TAKING ANY ART FORM SERIOUSLY...

This thread has nothing to do with Taz's Son, though the timing is unfortunate, but it goes out to Lil' Jen, or anyone else who is thinking about being a tattoo artist, or a graphic designer, or any other kind of artist in general. It's sort of an artist's creed. Or, at the least, something you need to know and consider. Number one, if you are going to be an artist of any kind, tattoo or not, you need to have either a hell of a lot of talent, or a hell of a lot of heart.Some people are born with natural talent. Others are not. Some are born with some talent, and must work their fucking ass off to get to where they need to be. If you have no talent, you are probably not going to make it unless you have a lot of heart. Why? Let me tell you why... because art is not easy. It's not. It's not something you go into when you're "Not good at math", or you "Don't know what you wanna be when you grow up" or when somebody told you that you draw really great pot leafs on your spiral notebooks". Just because you did a really great pencil drawing of "Randy Rhodes" once in your junior art class does not mean you have talent. Talent comes from the inside, and from a hell of a lot of dedication, and drive, and from having a really thick skin. Now if you are a fine artist, ie, a painter, illustrator, whatever, you can do whatever you want. Nobody is going to judge your work, except for the people who potentially may, or may not buy it. But good fine artists and illustrators adhere to all of these rules as well. They have to have heart, drive and dedication. I teach artists and designers every day of my life. It's what I do. I'm the Director for Graphic Design and Art programs for a major University, and a prof as well, so I'm not just blowing smoke out of my ass. Of the people in my classes roughly 5% have what it takes to be designers when they walk through the door. I will recover another 2% Through sheer guts and determination. These people will go on to be designers. The rest will be lost in la la land and never amount to anything because they have no talent, but more than that, they have no dedication, and no drive to be the best of the best... TO BE ANY KIND OF SUCCCESSFUL ARTIST YOU HAVE TO HAVE A COMBINATION OF CREATIVITY, PROBLEM SOLVING ABILITY, ATTITUDE, AND ABOVE ALL A DRIVE TO BE THE BEST OT THE BEST!! Why do you have to be the best of the best? Because no matter who you are, schools and Universities are churning people out hand-over-fist every single day that want your job as an artist... and there are very, very few jobs for people who want to be artists for a living. You have to kick ass. So, if you have no talent, but this is really what you want to do, then what do you do? Well, one good thing to do is start with some RESEARCH. Wether you are a tat artist or a designer, if you don't know who the best are, how do you know what to shoot for? How do you know how to benchmark yourself, and when will you know when you are improving?? If you are an aspiring tat artist, and you don't even know people (terms) like Guy Atchison, Sailor Jerry, or Art Nouveau, then how the hell do you know what you're even plugging in to? For designers, and tat artists alike, my advice is to start by researching your chosen field. Go to school. Take some art classes. Learn about form, shape, shading, symmetrical vs. asymetrical balance... light and dark balance... you know, the fundamentals of design and art! Does red go with green? Does white pop or receed? All of this stuff is stuff that you will need to know in order to be ANY kind of artist wether it's tattoo, graphic design, structural, EGD, illustration, web, or anything else. These are the basics. Without them, you are nowhere. There are some people who are born with it. About 1%. If you aren't in that 1%, you've got some work to do... and it has to be a LOVE a LIFELONG PASSION. It's not a hobby. It's part of who you are. Why am I saying all of this?? Because the photos that I saw of Jen's tattoos are crap. Not because they are tattoos, because as ART they are crap. Because they lack a basic understanding of the elements of art and design. Is that her fault? Who knows? I don't know if Jen has taken any art classes at all. If she hasn't, she should. If she has, she needs to work harder. WAY WAY WAY BEFORE SHE EVER GETS NEAR ANYONE's SKIN!!! Nobody has any business being a tattoo artist until they are an ARTIST first. Nobody has any business being a graphic designer until they are an ARTIST first. Simple as that. How do you become an artist? Like I said, you buckle down, and you earn it. Wanna give me shit about it? Go ahead. I've been walking the walk for over 15 years, and now I teach college classes in everything from Computer design to the Theory and History of design. If you want it bad enough, you can do it. But it's not easy. And the fact that people think it is, is a misconception, and THAT is why that jackass who comes in your shop and thinks he should be able to get you to do it for 25 bucks is there. Because he saw something like what I just saw from Lil Jen (who told us all FUCK YOU) and he thinks to himself, "shit, I don't know why I should have to pay for that, I could probably do that myself"... and he's probably right... he probably could. So here's my advice, if you want to be a tattoo artist, or any other kind of artist, throw your soul into it. Hate everything you've ever done 5 minutes after you've finished with it because you KNOW you could have done better. Research your craft... not because someone told you to... because you LOVE it, and then, when you ARE the shit, go out and charge $200 per hour and get it, because you are WORTH it. If we all hold these kind of irons to our artwork, and to our egos, and all you beginners out there hit it with this intensity and enthusiasm, then you are plugging into 10,000 years of human history, and something way, way way bigger than yourself. And finally, for all tattoo artists and designers, there's one final element to think about as far as our artwork goes. Our clients. They deserve our very, very fucking best... every day, every time, headache or not, divorce or not... whatever. The artwork we do is THEIRS... NOT OURS. That's the very definition of COMMERCIAL ART of any kind... and that carries with it a very, very high level of responsibility and professionalism and customer service. Something to think about everybody.... Okay Jen, as much flak as I'll catch, I'll be the one to say it and this comes from my heart with all the love that's intended. You're nowhere baby. Not to cut you down, everyone has got to start somewhere, but you have no business right now doing this to people's skin. Now get to work. Research tattoo history and style. Do your art classes. Get a degree in art, or practice your ass off. Become a really killer artist. It's gonna take time, and practice. And more time and more practice. And right now, you're no better than 100 wannabe students I talk to every day. So change it. Put your heart into it. Learn the ART. THEN, learn the craft. I say this with all sincerity and hope for all artists. If you're gonna be one, BE THE BEST... EARN IT. Al This is one drawing you can't erase on.

Al, did you ever get my emails about wanting to know about the school that you teach at and graphic design?....Good post man as usual ya Geek! .... respect.

Oh, Sorry Werk... Maybe I missed em. I'll email you the name and stuff tonight when I get home. Sorry bro! Didn't mean to blow ya off.

It's all good brother. After you mentioned that you were having some G14 classified pimp shit problems with your email I suspected that you probably didn't get them.... Taz, I don't have to be at work until 10pm tomorrow so do you think that I could mutilate some grapefruit for a few hours tomorrow?

Al (aka Daddy Rose), son, that was perhaps one of the best posts I've ever read on any forum about what it means to actually BE an Artist, thank you for posting it and damn, do I hope folks read it and REALLY think about what it means. That was fan-fucking-tastic and coming from you, with your credentials and background, I sincerely HOPE it gives anyone thinking about trying to get into this profession something to think about. You must know I agree with you about Jennifer's 'work' and not to prolong THAT fiasco, that is a perfect example of what you're talking about. Damn, that was horrible, how could anyone look at something like that and even think it was anything to call 'art'? And I see alot of that crap, more and more nowadays and it infuriates me, not just as a Tattoo Artist but as an Artist in the first place (if I can really even seperate the two in my mind anymore) I've been in this for a very long time and while I don't get out much anymore, back when I did I don't ever remember meeting any GOOD Tattoo Artist who hadn't been an artist BEFORE ever doing a tattoo, many who, like me, started drawing as kids. Some were just gifted artist and came to it naturally, some had a seed of talent and worked harder at it or went to art classes/schools but the point, they worked at it and WERE ARTIST. As I've told people for years, how can anyone possibly be a Tattoo Artist if they aren't an Artist FIRST. Again, great post....Doc

I definitely agree that fine art is for those with talent and drive, and not many make it. Tattoo artists should be at the top of their game at all times because a canvas can be put in storage, your skin never goes away...hopefully. I do, however, think it is very important to not discourage people from making art (and Daddy Rose I'm not saying that you did discourage people, just making a point). Art can help people learn more about themselves, to relax, to get through hard times, and to relate to other people. If you're not a fine artist that's great, still create, just don't try to sell it or put it on other peoples skin. If art is a part of your life I believe you will lead a much richer life. Good luck and happy creating! Dana

I agree with MOST of what Al said but I will take a few minor exceptions...I HATE the term "talent"...talent implies an inherent skill that a person is born with...I have never seen any one who is exceptional at anything be it art, playing guitar or ANYTHING who didn't invest hours and hours GETTING those skills whether it be sketching hotrods during math class or locking youself in a room for hours every night and playing guitar till your fingers bleed...now a person may be born with a "prediliction" for a certain skill but that prediliction will go nowhere without what Al calls "HEART" I myself hold a BA in fine arts and a degree in engineering drawing and graphic technology.(drafting to simplify things)....what taught me most?....the drafting courses...sure I learned a lot from the fine arts but to put that knowledge to practical use it took the skills of a draftsman to transfer the art and form to paper and eventually to skin. I always tell everyone who wants to be ANYTHING that you will know what you need to be when you cannot exist without it....To be a good tattoo artist you must have such a desire that you just know that you will never be complete unless you are a tattoo artist

One more thing (imagine that from me)...as far as Jens art....no the two...the tribal band and the flowers (clovers) WERE horrible designs however the metallica star was not...that was a case of a perfectly good design being very poorly executed. Although that star has been overdone the original concept was not flawed....Al maybe you just weren't familiar with it or didn't recognize it but it was a way cool design till all the metalladicts got it tattooed on them!!... I am now going to delete Jens tattoos at her request...I think enough has been said and she no doubt gets the idea!!...T

just curious... I don't mean to continue the slamming of Jen's work, but what was the artistic flaw in the tribal band? I understand awhat was wrong with the the clovers with black outlining and black stems, but what would you say was wrong with the tribal besides poor execution, like the metallica thing? I just want to hear it from an artist's perspective. I don't know much about art myself.

wo, I am NOT 'picking on you but that kinda helps prove part of my point, most people don't know much about art. To me I believe any Good Artist would spot the flaws almost immediately. I don't remember the specifics of the band but I do know the outline was way messed up and it didn't match, from side to side, the color was blotchy (the pics are gone, so I can't get more specific) Suffice to say it would have looked good-done right. One of the anologies I've used for years-if you were a custom car painter, with many years experience, loved what you do, strive to keep up with all the improvements/variations and truly took pride in your paintjobs- how long would it take you to spot a mistake in any paintjob?...Doc

I thank you for your Props Doc John. I think that just more reinforces what I've thought about you all along... you are a class act. But I won't tell anyone. See, listen to Taz too guys... He and Doc too have got the backround... that's what I'm talking about. Actually Tazman, I don't really think you are taking very much exception with what I was saying. At all. In fact, I think your just elaborating a little better on one of my points. I do think some people are born with it... but no doubt... which is where the "talent" thought comes in, but you are absolutely right... most of those "talented" people get the results from putting it to work over, and over, and over again out of love of it. And to Wo, like Doc said... when you have put in the time, and done the training, and art class, and honed your skills, and done your research and become an artist, bad stuff is really just pretty easy to spot. It doesn't flow well. It doesn't make use of basic principles of design. It just has that kinda stumbly look to it... like a lack of confidence, not to mention the technique aspects. Hard to explain it other than you have to earn it to get that explanation. And if you can't see what I'm talking about (not you, but I mean artists) you have no business putting anything on skin. And to Dana... I agree. Art is part of the soul and should be the domain of the masses... it's what makes us human, and it's part of our birthright. I believe art is one of the only differences between human beings and the rest of the animal kingdom (hmm....) But what this whole post is about is when you throw the word "client" in there. Your fine art is for you, and your soul. It can be whatever you want. But in any aspect of "Commercial Art", it takes on a new meaning....

I guess that's why I'm a tattoo lover and not a tattoo artist, or any other kind of artist for that matter... and I'm perfectly happy that way.