Hello all,
So I have wanted to be a tattoo artist since I was a teenager. I love art, I love tattoos (my husband and I both are pretty heavily decorated) and being a tattoo artist has always been a dream of mine.
It wasn’t in the cards when I was younger; my parents hated the idea of me being a tattoo artist and would give no support for that, so I could not pursue an internship after high school. I wound up meeting my husband when I was 20, we had a couple kids pretty quick and I stayed at home with them at first, so there just was not an opportunity for me to chase that career path.
Things changed a little once the kids were old enough to be in school and I actually had something resembling some free time again. I was worried my late twenties were a bit old for a tattoo apprenticeship, but when I told my husband he encouraged me to chase it.
I wound up finding an artist willing to take me as apprentice. Or rather, my husband talked his regular artist into taking me. Either way, it worked out well, and I think I did well. I apprenticed for about three years, during which time my husband fully supported me with buying equipment, and just financially supporting me in general. I always promised I’d make up for it, he would usually just tell me I can make it up with some free work once I’m ready.
I did finish my apprenticeship and I think I am a pretty capable artist. When I finished the apprenticeship and got licensed to tattoo independently, he bought me some very nice new equipment (again) to get started with.
After that came looking for space. I was able to do some work at the shop I apprenticed in, but I did have a bit of a hard time there trying to compete for clientele with more established artists there. So far, most of my clients have been my husband and friends of his he refers to me.
In any case, my husband has once again offered more help, this time by talking about converting a portion of our home into a studio that I could use. It wouldn’t be cheap and we haven’t really gotten into looking through the zoning issues and whatnot to see if it is even legally possible, but he did offer that if that can be worked out we can make it happen.
I deeply appreciate that and all the help he has given me, but I’m really starting to feel like all I ever do is ask him for more stuff and I am starting to feel really bad about it. He’s already invested thousands into this on my behalf and frankly, I don’t think I have much to show for it at this point. A small list of clients and not much money, definitely not anywhere near the amount he put in.
I feel like taking more from him (like a room in the house) is more than I can rightfully take, but also giving up now would be throwing away the thousands he has put into it.
Am I being unfair to my husband? Should I give up on pursuing this?
​
**TL;DR:** Husband has invested thousands into helping me get my start as a tattoo artist, and I feel I have done nothing but take, and it is making me feel pretty bad. Am I being unfair in taking more?
4 comments
Hey, I can see you’re struggling with allowing your husband to support you but I need you to understand something.
He believes in you. He wants you to succeed. He wants to help you achieve your dreams. He would likely be devastated if you threw it all away because you think you’re doing him a favor???
He has made the choice to support you and you should let him do that. You have to trust that he knows his own limits. You have to trust the help you’re recieveing and know that it comes from the most tender sort of love. This man would likely walk through fire for you; his support is limitless because so is his love.
My advice: Relentlessly pursue this line of work with all the fervor and ferocity that you can. Let this man help raise you up and love you in the way he does. Don’t stop now. Don’t give up. Keep pushing and you will get to where you want to be.
It sounds like he’s happy to help so there’s no issue with taking it.
However, it sounds like he’s doing more for your career than you are. I don’t think having a studio in your house is going to get you any more clients than your current set up – in fact it might get you even less since you will no longer have the marketing associated with the studio.
I think you need to focus on getting a client base before a home studio – the studio won’t help you get people in. Have you been doing much online marketing? That’s probably where I’d start – like an instagram of tattoos you’ve done and regular postings of drawings ideas (since you don’t have much actual skin work). Apart from that can you talk to the tattooists in the studio and any others you know on how to get started and start getting clients? Presumably ever tattoo artist goes through this stage in their career.
Look for a spot in an existing shop. I don’t think converting your home is a good idea.
It’s great that he wants to support you, but you’re better off trying to work in an existing shop. That way, you’ll get a share of the walk-ins, it’ll be easier to build clientele and you’ll see how the business is run. Running the business on your own will require a LOT more marketing, aside from the accounting/taxes, health requirements, etc.