well as you can see I've finally started actually tattooing! it's easy really, just like making art where you can't see or feel what you're doing! @_@

the vibrations of the machine interfere with the sort of sensory feedback one expects from an illustrative medium, and ink can well up at the point of contact interfering with the ability to see what you're doing, there's a certain amount of faith involved in this art form it seems to me. but in many ways it's not unlike what I've been doing for a living, as a self employed handyman. using a jig saw, sawdust builds up around the blade, just like ink, but you can see the line behind you and ahead of you so you can follow that to some degree. also I'm used to using power tools which are heavy, and vibrate, and doing precision work with them, ideal training as it turns out for tattooing, so I'm optimistic that I will improve my technique quickly. there isn't really an alternative in this field either it seems! less margin of error than even watercolours, that most unforgiving medium.

I'm blessed with a bunch of friends who based on my non tattoo art trust me enough to be my guinea pigs, so far not only did neither of my first 2 clients die, but both want more work from me! ^_^