Isn't envy one of the 7 deadly sins?

Yeah. So I pay attention to what's going on in tattooing, I look through blogs and facebook groups and such, I see the heavy-hitter artists, I know the standard that tattoo art is now set at.

I always feel like I'm really, REALLY far behind the curve.

There are local studios that have some mind-blowing artists. I look at their work and in fits of purest jealousy I feel horrid about my own little zappers. I see their bold lines, deeply saturated colours, and clever little flash designs, and I just feel like I'm running in place.

Now some of these artists, I'm not personally on the best of terms with them- and part of that is surely rooted in jealousy.

For the most part though, the only genuine criticism I could ever aim at them is that they're all basically doing the same thing. They're all kinda just scamming on styles like that of Derek Noble, Uncle Allan, and Myke Chambers. Sure, these locals artists are just -killing- at what they do, but really it's just incredibly polished imitation.

Cold comfort for my delicate ego though. I still look at their imitations and think, "fuck, I can't even copy as well as these guys."

Then every so often one of them will try to do something outside their comfort zone, and botch it so badly it becomes laughable.

That is when I feel the warm glow of a little schadenfreude.

"See?" I smugly say to myself, "THAT is why all they do is rip off the innovators- it's all they CAN do!"

Then I remind myself that it doesn't matter- they're still absolutely killing the one style they've adopted.

And you know what? Good for them. I can be, and will be, jealous until the day I'm put in wormy earth- but in the end, what's most important is that I tattoo in a city drenched in talent, and so long as I'm perpetually playing catch up with all these locals, it means I'll be perpetually getting a little better with each piece.

So keep blowing me out of the water you little fuckers.

HA!