How I Work: Prelude

How do you transfer a drawing onto my skin?  What are the rubber bands for?  Why did my skin do this while healing?  These are just a sample of the dozens of questions I answer daily.  I decided to create a place for people eager to learn about some of the inner workings of this unique industry.  Whether you've never set foot in a shop before, or if you're covered head toe to toe in ink this series will hopefully be helpful and entertaining to you.  I'll be passing along knowledge I picked up in my over 16 years tattooing, all retained within the crevasses of my brain.  I think this blog can be helpful to those just starting out in their tattoo careers.  Even with my awesome, old school true apprenticeship there was quite a lot I still had to figure out on my own. To the veteran tattooist, you may find a nugget or two in this blog useful, as I myself absorb and integrate a lot ideas from my peers.  I'm always on the hunt, looking for tips and ideas that improve the way I do things.  Logistical stuff  that helps me balance my appointments and organize my drawings, new equipment to try out, and aftercare practices to give you a better healing experience.

I think I bring a unique perspective of things both inside and outside the bubble of tattooing.   Being part of the medical community as an EMT and as an autopsy technician helps me tackle any medical issues encountered as a tattoo artist.  During the latter part of my career I've turned my focus more on improving business practices and organization.  Working outside of tattooing gives me more options to solve problems I encounter in the day to day tattoo grind.

I've seen this industry change so much over the years, new and better equipment (and access to it), the clientele, tattoo ideas, aftercare, so much more.  I've also been piercing the same amount of time and seen many fads come and go, and still to this day, so much misinformation persists.

The objective is to educate.  Gone are the days of clandestine tattoo secrets.  Much of the mystique is gone, just about everything in our industry exists on the internet. Television shows about tattooing bring us into the shops and sit us in the chairs.  Undeniably, the culture of tattooing is everywhere. The side effect of all this is as tattoo artists we have a greater responsibility to the client and to ourselves.  Ignorant tattoo artists and their wildly incorrect answers  have been replaced  by the cleaner, more informed, and the better skilled modern tattooist.  We owe it to the person sitting in the chair to be knowledgeably about all aspects of our craft.

As either a potential client or heavily inked individual, you should never be afraid to ask questions, at any stage of the process.  

So read on, and enjoy!
Lou M.