why are tattoo artists so secritive?

Question

when you ask a question on the net all you get back is some crap telling you that you will die if you tattoo yourself unless you get an apprenticeship and pay to get tattoo artist to teach you bearing in mind that you don't even know if he or she did if they tell you the right way to do things then whats the problem i can safely say that people like me will do it anyway so a little info isn't going to hurt and may even help save a life

Answer 1

I will try my best in putting it in my perspective as a tat artist. We take tons of pride in our work. I dont know how many countless hours i put in as the shop b**ch before I got a chance at a apprenticeship. The industry is growing so quickly these days and the problem that comes with it include some so called artist that do crap work. I don't know how many times in my apprenticeship someone came in asking my teacher to fix a tattoo some half azzed person tried to tattoo on them.
Now I have no problem with people doing tattoos themselves, but I do have a problem when these little snot nosed kids come in with some ugly blob that is supposed to be Kanji or something on their arms wanting a coverup. If you seriously want to get into tattooing, find an artist who is old school, sit and talk with them. Go to good websites like www.spaulding-rogers.com, you can get some good info there. You can start learning there, they have a great book. Just don't turn into one of those crap artist I have to clean up after.

Answer 2

tattoo artists ar not going to be willing to tell you what you are wanting to know is because a lot of people that do the homemade guns and tatts are making tattoos out to be a bad thing. the best way to go about tattooing as a profession is to do an apprenticeship. you'll learn all of the correct ways to do everything and shadowing a true artist will teach you more than youd ever imagine!

Answer 3

The Tattoo History Museum (Llionals for those who know the place. please excuse the spelling lol) on Cowley Road in Oxford (oxfordshire). Theres a couple of people working there but Curly is wicked, hes got awards for best black and white tribal design and ive never seen tattoo lines so sharp and defined and the ones ive had done on my calf by him and considering how good he is the rates are extremely good! but i dont think they have a website. also Bob Eagle tattoos also in cowley road was good however they closed due to silly rent prices apparently and i have no idea if they relocated or not. Physical Grafitti in Bicester (oxfordshire) is also a good place to go esp if you like to build a raport with the tattooist as Chris natters all the way through and makes you feel at ease.

Answer 4

Secretive?
Well most tattoo artists know that you can't just tell everyone that asks what you need to do . I like to help people who want to pursue a career in this industry but when people ask out of their as*, I just don't say anything because I don't want to get the right info on the wrong hands.. It's just like any other job, you know. Do doctors tell you how they cut you up? Or do they tell you why their giving you medicine? No they just do it..

Same here, we tattoo, but we don't tell you how unless you want to be an apprentice at our shop ... At my shop, we've had a lot of apprintices but it's people that I've taken my time to get to know because I know it's what they want to do for the rest of their life. When I was starting out, I didn't go around asking artists how to do it, I brought all my drawings with me to show I had put some effort.

But I'm not gonna tell you how to tattoo because you want to "see" or "try" it yourself because you got some time off, and don't want to pay to get a tattoo. And you know why I'm so picky about this? Because I don't see it as a joke, I take my job seriously... it's what I always wanted to do. Even if I do give you all the instructions, if you do something wrong.. then you'll probably tell someone who told you, and who gets blamed? ME .. not you.. ME for telling you how to *****ng do it..
Most artists take in apprentices .. that's enough. We're being nice enough to teach SOME people .. Most people don't.. So don't come to Y answers and expect someone to tell you how to do it. We don't even know each other on here. If you are really ambitious about something, you'll find a way to do it right... and you'll put some effort. But what effort are you putting? Going online and asking artists for their "secret" ... Uhhh man, that's what I call effort... NO! Go kill yourself, please.

Answer 5

yeah outlaw you most certainly are looking in the wrong place, try ebay, there are 1000s of em.secretive eh, well if you were a black jack player and made a living off it, i come up to u in the casino or on the net watever,and ask WATS YOUR SECRET, HOW DID YOU DO THAT, WHEN WILL THIS HAPPEN ... ectectectect you would say FUK OFF and i would much oblige.
now we get little turds asking how to do this and that it just giving away your lively hood if i was to tell you.the sanitation is a big concern due to outbreaks of hepc and staph infections, any tattooist who tells u how to do sumthing is hopping in heart u die from one of these diseases. Stop asking and do as they say, get some one to apprentice you or sit at home and after you buy your china spesh ebay kit for 200buks and find sum victims who u can trial and error on.Dont ask cause a tattooist will never tell, you want advice pay for one of them ebooks that some sellout bich has made.

Answer 6

REAL tattoo artist have to go through a lot and learn a ton of things before they can even TOUCH another person.

I think they have every right to be secretive because people like YOU give people like THEM a bad name. You start to think you are good, then start sprouting that your a professional when your nothing even close. Then you do some kitchen table scratch job on someone and then they sue you due to an infection.

So yeah, have fun with that. Let us know how the lawsuits, infections and possible deaths go.

In the meantime, I am going to talk to my professional artist about my new sleeve.

Answer 7

Tattoo artists work very hard to maintain tattooing in the proper light as a professional industry. You really think we are "secretive?" You are expecting to learn a career on the Internet for free?

Do people not pay to go to college? Why would you think learning a trade would be any different? Are you going to learn to be a hairdresser, plumber, accountant, electrician, nurse, etc. from Answers.yahoo or any other message board type media experience?

Your rationale that people like you will do it anyway is ridiculous. It's like saying "you better tell me the right way to remove my appendix because I am going to do it anyway." The practice of tattooing is MUCH MORE than kitchen table scratcher junk.

Help save a life? GET SERIOUS!

Answer 8

FYI: You can die if you tattoo yourself - if the equipment is unsanitary enough, that can lead to an infection, which (if not taken care of right away) can ultimatly lead to death. Not very common, but defiantly possible.

And nobody wants to help you tattoo yourself because if something like the above scenario DID happen, they could (legally) be held responsible.

Answer 9

I believe theyre talking about the sanitation issue, get an autoclave, use new needles every time etc etc to prevent bloodborn diseases.. Me and my brother tattoed ourselves each other, family, friends etc, and never had an infection of ant kind!! The only thing about it is newbies need alot of practice b4 you tat on a real person. I'm sure since your asking this question you have researched all the saftey procedures of tattooing. Hey outlaw try ebay, tons of stuff!!

Answer 10

I'm having a hard time adding to tatt_bratt's commentary, but...

Dude, punctuation. If your posting is any hint, her response is *way* too nice.