How to Practice: Lesson Based Practicing

[Ramenuzumaki]

Greetings forum goers!

In this section of the forum we will be posting “lessons” in which you can participate in to hone your skills in tattooing. This will be good for those of you who do not yet have apprenticeships. Let it be known that this is not an apprenticeship, nor is it a substitute for one. This is just an alternate way for you to practice your various techniques, and drawing for tattooing. You will need to gain the knowledge of proper tattoo processes and techniques, as well as sanitation, sterilization, and other practices needed for tattooing. Much of this can be found by purchasing the Basic Fundamentals of Modern Tattoo from http://www.tattoobooksonline.com as well as their DVD. You should also keep searching for a formal apprenticeship.

That being said. Once you have this knowledge you will need to practice you skills. Sure, you could just go right into skin as many people do, but your work will probably be sub-par. You should also be practising often, and not just on skin. By practising this craft you can become better at not only the fundamentals, but also advanced tattooing techniques. Much of this will be done on either paper, fruit, pig ears, or practice skins. More advanced “lessons” will be on clients, and or self skin. However, the focus is mainly on practice materials. Just because you are using practice materials this does not mean you can sherk your duties as a proper professional, and clean artist. While doing this lessons you should still be practising proper cleanliness, as well as barrier protection. This is mainly to get you into the habit of doing so. Treat your practice medium as a client.

The judges for these lessons will be limited to Admins, and other staff of the forum at first. However, as people begin to pass these lessons they will be qualified to judge lessons that they have previously passed. These lessons will be judged by how well you meet the criteria of a less. Example: If the lesson is to create a “wet texture” on a practice medium, and your tattoo is phenomenal, and fantastic, but does not have the “wet” feeling you will fail. Subsequently, if it is not the greatest tattoo, but meets the criteria you will pass. If by chance you fail, this again is not because your tattoo is bad, but because you didn’t meet the requirements. You may try again, but you cannot move onto the next lesson until the current lesson is completed.

Below you will see two sections: Guidelines, and Lesson List. Be sure to fully read this entire post as well as the guidelines. Each new lesson will be posted in a new post below this one. The guidelines are the most important. Please be sure to follow them. In the lesson list we will be adding a list of those who have passed each lesson. This is mainly so we can keep track of whom is on which lesson, and with whom the right of judging has been bestowed.

For each lesson you will post a new thread with the lesson number, and your name. This way we will know what lesson you’re doing, and who is doing it. Inside your post we would like a brief explaination of your process, and which tools you used: 14RL, shader machine, Eternal Inks, Staedtler pencils, etc. If you do not know what brand your pencils, or pencil crayons are simply say, “Pencil Crayons,” and list colours. Also be sure to mention what grade of pencil you are using: HB, F, 4B, 3H, etc. This gives us a better understanding of what you’re doing, what you excel at, and what you need to work on.

Guidelines
1. If you start doing this lesson based practice system you must do every lesson. Do not start this project if you do not intend to finish it.
2. There is not time limit on any lesson, nor is there a time limit for how long you take between each lesson. We understand that everyone has busy lives, and as such we respect that you may need a lot of time to do, and between each lesson.
3. All photos must be of good quality, and resolution. If we cannot see what you have done it cannot be graded. Dark, blurry, or small photos will result in an instant fail.
4. Follow the requirements, and criteria as much as possible.
5. You cannot start a new lesson until the current lesson is passed.
6. All judging is final. You may not argue the ruling, nor can you ask for a revote. Judging does not need to be unanimous. It only needs to be a majority rule.
7. If you fail a lesson you may try again. There is not limit to how many tries you may take to complete each lesson. This is meant to be a learning experience.
8. Absolutely no insulting, hating, flaming, or spamming on anyone’s threads. This is for practice, learning, and to bring forum goers together. Be critical, but be kind. Constructive criticism is welcome.
9. You must be as clean, and proper as possible. Treat each of these works as if it were a real human being. Wear gloves, bag your machines and cords, use proper barrier protection, and above all follow the laws and guidelines of your country and/or state.
10. Most of all have as much fun as possible!

Lesson List
Lesson 1: Introduction, and Fundmentals [Art]
Wyki – Pass
brokenpipes – Pass
Rscotti91 – Pass
Infamous – Pass
JDawnPearls – Pass

Lesson 2: Shading [Art]
JDawnPearls – Pass
Wyki – Pass
Infamous

Lesson 3: Lining [Art]

Lesson 4: Painting [Art, Break]

Lesson 5: Full Colour [Art]

[Ramenuzumaki]

Lesson 1: Introduction, and Fundamentals

This is the first lesson. This is mainly a test to see each of your drawing abilities. Any formal apprenticeship worth it’s salt starts with some drawing. Without the ability to draw you cannot be a tattoo artist. Unless of course you want to be a copy/flash artist for your entire career. This wouldn’t work well for you as people these days want custom artwork, not something they can pick off of a wall.

Criteria

This is a test of your art skills. Do not feel like you shouldn’t take on this lesson if you think you cannot draw. That is the purpose these lessons: practice makes better. The more you draw, and the more research you put into learning to draw for these lessons the better you’ll get. The criteria for this is simply draw four roses in either full colour, or black and grey, or both! The style you choose is up to you: tribal, traditional, realism, new school, etc. You may also draw each rose in different styles. The end-all-be-all is I want to see tattoo designs.

[Ramenuzumaki]

Lesson 2: Shading

Lesson two is all about shading. Pick five different subjects, and draw with high quality shading. There must be a clear direction for the light source. This doesnt necessarily mean you need to add white to show highlights, but show some areas where you would naturally see a highlight from that light source. Preferably black and grey pieces. Inanimate, or animate objects can be used: People, animals, pill bottles, phones, AXE body spray, a knife, etc. Roses cannot be used for this lesson.

Criteria

This is another test of your art skills. The main thing we will be looking for is a distinct direction for the light sources, and a proper dark to light gradient with your shades. However, we do understand that not everyone has access to a plethora of different pencil grades, so this will be taken into account. Please list your materials used to proper judge your work. Example: If you used just an HB pencil we would just the shades based on that, whereas, if you used a 4H, 2H, F, B, 2B, and 4B you would be judged on how well you blended each pencil strength. Roses cannot be used for this lesson.

[Ramenuzumaki]

Lesson 3: Line work

In lesson three we will be judging your line work. We will be judging on your use of line weight, as well as how well you do your lines. We will be watching to make sure your lines are done in one fluid motion using your wrist, and will be checking for shaky, or scratchy lines. Remember these lessons are to practice tattooing, so you much line these pieces as if you were tattooing.

Criteria

Yet another art test for the masses. As this is only testing line work all you are required to do are line drawings. You may shade, or colour them if you desire. However, you will still be obligated to do each drawing. A coloured, or shaded drawing will not reduce the amount of drawings required. The amount is high as only line drawings are required. They do not need to be details, or elaborate. We are testing your lines, not your drawing ability. You may even do flash sheets which contain multiple drawings! Compositions will only count as one.

Remember you must do each line as if you were tattooing it. One strong fluid line from point A to point B. No scratchy, lines. Shaky lines will not be tolerated. We are also expecting line weight. This means different thickness of lines. The easiest way to achieve this would to use different strengths of pencils. 4H, 2H, HB, 2B, 8B are what I use personally. We are expecting ten line drawings. Sure ten seems high, but they are just simple line drawings. Style is up to you, but the easiest to do may be Old School Traditional, or New School. However, be creative, maybe create your own style, and above all else have fun with it!

[Ramenuzumaki]

Lesson 4: Painting

This is more of an intermission than a lesson! I know not everyone can/likes to paint, so this is going to be a break from the usual lessons. It is completely optional, and allows you to relax, and do whatever you want!

Criteria

This is a break lesson. Completely optional. If you do not have painting supplies, do not worry about going out and buying some for this lesson. The criteria is simple: Paint whatever you want, with whatever medium you want, on whatever medium you want (Canvas, canvas board, canvas paper.). I just want to see some nice paintings that people had fun doing! The next lesson we start full colour works.

[Ramenuzumaki]

Lesson 5: Full Colour

Time to do another specific lesson: Colour. These will be hand drawn drawings that will then be coloured. I suggest drawing a really nice line drawing, scanning it, printing it, then colouring the print off. You may need to run over the lines on the print off with pencil to make them stand out again.

Criteria

I want to see 4 pristine colour drawings. Good line work, and shading if you choose to use pencil for shading. These aren’t as important, but without a solid foundation the building will fall. I would like to see a Lily, Orchid, Iris, and Cherry Blossom. The number of cherry blossoms is up to you. One, or twenty, but it will only count as one drawing. Four drawings with at least one of each flower. These will not be partial colour. They must be full colour. I also would like to see the use of colour blending techniques in these. Good colour blending, and saturation are what make, or break a tattoo, or make your client have to come back to touch ups. It can also give the effect of texture, and depth. Looking forward to your art.

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