The industry

Hi there, I'm Dee. This is my first blog post ever. I'm excited to share some knowledge and information regarding the industry and procedures specifically in South Africa.

With today's post I want to discuss a plaguing topic in the South African tattoo industry and a way for you, the client/reader, to protect yourself and inform others. This issue is Scratchers (which is an industry term). I believe a brief explanation to them would be in order.

So, what classifies as a scratcher? Let me break it down for you - These people are self-thought "artists" who take to platforms like YouTube and TikTok, buy a subpar Takealot kit and then try to train themselves from home through videos not even set-up as a digital study guide. These artists then find a way to promote themselves to draw clients to their designate location. These "artists" could have some artistic background but no real guidance and training when it comes to the application of tattooing. They probably never had an actual artist as a mentor to teach them the rights and wrongs with art. Granted, not every artist needs to study art similar to people who have natural talent to sing but the permanence of tattooing cannot be left to raw talent without physical guidance.

Secondly you could be asking why they don't study properly? And the answer to that question lies within the way tattooing is regulated in South Africa. The reality is... it isn't.

The only possible way to become a competent tattoo artist within the South African space is to do a full-on apprenticeship through a credible tattoo studio and tattoo artist. Preferably someone who does styles similar to ones that peak a person's interest. At the end of this, a person might receive a certificate that simply states they completed training through an artist which is the most credible. If you are reading this, it should be your first thing to look for in your tattoo artist as a client. (HOW WERE THEY TRAINED?)

The sad reality of this self-taught approach is that they have a skill set for things like marketing and they may be attractive (sex sells) which then draws clients for these scratchers. Unfortunately, clients can be ignorant as they are on a budget or have not done adequate research and then offer up their skin to a person who is incompetently trained to tattoo them. This can obviously lead to a very subpar tattoo result, but that's not the only risk. Generally, scratchers have no training in avoiding cross contamination, making you, the client, a targeted risk for contracting things like HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis, and many other blood borne pathogens that are permanent and lifelong conditions. (YOU SHOULD BE ASKING YOURSELF: AM I WILLING TO TAKE THIS RISK?) If so, don't complain and slander artists name for your negligence in not doing your homework.

Lastly for this blog I want to express the impact your support to scratchers has on the industry. Artists who have paid with blood, sweat and tears in training and growing their competence level, suffer. This training and their establishment costs money and it takes years of dedication to hone their skills which adds to the cost of their operation. Paying R250 for a tattoo makes you part of the problem. Most professional studio using professional single-use/sterilizable equipment can't even do a set-up for that amount. Thinking it is cheap, leaves trained and credible artists without work leading to them having to close up their workspaces as clients don't think their rates are credible.

This blog is my opinion and outlines the current affairs of the industry in the country as I have come to see them, and I hope that it gives you something to think about when you're deciding your next tattoo and even piercing. And if you are a scratcher, I beg you to go for a proper apprenticeship so you may enjoy this craft as much as physically trained professionals can. YouTube and TikTok are not the answer for the untrained.