Customizing the Body (PDF file) - Print My Tattoo

66 The Tattooist
and psychologically but technically. So I gave up this large area
of my body and got this tattoo and about three quarters of the
way through the tattoo (he) asked me if I wanted to learn to
tattoo. I never asked him to teach me. The thought that I
wanted to learn to tattoo really didn't come into my
consciousness until he said, "Would you like to learn to
tattoo?" I said, "Certainly, I'd love to learn to tattoo."
Another tattooist spoke of the criteria he used in selecting his
own apprentice.
(My apprentice) started coming in here to get tattooed. He got a
small piece and we got to be friends and then he started
realizing that he had crummy work and he wanted it covered.
He started getting heavy work done. I could see that he was
really interested in tattooing. He couldn't draw a straight line
but that didn't matter to me. I knew I needed someone to help
me in here because I was turning business away. You know, I
have to have a day off and stuff. So I knew from experience if I
got another artist to come around here who is already an
established tattooist ... that's hard to do because if someone
has their shit together and is really good, they don't need to go
work for someone else. So I could go out and get some young
kid who is a good artist and teach him how to tattoo and as
soon as he knows what he's doing-after a year, year and a
half-he's going to say, "What the hell do I need this guy for?"
He might even turn out better than me. I wanted first of all
someone who was responsible and who I could trust that is not
going to move next year. Then I wanted someone I thought
could handle it. (My apprentice) doesn't draw but he's a
carpenter, he races motorcycles, he's an achiever. He didn't just
want to do things. He did them. I figure if you can master one
craft you can master the craft of tattooing.
Interviewees provided fairly straightforward accounts of the factors
that prompted them to become tattooists. All stated that they
had had a long-term interest in or "fascination" with tattoos.
Many said they had played with tattoos as youngsters-collecting
"lick and stick" tattoos from bubblegum packs, marking them-