New to TattooNow - Humbly Seeking Advice

First off, while I am not currently a tattoo artist, it is a career that I have been interested in many years. I'm turning 39 years old this month (getting up there) and got my first tattoos back in 1991 as soon as I turned 18. Those first few pieces were done by J.D. Crowe from Ancient Art when he had one of the only shops in the area up in the Hampton/Newport News area of Virginia. It was still illegal in the Norfolk and Virginia Beach areas at the time, and his place was about 45 minutes away. I had waited years to get my first piece. It was only a matter of one month before I went back and got my second piece and then another two months after that for the third. Once you get one.... A friend of mine and I went to an art school for several years, but he was the only one who continued following his artistic interests and eventually began tattooing not long after moving away after high school. I, however, enlisted in the Navy where I have been for over 20 years now and was commissioned as an officer at the beginning of 2006. The Navy's treated my family and me very well, but retirement is thankfully just around the corner...I’m going to do another 3 years and call it a day. A good retirement pension and lots of free time. Now my hopes of continuing my artistic endeavors and becoming a tattoo artist will no longer be impeded by my first career. I definitely don't want to start out just scratching and truly want to learn the right way through a traditional apprenticeship. My family is extremely understanding and supportive, so there's no problem there. The problem seems to be more in terms of trying to find someone willing to take on an apprentice. For the past few years now, I have been getting all of my work done by one artist at one of the first shops to open in Virginia Beach. He and I have developed a really good friendship throughout that time to where he has openly discussed everything about tattooing, even technical stuff. He has said a couple times before, however, that he just wasn't into taking on apprentices. The confusing part is that he has said numerous times that I, of all the people who have come into the shop, definitely deserve a shot. I was just in there this past week and he asked me if I had started tattooing yet. I told him I still wouldn’t until he was willing to take me under his wing, to which he just sorta chuckled a little. On top of that, my wife, who has been trying to find something to get me for my birthday, talked to him recently about some ideas. It was supposed to be a surprise, but he told her that she should get me some equipment and kick me in the ass to get started. I’m not really sure how to take that. And I would never even consider tattooing anyone else until he said I was ready and I had completed all of requirements of the Virginia state DPOR. Anyway, I work primarily in pencil at this time and try to focus more on realism. I think I definitely need to focus more on simplified flash-style work. A very quick example of my work can be seen here under My Photo Albums: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.106985229328767.12450.100000518704728&type=3 I guess I'm curious as to anyone else's experiences, good and bad, that they went through in finding a mentor and a good apprenticeship program. What sort of pieces make up a good portfolio, and is consistent quality or variety more important. Obviously a positive, professional attitude and commitment to customers' health/safety weigh very heavily, but what other types of things might increase ones chances of being considered a worthy apprentice? Appreciate any help and info you all can provide.

You have a good grasp on the right way to start and I hope you the best of luck. I myself have been burned once on a traditional start and will give you this advice. Know who you are getting in with and demand something legally binding for any money that you are asked to pay. I paid 10k for an apprenticeship that didn't do me any more good that lifting that heavy wad of cash from my wallet and then left me stranded when the asswipe decided after 20 years in the biz he'd rather be a repo guy. A stand out portfolio of artwork is a must. Although tattooing 20 years ago was basically a joke in my opinion, guys with a signifigant amount of years under thier belt, who spent years tattooing crap before the artform was truely realized still demand todays quality as a starting point.

Hey there, the link you sent shows some promise, but you have a long way to go before you start tattooing on people. I would focus on your artwork, constantly refining it until its impossible for a quality tattooer to say no to apprenticing you. Visit some tattoo shows and get your artwork critiqued... Hell City tattoo fest, Paradise Tattoo Gathering, Paradise Artist Retreat...

@ Crackbaby - sorry to hear what happened. That's pretty horrible, and I'm surprised at how many times I've heard from similar stories. Just yesterday someone was telling me about how much money they had forked over and never got taught anything cause the guy had packed up shop and left town. @ Gabe - Thanks for the input. Those particular pics are about a couple years old, and the pencil sketches weren't really on the best paper and I used nothing more than a #2 pencil. Everything I've done recently has been given to individuals who have asked me to draw pieces for them that they took to their artists to have tattooed on them. Additionally, I have drawn numerous pieces for Joey, my artist, to help him keep up with the demand. I think it's also to monitor my art and see how it's progressing. He's had me draw various designs, some in multiple versions, including sleeve pieces. He gave me one of his machines a little over a year ago and told me to put a pencil/pen in the chuck so I could draw with it in order to get used to the weight of the machine. I swore to him I would never actually tattoo on anyone until he himself told me I was ready. I've disassembled and reassembled it numerous times as well to get use to things. He's very openly talked to me about various topics regarding design, technique, and has taught me a lot of technical stuff (though I know I will probably never stop learning new things), and he's had me pull lines on my wife's sleeve Joey is great friends and has worked with J.D. Crowe, Kari and Jeremiah Barba, Filip Leu, Paul Booth, Joe Capobianco, and a number of others...so I am definitely very honored that he willing to impart any sort of mentorship on me. I'm definitely in no rush to actually start tattooing...I'm happy to just learn some more about proper design and placement techniques, station set up and sanitation, and so on. I've gone to a few conventions in Richmond and Hampton Roads, and am considering going to Hell City in Ohio this year. I was fortunate enough to talk at great with Joe Capobianco and attended one of his seminars. So I truly want to do things the right way. I have no intentions no tattooing a person until Joey says I'm ready, if ever, and even then only under his supervision. I'm just unsure about what to do regarding his recommendations to my wife to get me some equipment and start working on pig skin. He has said that this, whatever it is, is an official apprenticeship...but is there really any other kind? Thanks again for all the advice. Everyone else, please feel free to offer your input...I appreciate it greatly.