From Passion to Profession: A Tattoo Artist's Tale with Clint McInnes

Hello everyone and welcome to the Curious Ulsterman podcast, the podcast designed to equip you with the tools and wisdom you need to thrive as an adult. I am your host, johnny aka the Curious Ulsterman, and today I'm joined by my friend and repeat guest, clint McEnnis. In today's episode we discuss the step-by-step process to becoming a tattoo artist and also Clint's advice to aspiring artists everywhere. But without further delay, here is today's episode on how to become a tattoo artist with Clint McEnnis. Hello, clint, welcome back to the show. It's good to see you again, man. Yeah, man, the first episode you came on I think I don't know if it was series one or series two, but it was a fantastic conversation, just your life story in general. The audience definitely liked that one, but I'm really glad to have you back again today to discuss your livelihood and passion and how to become a tattoo artist. If you haven't checked out Clint's story, do go back and check it in the series before. You'll love it, folks. But I'm really interested to hear what you have to say today, because I've known a fair few people just in my own circles who've said I'm really thinking about becoming a tattoo artist and I'll be honest, I don't have any tattoos. I drew the short straw of allergies and I can't get tattoos. But yeah, I'll be very keen to see what your own journey to becoming a tattoo artist and owning your own business now, if I'm correct, yeah, yeah, yeah, fantastic. So if we're going from probably never doing tattoos to owning your own business, that's incredible and we'll dive right into that story. The first thing I want to ask is where did it all begin for yourself? When did you suddenly decide right, do you know what? I want to become a tattoo artist, because I think a lot of people have this ambition, but they just don't know where to start, and I'd be interested to see where your own journey began.

Yeah, the funny thing is I don't. I kind of hate this question because it shows exactly who I am as a person, which doesn't vibe with a lot of people. So I actually grew up drawing all the time, just always had a pencil in my hand, ever. From the time that I could discern what was going on. I was drawing and coloring on things, just really tried hard and art excelled at it not necessarily naturally excelled at it, but just worked out of that tone and was always doing it. So I was usually somewhat better than kids my age and there was always a couple of kids here and there that were better than me, but it never stopped me from doing that. But I also grew up Mormon or LDS, so I never really thought that tattoos were going to be a thing for me until I stopped going to church and kind of let myself do what I wanted to do in life instead of worrying about what other people thought about it. And that wasn't even until my mid 20s like 24, 25, somewhere in there I got my first couple of tattoos, and this is where you'll see exactly who I am as a person. I got my second or third tattoo and I was looking at it and I thought to myself you know, I think I could do better than that guy. That was when I turned around and went out and found an apprenticeship that I could go and learn these things. It's not something that you can necessarily learn all that well on YouTube or through the internet or just even through your own devices. It's really hard because it's such an intensive thing and every body like literally every single body is different as far as skin type and toughness and all of these things. So it's not just like a canvas, where every canvas is pretty close to the same and the only thing that really changes is the tooth and the toughness of the canvas. So you need somebody over your shoulder explaining why certain things go certain ways and why other things don't go that way on what seems to be the same type of skin. So it's a really tough thing to learn on your own. So I do advise that people go and get an apprenticeship, just because that excels your learning so much more. The guy who actually mentored me wasn't all that great at this and his standard response for everything was oh, you just got to feel it and I would have a different question. Oh, you just got to feel it and it was like, no, that's not so some people who are not cut out.

Yeah, yeah.

Yeah, it was, it was. It was a quite a journey. But I mean, it's such an intensive thing that it's not just like learning about colors and learning about all of this. It's proper depth in the skin and even aftercare of telling people how to take care of a tattoo and cleanliness too. There's a lot that goes into that as far as bloodborne pathogens, and you've got to know your stuff there and be really safe that you don't cross-contaminate everybody.

Oh yeah, 100%. Yeah, that would be a nightmare if that did happen. I really like what you said earlier on about how you know this wasn't even something you started to do until your mid-20s, and I feel like a lot of people feel like they have to have done something either in their late teens or, you know, early 20s. And you know I'm not willing to start afresh or start something new, and I love the fact that you know you can, with your own story, inspire people to go actually. This has always been my passion and I just feel like this now is the time to do it, and I like the fact as well that you know you're recognized, without being Vian your own talents, because I feel like a lot of people will put themselves down and go. They could be very good artists In fact, I'm interviewing a very capable artist tomorrow but a lot of people, I think, will play down their talents and, you know, not have that confidence to go actually with some. You know mentoring I could actually be pretty good at this and make a living off. You know what I actually enjoy doing. While you were speaking, though, a new question just came to my mind, and that you were saying that you know the mentor. You had probably a very capable tattooist, but maybe not a great teacher. What's the best way for people to get started, in your opinion? Like somebody has decided right, I absolutely want to be a tattoo artist, but this is what you know gives me joy, but I don't know where to get started. If someone came to you today and said, clint, where do I start? How would you advise them in that regard?

The first thing that I usually tell people is go and get tattooed quite a bit by guys that you look up to or women that you look up to. It doesn't really matter in that regard, but go and get tattooed by them and talk to them more about how everybody got their start and let them know that you're curious about it. Some of those people do have great teaching talents and they are the people to step into that role and pass down that tradition and pass down the skills necessary and help other people on their journey. So it takes a lot of going and getting tattooed to figure out what a good tattoo looks like, and because at first there's a lot of people who, um and not necessarily from the art community, but just the general public who don't know what a good tattoo looks like. So you get a lot of bad tattoos and and Everybody who has ten tattoos or more has a couple bad tattoos I don't care who you are. You went to a new artist or you you've traded or listened to one of your friends who didn't know what they were talking about. So so you start to realize like who's producing good tattoos and who's producing bad tattoos. You go and get tattooed by these, these good artists, and ask them about their journey and and maybe even say, hey, it's, this is something I'm really interested in and and they can help you further on that path. It takes somebody that's already doing it in in the industry, which I know sounds. It kind of sounds bass-acquards of Well, I've got to know somebody in the industry to get into the industry, but it's. It's really the right way to do it, just because you can spend a lot of time messing up and Tattoos are permanent. So, of course, yeah, it's. It's not like a painting canvas where I'm gonna try this new method and it's fine because I can throw it away or I can paint over it. That's not how tattoos work. That's a permanent art. So once that canvas is burned, yeah, you can do cover-ups, but those are exponentially harder than than a normal tattoo with the fresh skin. So it really is vital to have somebody who knows what they're doing to help you in the right direction.

Yeah, fantastic. So, hyperfetathy, someone is pointing them in the right direction. I heard you mentioned that there is an apprenticeship. Is that the standard go-to, or is there something you would typically do as a side hustle to get experience, or how does it normally go?

so an apprenticeship most people when they want to, when they want to get into tattooing. That's the general like typical path is an apprenticeship and there's no standardized like oh, your apprenticeship is gonna be Three months and you're gonna do X amount of hours per week. There's no standard. It's gonna be different for every single be, every single mentor and apprentice. Some people I've heard of three and four year apprenticeships and and that is crazy to me, but that's awesome that they're taking it that far and then I've heard of two month apprenticeships, which I don't really agree with. On that end either, that there's, there's definitely a happy medium somewhere in the middle, but it's also Gotta fit each artist in each mentor. Some people are like myself. I was working a full-time job and Going and working a 12-hour shift and turning around to go and tattoo for three or four hours every day Doesn't allow me to practice as much as someone who's 20 and didn't have any responsibilities. They can. They can save up some money and quit a job and then do their apprenticeship right there. I didn't really have that option. I needed to be making money because of having a family and kids and stuff. So yeah, everybody's situation is a little different Mine. Mine just fit the bill for what I was doing.

Yeah, yes, so it's very unique to your own journey. And then, once on completion of said apprenticeship, however long that may be, you are then I don't want to say fully fledged, but you, you are now quote unquote a tattooist and Assuming you'll get your start in somebody's shop and you know, cut your teeth, doing, you know the basic jobs and then I assume you would move to more intricate designs or, in your opinion, do you go if you're very talented Can you go to straight and then intricate designs.

Yeah, I mean, it depends on art level, for sure, but that's that's basically. It is you. You start your apprenticeship and you Learn and you start with very basic things. For a reason. Those are your foundation and in tattooing. So you've got to figure out how to do those things really well and they're usually pretty, pretty basic designs that are palm size or smaller, and you do those for a while until you get a little more comfortable and then you branch out a little more and, depending on what art style you you tend to vibe with, is is kind of where you end up moving after that. Most people, when they start tattooing, they're doing pretty simple stuff and it gradually gets more complex and and more it gets larger and everything just tends to go up from there. Some people tend to jump in a little too fast and get in over their head and Then you can go and see a myriad of bad tattoos across the internet that we can all laugh at.

Yeah, I want, and that's just. This is from a customer's perspective and also an aspiring tattoo artist perspective. But in your opinion, what is a red red flags for a tattoo artist? But we're also some green flags as well. What are you on the lookout for with a good tattoo artist?

So, so red flags and tattoo artists. Is any tattoo artist that says they can handle every single style of art? That's a huge red flag. There are a lot of people that handle a lot of different styles, but not every single style. But let's look at it from an art perspective first. You wouldn't go to the inardo and Ask him to Ask him to do a van go. That's not his art style. So, while he may be able to get somewhat close, he's not the one that specializes in that. So you, you have to realize that tattooing is art and art has styles. So any tattoo artist that says, yeah, I can handle every single style out there and ask him what their style is they should be a good tattoo artist will tell you, yeah, I usually do this style like and in that style. I tend to stay away from those styles over there, they're just not my forte, but I can refer you to someone who who does do those styles. That's, that's a green flag for a tattoo artist right there. Well, people get pretty arrogant when it comes to tattooing and they say that they'll, they'll do any style, and Then you get a terrible rendition of one style and and that's on you for life that's permanent, like we were just talking about, and that's that's hard to accept for a lot of people.

Yeah, yeah, 100%. And is that just the major red flag and green flag? Is there any more subtle ones, or should we just leave it there?

There's problem. There's definitely one other one, and that is the cleanliness of the shop, just overall hygiene of the shop and the tattoo artist. If you've got a tattoo artist who looks like he hasn't bathed in four years and you can wipe the film of dust off of the floor or you see blood splatter, it's probably not the best idea to get tattooed by that person. Yeah, so I always yeah, yeah, I have a family across the country and I tell them when they're asking about finding a new tattoo artist. I always tell them, like, go and look at the shop, make sure it's clean, and one of the easiest ways to do that is to use the restroom. If you go in and a bathroom is clean, chances are the rest of the shop is probably pretty close to on par as far as tattoo standards are concerned.

Yeah, man, that's really good. That's very useful information. A bit off the cuff, but this is just from a very good friend of mine who has dozens of tattoos, and it was a quote he said to me once and I just wanted to get your perspective on it. And he was saying about you know, if he cannot decide to get a tattoo. I know we're talking about becoming a tattoo artist, but that's just a little interesting diversion I would love your opinion on. For those people in the audience who are thinking about getting a tattoo but they're not quite sure because, as it's very obvious, it's very permanent and a massive pain in the ass to get all it. Get rid of His. What he said to me was if you, if you see a tattoo and you think, or you see a picture, you think I'd like to get that as a tattoo. He said to hang it on your wall for six months and if you're still not sick of it after six months, then get it as a tattoo. But have you any opinions, perspectives or anything new to add to that? Like, if someone's a bit, I don't know whether to get this tattoo or not.

Yeah, I actually don't react like that at all, and none of my clients do either. So I have a lot of clients that they'll, they'll message me or call me and hey, clint, I'm looking to get such and such, I'm looking to get this dragon on my back or whatever. And I'm like, cool, and we set up the appointment. They don't see the tattoo design because I don't draw that up. Right, then I don't sell them a design I, they know that. Then they trust my art style is going to be what they want. So even if you hung up a picture of a dragon tattoo that you wanted to get done and you hung that up on your wall and then after six months you were like, yeah, I really want to get this. And you came into me that design has probably already been done and so I draw everything custom. So you may not you, you may have this exact dragon in your head. Well, when you come in to get tattooed by me, I've drawn something different. It's still a dragon, but it's my style, it's my artwork, so that you're not getting something else that somebody else has already gotten, which to me, I can kind of agree with him. But I also think that after you get a few tattoos, that starts to go less and less, because you start to look at it as art and, to be to be frank, I look at my tattoos and I look at them the same way that I look at freckles on my body, like I don't really notice them all that much anymore, so it's just a part of my skin. I don't. I don't look down and, oh, I have this out tattoo. Yes, I have an out tattoo, but I don't even like it's such a nonchalant thing anymore that I don't really notice the owl tattoo. I just noticed I have tattoos and it's a part of my skin.

Yeah, yeah. Do you have any advice for people who have had a tattoo or regret tattoo, and what would be their best option for that? Do they? Is it to get it removed or just to get a tattoo done over it? I know I think you did mention it is a bit of a pain in the ass to do, rather than just fresh skin. But you know, someone's maybe been drunk and got a silly tattoo and they're like, yeah, okay, I need to get that changed. What's your opinion on that?

It really is is a case by case thing. Like if you got this giant, really dark tattoo and you're not extremely thrilled with it, I would. I would go and talk to you a really good tattoo artist and ask them what your options are. But if you have this big, giant dark piece, it's hard to cover that up, so you may need to do a session or two of laser to lighten it and then go in and cover it up, or or they may be help, they may be able to help you with with covering it up like it is. But it's such a case by case thing because I've seen tattoos that were they were extremely light and the person's like, oh, I don't know if you're going to be able to cover it, and I'm like, oh, I got that all day, like you're never going to see that again. So, yeah, it's such a case by case thing. But yeah, I tend to always give people the advice of make sure the tattoo artist that you're going to is somebody that you trust and make sure you're not going in and doing a drunk, so that way you know what you're getting, not getting misspelled words and stuff like that. So take it serious.

Yeah, yeah, not 100%, otherwise you become a meme in the internet. Yes, yeah, so this is one I am looking forward to, because I was undoubtedly a big decision. But how did you know it was the right moment to transition from your day job to becoming a tattoo artist? Like what was that I'm ready moment? And how did you know? Just because I'm sure other people are probably going through the same thing. Perhaps they went on the same journey as yourself of their. They do a job, full time job, but then they've got a bit of tattooing on the side and they're waiting for that moment, that leap of faith. I need to make it go. What was it for you?

So this is actually the something that I advised every person that's starting their own business, whether they're a tattoo or not. Try to make in a day what your day job makes in a week. And I remember the day that this happened for me as a tattoo artist. I came in on a Saturday because I didn't have a normal job to go to that day. I worked all day. It was like a 10 or 11 hour day, which as a tattooer that's a pretty long day, and I had made enough money that it was actually equal to a week's worth of pay for my normal job. And I sat down at the end of the day and I'm getting all my totals out and I'm looking at it and I'm like, man, this could be a full time job, I could do this. And I remember making a plan that next day. So it was Sunday I sat down and I made a plan of okay, I'm going to have six months worth of savings put over to the side. So for the next little while, all of my tattoo money is just going to that. I'm not spending it, I'm not being irresponsible with it, which is what I like doing, because I like spending money, but I'm really trying hard to put away that six months. And as soon as that six months is saved up, I'm going to walk into my normal day job and I'm going to tell them hey, you've got two weeks left with me, and then I'm out of here.

Yeah, yeah, very sound advice. And that was from a logistical perspective, but from within your own soul, so to speak, and your own mind, I feel like a lot of people either need that little shove of encouragement or they need that little confidence boost. What was it, apart from the financial side of it? Was there a moment that you just went right? Enough is enough. I was put on this earth to do more than pay bills and go to work, and I'd rather chase after my passion.

I think I've always had that innate belief inside of me that I was put here for more than just paying bills and working a normal job. So that one's kind of tough for me to say, and everybody's going to be different in their self-belief on that. But I think if you look around you and you see other people doing what they want to do in life and living their life exactly as they want to, that should give you reason enough right there that, hey, I can do something like this if it makes sense logically. That doesn't mean you can go and just do whatever, but if you can make it work and you can make it work logically, you can go and live the exact same life. That's why it pays to have really good friends that prove these things to you on a daily basis. I've had several friends, and even my wife. She's recently quit her job because she saw how rad my life was and how rad I had. Made it to the point of like, well, heck, I don't want to go to a 40-hour week job. Like Clint does what he wants, he gets to go hang out with his kids when he wants to. He flies all over the country doing all these crazy things she wanted to live that life too. I helped instill that belief in her because she saw it firsthand. But that's the same thing with several of my friends. They've went and quit their job to turn around and run their own business, because if you want to, you can make it happen. I'm nobody special. If I can do it, anybody can.

Yeah, that's really inspiring as well, because I like the fact that it's still wholesome. What you just said, it's kind of like the lighthouse analogy I've used in the podcast before. You can either be a tugboat and try to rescue people or you can just be a beacon and people will go damn. I want that. That's the life I want. That's the drive, that's the passion, that's the life I dream of. Well, somebody has got the rest into gear and materialized my dream. I love what you say as well. I think you're a very cool dude but, as you say, you're not special, which means it's open to everybody. Anybody can do it with enough discipline, planning and logic. As you say, tatoo Artist is not my particular cup of tea. I have massive respect for the art and the craft and how long it takes to master that skill. Whatever your cup of tea is, you're a prime example of what hard work can do. With all that in mind, you've now arrived. You own your own business and you're living the life you want and loving it. But something I do want to ask is that no job is perfect. Just to give the audience, and especially the aspiring tattoo artists, the full picture what does a good aversion, a bad day, look like as a tattoo artist, just because I'm sure a lot of people go. Well, the grass is always greener on the other side. But, as someone one of my old bosses once said to me, the grass is greener on the other side because it's fertilized with different kind of shit, and that's always stuck with me. So what's the good, the average and the bad?

So the good is I'm made for my job and I get to sit down and I get to talk to people for two to four hours at a time and they can't run off because then their tattoo's not done. So they have to sit and force to be talked to me, and that's what I love in life. I love having those conversations. So, to me, being able to create something that I wanted to tattoo, and they just gave me the idea and I ran with it, that's the great of it, and I get paid very well to do that. The bad of that is, tattooing is not something that is necessary. So, with the world going the way that has been the last few years, you start to realize when we shut down for a whole 30 days that was how long we shut down before here and where I'm at and during that 30 days, yeah, I had enough money to be okay, not working. But I was like, oh man, I am not necessary to society. People need to pay for their house, people need to pay for their groceries, people need to pay all of their bills way before they ever think about getting a tattoo. So a tattoo is a very much luxury item and sometimes that means that you're going to get canceled on because somebody blew out a tire on their car or their kid had extra bills from the dentist or whatever it may be. There's a lot of things that come before getting a tattoo, so you're going to have a cancellation here and there You're going to have a pain in the head. Client who just doesn't want to, doesn't want to see your perspective of things, and you don't always have to deal with them. I've gotten to the point where in my career I don't have to deal with them anymore. If they're a pain to me, I'm okay firing that client. But when you're newer you do have to deal with clients like that. So you have to learn how to talk to people, and some people aren't that great at talking to people, especially artists. Artists are terrible at talking to people because we deal with paper, we deal with canvases, we don't deal with people. So you've got to get really good at talking to people, otherwise that can be a very bad thing for you. On the very same note, it's a very good thing for me. The middle ground of that is I treat tattooing just like a job. I may not work 40 hours a week because that sounds terrible, but I treat it just like a job in the fact that I'm in there five to six days a week and I do that because I love it, but I also do that because I have three kids to feed a wife who also has three kids. We've got a very big household. I've got to keep this roof over our heads and there are some days where tattooing is just like the job that you do. It has to be just a job at certain times, because some days I'm just there to do as good of quality as art as I could do, but that day in particular it's just a job. And it's not often, but some days it is like that.

Yeah, I really like what you've said, because I've seen a few. What would you call them? What's the word? It's the closest I can consider would be influencers on social media, from business to sports to whatever. Every single one of them who are in these successful fields that people chase after, say. Let's like, just destroy the illusion right now that there is no perfect job. You are not going to turn up to your job every single day and you're going to be permanently happy and everything's going to go 100%. Even your dream job has downsides. So like, for example, podcasting for me. I love podcasting, in that I love talking with you and people, but I don't like typing up show notes. I don't like editing. I don't like well okay, actually I can't take away the thunder from my outstanding sound editor R, and a big shout out to him. But certainly in the beginning, if I had to do some editing, it's time consuming, mentally draining, but as a whole I love podcasting, which is why I'm still doing it, and it's the same for you. I assume you love tattooing as a whole, but you, like you said, occasionally you get a troublesome client, or some days it is just a job just to pay the bills, but nine times out of 10, from what I'm getting it's a passion for yourself. Yeah, the only other question I have here is with the, so the sum total of your journey to becoming a tattoo artist, what are the most important lessons that you can impart to the audience?

Oh man, I mean we could do about a year's episode on that. Grab your popcorn and settle in.

Yeah. You're working back on the podcast all the time, Clint.

Yeah, it's tough to say. I think, as long as you always have a better version of what your life could be in your head and you're constantly working towards that and it can be your job, or it can be your physical body or your financial status, whatever that may be as long as you've got this better version and you're constantly working on getting to that in at least one way every single day, I think that you can eventually get there. But a lot of people think that this is an overnight success thing. As a tattoo artist, I actually in like two days is my anniversary of being a full-time tattoo artist for the last six years, and that wasn't an overnight success of I quit my job and all of a sudden I was making six figures drawing on evil. That's not how that worked for me. I quit my job and I had that six months worth of savings saved up and I worked my butt off and I remember a certain point and it was roughly 12 months into being full-time but I had zero dollars of that money still saved and it was because I was trying so hard to make it work in a different city, which is a whole other subject. But I did things incorrectly on that part, but it wasn't just all of a sudden succeeded when I quit my job. There's going to be hard times and there's going to be times when you feel like you want to quit the job that you walked into and I felt like quitting tattoo not necessarily quitting tattooing, but I felt like getting another job because I didn't think that I was going to make it. It's going to feel like that sometimes, but you have to constantly keep working to become that quote unquote overnight success. Mine only took me four years to get to where I was comfortable and now it's now to me. It's in a state where I'm like, okay, what? How do I get to the next level? Because I'm really I'm not topped out as a tattoo artist, but I want to get to that next level and I'm really concentrating on that very hard. So you've constantly got to be thinking of that, even when you get to that point of, okay, now I'm comfortable. I think you need to concentrate on that next step even more at that point, because the minute that you think, well, I'm comfortable and you stop working on those things, it's all going to crash and burn.

Yeah, absolutely sound advice, and I like the fact that you talk about how it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows, like, yes, you were in a particularly good position, but you still made mistakes along the way, which somewhat hindered the journey, but you're still at that. You conquered your Everest, so to speak. You run your own life and running with your own passions and things, which is absolutely cool. The only other thing that you said there that really struck a chord was this quote this notion of overnight success. I think it was Lionel Messi that said in an Instagram post he says it's funny because it took me 20 years to become an overnight success, and how many accolades and awards has he got for it as a football or a soccer star? It's so interesting in that, even with podcasting, just an off the cuff stat is, I think, somewhere in the region of 60 to 70% of all podcasts on Apple don't have any more than like seven episodes. Yeah, and if a podcast, if a hundred podcasts started today, in two years' time there would only be roughly around six less, just because people just do. Consistency is the name of the game, and I think you epitomize that. Despite the struggles, despite the hardship, you kept through and well you've got. You've reaped the rewards and benefits, and rightly so. We're just coming up on the end of the show, but my final question to you is what's the question you've never been asked?

Oh man, I don't even know. I haven't ever thought about that. As far as being a tattoo artist, it could be funny, serious anything. You should have prepared me a little better for that one. I don't think I noticed that.

It can be a relation to tattoo artists. This is like gives you full creative freedom.

Yeah, that's a tough one Because and again I go back to I have two to four hour conversations twice a day, six days a week.

So we talk about so you haven't been asked.

Yeah, there's, and yeah, that's a tough one, just because it is something I talk so much my wife will attest to this. I'm always talking, so it's, that's a rough one and I'm not even sure where to begin on that.

I'll throw you a question I'd be curious about, given you are a tattoo artist. What would be your perfect tattoo If you could get it on yourself or tattoo someone in your mind? What would be the perfect tattoo? Is it a quote? Is it an image? In your opinion, what do you think is the best tattoo you can get?

Oh man, I always tell people stay away from words, so don't get words. Oh really, yeah, I have words on me, which is kind of redundant, but tattooing is art, so you can use art to depict any kind of quote or any kind of saying that you could ever think of. A lot of people think, in very logical sense. They think of well, I heard this quote, so I want to put this quote on me. What is the quote about? What story does it tell you? So they don't think about the visual cues that pop up in your head when you say those things. So I think that when you come to me and you want this tattoo to be about a certain thing, that's a better story than just putting the quote on you, because tattooing is an art and anybody can type some words on a computer and change the font and put it into whatever, but not everybody can take and draw a beautiful picture that represents that. Saying so to me. Right now I'm trying to do the most perfect back piece for my wife and we're going to start to tattoo this sometime here shortly, as soon as I stop traveling around the country for fun. But yeah, I'm going to tattoo my wife's back. She's already got a full leg sleep from me and we're going to try and get this back done, and I don't know if you know what a jackalope is, but it is going to be a giant jackalope on her back.

I'm afraid I don't know what that is, that's got to be an American thing.

It's got to be an American Western thing. But it is a jackrabbit with antlers. It's a mythical creature.

Oh, yes, yes, yes I saw the pictures, but I didn't quite click in my head.

Yeah, that's a jackalope, but yeah, I'm going to do and I take a lot of pride in the bigger pieces like that. So they take me a lot longer to draw up and design stuff. So she keeps telling me to get my buddy in gear so we can get it started.

Fair enough. Well, that's really cool, man. I really like that and I really like what you said there about anyone can just type up. What popped into my head was you're an artist, not a typewriter, and you said it so well that you're an artist and a picture can convey what you're feeling so much better, and a picture paints a thousand words rather than having just one line. Why not have this beautiful piece of art in your body, and then it's art is subjective. I suppose what it means to you is personal and great, but then if somebody else sees that, they could go. Actually, I really like it. Because of this reason, I've seen some absolutely gorgeous tattoo pieces, I must admit.

Yeah, yeah, and I think it's great when you just let it be art and speak for itself doesn't need to be words. I'm not a typewriter. I like that.

You can use that on your next client that comes in.

Yeah definitely.

What tattoo do you want? Oh, a Carpe diem. No, no, it's not happening.

I'm not a typewriter. Let's do something else. We're going to do a giant carp on you.

Oh, fantastic. Thanks very much for coming on, clint, but before you do go, if the audience wanted to connect with your content and see your journey from your, well, your total catalog of your tattoos and stuff as well, what can they find you?

The easiest place is on Instagram, and it's. I am Radness, all one word. That's the easiest place to find me. You can find me on Facebook, too, under Clint McInnis, but yeah, either of those spots.

Cool, no worries, and I'll put them in the show notes as well, just for a convenient click for the audience. But do check it out. He's absolutely amazing artist. But, clint, I want to say thank you so much for coming on the show again, and you know telling your story and sharing your wisdom, and I'm sure we'll have you back on again sometime soon, because there's never a dull moment with you.

Yeah, I'm looking forward to it, man, it was good to be on here again.

Cheers, Clint. There you go, folks. That concludes today's episode. I hope you got a lot of value out of the content provided. If you did, then please do consider subscribing to the Curious Ulsterman podcast on your preferred streaming service and leaving us a five star reading and review. That really helps the podcast grow. Thank you very much. If you would like to follow the Curious Ulsterman on the various social media channels to view upcoming content, the Curious Ulsterman is on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, YouTube and Twitch all at the Curious Ulsterman. If you know someone who would benefit from this content, then please do share it with your friends and family on the various social media channels. You can also check out our website at wwwthecuriousulstermancom, where you can view our full catalog of episodes across all the seasons. If you would like to get in touch with the Curious Ulsterman, then please do get in contact on the various social media channels mentioned, or there is a voice note option on our website. As always, folks, I'm open to suggestions to make this podcast a better experience for you, the listener, If you tuned in today for the first time, thank you very much and I hope you got value from the content I provide If you're one of our seasoned listeners. Thank you so much for the continuous support. I am eternally grateful. Till next time. I wish you all the best. Bye for now.