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School's out

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Post by Whippet Thu May 12, 2016 3:09 am

I just arrived back from 2 days 'training' with a tattooist in Sheffield, he runs a short intensive course (1 or 2 days).

My thinking is 'where the fuck was this guy 32 years ago?'.

I found the experience really worthwhile, I'm now confident about machine tuning and running (I was having issues here), learnt a load of other bits and pieces (too mush to mention), but most importantly he has shown me how to change all 3 of my basic techniques - lining, shading and colour. I've tried all of his methods, both at his place and since returning home. I am a convert...100%

Course cost £275 and I think money very well spent.

Prior to attending (Monday) I lined a small Owl head on pig skin, normal kinda battle for me.

On return home I lined a different owl on some practice skin (no easier or harder than pig skin in my view) and then tried out the grey wash methods he showed me.

Still FAR from perfect but it all went so much easier, I felt way more confident AND in total control of my machine throughout the lining, which was running faster than I ever would have tuned it before. I feel now I have the missing knowledge I desperately needed and I just need to put the time in on practise. OVERJOYED Very Happy

School's out Miniow10
School's out Bg_owl10
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Post by marked 4 life Thu May 12, 2016 8:12 am

Definately well worth every penny, I did 1 day with the guy early last year and it certainly boosts your confidence and fills in the gaps of missing knowledge, what practice piece did you do there, mine was a skull and rose.

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Post by Whippet Thu May 12, 2016 9:16 am

Yeah same piece, I guess it's because it allows him to cover all techniques in one and not too overwhelming in line work. Also, the piece he uses is from some of his own published flash.

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Post by head Thu May 12, 2016 9:23 am

you can see the difference in the 2 owls..the 2nd is far better then the 1st it certainly paid of buy going to him
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Post by Whippet Thu May 12, 2016 9:36 am

Cheers head
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Post by Ketchup Kid Thu May 12, 2016 4:34 pm

that practice ink looks like it takes ink pretty well.

that exact same outline would look worse on pidskin i bet
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Post by Whippet Thu May 12, 2016 9:43 pm

Maybe but I did some practise lining on pigskin and it was also a better line quality than before. Not perfect but better.

From memory, 20 years since I last tattooed a person, I 'think' practice skin and pig skin are both harder for lining, though for different reasons
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Post by Dmerit Fri May 13, 2016 1:22 am

So how do you think this course helped you?. what were the missing pieces?
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Post by Whippet Fri May 13, 2016 8:28 pm

First off was machine tuning. Read a lot before but never got it down in practice. Sitting with the guy and de-tuning then re-tuning quite a few different machines helped a lot. I was tuning too slow before and never really had a constant to aim at in terms of sound and feel (hit). Also little things like checking elastic tension by eyeing the needle tips for distinct lines.

All my techniques, lining, colour packing and shading were too erratic, and lining too fast was a problem, i see now. Covered a slower approach to lining and a few colour techniques using rounds and mags, all aimed at solid coverage in a single pass. just practising and being corrected on things like speed, motion, machine position etc made a load of difference.

Learnt about mixing grey washes on the fly, which I really like, more so than pre-mixed stuff I used lately.

Other thing, sounds a bit 'hippy dippy', nand if you knew me the idea of entertaining such spiritual stuff would be a joke, but the guy gets you into a kind of mindset based around focus and relaxation (sort of).

I recognise loads of issues before going so I was wide open to it all and feel really confident now.

Bottom line the stuff I've done since returning is way up on before, though much work still to do. Piece in progress included.

School's out Image10
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Post by Buddy Boy Sat May 14, 2016 3:14 am

I wish there were courses like that over here, especially for middle aged people like myself, who's too old for an apprenticeship, well financially I am too old. Everything in life is easy to learn/master if you have someone actually showing you, teaching yourself is gonna take twice as long...even longer
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Post by Whippet Sat May 14, 2016 8:15 am

Yeah I'm an old fart too, 50 next month, so fitting into a shop as a 'minor' would be pretty weird. I had a stint tattooing from 84-96, but it was probably more for the local 'rock star' status than anything else, and I wasn't exactly committed to personal development beyond what ongoing experience provided.

This time I want be creating great work and am more prepared to invest (time and/or money) to get things right.

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Post by marked 4 life Sat May 14, 2016 9:34 am

Whippet wrote:Yeah I'm an old fart too, 50 next month
Its never too late to start, as long as your eyes still work, you have 2 hands and you dont have the shakes then you should be ok.

Incidentally, I am older than Whippet and only got registered last year Laughing

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Post by gaztred Sat May 14, 2016 10:43 am

So glad to see there are some of us "old uns" on here. I am 50 next year and only got registered last year as well. Being in a shop was never an option unfortunately as I have been mortgaged to the eyes since I was 20 and four kids had to put the dinner on the table so taking an apprenticeship was never really viable. I seem to be working in reverse and planning for my mainstream retirement then plan to tattoo more semi full time then.
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Post by Ketchup Kid Mon May 16, 2016 3:59 pm

wow thanks for sharing all that, it gives me hope cuz i'm not young either
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Post by Buddy Boy Mon May 16, 2016 4:18 pm

gaztred wrote:So glad to see there are some of us "old uns" on here. I am 50 next year and only got registered last year as well. Being in a shop was never an option unfortunately as I have been mortgaged to the eyes since I was 20 and four kids had to put the dinner on the table so taking an apprenticeship was never really viable. I seem to be working in reverse and planning for my mainstream retirement then plan to tattoo more semi full time then.

More or less in the same boat gaztred mortgage at 20, plan is to learn this craft, then hopefully leave my factory job (& the shifts that comes with it). As long as I don't have the shakes or whatever, maybe it's something that can be done well past retirement age
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Post by Ketchup Kid Mon May 16, 2016 4:21 pm

what is the best way to not ever get the shakes?

what precautions do you take?
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Post by Buddy Boy Mon May 16, 2016 6:40 pm

I just mean developing a condition that would maybe give you the shakes...
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Post by Ketchup Kid Mon May 16, 2016 6:50 pm

i was just asking because coffee, alcohol, lifting weights and other activities make me feel not as steady, and was wondering if anybody has made any lifestyle changes to keep the hand steady
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