Looking for start-up machine set

Hello. I'm 26 and been drawing my whole life. I've recently started to look into purchasing a set-up. I would like some input on what brand, type or whatever needed to get started. I've been searching E-bay, for a set-up. I would like to have a linner and a shader, not one of those 2-in-1. So what would you guys recommend? Where to purchase it? Any input would be greatly appretiated.

I would recommend getting an apprenticeship and learning how to tattoo the right way before trying it out and causing bodily harm (scarring, infection, disease, etc) to someone who wants to save a few dollars. Just because you know how to draw doesn' t necessarily mean you would be cutout for tattooing, and it's not fair to the people that have to wear your mistakes for the rest of their lives. An apprenticeship would do you wonders if you had the talent and the drive to do it correctly, and a mentor will guide you as to what equipment to buy. A "startup machine set" is a poor choice to go if you are even half serious about this.

Where exactly are you in the world?

I'm in Boston,Ma

Before picking up any equipment, you should schlep your portfolio around to a lot of tattoo artists, and get tattooed by the best artists you can. The Boston Tattoo Convention has a lot of artists from your neck of the woods. I would find a few that you appreciate the most, and then email/call/ stop by. As a future tattoo artist you have a responsibility to not hack on you friends or family until you are ready. This is a mistake many artists have learned, and it takes years to fix up all the mistakes you put on your friends/family. Really, the best way to learn and get networked inside the tattoo community is to get tattooed by the best you can(and be talented, hard working, personable, honest, and reasonable).

hey why is this the same reply I hear for anyone new getting into the business? you would think wed want to keep the industry booming......I dont know maybe afraid of competition......(not tryna crack at anyone) I mean why not just tell him to practice on Grapefruit for a LONG WHILE.....instead of making him sweep the shop for a year and THEN letting him tattoo GRAPEFRUITS......hell man theres even a canvas for us now....."ink it". Just make damn sure your steady when you hit the real stuff.....

The herd could use a little thinning out in my honest opinion. There are too many good "draw-ers" thinking they should tattoo, just because a few people that don't know any better tell them that they should (they also base someones talent on how good they can copy an original piece of art, how cool their English bookcover in high school looks with that almost perfect Nickelback logo, etc). tv'sreality of tattooing really make it look more glorious than it actually is with slick editing. So when the 14th person that asks this week how to get into tattooing, I strongly feel that a proper apprenticeship will at least help to weed out the bandwagon hoppers and possibly filter in the people that are truely and genuinely interested in the art of tattooing. Far, FAR too many people think that they can just jump right in because of what they've been told about their "art" skills, and start tattooing right off the bat, and forget the other side of tattooing (keeping and maintaining a sterile environment, getting qualified for licensing, preventing disease transmission and cross contamination dangers, actually learning how to tattoo properly, and yes, someone has to scrub the toilets). I'm far from the best tattoo artist in the world, but I do feel that my work shows how serious I take it and that I'm willing to learn each and every day, which is more than half of the "professionals" out there who feel that tattooing strictly for the money or the party lifestyle that they think goes along with the career is the number 1 reason to do this. A good way to look at it is: How many shops are in your immediate area alone? If you count how many artists there are combined, and then count the good ones from the bad ones, I'm willing to bet that the bad ones far exceed the really good ones. And that's just the shops alone, never mind the idiots doing it out of their houses and at "tattoo parties" with who knows what for inks and questionable sterile procedures practiced at best. Part of the problem I feel is that alot of the young people (not all, mind you) trying to get in these days have very poor work ethics, they want what they want and they want it now without doing much to get it. They just want it handed them, and I think alot of it has to do with parenting (I want to Give my kids everything I never had, thus spoiling them in the process), but that is a seperate topic all together. In a nutshell, if someone doesn't want to learn how to do something the proper way, whether its becomming a tattoo artist, lawyer, doctor, or car salesman, why should they be taken seriously or even given a chance? If they want it bad enough, a little EFFORT goes a long way. This is a serious thing to many people that put their lives into it, and to just hand over all information on an internet message board is just a plain slap in the face to all who put real effort into it before them. P.S. Tattooing grapefruits gives no realistic practice situation. Grapefruits don't move, the surface is nothing like human skin, and they don't bleed. that is a myth that I can't believe people still take seriously.

you hear that response because consciencious artists are trying to bring some responsibility to the industry, and are trying to change some of the stigmas attatched to tattooing by encouraging young artists to seek an apprenticeship and learn from a professional. Oh, like the above post states, grapefriuts are a joke. absolutely worthless. Noone's discouraging this guy, just answering his question. If you want to know the best equipment to buy, get an apprenticeship and ask you mentor. Simple.

Its not at all about competition. Its about making sure that the public gets a quality tattoo. When breaking into any business, is to find the most successful accessible people you can and ask their advice. With tattooing this is really important because of responsibility tattoo artists have to not hack up their canvas (human skin). If all of the most respected artists say the same thing, its because after they learned all the lessons, they all came to the same conclusion. Learning to tattoo without the guidance of a talented respected artist is a great way to leave lots of crap on your friends and family. You should heed their advice and spend your time learning how to become a better artist, cause if you are a great artist and get tattooed by great artists, doors will open. You will earn a lot of respect in the long run if you have the patience and brains to "do it the right way".