Got that tingly feeling....

It's Thursday night. Have been in work today. It's my three day stint, so am there tomorrow and Saturday. I love that! Can really get stuck in....I also had to miss Monday afternoon this week, due to a case of gastrically exploding toddler.... So, Rose's Birthday. She made me laugh and liked her pressie. We seemed to spend a lot of time laughing today...Glitter glue on a hat, fraggle rock does the Rolling Stones, Linda Nolan...all frickin hilarious. Also had to draw out a special tattoo, for someone coming in on Sunday...a frog, sitting on an apple. I don't know the story behind that, but hangover or no, I am going to drag myself in specially on Sunday, just to find out. The tattooist is holding a SEMINAR on Saturday..! Calm down, it's not open to the public, there's no tickets on sale. Myself and Kelly are cordially invited to attend an instructive session on the pitfalls and techniques of tribal tattooing... apparently it looks easy and is the very devil itself... I am hunting out my flip chart and pointer stick as props, as we speak.. Actually, I am looking forward to it. I love being taught the little tricks and bits I need to know. Whenever the tattooist tells me something, I always wish I had a handy practise punter there, ready, so I can immediately try it out. So, three booked in this week, tomorrow, a bird outline on the side of a wrist, Saturday, a black dandelion inside a wrist and an anchor thingummy on an ankle. I was going to do some toes but he changed his mind. Lucky really as the Tattooist told me today that I wasn't allowed to do toes yet! Apparently they blow and are really difficult. (Blowing - remember that? See previous posts for bitch bastard blowing....) Attempting that at this stage in my career could leave me a disillusioned, beaten wreck and drive me a job in a bank.. Tonight, I have to to start drawing up the flash sheets I am offering as a perk on my Indiegogo site. I have 7 donations so far and am SO grateful. Click on the link on the left, to see what that's all about. So, I am off to have inky fun for the next few days. I will take lots of pics, but don't come bothering me, I'll be busy. xx

THANK YOU!!

5 indiegogo contributions so far. You lot are great. xx

Latest photo up.

tattoo number 10 is now up - click on the tattoos link to see it. It was my first attempt at formal lettering. It is a bit wibbly - as ever, it could be a lot better. but, the man was happy with it - at least he said he was! This guy also had a bit of tribal at the top of his arm. Tucked away near his armpit, the colour kept dropping out. So i coloured it in for him! Just blocked it in and coloured it. Nice to have things thrown at me and have to get on with them. Also on Friday, I had to assist with some stretching!! The Tattooist was doing some tribal, starting under a man's arm and going across his ribs and down onto his stomach. when I got upstairs, i was told to put on some gloves and grab hold! The skin needed stretching across the guy's stomach, two hands, pressing down, pulling it taut. This enabled the tattooist to get a strong, even line. The poor guy was really feeling it - very delicate places, but he hung in there. After about 10 mins of being pulled about, he had to have a fag break and then under the arm! More pulling, stretching, pinching and pain!! And he's got to have it coloured in yet...... Next week, I have got some great work booked in. A black dandelion on a wrist, a bird shape on a wrist and "Life & Death" on some toes! am really looking forward to that one. Will let you know. Click on "Drawings" link to see the drawings for the next tattoos and other ideas. Have a good Monday. x

THANK YOU!!!!

WE HAVE OUR FIRST INDIEGOGO CONTRIBUTION!!! DONOR 1, I LOVE YOU. XXX That is amazing and means so much. have had a crazy day, full of mates, picnic, horses, ice cream and a new cd player for the boy. going now to draw "Life & Death" in old style script for some toes i am doing on Saturday.. xx

sunday....

Today I am going to Rudyard Kipling's House, having a picnic, going hores riding and hanging out with mates. Tonight I will be getting my house ready to have some other mates round for dinner tomorrow night. i love my boy and today will be good fun. I want to be at the shop....... xx

Thank fuck for that.

it's late and I'm tired but i wanted to share two bits of good news with you lovelies.
1. I did two bits of tattooing today on Jake.
One was my first bit of writing and the second was blocking in some old tribal.
I DID NOT BLOW!!!!
Thank you ladies and gentlemen....
It was the first time i had done a proper script and it came out ok.
Am over my blow hump..(if you see what I mean.)
Thanks Jake.

Second bit of good news, my INDIEGOGO fundraising site is up and running.
Doing this apprenticeship is proving financially very hard. I have started a two month campaign on Indiegogo to try and raise some money. You don't just give for nothing, there are some great perks and tattoo/design related goodies you can "buy" as well as donating any amount you like.
Please have a look and if you can, spread the word.

http://www.indiegogo.com/The-Tattooists-Apprentice?email=pickledchillis%40hotmail.com

Thank you so much.

Will post photos of todays tatts, on FLICKR tomozzah.

Night night. I'm off to sleep the sleep of someone who didn't blow....today, at least.
xxx

It's all about the blow......

Ok, so have done three tattoos this week.
I seem to have a problem with my length......

Although none of my tattoos have been perfect, I have never had the problem of blowing before.......
When a tattoo blows, this is because the needle is too long, the ink is being angled wrongly and has been pushed the wrong way through the skin.


I have apparently picked up all of these crap habits, just this week!
I did a cherry blossom branch today. I was really pleased with the second half of it - after the tattooist had told me to adjust the throw.

Have a look at the link to my flickr set of tattoo photos to see exactly what I am on about and a full description of what happened.
Kelly at work told me I would reach a point where I was thinking "I can't do it, I'm crap" and I seem to have reached that point today.

I don't have any more lined up for a while now and all i want to do is do another one and lose the blow habit!!

As well as that today, I am painting some signs utside the shop next door. Old fashioned curly writing - very nice. Got some sun on my arms......

Indiegogo fundraising site is almost ready - more details on that next time.
xx

Work tomozzah.

hey.
am sitting doing some drawings - got two tattoos this week. Going to attempt some lettering and some colour - oh yes, spreading those wings..
Just wanted to show you all this guy - Thomas Hooper. He is from Hastings, now lives in New York ..some of you might know him, I suppose.
His work is beautiful and I want some on me! Click his link to get to his website.
Will post pics of next tatts as I have 'em..
xx

THE WINDOWS ARE FINISHED....

Long, long long day, full of painting, arranging, nicky nacky fiddly bits, 1940's swimsuits, the Tattooist getting a ladies legs stuck in her gusset, art, fart, beavers, penguins, empty frames looking into your soul, white paint, chocolate brownies, dummies in the attic and beautiful windows.

Click on the naked, contortionist window dummy to the right, for the photos so far. They are only half the picture, lots more pics to follow.

Tired.....

Did my 4th tattoo today! did NOT start well. Machine not up high enough but i didn't pick up on it. The Tattooist shouted up the stairs at me that my machine was too quiet! and whaddya know - he was right! (of course, oh master!)
Made a few wobbly line cock ups. However, today I learnt the value of shading..felt like I was working on layers - 1st layer not so great, second layer, sorted a few lines out, third layer, shading. Sorted out loads of twiddly bits and suddenly, I was pleased! (ish..)
ben was pleased, god love him.
This tattoo took about an hour. Really enjoyed it. Took my time, built it up - had to make myself stop. I was enjoying it so much i was in danger of colouring the whole thing in black.

So, also did loads more mural - will be finished by tomorrow. Remembered I have a 1940's swimsuit for the model - The Tattooist has lovingly drawn tatts all over her arms and legs. Come and have a look - will look beautiful by saturday. there are also photos of progress so far - just click on the link.

knackered knackered knackered.

The puppy is wearing me out.

Click on the TATTOOS pic for a link to the tattoos I have done so far. Comments and criticisms welcome - i say welcome, make it constructive or I'll hunt you down.....

Sorry, but I can't be amusing tonight. am too tired.
xx

Hi Ho, Hi Ho......it's off to work I go...

It's Saturday. We started doing the window properly yesterday. (will post progress photos soon.)

I woke up at 6am and couldn't get back to sleep because I'm EXCITED!!

Doing a great tattoo (design) on my mate Ben today, going to paint the window and Kelly's in today.

Taking a bit of Janis Joplin with me to keep it all chugging along.

Got to go out and get some bits for my NEW PUPPY first!
Getting him tomorrow - I get to spend a whole day with him before the boy comes home. It's a suprise for him so I won't get a look in!

So, off to work to prostrate myself over a strangely androgenous model and parade my talents in Bada Bing's window.....just saying..... just in case you are passing.
xx

Things we like...

Tea.
Tattooing.
Chelsea Buns.
Crap jokes (how do you kill a circus? Go for the juggler..)

Things we don't like.

Mime.
Interpretive dance.
Tweeness.
Cheap biscuits.

Change is afoot............

Where do I start?
Brilliant day today.
We have been hatching a plot for a while to make the shop over (a bit..don't worry, Mr Tattooist...)
We have planned new windows and a few new things.
Today we started on it.
Cleaned out one window, Toby got his tools out and did all the man jobs (according to him) Two coats of white paint, trellis taken down, glass cupboard recycled, frames painted and light fixed.
Looking good......
Missy mannequin has had two coats of paint, her beaver removed(....!) all her bindis and belly rings taken out, her face blanked out and hairstyle refined. She now looks quite macho and a bit Gary Numan video.....
The whole window looks good and is only going to get better.
Working on the mural tomorrow as well as giving the missy a new make up job.

Check it out as you walk past and keep up with the changes....
will take photos and post tomorrow.

As well as that we cleared out upstairs - took (ripped) a shelf down, chucked rubbish, including an empty box. The box must have had sentimental value as it had been kept for months...I think letting go was a wrench.

We also managed to pull the speaker wires out and burn my finger on a light.

While we were working hard, the Tattooist only had two customers!
One had some writing on his arm and the other one, well, ok, the other one was a five hour job, Koi, Dragon, Cherry Blossoms, Waves you name it. Absolutely lovely. Can't wait to see it when the shading levels out. Just a few red touches, here and there.
Didn't photograph it but will when the guy comes back to show us.
The guy was great - sat all day, no moving or moaning, his arm was showing it by the end of the day. He had a bit of swelling - but so did the Tattooist! Poor hand..
So, as well as that, we are all booked up for tomorrow, I had another practise person come in and choose their design, i ate some biscuits and didn't smoke too much.
Toby didn't turn the computer on all day and we are all feeling quite pleased with ourselves!

After work, picked up the boy and went for a walk on the beach. Sunny, tide out, lots of laughing.
My life rocks.
xxx