaked it a bit to be his own. Well needless to say the GD friend who originally designed the tattoo still hasn't gone down to get it done... because it's not quite what he wants. But he's an artist and he clearly wants it a certain way.

Anyway, what I'm getting at is maybe some of these tattooers who dont have any tat's are just really anal, picky perfectionists?

[slayer9019]

Maybe it's a perfectionist personality thing. Perhaps these artists just don't trust anyone else to do exactly what they want... too anal?

Recently my husband and his crew of old friends got together and planned to get matching tattoos to remember the ol' days. They got the graphic designer in the group to draw up the basic design. 4 of them went and saw the tattooer we normally use. He drew the design up and tweaked it a bit to be his own. Well needless to say the GD friend who originally designed the tattoo still hasn't gone down to get it done... because it's not quite what he wants. But he's an artist and he clearly wants it a certain way.

Anyway, what I'm getting at is maybe some of these tattooers who dont have any tat's are just really anal, picky perfectionists?

My opinion is if a person doesn't get tattoos because they are too picky, they are just making excuses to not get tattooed, which is fine, it's not for everyone. My sisters are both artists. My older sister is a Art Director and very picky. She has two tattoos, that yes did take a lot of direction but still got done. My younger sister is still trying to get that "perfect" tattoo aka not ready yet.

[smiling.politely]

Maybe it's a perfectionist personality thing. Perhaps these artists just don't trust anyone else to do exactly what they want... too anal?

Recently my husband and his crew of old friends got together and planned to get matching tattoos to remember the ol' days. They got the graphic designer in the group to draw up the basic design. 4 of them went and saw the tattooer we normally use. He drew the design up and tweaked it a bit to be his own. Well needless to say the GD friend who originally designed the tattoo still hasn't gone down to get it done... because it's not quite what he wants. But he's an artist and he clearly wants it a certain way.

Anyway, what I'm getting at is maybe some of these tattooers who dont have any tat's are just really anal, picky perfectionists?

slayer answered the question perfectly, but i have a thought to add. as someone who knows graphic designers, i know many get very frustrated, very quickly, when their clients won't listen to their suggestions and take advice on what they, as experts, know will work better. if that friend is anything like that, then he needs to realize tattooers feel exactly the same way. sometimes, people need to understand that they don't know better than the person they're hiring to do a job for them, and understand that it's generally for their own benefit.

[Gregor]

Tattooers should be tattooed bottom line !! I'm not getting any work by anyone who doesn't care enough to get tattooed . You can't justify it lol.

[rocketfish344]

hm not sure. i agree somewhat.