Broke a sacred trust of my apprenticeship........

[ibewgypsie]

I apprenticed to learn to tattoo. I did the crap jobs around the shop, provided the vehicle and the driving to go to runs. (and provided bodyguard service) When I started you could not buy tattoo equipment unless you had someone National or other shop knowed speak up and got your name on a list as a reputable shop. It was controlled. Nowadays it is about money, anyone with money can buy tattoo supplies.

Artists were mostly old timers who controlled who learned thier art.

In other words I had to kiss butt to learn.

I had a friend pass away, left me all his equipment in a will. I had sold my harley for a cnc machine. I swapped equipment for a harley.

He called me three times asking how to use "said" equipment last night. Customer left after it was started but before tattoo was completed.

I am sick to my stomach. All I can think of is the immortal words of my buddy that passed away. "you should be able to get that covered up anywhere"

It could've been you, or your daughter, or son.

David

[Milacron of PM]

Tattoos have always been such a curiosity to me, and I'm of the generation that should think they are cool.

Man has had a fascination with body art and jewelry since the dawn of humans, but having a tatto in 2004 is like screaming to the world "Look everyone, I'm the same primitive dumbass I was 10,000 years ago ! "

[Mike Graham]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by D. Thomas:
the world "Look everyone, I'm the same primitive dumbass I was 10,000 years ago ! "

</font>

I have always had an arm's-length interest in body art... some of it looks cool, but the thought of what it will look like in 30 or 50 years keeps me from even considering getting a tattoo. I do feel, however, that some events are permanent enough to justify a tattoo as a memento... old war tattoos, for instance, are perfectly valid in my opinion.
I worked with a guy who had a few tattoos, and I asked them if they had a particular meaning.
He said "Yeah, they mean I'm f*cking stupid."

He really looked like he meant it, too.



------------------
Mike Graham
Caledon, ON
http://web.295.ca/mike_graham

[Mike Graham]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by ibewgypsie:
I apprenticed to learn to tattoo.
&lt;snip&gt;
It could've been you, or your daughter, or son.

David</font>

Did you at least tell the guy to go and buy a dozen oranges and practise on *them* instead of practising on humans?



------------------
Mike Graham
Caledon, ON
http://web.295.ca/mike_graham

[pgmrdan]

David,

Don't feel bad about it. The customer also has a responsibility to find out if the tattoo artist knows what he/she is doing before having the work done. That's part of the reason the customer has to be 'of age' to get a tattoo.

[DR]

Geez, the income possibilities in the future for someone who comes up with an inexpensive and effective method of removing tattoos.

Now that it's summer everytime I go into a crowd situation I'm amazed at the large tattoos some of the girls have on their backs and arms. Used to be it was only the slutty skanks with tattoos, now it seems reasonable looking young girls have them too. I even think more girls than guys have them (this conclusion may be because I'm spending more time checking out the girls than guys though).

I don't mind the idea of tattoos it's the permanence that bothers me. Body piercings on resturant wait-persons are what bothers me. For some reason I don't like to be waited on by someone with multiple lip, tongue and nose piercings. If they have a slight cold or sinus allergy problems it's even worse. Those don't have the permanence of tattoos though, if my daughter got more beyond her currrent ear piercings I wouldn't have a problem with that.

My fairly conservative son-in-law has a small, hardly noticeable, unobstrusive tattoo on his ankle from years ago in college. Just recently got a new very good job at a company in the medical field coming into contact with patients. Shorts are allowed at work. But company policy doesn't allow any visible tattoos, so no shorts for him.

[ibewgypsie]

As a friend, I started training Bobby's live in girlfriend to tattoo.

When she started showing promise, he ran her off. He just bought the shop equipment as a investment anyway.

I have gotten in the past Harley basket cases for apprenticing people. I won't do it without a percentage or cash. Not enough time left in my life to give it all away.

Last woman I was training for my shop, she was a recently retired dancer. She was drawing in the customers like a magnet. Unfortunatly she also had her cocaine habit on board. I could almost work around that, but the lying that came with it had to leave.

David

[Alistair Hosie]

David I am with you on something when the lying comes into a relationship then it's finished not nessecarily a marriage or love relationship but.I hate liars too.I have been married for 33 years on the fourteenth of this month have a great woman as my wife she has never lied to me once but my own family that is another story My mother lied all the time,sometimes very elaborate lies none of which was ever neccesary at all, and my brother and my sister. I got to the stage I couldn't trust any of them and kept well away from them I have been happier since even though my mother and two brothers are dead I still don't regret splitting from then near the end it got too much for me to handle.Alistair

[Michael Az]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by D. Thomas:
Tattoos have always been such a curiosity to me, and I'm of the generation that should think they are cool.

Man has had a fascination with body art and jewelry since the dawn of humans, but having a tatto in 2004 is like screaming to the world "Look everyone, I'm the same primitive dumbass I was 10,000 years ago ! "

</font>

Don, does it mean the same thing when you see somebody cooking out on the patio?
Michael

[ibewgypsie]

I started out years ago painting with a brush, then a air brush, then learning to tattoo.

Tattooing is the most aggravating artform, also the most challenging. Imagine drawing and coloring on a canvas that moves, makes bad noises and smells.

I used to really love it. Now I am just burned out.

I still don't know what I am going to be when I grow up.

David