NO! TATTOO COURSES AT FMCC!

FMCC has made the decision to add tattoo courses to their curriculum. By doing so they are turning their back on higher education and joining a growing number of predatory online schools. They are looking for tattoo shops to "intern" these students while in the program, showing a total lack of understanding for how our industry works. Why would their program even be necessary at that point. What interest do we have in churning out their "interns" in a already crowded field?  The passing of knowledge from mentor is student is a valuable one, and it is insulting and devaluing to that relationship and process steeped in tradition. There is a right way to go about learning a trade, this is the wrong way, and possibly a huge liability for the school. This is not only dangerous and irresponsible, but shows a lack of respect and understanding to the skilled craft that is tattooing.

Tattooing is a trade that requires years of training which includes technical, business, and design training under a skilled master. Much of this knowledge cannot be attained in a two semester course. The APT (Alliance of Professional Tattooists) suggests that a proper apprenticeship program be three years in duration under a experienced professional. If we have learned anything it is that “tattoo schools” pump out inexperienced and unskilled wannabe tattoo artists with a false sense of knowledge of tattooing with a useless certificate in hand. Many won’t get hired by legitimate tattoo shops, as their “training” is laughable. The unskilled tattooers then open shops on the doorstep of legitimate and established shops, doing poor quality tattoos without an experienced artist to oversee and prevent these mistakes. This not only harms the business of experienced professionals who have in a lot of cases put decades of work into a business, but it puts customers at risk as well. Portland, OR is a perfect example of this.

Let FMCC know that this is dangerous and a slap in the face to the honored tradesman who have dedicated their lives to the Craft.

American Craft Art Services LLC    Contact the author of the petition