Getting a job at a tattoo shop can be so interesting
There’s a guy trying to get a position at our shop and he’s going through a trial period where the owner is watching him tattoo and giving him feedback and depending on how receptive he is will depend on if he gets the job

But this is specifically cause he’s not at a level the owner needs him to be at (but is almost there,) so if he’s accepting of criticism, he’ll get the job and she’ll finish off training him.
If he fights her on technique, he will not get the job

I just think it’s a neat process

I appreciate (at least in my shop’s case) that hiring is based on the individual along side the portfolio
And I also appreciate that the owner is willing to train ppl. It gets rid of the necessity to have 10+ yrs of experience after graduating

Sorry, I’m just thinking out loud at this point
Tattooing is such a vastly different field to be in and seeing a hiring process that has eliminated a stereotypical interview process is just interesting

And then on top of that- the ppl in tattooing come from very different walks of life and got into tattooing in completely different ways and I’m seeing how different experiences has shaped ppl differently

The guy trying to get hired is self taught and was tattooing out of his house. He then got a job at a tattoo shop filled with artists who do color realism but the guy is trying to teach himself American traditional

It’s been fascinating to listen to my shop talk about him because they’re seeing a bunch of little things that are stopping this dude from doing solid traditional work. but he wouldn’t know any better cause he wasn’t taught to know better when teaching himself

And then the shop he was in prior didn’t help because the field they pursued is not the field he’s pursuing. So his set up is ready for color realism. His machine, his needle choices and the way he shapes his lines are literally all going against the effect he’s trying to make

These all feel like such small things but it’s so INTERESTING that literally every decision you’re making will make different results.

Tattooing is so much more then knowing how to draw. It’s like a big equation. It’s like your answer is X-which is the product your clients wants- and you have to choose a, b and c and plug these components in correctly to then = X

And what’s even MORE interesting is how getting a, b or c can have their own equations.

5 xtra tight liner is = to 3 loose liner

So let’s say component a is your needle and both needle groupings can successfully give you X but there’s more to think about-

5 xtra tight needle: More needles, more saturation, less trauma to the skin, more likely to change size due to needles shifting thru use
3 loose: less needles, less saturation but will heal solid,more trauma to skin, will not change size or shape of line, still thinner

So with these in mind you make the decision based on your skill level and preference and you can put your needle grouping into the a slot

So 5 xtra tight + b + c = X