deftoned71

I have numerous friends in the tattoo industry / art. Three own very reputable studios, few others are long time employees at other studios, two friends are licensed piercers but also do scarification My closest friends all have 20+ year experience tattoo'ing. I keep kicking around this idea that I want to try my hand and patience at tattoo'ing. I love the art and have for years. My passion for tattoo'ing runs DEEP but up until now it has been purely art appreciation of my own ink and others' ink. Do I have what it takes to cross this bridge and contribute to art and make a meaningful contribution to it and make people happy the way I feel when I get tattoos? I think I have the hand / eye coordination to handle the machine and control the depth and I think I can do this well with practice. It is the drawing side of things that concerns me. Sure I did lots of drawing as a teenager - doing comic book style illustrations or fantasy illustrations but that was years ago. I understand a lot of the fundamentals but the actual practice of drawing I am way out of practice with. This is my conundrum right now. I don't work so time isn't an issue for me and I could deal with being an apprentice for a while but do I have ability to draw what ends up being inked on? Might look at taking some courses first before I cross this bridge or begin apprenticing while I take courses. I know I can get through this but should I do it?