Both Tattoo Artist and Piercer

Killer_banana

So currently on work placement in Lanzarote and have the craving to get either a piercing or a tattoo. Although for various reason I probably won't be able to get either, I decided to look into the local tattoo shop anyway. Went on their site which is fairly medicore and noticed this

works professionally as a tattoo artist and body piercer

If someone is claiming to both are they someone to steer clear of? I am under the impression that both take a LOT of time devoted to training and that you couldn't really be proficient in both. Or are there, a rare few, who do both and do both well? I'm just wondering 'cause I've never heard of someone being a tattoo artist and a piercer before.

Adiboo

I don't see why someone couldn't do both well. If I saw an artist who's work I liked, and found out he/she was also a piercer, it wouldn't put me off in the slightest.

Melion

I know someone who did piercing in a shop while doing his tattooing apprenticeship. I'm pretty sure his apprentice now is doing the piercing. It's a way of making money while doing your tattoo apprenticeship.

You can learn to pierce in a matter of weeks, tattoo apprenticeships can take years.

piercingdanny

Melion wrote: »

You can learn to pierce in a matter of weeks, tattoo apprenticeships can take years.

Professional piercing can take just as long as tattooing to learn to be honest. I don't see why someone couldn't be proficient in both aspects as long as they have put the time and effort into the training. Check for portfolio's and make your mind up on that. Have a chat with the person and if you're not comfortable with the answers then stay well away. As for the comment above you can learn how to stick a needle in someone in a matter of weeks but to learn the craft to be able to offer your customers the best service possible DOES take years and a lot of dedication and hard work. There are to many piercers in this country that have done a couple of weeks training and now think they are the business. There's so much involved like metalurgy, anatomy, aftercare, troubleshooting, cross contamination control e.t.c...... All this can not be learned in a matter of weeks !!!!

bodice ripper

did you hear the one about the tattooist who became a piercer?










































of course you didn't. :P

Killer_banana

Yeah the fact both require an apprenticeship is what made me unsure. Apprenticeships are unpaid and take a long time, I can't see someone undertaking both somehow. I've decided to leave it. As my friend pointed out at well tattoo artists in tourist destinations are normally dodgy. I shall just have to wait till I get home. A nice post-Christmas present for myself.

bodice ripper

tbh, you couldn't pay me enough to have to put my hands near all those mouths, and that is just for starters...