Where do they come from?

So I was wandering around on my lunch break one day and I saw a tattoo and piercing supply shop. Curiosity got the better of me and I wandered in (this was before I found this forum). I started talking to the guy behind the counter asking him about how to get started tattooing, what you need, etc. etc. etc. The advice I was given was that I could start out on practice skins and go to the butcher to get pig skins and such. Then, when I felt I was ready, I could give it a try on someone I work with or a friend or something for a very modest fee. I was told that if my work was any good that before I knew it I'd have people pounding down my door asking for cheap tattoos. Next thing you know I'd be a fully fledged tattoo artist and just rolling in dough. I could probably start out with the "tribal" kit which only had black ink and an 8 wrap machine in it, after I got good at that I could upgrade. Fortunately, I'm not the type of guy who just rushes into things like that so I decided to do some research. I started by looking to see if what he was charging for starter kits was a good deal by checking ebay (hey I had to start somewhere). Anyway, his prices were more expensive than ebay, but not by a whole lot. I also found that there was quite a price difference on ebay and a wide variety of quality that even my untrained eye (untrained in tattooing anyway) could discern. So I decided to take my research further and decided to look for information on what a good set up would entail, what makes one tattoo machine better than another and so on. It was this phase of my research that I found what incredibly bad advice I was given by this guy. I have spent the last couple of weeks reading several different sources on the internet, including this forum. Like any forum it contains opinions and should never be taken as gospel of course. It is quite obvious to see however, that the very first bit of advice that I was given with respect to my goal was quite poor indeed. Based on my own personal experiences, and the fact that I am more prone to research a subject more carefully than most people, especially those whose "youthful exuberance" can sometimes run away with them, it is easy to see how some people can get a bad idea stuck in their head and run away with it. The time I spent at university has taught me that if something is worth doing, it is worth doing right and taking the time to properly learn how to do it. It goes beyond being labelled a "scratcher" by some faceless person on an internet forum, it goes beyond leaving a permanent reminder of a job poorly done on your own, or even worse, someone elses skin. It is a basic universal truth, that hard work and taking the time to do something right will always pay off more in the long run than taking shortcuts. The bottom line is that not only are you risking the health of the people you are tattooing if you don't know what you're doing, but you are risking your own health. If no other part of this message rings through to those considering the easy way, hopefully this one will.

This is actually a pretty damn good post. It shows that some people can actually read this forum and LISTEN to what the many pro's and artists have to say. I'm glad that you have enough sense to realize that the advice you originally received was shit. Thanks for not falling into the depths of the moronic, insipid, idiotic mindset that we see all too often on this forum. theval

I've said it before...but not better...well said.

I can't fuckin believe it!!!!! Someone is LISTENING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SONOVA BITCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, that's because he's Canadian!! I think that they think about things a little more carefully................like, uh, legalizing pot in small amounts. Yaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!! TCE

I hate pot...Al it does to me is make me stupid lazy and hungry not necessarily in that order!!! Got nothin against anyone else doin it tho!

*sigh* I miss it.....

Started reading this post expecting something entirely the opposite but damn, was I glad to find out I was mistaken. A good, intelligent post, what a pleasant surprise. As theval stated, shows somebody is reading this forum and actually listening to us, that's the kind of post that makes this worth the 'others' we get to deal with, thanks for posting/listening Squitters...Doc

1 down, 6,472 to go. Awesome post Squitters.

Hell yeah, Welcome to the family!

Welcome Squitters!! I like your style ...we need more people like you on here...tell us a little about yerself and send us a pic of yer mug so we can add ya to the TattooNow family site Nice to meetcha!!!...TAz, Painted Angel

Thanks guys, for the helpful advice that is found in these threads. I guess I just wanted to point out that, for all the good advice found here, there's bad advice to be found all over the place as well. It's easy to see, as someone who was just looking into this for the first time, where people get their bad ideas and misconceptions from. The sticky at the top of the forum is pretty good too, maybe it would have more credibility with the newbies if their were off site links that regarding how to get started with tattooing. It'd give them something to chew on anyway before asking questions. BTW, I know that most feel that Tattoo schools are a waste of time. From what I have seen in my research most of them are pretty scary (the online ones are actually kind of funny, does anyone actually do that?). I did find one that looked interesting in Texas, it had a two year program with what sounded like a significant amout of working apprenticeship. I'm not sure what the site policy is about posting up website addresses but I wouldn't mind opinions on this type of program. I don't want to look as though I'm advertising it (it's a bit far out of my way anyway) but it might be useful for some.