Dennis Nowakowski
Learn the art of Tattooing
Become a Tattoo artist
The easy start
1st edition 2020
© / Copyright: 2020 Dennis Nowakowski
Cover design, illustration: Dennis Nowakowski
Cover/Photo © / Copyright: Valeska Harrer
Publisher: Dennis Nowakowski
Dennis Nowakowski
Dinnendahlstr. 43
46145 Oberhausen
E-Mail: tltw@dh-tattoo.de
This work including all contents is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. Reprinting or reproduction (also in extracts) in any form (print, photocopy or other process) as well as storage, processing, duplication and distribution by means of electronic systems of any kind, in whole or in part, is prohibited without the express written permission of the publisher. All translation rights reserved.
Table of contents
About the author
Introduction
Why this book?
I want to become a tattoo artist - How do I start?
Everyone inks differently
Find a place to start
Quality has its price
Don’t hesitate
Talent helps - but it is not everything
A standard education helps
Skin is not paper
The right equipment
My tip:
Draw everything by hand
Transfer to the skin
Preparations
Ink and other little things
A solid tattoo machine
Power supply and foot switch
List of materials
Conclusion
Coil machine, rotary or pen?
A little story
Which criteria are important?
What is Hub?
How fast does the tattoo machine have to run?
Types of needles
Roundliner
Roundshader
Magnums
MT and LT
My advice for beginners
Conclusion
Disposable tips or reconditioning?
Ink and shades
Which colors do I need?
Color Consistency
It's a slimy affair
Shades
Color or shading?
Mixing colors in the skin or in the pot?
An eye for detail
Some methods for implementation
The simple case
The more complex case
A tip on the side
10 mistakes you should avoid
Mistake #1 - The wrong setting
Mistake #2 - tardiness and rejection
Mistake #3 - The wrong way to deal with customers
Mistake #4 - Poor advice, too high price
Mistake #5 - Wrong place, incorrectly applied
Mistake #6 - Bad timing, no material
Mistake #7 - Too rough, too deep
Mistake #8 - No breaks, no food
Mistake #9 - Too impatient, miscalculated
Mistake #10 - Poor care advice
Useful tips
Stay healthy
Use moist cloths
Bend the needles
Ink depth and machine speed
Circles, up and down
Work speed
Cleaning in between
Watch out for flashes
Optimal settings
If the needle stirs
Dilute the colors
Glide better
Let it dry
Don’t go over the same spot too many times
Think big
Don't stop and be jealous
Practice makes perfect, if you like
Check if you have talent
The first time
Here we go
Comfortable and relaxed
In peace lies the strength
Ready
Faint, what to do?
The right care
Everyone says something different
Healing time
Portraits, the supreme discipline
Portraits are not the work of the devil
Size and body part
Draw correctly
A little tip
Two important rules
Shading gradations
Stitch depth and speed
Tattoo artists on TV
The right way to deal with customers
Customer types
The price pusher
The Sceptic
The Know-It-All
The decisive customer
The talkative type
The quiet type
The artistic type
The questioner
The appointment forgetting type
The loyal customer
Your own tattoo studio
A good location is a good location
Don't be a lone wolf
Little by little
Stay Positive
Scheduling
Tasks at hand
A healthy balance
Outrageous customers
Be consistent
Schedule
Conclusion
Legal and financial affairs
Secure yourself
Get a business account
A cash book
Do you also accept card payments?
Everything depends on your sales
Don't live beyond your means
Sick pay
The Health Department
Internet presence and social networks
A little tip in between:
Caution with social networks
Quality, speed and routine
Failed, what went wrong?
My descent
My Comeback
The sum of all the little things
What you should do
Bad tattoo work
You were not reliable
You did not keep track of your finances
Conclusion
Tramp stamp
Asia Style
Backpiece tattoo
Anaesthetic ointment
Biomechanics Tattoo
Bio tattoo
Blackwork
Bloodlines
Blowout
Bodysuit
Comic Style
Cover Up
Dotwork
Fan Tattoo
Flash
Freehand or Freestyle
Hannya mask
Ink
Prison Tattoo
La Catrina
Lettering
Maori Tattoo
Mini Tattoo
Neo-Traditionals
New School Tattoo
Old School Tattoo
Scab
Scratcher
Silver skin
Sleeve
Stencil
Sterility
Tattoo convention
Trash Polka
Trend Tattoos
Walk In
Wannado
Acknowledgement
Dennis Nowakowski, born 1976 in Oberhausen NRW, unmarried without children, is a trained carpenter, media operator and tattoo artist. For many years he kept his head above water with jobs that would turn out to be useful for his career. At a young age he discovered his passion for inking and drawing. Comics sparked his passion for developing his own stories and to transform them into pictures and speech bubbles. Working as a carpenter gave him insights into technical drawings and perspectives which he was able to implement in his comics.
Later he worked as a show advertising designer, where light and presentation were important. Here, he adopted the knowledge he had learned for his private passion as well. Then came the retraining as a web designer, which was a huge leap forward. Modern media inspired him to new ideas and the implementation of his comic projects. Image processing programs, graphics tablet and the internet made it much easier for him to publish his own works.
Enthusiastic about his drawing achievements, a good friend took him by the hand in 1999 and initiated him into the basic knowledge of tattooing. From scratch, Dennis learned how to solder needles, apply colors and shades, use the machines correctly, change motifs and much more. The required starting capital and the amount of time needed was not to be underestimated. Previously trained on pork rind or synthetic skin, he eventually got his first customers, which required patience and perseverance. Free of charge and in his spare time his work developed into acceptable results, which attracted more and more people. Stressed by his regular work and the rush of new clients, Dennis took a creative break for half a year.
After the exclusion criterion of various people who simply wanted to be tattooed free of charge, he continued with loyal customers who at least paid him for the materials and appreciated his work. So he learned how to deal with customers and their demands on tattoos. His work developed further. At the end of 2014 came the point where he wanted to change his career. So he asked his friend Harald, who had tattooed for over 30 years, if he was interested in opening a tattoo studio with him. Enthusiastic about the idea, they got down to work. At the beginning of 2015 they opened their studio called Tattoo in Oberhausen. After some obstacles which just come with the self-employment, the first year passed by. More and more people became aware of Dennis' work. Sometimes even some of Harald’s customers switched to him, which Harald was quite happy with, because his schedule was bur tattoo at the seams.
A solid partnership developed, which still exists today. The former beginner and the veteran exchange their knowledge in a professional way and stand by each other faithfully in the service of the art of tattooing.
Is it even possible to write a book about tattooing without visual aid? I was confronted with this question and, despite critical voices, I answered it with an unequivocal “Yes.” If somebody wants to learn this profession, he should be able to visualize things. With novels or audio books it works just as fine. The only difference is that you need to be able to visualize it for yourself. If you are not able to do this, you can’t advise a client who has a very specific idea of his tattoo motif. If you look around the internet or bookstores, you will find a lot of books, DVDs and Blu-Rays that deal with the topic of tattooing. Unfortunately at not very affordable prices, which discourages most buyers. Therefore I have set myself the goal to write a book that really anyone can afford.
Quite simply, I want to motivate young talents to face their fears and unwaveringly follow a path that will possibly take them further. It is sad to see talented people degenerate because nobody takes them by the hand and promotes their talents.
“Better let it go”, “it's just a fad” or “You won't be able to make a living from that.”
are only some of the sentences that take the courage away from ambitious people to take off professionally with what they are passionate about. Tattooing is a form of art that is becoming more and more popular, especially in Germany, and yet is still frowned upon by conservative people who cling to the traditions of hard work, such as craftsmanship. They take away the dream of talented inkers, comic artists, musicians, writers or actors to ever get a foothold with their passion.
“You'd better learn something decent”, “You've got to take over the company” or “These are just dreams.”
are the most common responses to your career choice. I don't want to denigrate solid professions, but I find it strange that there are no recognized training opportunities for exceptional jobs, such as tattooing. Is it just me, or does it perhaps say something about the backwardness of our country? But exactly here it shows who has the potential to become a tattoo artist and who doesn't. The first step always has to be taken by yourself. This also means to get away from the gossip of others who don't even know better. Those who do their job well, have no hobbies or dreams. These people take it upon themselves to decide about you and what you want to achieve. Scary are family members who laugh at you rather than support you. Distance yourself from these people and concentrate on your goal. In this case you want to become a tattoo artist - and a really good one at that.
This requires a good portion of self-confidence, as with everything you do seriously. Arrogance is often confused with this characteristic. High-flyers are eventually brought back down to earth, even more, they clap their hands with full force and that's it. This must be avoided. Self-confident, nice and courteous is the motto of a la tattoo relationship between tattoo artist and customer. Even more important is the talent. Every would-be tattoo artist can order machines, colors, equipment somewhere and go for it. Anyone can open a tattoo studio. I repeat myself - it is not yet a recognized profession, which is why talentless people who then call themselves tattoo artists, sprout from the ground like mushrooms and start to disfigure unsuspecting and obviously blind people. Which explains the phenomenon of tattoo shows on TV. Cover up shows everywhere you look. Every viewer just facepalms when he sees and thinks something like this:
“Those idiots. Why would they lie down there voluntarily?”
But the cover up professionals will fix it, right? I will go into more detail about this later. I’ll also go into more detail about further problems and solutions, which you should expect on your way of becoming a sought-after tattoo artist. The topics around machines, colors and techniques, I will talk about as detailed as possible. We will figure out the right shop, self-employment, dealing with customers, the right advertising and much more. One more thing first. Not every tattoo artist who has been in the business for a long time will pat me on the shoulder and confirm everything I say here. I would be very disappointed if everyone would do it the way I do, tattoo exactly the same style or express a similar opinion to mine. We are all too different for that. Everything here written down is based on my experiences, which I made over the last years. This book is only meant as a guideline to encourage talents and to support them to go their own way.
This book is divided into two parts. Learning to tattoo and becoming a tattoo artist. A consciously chosen decision by me. After all, one must first learn every executive activity in order to be able to boast about it later. You are not a tattoo artist just because you own tattoo machines and colors. Also not because there are people who sit down voluntarily and let you work on them. If you don’t bring the willingness and ambition to learn as much as possible about tattooing, you might as well leave it alone. After all, I want to reach as many people as possible, so that I can at least teach them the basic knowledge. Many terms and procedures will be repeated, because I rely on a subconscious conditioning. The more often you hear, see or read something, the better it is memorized. Similar to a film that you know all the lines from because you have seen it dozens of times. Since I'm such a film freak, I use many quotes to introduce different chapters. I also use various methods, which I have copied from well-known motivation trainers. In many parts of this book I will ask you to pause, to reflect and to ask yourself the right questions. This book should not only help you to become a good tattoo artist, but also to develop your personality. This is my declared goal for you.
“Enjoy reading and hopefully learning.”
“If you want to do something you've never done before, you have to do something you've never done before."
Congratulations, you've made a decision and you're going to go through with it. Three words will walk you steadily through this book.
“Hang in there.”
Everyone approaches a tattoo differently, otherwise it would be boring. Nobody should copy my approach one hundred percent. It wouldn't make sense. It's just a guide to help you understand the material. Both technically and humanly. You're the operative hand, not me. To do something differently than I do is completely correct, if it’s easier for you and the work turns out even better. Now it’s time to explore to what extent your abilities are sufficient to stick a needle into the skin of other people. All prospective tattoo artists see only the technical execution of a work such as machines, colors, matrix paper “tracing paper for motifs”, outlines “contours”, ink depth, etc. They are keen on finally getting their art down. Full of zest for action, they get going and overlook details that ditattoouish a professional from a newcomer. Very often young people come to our studio because they want to learn to tattoo. Unfortunately, time hardly allows us to deal with them. Some tips and tricks are in there, but it frustrates me more and more to send these often times very gifted and grateful talents away. To hear that they were thrown out of other tattoo studios, literally chased away, I just can’t understand why. In our industry, as in many others, there is a real power struggle for the status position in society. Everybody wants to be the best, doesn’t tolerate any competition on the market and devalues other studios that actually do a very good job. One little look beyond the horizon and they would instead see a future employee who can bring in good money. Instead, you are frowned upon and thrown out. Unfortunately, this is not seldomly the case. But this behavior speaks volumes about the management qualities of these studios. You can safely turn your back on these people and laugh about it. They are exactly the same narrow-minded people, who later on can’t find any good tattoo artists because they all started something on their own. Fortunately, there are also the helpful ones who take a moment, listen and give good advice. Those who look at your work, give feedback on weaknesses and routinely ask questions. Those who don’t question you, but encourage you and strengthen your actions. The quality of the work says nothing about the person behind the machine. Nor does a huge shop with thousands of motifs on the walls and a giant reception area. If that is your stated goal, you have to work for it. If you have reached this goal and belong to the elite of the scene, then never forget that you also started at the bottom. Always be polite and give prospective tattoo artists a chance. There are enough customers out there for all of us, believe me. Whether they come to you or not depends not only on your work. I wouldn't get tattooed by some unfriendly dick either, no matter how good he is.
Hang in there, find someone who is reasonably familiar with the subject matter and who takes you by the hand a little. You can also find many tips and tricks on the Internet. At least a correct execution from A to Z concerning the hardware. However, there is nothing like having a mentor on site to familiarize you with the details, which are not permanently available and applicable to all situations. I hope to be able to help you with this book and to help you get rid of all the questions that prevent you from getting started. Please don’t expect a patent solution for all your questions. Every situation, every tattoo and every client must be treated individually. Your task is to find an acceptable solution for your client. In case you’re looking for the quick coin you should be able to deliver solid pieces that take a lot of time.
One of the most common phrases in this industry. Unfortunately said by people who can just draw outlines and fill in black. And even that doesn’t look particularly well in the end. As a newcomer, you are happy about every customer, which mostly come from your circle of friends and are available as guinea pigs. To ask for a lot of money from the beginning and keep quoting the above-mentioned quote is absurd. Be grateful for every person who voluntarily gets inked by you. In the beginning you will be fascinated by short phrases, names, dates, tribals, ornaments and the like. They consist only of outlines and some fill color, preferably black. Highly recommended for a more consistent way of working. So you get a better feeling for your machine, needles, color, shapes, skin and problem areas. But that's not enough to make your way to the elite. Personal talent, self-assessment and ambition play a major role here. Overestimating yourself, which explains all the cover up shows on TV, can end badly. A reputation is quickly damaged. A picture is worth a thousand words. Nevertheless, at some point you have to let go of what you have learned so far and move on. Here you should also slowly realize where you want to go, which style you want to ink. In theory, at some point you should be able to do everything if you are in a good mood. Diversity in tattoo artists can unfortunately only be found to a limited extent, as the artists eventually settle down for their favourite styles. Two rough directions are Old School Art and Realistic Style Art. You should also exchange your private rooms or basement for a studio at some point if you want to earn money professionally with your passion. The courage to do exactly that is missing in a lot of people.
Such a short text and already so much information, I know. I'm glad that my good friend Harald took me by the hand and recognized and encouraged my drawing talent. For many years I was bobbing around as a cellar artist, who only inked small motifs at dumping prices on weekends. My real career only began at the age of 38, even though I had little hope and many people dismissed it as nonsense. Many discouraging years, with several jobs on my resume, did not make me happy. Asking what was wrong with me kept me busy. Having no goal makes you freeze and stagnate like you're in a state of shock. It was only when we opened our studio that I realized my true potential. Managing the shop, inking nice tattoos, talking to people, exchanging experiences with my business partners, developing my own techniques and much more. Now I ask myself why all this happened so late. Where would I be if I had done this fifteen or twenty years ago. Much further than today, of course. I want to spare you this dilemma and ask you to take this step as quickly as possible. Don't waste too much precious time and energy. Don't get discouraged and make the decision you think is right.
When you have done all this and worked your way through this book, you will be ready. After reading it, use it as a reference book if you get stuck. There will certainly be a situation that you have neglected or underestimated. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you and all I can say is,
“Hang in there.”
A little story
A beginner tattoo artist comes to a five star restaurant. As he sifts through the menu, the chef who is a great admirer of his work, recognizes him. He speaks to him.
“I am a great fan of your work. You must have a great tattoo machine and great colors.”
The tattoo artist smiles and nods friendly. After a five-course meal, he calls the chef to his table and says,
“A truly magnificent meal. I am thrilled. You must have a great stove and really good pots.”
It's a fairly well-known story, which I rewrote a little bit. Making a good job depend entirely on tools and materials is nonsense. A craftsman is only as good as his tools. Without talent or enough practice, the best tattoo machine in the world won't do you any good. If you don't have the talent in the first place, it only helps to practice.
“I can't even draw stick figures - how can I become a tattoo artist?”
If I got one euro for every person who uttered that sentence, I could take months off work. Why is everyone convinced that you have to be a brilliant draughtsman or inker to deliver beautiful tattoos? I know many tattoo artists who have never drawn before and are now respected tattoo artists. You just have to realize that it is a learned profession, as any profession is. Nobody masters something perfectly the first time. Nobody is born into the world as a brain surgeon, racing driver or banker. These are all skills that we have to learn. The only question is how good you want to be. For each area there are specialists and professionals who stand out from the standard workers because they can do more or are more precise. As a rule, it takes three years to learn a profession. Most people think that's it. To master something really well, no matter what, an average type of worker needs seven years. This is no joke, it's scientifically proven. There's no need to throw in the towel now. If you could do anything, you wouldn't need this book.
A solid apprenticeship occupation can therefore not hurt. At the very least, it would be an emergency plan in case the desired career as an artist doesn't work out right away. This way you can, at least at the beginning, provide for a regular income and spend your free time learning about drawing, needles and colors. Invest as much time as possible in your hobby, as I call it for now. Getting a good feel for shapes, line work and shading is a solid step forward. Colors and color combinations are often an art themselves, but they develop over time. Look intensively at many pictures and motifs. Pay attention to light edges, shadows and how shadows cast on objects. Brightness, contrast and color intensity are also dynamic factors.
You can’t compare inking on white paper with inking skin. Skin doesn’t lie smooth in front of you or keeps permanently still. It belongs to a sentient person, to whom you can cause extreme pain if you approach the matter too brutally. Physical pain is followed by psychic pain if you mess up the motive. These statements should not deter you from your intention, they should make you think. How would you react if someone torments you for several hours and the desired result looks like anything but your chosen motif? You would be really angry. That's exactly what the customer is if he doesn't get gentle treatment and solid workmanship. The term “butcher” is widespread in the scene and describes tattoo artists who are ruthless and unprofessional. This is also how the finished motifs look like, which take ages to heal, are scarred and can’t even be saved by a cover up. These people have very quickly lost their reputation and always mysteriously disappear abroad to “allegedly” make a name for themselves there. Such or similar stories about disappeared tattoo artists you will hear more often, when more and more customers come to you. You don’t want to be such a tattoo artist. Your name has to stand for reliability, solid, fast and relatively painless work.
Only in a few cases, a prospective tattoo artist brings all the basic requirements to be really good. Don’t worry about it. That's why you learn everything about the topic. At the beginning of this chapter, I talked about people who never inked and yet were able to gain a successful foothold in the industry. I also know of brilliant draughtsmen who are unable to properly ink a motif on skin. They can’t deal with the circumstances. A tattoo machine is not a pencil, skin is not paper, paper doesn’t move and doesn’t scream when it gets too painful.
Just as frowned upon as the “butchers” are arrogant tattoo artists. I admit it of-fen, I don't get along with most of the people in my business because they are too arrogant in my opinion. With mediocre work, which is honored far too highly, many people cheat their way through and consider themselves the greatest makers of our time. They present themselves self-confidently, can do everything, know everything and are beyond any doubt. Unfortunately, this is also the customers fault, who themselves have no idea of the matter and praise the would-be artists to the skies for their work. Thick, continuous outlines and a little color are apparently enough to make a large part of our society happy. The laws of nature, such as light and shadow, are overrated anyway. It's also astonishing that these customers voluntarily pay several hundred Euro for very little tattoo.
“What are they putting in your tea, folks?”
“transformer”“tracing paper”