Doc talks

Lately, a lot of people on social media have asked me, “How do I begin to learn to tattoo?” I don’t think there is one particular route that everyone follows. However, there are some universal concepts that most tattoo artist that I’ve encountered all seem to agree on.

Being that I am very new and still learning things every day, my knowledge is very limited, but I will share what I do know.  

Easily consumable information is a necessity for learning anything. One of the easiest ways to access that information in tattooing is to get an apprenticeship.  

To get an apprenticeship you must show promise and add value to someone’s situation or shop. The easiest way to do that is to create a portfolio based on the style of tattooing you think you want to do. Next, you’re going to want to get that portfolio into the hands of a tattoo artist that possesses the skills that you may want to learn. I will focus on American traditional because that’s what I’m learning, but what I say should be applicable to any style of tattooing.  

The first thing I recommend is to get books. For American traditional, there are books that literally contain well over 100 years of flash [flash = image drawn to be tattooed]. Get yourself some paper, pencils, and markers, and begin drawing the pieces that you like. In doing this, you will learn the vast language of tattoos. I try to draw five to ten pieces a day. If your drawing abilities are limited, get yourself a light box and some tracing paper and draw more and more. Nobody is born great.  

This is no short trip. After a few months of drawing eagles, roses, and skulls over and over, you make the move to watercolors, and by colors, I mean black and learning to “spit shade,” which basically means learning to dilute your black watercolor ink to create a spectrum of shading that goes from dark to light. Once you get the shading technique down, you can use the same skills to add a very limited amount of color to your flash. Remember to keep it simple With 2 to 3 colors.  

 After a few months of drawing and painting flash, hit the internet and Google “tattoo shop near me,” and find an artist that best suits your needs assuming that you don’t know one.

Go into the tattoo studio and get a tattoo. Let the tattoo artist know what you want and trust them to do their thing. You shouldn’t have to question the tattoo artist, not because of blind faith, but because by the time you walk into the tattoo studio, you should have done your due diligence and know that you’re in good hands.  

You should observe everything. Treat it as a full-on learning experience, look at the flash on the walls, the machines, and the way things are set up to execute the tattoo.  

What has barrier plastics around it. Ask a few questions, not too many as to be a distraction. “What paint do you use to create your flash?” Something simple like that.  

Pay your artist, and give a tip, leave and in a month or so get another one. You should repeat the steps over and over for about eight months to a year. I would say create about 100 pieces you could select from and pick out your best 20, put them in a portfolio book and shop it around to different spots.  

Try going to the tattoo studio you’ve been getting your tattoos at for the last year and ask them to look at your work when they get a moment and to give you some feedback. Keep doing this until you find your spot.

I know people want to run before they can walk [me lol]so the most important thing to learn before you start tattooing, in my opinion, is sanitation. Learn the proper way to clean everything and how to take preventative steps to avoid transferring blood-borne pathogens and infections which can actually lead to death. 

Below I will list some products you can purchase to begin your tattoo journey! 

Drawing products:

• Staedler Mars pencil set 1b-12b Micron 10 black marker

• Round tip nib fountain pen b-5 with black Speedball Indian ink

• Dr. Martens radiant watercolors set

• Arches cold-pressed watercolor paper, 140 pounds, 10x14 inch.

Books:

• Old Glory by Quincy Lee Cooper

• Vintage Tattoos by Carol Clerk

• Traditional American Tattoo Design by Jerry Swallow

• Lines from the East by David Sáez

I would say hold off on buying a machine, but if you must I would recommend https://www.electricsoultattoo.com/tattoomachines

The coffin machine Is a rotary-style machine created by a veteran tattoo artist that previously and, I believe, currently makes coil machines. It has an adjustable throw/stroke for multiple uses: lines, shading, and color packing. It’s reasonably priced, and it uses bars and cartridges.

Get your ink and supplies from saltwatertattoosupply.com. Do not buy your ink off Amazon. It’s been known to contain metals and other things you don’t want to be putting into people’s bodies.

Get “reel skin” from reelskin.com to practice on. Again I’d say focus on drawing, building a portfolio, and getting into a tattoo studio as an apprentice. And know the difference between a hater and someone giving sound advice! 

Good luck,

And remember to

“Blast and get cash!”

-Dr. Helmet