The importance of Camaraderie in the Tattoo Shop
Ca·ma·ra·de·rie
/ˌkäm(ə)ˈradərē,ˌkam(ə)ˈrädərē/
noun
Mutual trust and friendship among people
who spend a lot of time together.
The tattoo shop can be quite an intimidating place depending on who you’re asking. To one person it could be the place where they let go of a tightly held identity just a little bit. To another person, it could be the place where they go to emotionally heal from one of life’s hardships. No matter what you’re going in for, the tattoo shop is a place where an immense amount of trust and vulnerability is placed onto the professional to turn pain into beauty.
That’s what makes an artist an artist though, right? Their ability to alchemize perspectives and ideas. Through skill, creativity, a flexible mentality and confidence, artists have the ability to create magic where most would see normality.
A tool that many people, not just artists have the ability to cultivate and build upon, are their relationships with the people around them. Tattoo artists in particular have to keenly develop their interpersonal connections if they are looking to grow as artists and craftspeople.
Disclaimer: I am no guru on interpersonal relationships, I am simply an observer that is passionate about tattooing and growing as an artist, professional and human, so I hope that the points I expand upon below are sensible, and provides some information that anyone can take and experiment with.
Let’s dive in!!
How does the Tattoo Shop Differ from other Professional Environments?
The tattoo shop has rules, but not in the same way that an office setting or typical business establishment does. There is no HR department to report minor or major offenses to, nor is the shop under any obligation to provide materials or protect an independent contractor beyond their means. There are the separate interests of the business owner, and the interests of the tattoo artist.
With that said, tattooing is both an individual and collaborative experience, not only with the business, but also with their clients and fellow tattooers. The shop owner gives the artist a safe (and hopefully) established floor to tattoo upon in exchange for the artist’s skill and talent; where the reputation of the individual artist and the shop’s name exist in tandem. The relationship between the client and artist also bring it’s own set of challenges that the artist is expected to know how to navigate. Talking to the client about their tattoo idea, building trust and confidence in them as a professional, providing them with clear direction and information on what’s in their best interest medically and aesthetically, then carrying out the tattoo skillfully from beginning to end.
To summarize, there are a lot of variables that have no clear black and white answers, and all rely on circumstantial information and the artist’s communication skills.
Another factor that separates the tattoo shop from other environments, are the unspoken rules and relationships that exist between the tattoo artists that work within the same shop. There is an expectation of accountability that underpins these unspoken agreements— one of the most important being cleanliness. Because what we do is somewhat medically invasive — knowledge and care for the safety of ourselves and our clients is imperative and cannot be an afterthought by anyone.
Another unspoken agreement between artists is the commitment to individual and artistic growth. At the core of this is a competitive nature. Keeping ourselves and the shop keen in order to keep ourselves fed. This can be a fine line to walk especially if tattoos aren’t coming in and money is tight. If not kept in check, it can quickly become toxic, where artists can turn on one another and relationships are poisoned from pressure. Ideally, if the environment is healthy, everyone is committed to seeing themselves and each other fed, and there’s a shared faith in the process, knowledge and curiosity is exchanged.
Unlike many professional and transactional establishments, the tattoo shop is a volatile and delicate balance of interpersonal relationships. Maintaining this balance is an art that must be monitored constantly and consistently.
Why is Camaraderie within the shop important?
As I touched on earlier, when the tattoo shop environment is healthy and there is a shared commitment of growth from all artists, the tattoo shop is a place where growth is natural and inspiration can fostered.
This camaraderie can take on many appearances, but when there is an established basis of trust, it looks like openness and ease, having a good time, sharing ideas, running with them and engaging in honest discourse. From a marketing and business perspective, this is an attractive setting to a tattooer and customer because the tattoo shop is still one of the few places that “socially taboo” discussions can be had and heard, let alone with a complete stranger. There is a raw-ness that can be found where these dangerous conversations are had.
It is imperative that camaraderie is valued and encouraged if the artist and client are to look at the tattoo shop as a safe space to live outside of social constructs for an afternoon or evening. So much of tattoo history is rooted in this trust and sharing of “underground” knowledge!
Another reason that camaraderie is important in the tattoo shop environment is that, artistic expression thrives on vulnerability. Art needs honest experience, some pain and it needs to be cut open and aired out. Established camaraderie gives room for this vulnerability to be purified and embraced. If that’s too woo-woo for the hard headed, money minded street shop trad daddies, I’d say they’re missing out on a golden opportunity to connect with a new age clientele that is “softer”, but still appreciate the skillful traditions of tattooing.
When the work is put in to see and appreciate fellow tattoo artists for who they are, what they value and how their differences are an asset to the shop as a whole; rather than seeing their personality traits as ones that need to be thrown out or molded, the field of potential clients to connect to has opened up, and the avenues for creative solutions has expanded.
How can An Individual take the lead in promoting camaraderie in their environment?
Without actively encouraging anyone to become a fruitcake, like I am, because every environment is different and people adapt differently, here are some things I’ve found helped me connect better with my fellow tattooers:
First and foremost, as much as the tattoo shop is a place where confidence in your work is imperative, there is also a wisdom in insecurity, knowing what you don’t know. That doesn’t necessarily mean that you should wear those vulnerabilities on your sleeve when clients are around, but in the time spent creating flash or shooting the shit with your fellow tattooers, embrace the idea that there is always something to be learned and that all it takes is curiosity. Ask your coworkers about what they’re working on, and take an actual interest in their wellbeing. Share about your life too and own it. It reminds others that we too are human, this life shit changes constantly, and it isn’t easy to handle at all times. Connection is how we learn to navigate life’s challenges, and honestly, it’s where the best designs and art come from. So, practice being a safe person for others to come to and share with, while exchanging vulnerability. It’s 2024— if the zombie apocalypse or World War 3 breaks out, are you going to die proud holding all of your secrets, or proud that you were a human that got to learn, share and contribute to an industry that was important to you, along with others that share the same passion?
To lead a group in camaraderie, it’s important that you’re a reliable person. Show up on time, be diligent in your commitment to a standard of quality, and be there for your coworkers when they need you. Whether that be making yourself available to cover a shift or lending a skill to help them grow, the reliability is a show of character and goes a long way.
Practice seeing the best in and speaking to the highest qualities of those around you. When you have confidence that your teammates are rooting for you, it fosters a sense of self-belief that promotes positive habits, a sense of responsibility and attracts others towards you. From the business mindset, when you listen and invest in the confidence and culture of your tattooers and tattoo shop, customers want to be a part of that, and give to business that sees and values them as people, beyond just a another dollar to be made.
To conclude this spiel on the importance of camaraderie in the tattoo shop, I get that traditionally, embracing complete independence in your knowledge and work is idealized, but I would argue that carrying that mentality to the extent that it has been is outdated. The tattoo industry is growing exponentially, the materials to break into tattooing are easily obtainable, and we’re seeing that the demand for tattoos is not just for traditionally applied ones, but the appetite is for the vast creativity that the tattoo world is capable of holding. Traditional tattoos will always have their place, but carrying such rigid beliefs on who should or shouldn’t be understood as a person that applies tattoos is destructive and dare I say, toxic…
Thank you, and I’ll catch y’all on the next manic episode,
Dani
