Three Things I'd Tell Every Young Tattooer
Three Things I'd Tell Every Young Tattooer
I've been doing this for 26 years now. And if I could sit down with my younger self — graffiti kid, strong opinions about literally everything — here's what I'd tell him.
1. Be Kind. Build Relationships.
Don't come in hot lighting everything on fire.
I get it. I was young once too, full of opinions about traditional tattooing, about flash on the walls, about all the ways I thought things "should" be done. I outgrew most of that pretty fast.
But here's the one thing I never did: I never burned bridges. I never clowned other tattooers for doing it different than me.
Funny thing is, that's not what gets you anywhere in this industry. The artists who last are the ones who stayed kind while they figured it out — not the ones who were right the loudest.
2. Patience. Enjoy the Journey.
Stop chasing "work-life balance" before you've even earned the work.
If you really want this — actually want it — then focus. Live it. Breathe it.
When you're working out, think about your projects. When you're drawing, think about how to level up. When you're with clients, ask yourself what you can do to make their experience better. That mindset, stacked day after day, is the whole job.
Balance comes later. Right now, put in the work.
3. Love It. Get Out There.
Reach out to the people you admire. Don't waste one second on anyone telling you what you can't do.
Connect with the artists you want to get tattooed by. Message your favorite illustrators. Be vulnerable, be friendly, let people know you care about their work — not just what they can do for you.
Buy their books. Support their art however you can. Get involved in your community. And start figuring out, early, how you're going to give back to tattooing one day. Because you will owe it something.
Kind. Patient. Locked in. That's the whole game.
— Austin