Her Magazine is New Zealand’s only women’s business lifestyle magazine! Her Magazine highlights the achievements of successful and rising New Zealand businesswomen. Her Magazine encourages a healthy work/life balance.
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. Your True Self Aimee Clark – The Apprentice AIMEE CLARK REGRETS HER first tattoo – a microscopic star sign etched into her wrist, a classic case of walking into a tattoo shop and choosing something out of the book for the sake of getting something. "I was 17, a week off my 18th birthday (because my mum made me wait and wouldn't give consent, something I thank her for now). The fascination then turned towards the fact that I could draw anything I wanted and have it put on my body and it would be there for the rest of my life. The thrill of the permanent fascinated me and so my second tattoo was based on a drawing I did myself. The only thing that was more intriguing to me than that was the thought of me putting my own designs on other people." Aimee was a long time customer of Nadine Bryant's before she took up the ink pen. "I was given the opportunity to show some of my drawings and designs to the artists from the shop, and increase my presence when Nadine asked me to be the recipient of her latest project, a full Phoenix back piece that she would complete on me if I came to the Sydney convention with her. Approximately 55 hours of tattooing later we went to the 2008 PTAA (Professional Tattooing Association of Australia) Convention in Sydney and we won first place, female back piece." Through the process the 26-year-old was offered a place on the Skinks team where she has been for the past five years. With a background in graphic design and business management Aimee completed her apprenticeship while she worked as a 2IC at Genesis Energy. She practised by tattooing fruit and vegetables to train hand control and holding the weight of the machine. Because of the stereotypes the media has created Aimee finds her job has mixed perceptions by the public depending on their age. "The elder generation raise an eyebrow like my dad, who is accepting of it now but at the beginning he didn't think it was a reliable trade at all. At my old job people were surprised because I carried myself differently, wearing suits and things." Q: Are you treated any differently as a female in this industry? A: Understandably, sometimes there are people (younger girls who are nervous) who will specifically request to be tattooed by a female just because they feel more comfortable. It may be in a more private spot, or they may be looking for someone they can relate to. Q: What does someone need to do to become a tattoo artist? What training/education do you need? A: To start you need to have a true passion for it, a creative and artistic nature as well as the ability to adapt, change and learn. You've probably heard this before, but take it from me it's so much harder than it looks. I've done art, drawn and been creative all my life but when you are a tattoo artist it's not just a 'day in the office 9 to 5', it has to be your everything. You finish your tattoos for the day, go home and draw, draw some more, eat, then look at pictures, then draw some more. You sleep, then come to work and draw some more. You never stop thinking about designs, things you want to tattoo, drawings that need to be done and processing the images that you have to do tomorrow in your mind. If you don't have a true passion for these things, and don't allow them to take over your life you will get tired, burn out and this career choice will quickly seem a lot less appealing. Trying to teach yourself or learning from the Internet just isn't going to work (I know this!) and so securing an apprenticeship with a trusted, high performing shop will be the best thing you could ever do for your career. There are no industry recognised credits or certificates for this trade, but if successful you will come out with the name of learning under a respected, well-known artist within the industry. . The Person Who Wears Them! www.hermagazine.co.nz | 29 Photographer: Shane Morton