January 2008 Archives

The past two weeks have introduced two new apprentices in our shop. It's strange. I've never been one to easily fall into any role. But being the lowest on the pole in a tattoo shop somehow became normal. Now, I'm getting the same questions I asked a couple of years ago.

So far, the most difficult part is keeping my mouth shut. I've always thought information should be accessible, and it should be up to the person on what they do with it. But I am starting to understand why taking time is important.

This is a trade. If I, for some reason, wanted to pack up my family and move... I could do so knowing full well I offer a service; a valuable craft. And there's nothing like knowing you can provide for those you love.

I'm also realizing how content I've become. I wake up happy because I love what I do. No doubts. Which makes sense, seeing as how my confidence is certainly at an all time high.

I may be young to tattooing, but I'm keen on a good thing. So it makes sense when information is withheld. It makes sense that I had to clean, and clean, and clean. I see now that they had to make sure I was sincere. That I wanted it enough.

There's something to be said for patience, respect, and dedication. Especially if it means becoming a part of a family.

So maybe, just maybe, I'll figure out my new role. The one that thinks before speaking. And withholds because the time isn't right.

I guess this means I'm done with Allen Tattoo.
Nah, just playin. I'll keep posting as much as I can. I just need to get this redesign done, geez.

As work comes in, I have to constantly keep my inventory in check. By asking myself questions, I'm starting to feel close to getting a handle on things. But lately I've been realizing that I need to include time into the equation, not just supplies. Anyway...

First there are personal items that only I can follow through with:
Make sure my inks aren't low.
How many more days can I go with this box of (premade) needles?
Do I have enough disposable liner tubes?
Have I prepared enough paper towels for tattooing? (separating individual sheets into a pile)
Do tubes need to be scrubbed, and do I have enough for a steady flow of traffic?
Keep the drawings coming. (this deserves its own post)
Are my deposits in order? (our customers leave $20 deposit for appointments - which, in turn, goes towards the price of the tattoo)

Then there are shop related items, that the shop owner covers, but I use:
How is the supply of paper towels?
Am I topped off with Green soap, distilled water, MadaCide, and alcohol?
Check the supply of ink caps, dipsticks, dental bibs, and razors.
How is the supply of paper towels?
Are there enough gloves, or do I need to jump in back and get another box?

Now my only difficulty is figuring out how to add new items to test into the list effectively. This means not buying everything at once, rather spreading it out and slowly mess with new stuff.

... Just did another... 20-yr-old blond—nice looking... anyway she moaned and I backed off on the liner & got a weak line—Old "Deafy" in Philly had it all over us—he couldn't hear them groan, and he just tattooed them!

Anyway, maybe I'm just a negative thinker, but I do respond to the mood of the patient and if they show pain tolerance minimum, I just can't put good work on them as it throws the physical and mental forces out of balance.—it's the difference between drawing a free-flowing line with a relaxed wrist and trying to draw one with tense flexors and extensors... Old Coleman used to put them on the "cooling off bench" when they started to sweat, and grabbed the next one so he didn't lose the swing!...

- Sailor Jerry, September 21, 1971

I have been learning to tattoo. It's been a very slow road for me: as I teach two days a week, have been working as a professional illustrator for several years, and now painting full time. I'm slowly altering my life and schedule to revolve around tattooing and painting, exclusively. This is my last semester teaching and I have cut down my commercial work, significantly, to give the medium the attention it requires to do it right and learn...

Again, it's been a slow road.

I've tattooed quite a few tattooers, friends and colleagues. And have done a few walk-ins and 'work' one day at Everlasting in San Francisco. I'm actually at the shop right now about 3 days a week, scrubbing tubes, watching, asking questions and trying to be a sponge. Traveling has afforded me much information through the amazing artists that I have met and been tattooed by...

Tattooing is a very difficult medium and requires total mental commitment - and fear or uncertainty destroys line integrity completely. During my first dozen tattoos, the cold sweats and shaky hands were the name of the game. I think for me—being super comfortable and confident as a painter and illustrator—I put so much pressure on myself to do well, that I just shit the bed from feeling completely lost and indecisive. At 37 years old, delving into a craft that has so much history is definitely intimidating... to have this obsession and desire to pursue it without the technical skills to back it up.

Being in the situation that I am in, everyone has offered their advice and I have even been fortunate enough to tattoo in various shops on the West Coast. With this varied advice—especially in the beginning—it has been difficult taking it all in and sorting it out enough to make sense while I'm 'in the moment'. Everyone works differently and has their own ideas on the 'right' way to tattoo (for them). There are a lot of universal tendencies- it's just going to take a few years to find what works for me...

It's really only been about a a year and a half into it (as a part time apprentice) but my time teaching is ending soon for me to be a full time student of tattoo. I've done about 60 tattoos—varying themes and approaches—and I feel very comfortable with shading and I am slowly working on my lines...

It's an exciting time.

I have a few friends that have started around the same time as we have and some of them are killing it!

Cheers,
Shawn

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This guy wanted the artwork from The Used's In Love and Death album on his ribs. Alex Pardee's work is wonderful, so I was happy. He specifically asked to have the bottom root angle down to go with the shape of his body... and I was proud.

Because the style was more like a sketch, I was able to shade with less concern about needle patterns showing up. It's about 14 inches tall. And he sat really well, and I was feeling something in that fairytale tattoo land, so it went by in 2 hours.

The grey to the right of the tree is a really light wash, and should heal pretty light.

Also, for the line work, I rode the tube. By only having enough needle hanging out, I'm able to touch the tip of the tube to the skin and direct that sucker along with me. You have to visualize more, but it wasn't that big of a deal. I'm not usually one to do this; I like my needles out and about so I can see. This piece just seemed to call for it.

I work in a street shop. A lovely street shop! Two of the guys have been tattooing together for years and years. Both are amazing tattoo artists, and both have built up a clientele. So they remain steadily booked in advance, minus cancellations or bad weather.

Then this is Big G and myself. We are working our butts off trying to build the foundations of such. But for now, we're hit or miss. We'll have insane weeks (sporadically) followed by mediocre ones. It's pretty random and I've learned to sway with the tide.

The past two weeks I've been busy as ever. But then the temperature dropped today and I knew things would slow down.

So what do tattoo artists do when there's nothing to do?
Well, sometimes we catch up on drawings, clean and organize; you know, tighten up that ship.
But usually we do something else...

1. Song lyrics are much better when the content is dumbed down to eighth grade level.
2. YouTube, as vast as it is, only holds our attention for about ten minutes.
3. Recall a stupid story. Cry laughing. Go over the good bits again. Then somebody farts.
4. Tattoo lottery. (whatever you draw from a hat of random images gets tattooed on you)
5. Create new words for the Urban Dictionary.
6. Recall another stupid story. Then laugh for twenty minutes.
7. Quote Dr. Rockso.
8. Google amputees.
9. Try to convince Chris that ice cream from McDonald's isn't made from potatoes.
10. Darren Brown mind tricks.
11. Whistle the theme song to Welcome Back, Kotter.
12. Make fun of men who drive scooters.
13. Think of ways to recreate Chili's Awesome Blossom in the autoclave.
14. Imitate Joey Lawrence from the TV show, Blossom.
15. Follow other tangents.
16. Listen to Tenacious D.
17. DDR in drag.
18. Convince Chris that giraffes are kosher.

Let me get straight to the point of this post: I find it difficult when people come with an image, obviously pulled from the internet, and want an exact tattoo of it.

I almost feel weird admitting this: I download music and TV shows from the internet for free - thank you usenet - but I balk when somebody wants an image recreated.

Here's the thing, I have less of an issue with turning a photograph or series of photographs into a custom piece. That's no problem. But when somebody comes in with a piece of art that has been pulled directly from, say, DeviantArt, I sort of feel bad.

Then I get over it and go about my business.

*Often I'll make a point to contact the original creator of the piece. I don't ask for permission though, I just tell them about the finished product.

Do pardon the delay between posts. I'm here, just incredibly busy. The beginning of winter tends to slow down walk-in tattoo work. Now that the holidays are gone, business is slowly picking up. That and unfinished pieces are coming back in to get worked on.

And I've been designing a couple of websites on the side. Both of which are done, so my attention is back to Allen Tattoo.

After reading through Nick Baxter's forums awhile ago, I started to realize the value in touch-ups. Being able to see how your work healed, then tweak it can create a dramatic difference. My clientèle is mixed between walk-ins and custom work, so getting people back for a once over isn't always easy. At Bluebird Tattoo we offer a free touch-up within a certain amount of time. So I really try to use it and have my customers come back so I can use that extra time to edit, correct, and polish.

I imagine some of the big guns don't consider a large piece finished until after a final once over, so charges still apply. For now (and for the foreseeable future) I'm balancing time to make both myself and my customers happy.

Also, I love being able to see how my work heals. I've learned so much by keeping in touch with people and seeing what happens to their tattoos over time. If I can remember how I applied, say, a color blend, I can weigh the effectiveness of that specific technique.

For example, I wasn't incredibly happy with Bjork's face upon initial completion. I'll even go as far as admitting timidity. I didn't fully trust my colors and my application. I don't even like posting the comparison, but I think the healed version of the original tattoo speaks for this post. But now I feel much more comfortable, so I had no problems jumping right into her face.

View larger version of image.

Every year I make about 5 resolutions, in hopes of keeping at least 2.

Last year I stuck with giving up fast food and soda. And I couldn't have felt much healthier. This year I'm going to start running again, give up toxins (alcohol, energy drinks, and homeopathic prophylactics... wait, what?), redesign Allen Tattoo, and create a set of tattoo flash.

Oh, and get out of debt.

Could you imagine having no debt but a mortgage? I'm not really sure how to do it, but I'm reading up. Now that I have to fend for myself as a tattoo artist, It's high time I pay attention to my finances long term. Pulling cash out of my butt to buy anything that pleases my eye isn't going to cut it any more.

Family, friends, a job I love and no debt... I'm quite certain if you throw in some Gino's East pizza, I'd be in heaven.