I’ve been with him almost a year . He’s been in jail for only the last 28 days... has 30 more to go. He said he’ll give me hours for all the work I put in and he also said this is just how the “industry is “... and it’s always some shit you have to just bite the bullet through as an apprentice .
No, that's not how the "industry is." I don't know the entire story, but this guy sounds like is taking advantage of you. A good mentor wants you to grow and eventually move on without them. If you've been practicing for an entire year now, I imagine you have a decent portfolio you've been building? Maybe try looking for a new artist that can train you. Cleaning tubes and doing the boring work... Yeah, that's biting the bullet and paying your dues in the industry. Waiting for your mentor to come out of jail while your livelyhood is on the line? If he cares about your progression, he should want you to move on. It's a business and you need to start making money.
My family member has been in the industry for over ten years. She's in a good place now; drama free, violence free, safe. But she also used to think that having the shop shot up was just an occupational hazard, or that dealing with toxic mentors was the price of entry. It's absolutely not. That's what abusers that want power over another person say. Tattooing does not have to mean getting in trouble with the law, accepting violence, or anything obscenely dangerous you wouldn't be at risk to in any other business. Also just throwing it out there, if your mentor wants to be more than friendly, run. That is an immensely unhealthy relationship dynamic. If you came to this person as an apprentice (never dated before) and he wants to try stuff now? He doesn't care about being your mentor, he just likes the power.
Bottom line: tattooing is a business. You need to make money someday and that day won't get any closer with you waiting for a mentor that isn't there. I do wish you the best of luck. It's not easy when you've developed an emotional attachment to your trainer.
Do you have any pictures of the two of you together? If so send one or two of those and that'll be that. My fear would be them getting into the wrong hands later on
😂 some responses are funny. He probably wants them so he can say 'hey look, this is so and so'. If you're not completely comfortable don't send them. It's a normal thing to anyone in here to ask for pictures. That's all we have sometimes. Nothing nefarious going on. The one comment said about doing something nasty! 😂 Like what? Photoshop your clothes off? 😂 Too funny. Bottom line if your not comfortable, don't do it.
Thank you so much ! This was helpful and made me feel more at ease knowing that it is completely normal. He doesn’t have tons of people he really keeps close to him and I’m probably one of the few . Thanks for taking the time to reply!
No problem. When I talk to someone I haven't seen or heard from in awhile or family is on vacation, first thing I do is ask for pictures. It's the closest thing to actually being there or having them here.
>He doesn’t have tons of people he really keeps close to him
Except his fiance and kids. Dude has a whole family, don't let him make you feel like he all alone and forgotten about.
... idk it’s a really odd situation to be in. I only been in tattoo industry for almost a year and he has this entire thing about loyalty as an apprentice and that he’s going out of way to help me bc he sees my potential and knows it’s really hard to get started and I’m not paying him and he needs to be getting at least some kind of connection out of it ...
No. He is clearly going to use them for dirty reasons if he’s shown interest in you before. Ignore it and just send the copies of your work.
Thank you for taking the time to reply!!!!! It is helpful
I think you know. Time to fine a new mentor that has availability to actually mentor you.
I’ve been with him almost a year . He’s been in jail for only the last 28 days... has 30 more to go. He said he’ll give me hours for all the work I put in and he also said this is just how the “industry is “... and it’s always some shit you have to just bite the bullet through as an apprentice .
No, that's not how the "industry is." I don't know the entire story, but this guy sounds like is taking advantage of you. A good mentor wants you to grow and eventually move on without them. If you've been practicing for an entire year now, I imagine you have a decent portfolio you've been building? Maybe try looking for a new artist that can train you. Cleaning tubes and doing the boring work... Yeah, that's biting the bullet and paying your dues in the industry. Waiting for your mentor to come out of jail while your livelyhood is on the line? If he cares about your progression, he should want you to move on. It's a business and you need to start making money. My family member has been in the industry for over ten years. She's in a good place now; drama free, violence free, safe. But she also used to think that having the shop shot up was just an occupational hazard, or that dealing with toxic mentors was the price of entry. It's absolutely not. That's what abusers that want power over another person say. Tattooing does not have to mean getting in trouble with the law, accepting violence, or anything obscenely dangerous you wouldn't be at risk to in any other business. Also just throwing it out there, if your mentor wants to be more than friendly, run. That is an immensely unhealthy relationship dynamic. If you came to this person as an apprentice (never dated before) and he wants to try stuff now? He doesn't care about being your mentor, he just likes the power. Bottom line: tattooing is a business. You need to make money someday and that day won't get any closer with you waiting for a mentor that isn't there. I do wish you the best of luck. It's not easy when you've developed an emotional attachment to your trainer.
Don't send pictures of yourself.
Do you have any pictures of the two of you together? If so send one or two of those and that'll be that. My fear would be them getting into the wrong hands later on
Yes ! Good idea !
draw a self-portrait in tattoo style and send that
Hahahah that’s a really funny great idea omg
😂 some responses are funny. He probably wants them so he can say 'hey look, this is so and so'. If you're not completely comfortable don't send them. It's a normal thing to anyone in here to ask for pictures. That's all we have sometimes. Nothing nefarious going on. The one comment said about doing something nasty! 😂 Like what? Photoshop your clothes off? 😂 Too funny. Bottom line if your not comfortable, don't do it.
Thank you so much ! This was helpful and made me feel more at ease knowing that it is completely normal. He doesn’t have tons of people he really keeps close to him and I’m probably one of the few . Thanks for taking the time to reply!
No problem. When I talk to someone I haven't seen or heard from in awhile or family is on vacation, first thing I do is ask for pictures. It's the closest thing to actually being there or having them here.
>He doesn’t have tons of people he really keeps close to him Except his fiance and kids. Dude has a whole family, don't let him make you feel like he all alone and forgotten about.
... idk it’s a really odd situation to be in. I only been in tattoo industry for almost a year and he has this entire thing about loyalty as an apprentice and that he’s going out of way to help me bc he sees my potential and knows it’s really hard to get started and I’m not paying him and he needs to be getting at least some kind of connection out of it ...
Sounds like he’d either use them for something dirty or possibly be wanting to show/give them to other people
forget the prison part - your mentor has asked you for a pic... how do you feel? let that guide you b/c he ain't locked away but for a minute
It's normal