Art School?

cometcowgirl · #1 05-28-2009, 09:40 PM

I guess this question goes out to the seasoned professionals but really all input is appreciated:
-Does anyone who started with a formal art background (i.e. schooling or job) feel that they have a distinct advantage when it comes to achieving the desired affect in your work? Or do you feel it puts you at a disadvantage?

-Also to people who took up formal training after becoming tattoo artists, I would like your opinion on how and if this pertains to your careers and success levels.

*Personal Note: I have been drawing since I was a small child and had art education up to a point, but didn't major in art. However I love taking art classes and learning new things that I can apply to my work both on and off of skin.

FATSOS · #2 05-29-2009, 02:37 PM

I have been a professional artist for over 17 years before I started tattooing (only less than a year ago). I have done illustration work, have paintings hung in major galleries throughout the states, have done airbrush work both in an illustrative capacity and in the custom auto market, and have had my fun with pinstriping. Basically, if you name it I prolly done did it.

The short answer... is NO, I don't feel like I have a distinct advantage. I feel that I have well developed drawing skills, have a firm grasp on composition and the importance of contrast, and have a pretty decent command of color theory. But I aslo feel that EVERY tattoo artist should have these skills before ever picking up a machine! Tattooing is easily the most difficult medium I have ever attempted and I am fully committed to getting better at every single day, with every single tattoo I do. The only advantage I feel I have is that I am lucky to have some truly excellent tattoo artists as close friends and mentors.

The more you expand your artwork into other fields, the more ALL of your artwork will improve. Tattooing included. So in that sense it helps.

I hope I didn't come across as pompous, I just wanted to try and give a solid answer to what I thought was a really good question.

cometcowgirl · #3 05-30-2009, 03:33 PM

No I don't think you came across as pompous. I just feel like I can always learn more or solidify the skills and knowledge I already know. Seems like there are a lot of artists who know those things and just as many or more that don't.

jerseyjaywymbs · #4 05-30-2009, 04:46 PM

it all depends on your personal creativity, i know guys who have formal art school and are just plain lazy, i have varying feilds of art training, from pencil, to graphic design and everything else that grabbed my curiousity, i'm more well rounded, but is it advantagous, i don't think it is. it's my personal drive that gives me a leg up on the lazy artist.

i guess what i'm saying is, if you want to do well and work for it, you'll be sucessful, if your slacker with major talent, you'll still get left behind.

HowieFelterbush · #5 05-31-2009, 02:34 AM

Its very situational. Some people are natural talents and some people wont excel no matter how much schooling they get.
My personal opinion is that to become a sucessful tattooer, you should probally study tattoo art. There are way to many pieces of art that make great posters or t-shirts but make for horrible tattoos. Start with american traditional art. All good tattooing usally starts with this formula. Once you understand why this works, then you can branch off from there.

BRANDON BOND · #6 05-31-2009, 01:08 PM

It cant hurt - but most of what I learned in school has nothing to do with tattooing application in reality

SJRabbit · #7 05-31-2009, 01:27 PM

Sad to say but the most i learned in some of those classes was how to trace, and art teachers are a joke 75% of the time, I learned more from my master who has no formal art about Drawing, and painting, shading, lighting, balance, Harmony, then I have through the 40 something credits i took in colledge, even thought i don't tattoo anymore but like bb said it couldn't hurt, and you might find some media that you would rather pursue then tattooing

hollyholly · #8 06-01-2009, 08:11 PM

I've been to two different universities pursuing an art degree. I guess it would be a plus to network and stuff, but I didn't like my professors...I recently decided to take a break at the school thing when my drawing teacher said I couldn't use the word "awesome" in an art critique. So, I said "rad" instead.

Why pay the big bucks just to have them slowly shape you into their ideal little art snobs? ::shivers::

conorblue · #9 06-01-2009, 08:16 PM

shawn barber, of the tattooed portrait series is an awesome artist, and teacher, that attended and taught at the ringling school of design. he recently (or not too recently) started tattooing and does pretty nice work as well. look him up.

i think it cant really hurt to learn more, ever. but i dont think its a necessary thing to have in order to tattoo or to create art in general...but it does help lay down a few ground rules, and rules in general for creating good art, and i think things like lightsource and shading, color mixing, really could have sped up some things we all had to learn on our own.

cometcowgirl · #10 06-02-2009, 12:06 AM

Thanks Everyone for the great answers. I myself am a very driven person, which might be one of the main reasons I'm still doing this (And of course that I love it). I feel that I constantly need to improve myself, which is why I came to these questions. I have found that for me I learn better in a environment where someone is specifically teaching me, and having gone to school for so long it is easy for me to learn that way. Also the input about art schools herding students into 'their' way of thinking/seeing the world makes a lot of sense. I had read something about that in a book about teaching illustration. I guess I just need to look for an art mentor or something along those lines.

Thanks again guys, all the feedback was really helpful.