Fireside Tattoo Network

 

Helping Tattooers Become Tattoo Artists Since 2013

Podcasts, Tutorials, Workshops and Courses Designed for the Tattoo Community

Start Your Tattoo Education With The Fireside Method
 

"Nobody solves a problem by adding complexity".

Thats why we focus on design principles rather than "tattoo tricks".

Fireside Foundations is our flagship beginner course which introduces the Fireside Method of Tattoo Design. If you are new to tattooing or have been tattooing a while without a great understanding of fine art principles, this is the course for you.

Fireside Simplify was designed for intermediate to advanced tattooers who are looking to become more efficient and define their personal style. This course will help you to make better choices quickly by using "if/then" scenarios. You will follow Jake's design process from consulation to full color design, to stencil on skin.

Not sure which to choose? Join the Inside Fireside Tattoo Club to spend some time getting feedback from your peers, participating in drawing challenges, and get real prizes mailed to your door.

Finally, if you aren't ready to purchase, just join our Tattoo Tips Tuesday newsletter and cruise around the site watching and reading the huge amount of free tattoo content we offer

Videos & Livestreams

Leveraging Deadlines and Strategic Focus in Tattooing

Designing a Compelling Future:

Setting audacious goals, even ones that may seem impossible, is crucial for personal growth. It's essential to think big initially and then scale down to achieve those goals effectively. But by envisioning big goals, you can instill the necessary motivation and determination to progress.

So let’s talk about one tactic you can use to “scale down” and make attainable steps to reach those big, seemingly crazy goals, DEADLINES! Deadlines are crucial for completing tasks and achieving set goals. Having specific timeframes helps by providing structure and motivation. Oftentimes failing to adhere to deadlines often leads to delayed or unfinished work or progress, hindering progress and possibly disappointing other people that are working around you.

As an example, turning in work on time during a paid class. I like to use this because it uses two frames of accountability, time and money. If you’re held tight to a deadline and your projects are submitted within that time frame, it allows for receiving valuable feedback from instructors. If you do the work but miss the submission time then you lose out on any serious insight that could have been gained, and the class moves on without you. Now what? You’ve lost an opportunity for serious growth and then that feels like a waste of time and resources.

Designing a compelling future involves setting ambitious goals that drive one's actions. Many tattoo artists miss out on intentionally creating a vision for their future career growth. By focusing on innovative ideas within the artistic realm, one can feed creativity, passion, and values.

 

Projects Vs Pieces, and The 80/20 Principle:

Further Into the discussion it revolves around long-term goals in tattooing, focusing on achieving a balance between projects and individual pieces. The aim is to secure a consistent flow of larger projects, like sleeves and leg pieces, to stabilize booking schedules and finances. An adaptation of the 80/20 principle, termed "Top 20 & Farm club," emphasizes identifying ideal clients and tailoring services to attract similar ones, reducing the need for numerous smaller projects.

This involves pinpointing characteristics of ideal clients and replicating them to attract similar individuals. By serving a select group of top clients well and targeting a broader audience with similar traits, artists can streamline their workload and focus on fewer, more substantial projects. This strategy aligns with the concept of pursuing "moonshot" goals, aiming for significant leaps in revenue by optimizing core strengths rather than incremental improvements.

Transitioning from a high volume of smaller tattoos to fewer, higher-paying projects requires strategic adjustments and a shift in mindset. Instead of discounting services or pursuing numerous clients, the focus shifts to providing exceptional service to a select clientele and leveraging similarities to attract similar patrons. This shift not only streamlines the workload but also fosters a more sustainable and financially rewarding tattooing career in the long run.

  Check out this Mindset Monday and Join the CLUB!

Discover Mindset Monday with The Inside Fireside Tattoo Club! 

Shifting the Mindset of The Tattoo Community

I wanted to touch on a couple of key points in the conversation that I think a lot of artists struggle with in tattooing. Sometimes if you're just running the show alone it can be daunting and it feels like you're spinning your wheels making progress. Having other artists or entrepreneurs around to talk with and bounce ideas off of can oftentimes boost your morale and allow new ideas and possibilities to flourish.

These are just a few of those kinds of ideas.

 

The Dilemma of Urgent vs Important:

There are occasions in an artist's career where resources and money can be tight. Maybe it’s “slow season” or you’ve moved to a different area where you have to make new clientele, medical reasons, and the list goes on. These things can often lead to panic and rash, short-term thinking. 

Let’s take the idea of discounting your tattoos to wrangle new clients. 

One reason you might do this would be to make a quick cash grab because people see that you’re doing the same work but for cheaper. This can give you some quick cash but it diminishes the quality of clients because there’s a high chance they’ll only return if you discount again. I mean why would anyone want to spend top dollar when there’s a chance to get it cheaper if they just wait.

Another reason you might discount would be to try something new in your designs or switching to an uncomfortable style, like going from illustrative to realism. You might want to discount something like this in the beginning because this lowers the risk for the clients while building your portfolio with work that you’re trying to move into. The when you feel more comfortable you have clientele that trusts you and a potential for a higher rate to go along with your new skillset.

Making decisions solely based on immediate needs can lead to challenges in planning for the long term, creating a disconnect between short-term solutions and future aspirations. The struggle arises when short-term solutions, like offering discounts, result in unintended consequences that impact relationships with clients and overall business stability.

  • Urgent decisions may solve immediate problems but often lead to negative consequences in the long run.
  • Important decisions, on the other hand, are focused on long-term benefits.

 

Checkout this sneakpeak Mindset Monday with The Inside Fireside Tattoo Club! 

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Testimonials

This course has really changed me as an artist, it's changed the way I look for references, it's changed my approach to tattoos, it's changed my mindset to tattooing. My wife still brings up the course a lot, actually, every time I do a tattoo that she likes, she praises this course.  I couldn't thank you guys enough for allowing me a chance to take it.  I appreciate what y'all do for tattooing.  

AmberDawn_MacDonald

The reason I joined  this course is because I found myself stuck in my mind after two years of a tattoo apprenticeship. I thought I could draw but actually I do lack of a solid foundation and logical understanding about the way I drew.  After joining the course, starting from a basic concept - shapes/ values/ shadows/ edges that really helped me to rebuild the core structure of a drawing. This is important for me to realise what kind of mistakes that I used to make. Furthermore, I think this course is very well-planned, from a foundation concept to the creative thinking process which is all we need to know as an apprentice or young tattooist, the sooner the better. I know it is a long way to keep going and become a good skilful artist, however really appreciate what Jake trying to combine his knowledge from different fields and share it with the new generation artists.  Last but not least, I learnt not only the skills but also the true attitude from the fireside team. I wish every success to the Fireside Tattoo Network  in the coming future. You guys rock! Respect!  

Alex_Asad