*** SPECIAL ADIVISORY ***

 

Due to an unexpected bombshell going off in the Tattoo Industry over the past week the next segment of the series, "The Evolution of an Industry & its Ethics", will be postponed for an additional week so that the issue at hand can be rapidly addressed.  Ironically, the problem happening right now is directly related to what the "Ethics" article is going to somewhat end up covering eventually anyway.  Funny how life works…

-JK

 

TLC's TATTOO SCHOOL

While it could be conceded that all of the "Tattoo Programming" being offered by Discovery Communications (i.e., Discovery Channel, TLC, etc.) has most definitely popularized and spurred economic growth in the Tattoo World, it could also very easily be stated that it has led to more than its fair share of problems within the industry as well.  No better of an example of this could be given than with the launch of their new show, "Tattoo School". 

A ridiculously conceived idea/notion/program making viewers believe that within a 2-WEEK time span a person can not only "learn", but also begin to practice the ancient and permanent body modification art form known as tattooing on the living, breathing, and unfortunately more than likely, the uninformed public.  It would almost be laughable were it not for the frightening implications of it.  Honestly, would you even let someone fix your car that went to a 2-week "Auto School" or better yet, how about a dentist who was certified with an online degree?   Not only is the very idea of this insulting to our profession, as an actual INDIVIDUAL APPRENTICESHIP is typically around a year in length and doesn't even involve picking up a machine until right around the final few months of it, let alone actually tattooing another human-being with it!  Beyond that though is the fearful fact that in this type of timeframe it is literally impossible to teach someone how to SAFELY tattoo!!