Criticism and advice plz

Ok starting off I know I have an extremely long journey ahead of me to become an aspiring tattoo artist. I don't want to be a kitchen magician or scratcher or idiot or whatever name you want to label them lol I know there's many. I do plan on apprenticing hopefully in the near coming future. I love art and everything about it but even more so the medium that is tattooing and I understand not everyone who is a great artist can become a tattooist. I do have a ton of art work only a portion of it is online I'm currently uploading more lol Which brings me to why I'm here I wanted to know what I should work on drawing wise and art wise to become a better artist towards tattooing (if that makes sense lol). Here's my link to my myspace http://www.myspace.com/457347523. I am in kck a 25 yr old father of two beautiful children and a railroad worker so I have plenty of time to improve on my art lol most my art was done at work lol. I just want any and all criticism and advice on what to improve upon and to put together before I even try to go around with a portfolio. Thank you in advance for your time and criticism it is much appreciated.

Your art seems fine. However, tattooing is not drawing. I commented on another post that was similar to this. Go hit it up and read what I wrote. Tattooing is not just an art...it is a way of life. It may be hard to make a career change when you have 2 little ones to think about. But, I do not know your situation, so don't take offense to that. Just go read that post I wrote about someone else asking about an apprenticeship...and good luck man

No I don't take offense at all I understand what ya mean. I know it's nowhere near the same thing and at the current time I couldn't apprentice full time. I do make quite a bit of money right now but when my wife is done with school she'll be making more than me and then I'll be able to apprentice and do something I love (hopefully). I want to be able to devote all my working time towards that when the time comes. And I want to be able to do something I live instead of just working for money bc I feel like I don't do anything in life except work on trains all day, I'd rather be creating art and preferrably tattooing but i won't find out if it's for me until I can get an apprenticeship and get a feel for it. And thank you again for the advice like I said I just wanted any and all good or bad criticism also. Thanks again. Nick

No I don't take offense at all I understand what ya mean. I know it's nowhere near the same thing and at the current time I couldn't apprentice full time. I do make quite a bit of money right now but when my wife is done with school she'll be making more than me and then I'll be able to apprentice and do something I love (hopefully). I want to be able to devote all my working time towards that when the time comes. And I want to be able to do something I live instead of just working for money bc I feel like I don't do anything in life except work on trains all day, I'd rather be creating art and preferrably tattooing but i won't find out if it's for me until I can get an apprenticeship and get a feel for it. And thank you again for the advice like I said I just wanted any and all good or bad criticism also. Thanks again. Nick

Im not a tattoo artists I like you am striving to become one, but i do however go to school for design and I focus on digital and as well traditional art a good rule of thumb when working on an type of art which you will be doing for people is that all people don't like the same style of tattoos, and like conceptual drawing tattoos can obvious have a style. So I've learned that to draw for different clients you have to flex you style and that doesn't mean to copy someone elses, it simply means find a style you like and try to draw it but in your own way, and do the same with tattoos. you've got old school, Japanese ect.... look at artists that you like and observe the tattoo they have done and try to look at the techniques they used if it had been on paper. Guy Aitchison's tattoos are very heavily influence by acrylic and oil painting techniques, i find he doesn't do much of an outline but rather starts with shading. Try to be diverse in the types of tattoos and style of tattoos that you can draw and you will be a very well rounded artists which is key! I hope that helps out.

Oh ya I understand what ur saying and that does help. And guy was one of the first artists I looked up when I was wanting to get into this and I was just amazed at what he does. Just drew it all insharpy and went straight to shading. I was just amazed at what he does. I know I've got a lot ahead of me but I know I'll be where I want to eventually just gonna take time and practice and a good teacher.