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The Art of Tattooing and achieving a Tattoo Artist
It may seem a little grandiose to talk about "the art of tattooing," however when you are truly familiar with what goes into as being a professional tattooist, you already know that there is good reason these women and men are known as tattoo artists. It requires both natural talent and also the drive to master skills in order to become a true tattoo artist.
While the art of tattooing is unquestionably unique in the overall art world, many of the fundamentals are identical. Studying the basics of drawing, painting, illustration, and other forms of visual art are a great way to build the skills required to become a successful tattoo artist.
Many people actually start out simply by recognizing they have both a knack for and an interest in creating art in writing. Maybe an aspiring tattoo artist happens to be a doodler and finally chose to take that hobby to the next level.
Personal Drive Formal training is not the only method to become skilled. Truly being diligent about practicing can be more essential than any college class for someone who's dedicated and it is able to develop his or her natural talents. There are also thousands of art books available that may teach all manner of techniques that can be applied to the skill of tattooing.
Formal Training Formal practicing art can take many forms. Some tattoo artists have attended art schools specifically to understand art history, methodology, as well as other specialized skills. Not everyone chooses this route, however, and there are possibilities. For instance, many aspiring tattoo artists notice that they can hone their skills with some college classes; and also at an expense that's a whole lot less than going to art school for 2 or four years. With an art degree might be helpful, it's most surely not a requirement of achieving success in the art of tattooing.
On-the-Job Training There are several positive items to be said for building art skills right in the tattoo shop, and there are lots of opportunities. Even if you're not yet prepared to get a tattoo machine and put needles to skin, there are lots of possibilities to practice fundamental art skills within the shop. One of the easiest methods is to begin by creating stencils from flash designs that customers might choose. Tracing and dealing with one of these designs provides the aspiring tattoo artist a much better knowledge of what's required for the task, as well as a first-hand feel for probably the most common motifs.
Once the aspiring artist has gotten experience with flash in the shop, she or he may start designing original flash. Again, this can help to hone skills and also enables the creation of a portfolio. The portfolio is very important when applying for apprenticeships.
The initial Art of Tattooing As we said, the skill of tattooing shares many fundamentals with other types of visual art. Color theory, depth and perspective, composition, and many other elements go into creating a great tattoo, just as they do with any drawing or painting. Of course, there are a number of differences between your art of tattooing along with other visual artistic representations, too.
Probably the most obvious difference is the canvas where the tattoo artist works. Rather than actual canvas or some kind of specialized paper, the tattoo artist imprints his or her creations on the skin of the living, breathing human being. This creates both challenges and benefits that other kinds of artists will never experience. To begin with, a tattoo artist's work constantly moves from one location to another, rather than being displayed on a wall in a home or perhaps a museum or in the web pages of a book.
Unlike other canvases, however, skin is very unforgiving. There isn't any erasing of mistakes or throwing out an initial attempt and starting fresh on the new piece of paper. Additionally, getting a tattoo could be rather uncomfortable, therefore the tattoo artist must constantly be aware of the necessity to make his or her "canvas" much more comfortable or to reassure it. Dedicating oneself towards the art of tattooing requires the ability to work with others and to inspire and earn their trust.
What It Takes to Become a Tattoo Artist Being a tattoo artist takes a certain type of person. There are several very specific skills and qualities that are required. If you are interested in becoming a tattoo artist, you may want to read this list and see whether it sounds like you.
A tattoo artist...
Has an ongoing curiosity about art Can produce art in a variety of styles Is prepared to constantly learn new concepts and techniques Is prepared to put safety and health above convenience Can put up with various different personality types Probably has several tattoos of his very own Goes through proper channels to learn the skill of tattooing Practices tattooing from every angle Keeps equipment neat and sanitized Enjoys understanding people quickly Is not squeamish about blood or needles Uses personal integrity when creating decisions Can be trusted when clients expose bare skin Offers good customer service while being true to his very own vision Can be assertive when necessary Understands basic anatomy Understands basic kinetics Is patient with the process and also the client
Becoming a tattoo artist isn't necessarily easy. It takes many years of training and a resolve for becoming the best. Whether you're depending on personal drive, formal training, or an on-the-job chance to broaden your horizons, there is more to be learned about this talent than a single master can learn within an entire lifetime.
If you're prepared to work hard and practice, practice, practice, though, the skill of tattooing is definitely an amazing creative outlet that adds joy to other people's lives while allowing you to make a good living at the same time.