I had to chime in on the new program TLC is offering. The show will follow a so called school that teaches individuals how to tattoo in 2 weeks. All I have to say to that is "Are you fucking kidding me?" Aberration Pro Custom Tattoo has a school at our shops to teach proper tattooing. The difference is our program is a year long with actual shop experience and even then after a year our students are still learning the craft as I'm I after all these many years.
The industry should be in an uproar over this show because it jabs a knife right in the heart of the industry. Now people out there instead of learning the correct way of tattooing will run out and buy a tattoo kit from ebay, add some dvds and think they can start inking on people within two weeks. Now we in the stores will have to deal with all the screwed up work coming from the streets because TLC wants ratings and has found tattoo based reality shows it's ticket.
2 out of 3 current tattoo artist have been self taught. I believe the ratio is so high because the popularity of tattooing in recent years have opened up the market to anyone with the cash to purchase a machine. In the early days when tattooing wasn't popular I believe that number to be the other way around for those going through an apprenticeship. One thing is for certain though-with shows like this one I don't think that number will ever turn around to the way it was suppose to be.
TLC has a big part in making tattooing very popular and many of the artist out there should give them some credit for that. Yes they put a shop and add a bunch of drama into it to make a show like LA or NY Ink. But come on we shouldn't even be mad about that because after all the tattoo shops are filled with drama. My thoughts though is since TLC has helped build the industry up it should take responsibility to it's viewers in being proactive to maintain shows about the industry that will not set off a wave of people running to the local supply shop to become tattoo artist without having the proper training.
Will everyone bitching about this show really change TLC's mind? Maybe or maybe not. I think that the responsibility of TLC's actions will speak for themselves. Ratings is all that matters to them or any other broadcast network. Instead of the 2 weeks to train an artists I think they should've really looked around for reputable schools before putting this one on the air. 2 weeks just isn't safe or logical for anyone to pick up a machine. My students have to learn the parts,reasons,history,and pass time trials for taking apart and putting the machines back together before even hitting a grapefruit. That alone is a few months before they even know how to tune and handle a machine.
Tattooing is a serious business. Bloodborne Disease as well as serious injury can happen while tattooing and piercing. The person running that school should retire and pick up another line of work. It will be on her or his head for the increase in infections as well as tissue injuries. I for one will not even entertain watching this new program. If others in the industry do then your just enabling this station to do as it sees fit. Regardless of how it affects the industry.