06/05/2024
Becoming a professional tattoo artist has been one of the best, most fulfilling decisions I've made in my time.
I've met a ton of great folks, made a lot of friends, had the opportunity to create custom lifelong body art on thousands of people including memorials & portrait tributes for clients loved ones who have passed, & had the privilege of making a living doing what I truly love! It's been an sincere honor & I love what I do still today!
Having said that, tattooing isn't what many people think it is. This isn't a career for those who aren't serious & passionate about art. Coming into a tattoo apprenticeship with the unrealistic expectation of becoming a rock star is common, & pointless. It's very much a real job. It requires dedication, serious patience, thick skin, the ability to follow your mentors suggestions (& at time demands!), humility, the list goes on etc., to make tattooing a real career that an artist can survive off of.
Most people don't realize the money we charge for ink is usually SPLIT immediately with the shop/business, some goes to replenishing necessary items essential for doing the actual tattoo (inks, ink cups, aftercare ointment, tubes/needles, tattoo machines-power supply, sanitization products, paper towels, & again, the list goes on & on!), paying for our frequent state certifications & licensing, etc., etc..
As America's inflation has clearly gotten out of control without a reasonable balance comparative to hourly wages & the cost of living, many of us professional tattoo artists have been forced to increase our hourly rates. It seems many tattoo clients don't realize EVERY DOLLAR WE MAKE goes directly to our survival! Every dollar we charge is LITERALLY our retirement/401k, our health insurance & pays for our very survival etc.
So the next time you get a quote on a tattoo & are surprised by the price of body art, please consider that us real professional tattoo artists have honed their talent/craft over years in order to give you the best art possible that will stand the test of time.
We depend on that money far more & for more dire purposes than most other professions. THANK YOU FOR YOUR BUSINESS & FOR YOUR APPRECIATION!