We need help to help stop /regulate the sale of tattoo equipment to non professionals

[Joe]

Your basing your decision solely on the grounds of your mentor tattooing out of his home. Protectionism. You could say the same thing about the licensed artists as well but making a loophole for some guy that says he decides to work out of his home for the sake of being in his relaxing environment then you open it up for everyone. Then you have scratchers giving people staph infections. Someone's kitchen and a private studio are two different things.
It's not about who better artistically, it's about who has been inspected by the local health departments and can provide a clean sanitary environment for a client. Get the health department to come to the home and do an inspection, if it passes code, I see no problem with it.

[Scratcher?]

I am sorry if I have misled you, the person that is teaching me has met all relevant health department standards and has been inspected in the past 12 months. His autoclave was recently sent away to be serviced and tested and passed.
As I stated earlier he previously had his own studio and has worked for another very well recognized studio in my area. After 18 years of tattooing flash designs from a book on "walk in" customers he has decided to only do full custom work that he really enjoys. He is not in it for the financial aspect.
Once again all I was saying that anyone that has met these council health requirements is considered a professional? I should point out that they are really easy to meet and there should really be a formal training organization in place.

At present with nothing in place it is up to the artist individually to learn about infections and blood transmitted diseases. I think the first part of a formal training program should cover this in detail and would certainly weed out those who dont have the commitment to follow through on the health and safety aspect of the industry.

just my 2 cents.

[Joe]

I see what's going on here, and you are misleading me, even now. Your mentor owned a shop within the last 12 months and it hasn't expired yet, he has recently closed shop and moved his operation to his home, taking his business licenses and health department inspections with him claiming his home is licensed as a tattoo studio. You're only stating the truths of the issue that you want exposed and hiding the rest. You're not lying but you're not telling the complete truth either.
I don't know how it works in NZ but in my state the person who's name is on the licenses is not certified but the studio is. You can't take an inspection certificate and take it anywhere you want and claim that the new settling grounds is the one listed on the certificate.

[Scratcher?]

lol this is getting beyond a joke, i never said he had a shop in the last 12 months?!!! WTF

He had his own studio for 12 years before shifting cities and then working for someone else in their studio and is now semi retired from the industry choosing only to work from home.

It is obvious you dont know how it works in NZ because you would understand my questions. WE DO NOT HAVE LICENSES IN NZ TO TATTOO.

All we have is health guidelines and a need to register with a local authority depending on what area you live.

I am not lying or trying to hide truths, to be honest I dont think you have read what I have put earlier. You are jumping to conclusions that are not relevant to the topic.

I think that NZ needs a License system similar to your own and that this would help deter scratchers more than regulating tattoo equipment sales ever could. Personally I think this would be welcome be the majority of tattooists in NZ.

And Joe please take your time to read this before replying.

[Joe]

My reading comprehension is fine. I can agree this is getting beyond a joke. With that being said, I am done with this pissing contest.

[Scratcher?]

Sweet as, clearly some miscommunication. Have a nice day Joe.

[Frostbitetattoo]

Originally Posted by Scratcher?

I think that NZ needs a License system similar to your own and that this would help deter scratchers more than regulating tattoo equipment sales ever could. Personally I think this would be welcome be the majority of tattooists in NZ.

I agree in regards to the licencing for tattooists and body piercers, However as stated by other members for the likes of Aaron Cain and other machine builders, We are trying to regulate the sale of tattoo equipment, not ban it completely. However the way we do this is by doing a backround check on the artist/studio by checking quality of thier work via their website or myspace page etc. There is generally a large difference between the quality of thier work. And according to the Auckland city bylaws all employees MUST have certificates in First Aid and be licenced. You should check this out, http://www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/coun...law/part17.asp

[Scratcher?]

Thanks for the link Craig, personally I would like to see more than that for a tattooist to be regarded as a professional. To really bring the industry in NZ up to date it would need to have a training ITO similar to joinery, building, hairdressing etc.

A hairdresser has to do 6000 hrs and met certain criteria (ie exams) that is independently assessed before they are regarded as qualified.

To be honest I work in IT and could easily source enough tattoo pictures to make a fake portfolio of work from the internet to fill myspace and facebook profiles that would be totally convincing. The internet is full of un-watermarked images that would be untraceable. I realize this was a just a proposal for regulation on your part but it could be easily bypassed.

Another concern that this raises is who would be in charge of judging who seems professional enough to be supplied tattoo equipment? Surely this would have to be an independent organization? If left to the industry it could easily become an old boys club.

The link for the Auckland City bylaws is certainly a step in the right direction, especially if there was a unified bylaw nation wide.

I think even after reading the comments here and on the facebook page you have you will still run into the issue of independent importers. Removing tattoo suppliers from trademe will only stop a very small amount of sales, cheap tattoo supplies are readily available online and would need a major importing reform to regulate, again without an independent body to govern who is regarded as a professional I cant see how this would be taken seriously by the powers that be.

I do appreciate your concerns with the increased amount of amateur tattooists that have come from cheap tattoo supplies being available. It can be scary what has their hands on tattoo equipment.

I personally was lucky enough to have someone experienced that is happy to show me the ropes and is as close to a formal apprenticeship as I can get in NZ. I dont want to come across as a someone picking holes here, trust me if there was a formal apprenticeship for tattooing I would be a the front of the queue.

I think a ITO or registered qualification like the Master Builders Ass. would clean up the industry more than regulating supply sales would. Something like this would have to come from the industry itself and would require a massive amount of work.

Interested to know what you think.

[Beamish417]

Still on my first cup of coffee so I'll keep this quick as I tend to come off grumpy. Contact the NTA or APT.

Alliance of Professional Tattooists

National Tattoo Association

[Joe]

Not everyone registers with them though.