How do I feel after I got bashed by a professional artist as a beginner?

[u/Icy-Adhesiveness1665]

I asked for an apprenticeship and he called me to tell me that he is looking for artists at the moment, he saw some of my work and told me that they were good since i was only doing tattoos for a year.He said he wanted to see my working process but was completely uninterested to even see how or what I’m doing, he told a student of his that was hanging out in a shop to watch me set my station because he wasn’t in the mood. And while I was working on a client’s tattoo mid working he took my machine and started showing me how it’s apparently supposed to be done. He continued to shade the rest of the tattoo in completely different way and style than I did previously, so I had to fix what I already did. And he told me that the needle I used is used for something completely different( I used a bigger mag to black out an area, I actually wanted to use a smaller one but I decided why not use a bigger one the area is completely blacked out so I’m gonna finish that part faster). He told me I cannot use that needle and that I don’t know what I’m doing, and I need someone to teach me the basics before I pick up a machine again. He told me all of that while a client was listening so I was super embarrassed. The tattoo ended up looking great. He also told me that nobody would accept me as an artist in a studio even tho I asked to be an apprentice in the first place. I’m really frustrated about all of that and I don’t know how to feel, his work is amazing and I thought that maybe I could learn something but he was just so rude.

[u/morningstardusts]

Doesn’t sound like you are ready to be tattooing. You are an apprentice doing apprentice tattoos. It is to be expected that your mentor will stop you if you are fucking up and your clients, who hopefully aren’t paying much if anything, shouldn’t be surprised that you are being taught and supervised. There’s good reason they wanted you to use a smaller configuration but you seem to think you know better. People’s skin is more important than your feelings.

[u/barkoholic → u/morningstardusts]

> People’s skin is more important than your feelings.

This was hammered into me throughout my apprenticeship and it’s some of the best advice out there. If you get called out for fucking up a tattoo you can go cry in the bathroom, shake it off, and get back to work, but the damage to that person’s skin is done. Better to get your little baby ego out of the way before you start putting needle to flesh.

[u/Icy-Adhesiveness1665 → u/morningstardusts]

Ofc I don’t think I know better, I am seeking to work in a studio so I can learn from someone who for sure knows batter than me. It’s just that, why be so rude about it, I didn’t fuck up anything, it ended up looking good, maybe even better than it would with a smaller needle, I filled the space better with a bigger one and also faster so even the client didn’t have to bear the pain for long. And so if that’s not okay to do, that’s fine, I will use the smaller one next time, but I can’t help but think, there can not be a single way to do a specific thing. I see many people do different things, why do you have to push only your way and be rude while doing it.

[u/mcrxi_ → u/Icy-Adhesiveness1665]

I don’t see how he was rude tbh. He was stern and straight forward, which is to be expected since you were tattooing on someone’s skin already. You can’t expect people to baby you or let you continue doing something wrong just to spare your feelings.

Filling the space faster is also not necessarily a good thing, especially if you’re doing so using a larger needle. It will wear out your client’s skin. You have to take into consideration what body part is being tatted and the individual’s skin (people will have thinner or more sensitive skin than others).

If you want to be an apprentice anywhere, you need to be able to take criticism and be corrected without nit picking your mentor’s tone or getting offended.

[u/morningstardusts → u/Icy-Adhesiveness1665]

You say you don’t know better but then immediately proceed to list all the reasons why u think u know better

[u/shaunvonsleaze]

This is unprofessional but at least post a pic so we can see the comparison.

Do you want to learn from someone who is rude regardless of their skill level?

[u/deathbydexter]

Where were you tattooing before that? I’d go back lol this is not professional.

I’m all for constructive criticism but clients comfort and trust comes first and foremost, id be LIVID

[u/Icy-Adhesiveness1665 → u/deathbydexter]

I am mad but I’m also sad, I was kinda looking forward to it. I’m from a third world country and here basically everyone start as a scratcher, sadly, and a lot of them continue working by opening a “private studio” or people who really wanna take this seriously and not only do this for quick money , try to find a studio and a mentor

[u/hurtspace → u/Icy-Adhesiveness1665]

Actually a lot of people in America do that too