Hi! My name is Jesse, and I'm an illustrator. I would like to become a tattoo apprentice. I know competition is fierce, so I figure the best way to do that is just tell you about myself and hope that someone decides I would be a good fit for their shop.

THE SHORT VERSION

I'm 32 and I'm from Kansas City, Missouri, currently living in Chicago. I got a BFA in Illustration from KCAI in 2016, and have been a freelance illustrator ever since. I would like to make the move into tattooing, and I have a lot of relevant skills that would make me a great apprentice. I work hard, I care deeply about art, and I want to contribute as much as I can to an environment that will teach me to be the best that I can be.

SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS

Thanks to my freelance work, I already know the ropes of self-promotion and self-management, and I have a lot of experience collaborating with individual clients. Many of my regular clients and social media followers have already expressed interest in coming to me for tattoos.I specialize in drawing and painting, I understand both digital and traditional media processes, and I have a steady hand from years of making comics with pen and ink. I know I still have much to learn, and I'm eager for an education.I take it very seriously that tattoo clients put a great deal of trust on the artist to respect their vision and their body at every step of the process. That means designing something that they really want to wear & making them as comfortable as possible during the painful part.I would like to learn how to create tattoos that last, and then build upon that foundation so I can be as versatile & flexible as possible. I am most interested in learning American traditional, neotraditional/illustrative style, and woodcut/engraving style. I'm also interested in abstract, ornamental, and lettering designs, and I lean towards black-and-gray or limited-color styles.Here are some artists I admire & would like to emulate:

THE BAD NEWS

Most Chicago shops ask new apprentices for $5,000 to $15,000, which just isn't possible for me to afford on a freelancer's salary. I would like to find a shop that will teach me the old fashioned way, and let me trade my time and labor for an education instead of paying tuition up front.I am also a transgender man. I would like to be able to afford to finish my transition, and also offer support to my friends who are struggling more than I am. I didn't consider tattooing a serious career option until my 30s because tattooing culture is infamous for hazing newcomers.I am eager to put my all into an apprenticeship with someone who really believes I am worth the investment. I don't want to work somewhere that will waste my time as a matter of course, or put me through hell just to make me prove that I want it badly enough. My circumstances and my portfolio speak for me as to whether I am worth anyone's time to teach.If you think I could be a good fit for your shop, or if you have any advice for how to improve my art or my apprenticeship-hunting, please get in touch.Thanks a million!
xoxo Jesse

FLASH PORTFOLIO

While I look for an apprenticeship, I've been trying to build a portfolio of original flash designs. I've been trying to focus on making designs that I could start tattooing while I build up my foundational skills.You can also find examples of my drawing, painting, and comics work in my general illustration portfolio on behance.