Tuesday, May 25, 2010

The internet is the tattoo artist’s friend – PART II


“Customers who get tattooed can see their own tattoo online, moments after the ink was put in their skin (all their friends saw their tweets)– and seconds later their friends are commenting on the work (possibly even making an appointment to visit the artist).”

Internet is your Friend
Using the internet as a marketing tool is a really good way to get your name out there as a new tattoo artist. You should ask your studio owner if their shop is listed as a business in the internet search directories. This will drive more traffic to your studio when people search for “Tattoo Studio” usually sites like Google will show the search results to the person doing the search that are close to their physical zip code.
If you are not too keen on how to make your own website you should check out the personal sites like FaceBook, MySpace, DeviantArt, and Flikr. You can create a profile, and upload your artwork. People can comment on the photos and you can often add links to your studio or leave updates about your status. Social Networking is a great tool for the tattoo artist to draw attention to himself or his studio.
If a client sees their tattoo on your website or social site they will more than likely tell their friends and this will also help draw more business to your studio.
It can get confusing with all the sites and links and photos, but it is well worth the minimal effort to keep up your sites that will draw in the new clients.
Newer mobile phones have pretty high mega-pixel cameras and can often record video clips as well. Use your phone to take snap shots of tattoos that you do. They will not be portfolio quality photos – but you can use them for websites and small posts that are purely designed to drive traffic to your studio’s website and foot traffic to your studio.
If you have the time you should check out some books from your local library on web-design basics. At least get a grasp for the way the internet works and SEO (search engine optimization). The internet instantly connects people and shares their ideas. This should be applied to tattoo to help increase your business and expand your client base.

CR Jordan

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Cont. - The Internet is Tattoo Artist's Friend Part 1


Cont. - PART 1 – The design Process

So, your potential client walks in the studio and says that they want a tattoo (yea business!). How do you, as a new tattoo artist (or apprentice) go about accomplishing the goal of getting the client to explain what they want – in a way that you can add your own creative touches and come up with something you can both agree will look good on their body? You have to have some sort of reference to draw from – and they have to have some sort of concise description of what they want.

Often you will get those clients who say “just draw it, I trust you” (we love those clients), but even more often you will get the client who has no idea what they want – yet they know exactly what they want (very frustrating). Instead of drafting a bunch of sketches (and possibly striking out), you can jump on the internet and use any number of image search engines. If you go to Google or Yahoo – you can enter a search topic. The best piece of advice I have for this method is to NOT enter the word “tattoo” in the search criteria, try to find a different kind of reference. Try to build your tattoo from non-tattoo related and non-flash related images (most of the time). No one wants a replica of a tattoo as a design (well maybe they do actually), you see where I am going with this? So if your client wants a tiger, we would jump on the search engines and search for “tiger” or “tiger jumping” or whatever they elaborate on during the conversation. You can also try to search for “tiger sketch” or “stylized tiger”. The point I am trying to make here is that you don’t want to search for “tiger tattoo”. There are a ton of resources, not just search engine image databases. Try checking out Stock Photography sites as well. You will get a water mark on the image – but you can easily make a stencil out of them, or use them as a concept to get the ball rolling with a client.

The end result is getting a good design and making sure you and the client are on the same sheet of music. This way of working will ensure an expedient workflow process for the tattoo studio, and you can even have your apprentices do this task (which usually takes 10 – 45 mins per client) before they are serious about the design and layout and drawing.

CR Jordan

Sunday, May 16, 2010

The internet is the tattoo artist’s friend – PART I

The good ole’ days of tattoo when the artist whipped out a ball point pen and sketched a design on your bicep then began the tattoo process have not completely left us…yet.


Anyone Can Use The Internet These Days
There is a new generation of tattoo artists out there who are digital age techies. They use their iPhone and Google Image to search for designs for clients. They will post their tattoos online using Flikr or FaceBook instead of taking their photos to the developer to make a hard copy.

The studio might display the tattoos in a digital picture frame on the studio’s counter, or possibly there might be an interactive portfolio or kiosk in the studio for the potential clients. Customers who get tattooed can see their own tattoo online, moments after the ink was put in their skin (all their friends saw their tweets)– and seconds later their friends are commenting on the work (possibly even making an appointment to visit the artist).

CR Jordan

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Nikko H. 4/28/2010

Check nikko's latest.

Copy/paste link below if you cannot see image.



http://yfrog.com/j6vgpzj

Thursday, April 1, 2010

How do I become a tattoo artist?

Posted by TattoofortheApprentice at 10:12 AM
Sunday, February 14, 2010
How do I become a tattoo artist?

Reality TV shows, Tattooed musicians, Tattoo Flash Design website, Online Tattoo Supply superstores… Tattoo has been everywhere for the past 5 years or so. Is the industry finally calming down from this cyclical bump? You get the groups of tattoo artists who will tell you, “I hope so – we have too many scratcher wanna’be tattoo artists already.”

You get the groups of tattoo artists (less often) who will tell you that the business is one of those types that will go up in a down economy. Its hard to talk about anything these days without hearing about the big “E” word. Yup, economy is embedded in our 2010 vocabulary now.

You see a ton of tattoo artists out there trying to get their books and DVDs out as well. I know that there are a lot of young people (young in tattoo years) who want to get involved in tattooing. What does it take to get into the tattoo scene? Is there really money in the tattoo industry? Do you really need artistic talent to be a tattoo artist? Do you really need to do a proper apprenticeship? Is a tattoo machine that costs $49.00 in a catalog just as good as a $500.00 one that you can only purchase if you work in a real studio? These are all good questions that the new tattoo artist really wants to know about, and if you are anything like I was 10 years ago then you are scouring for information about tattoo everywhere (and that includes the internet).

What does it take to get into the tattoo “scene”? – It takes a lot of patience and observation. You have to check out a lot of studios, perfect your drawing and painting skills, get a ton of tattoos on your own body, and talk to artists. You have to really be dedicated and also be smart. You can easily be taken advantage of as a young apprentice by someone who might not even intend to teach you anything about tattoo.

Is there money to be made as a tattoo artist? – Kinda sorta not really… Sure there are tattoo artists who charge a ton of money, but they are really saught after professionals who have made a name for themselves. What a lot of young artists don’t realize right off the jump is that you really make your money doing the small stuff. Small stuff being the tribals, scripts, hearts, flowers, flash, flash, flash, and until you are sick of it… flash. It sucks, but if you are all about the money aspect of tattoo then get used to doing what I call “yard work”. Those of us who love the craft and trade of tattoo will gladly do a sleeve for someone for next to nothing (so long as our own bills are already in the green). It depends on the piece though. Art is art, and if you are an artist then you will love the art you do. Beware getting into tattoo thinking you are going to do awesome tattoos that are multi session and cost big bucks right off the jump. (don’t forget you have to give the studio owner his cut of the $ as well).

What about talent? – Yes and No.. I know a lot of tattoo artists who are not very good artists, but they make a living. They don’t get to do the fun stuff, but I think those guys are the ones who don’t really care about the trade that much to begin with anyway. If you think you are good at one medium (ie painting or pencil) then you will really test yourself ot learn the tricks of tattooing. It take a lot of time and practice. It is not like paper where you can just rip it up and start over either. You need to have well planned pieces and execute them in a timely manner and keep it clean. The more artistic ability you have the better off you will be. Art is subjective though, so what one guy thinks is good – another might think is not.

I will hit on the machines, apprenticeship, and other stuff in a later blog. I do go into a lo tof this stuff in my book Basic Fundamentals of Modern Tattoo, in a no B.S. way that will help you get the un-sugar coated truth about what it takes and how you should go about becoming a tattoo professional. (Not just another tattooer who traces flash all day)

Posted by TattoofortheApprentice at 10:12 AM
Labels: become a tattoo artist, learn tattoo, tattoo apprentice, tattoo bible, tattoo book, tattoo machine

Sunday, February 28, 2010

Add background or not?


Location: Westside Metro Phoenix
Date/Time: 28 Feb 2010; 19:50
Comment: Should the owner of this beautifully simple tattoo add to it or leave it as is?

Saturday, February 13, 2010

The Master Plan of ATM

What is the scoop with Arizona Tattoo Magazine? Where did it come from? Why does it exist? Isn't there enough tattoo magazines out there all ready?

Arizona Tattoo Magazine is here to provide an outlet for local artists and studios. Arizona has a great big untapped resource of talent that is unique unto itself. It is in the West and on the verge of Wild.

The magazine is also here to help these studios mesh. We know that in the wide world of tattoo there can be bitter rivalry at times. We also know that it is a cut throat business. Even if all studios are not created equally here, they are all from Arizona...that should be enough to try and work together in some respects, right!?

This online web zine is geared toward showcasing talent and increasing awareness of our local studios. We are always open to suggestions.