Serious question: how does one learn to be a tattoo artist? Do you get to practice on dead people like surgeons do? I can imagine being an artist's first victim:
Artist: You're my first victim!
Me: What!
Artist: Oh f', hold on, let me get some gauze.
Me: Let me see.
Artist: Hmm, you said dog, right?
Me: I said owl.
Artist: It looks more like a dog to me.
Me: I wanted an owl.
Artist: Crap. I think I can hide that by putting a bone in it's mouth.
Me: What!
Artist: Your skin is all wrong for an owl so, oh crap, two dogs.