Liz Cook Blog

August 24, 2026

The truth is, you can turn away money pieces and still make more than you did last year

The truth is, you can turn away money pieces and still make more than you did last year. I'll say the part people skip because I want you to know it. This is what happens once you protect your calendar: Your prices go up because your work g

August 23, 2026

That sound from upstairs when you're trying to get your books done or a design finished

That sound from upstairs when you're trying to get your books done or a design finished. You stop everything and just listen. Then you go right back to trying to run a tattoo business with one ear still upstairs. Update: she was washing out

August 22, 2026

A tattoo career runs on three things happening at the same time

A tattoo career runs on three things happening at the same time. Skill, visibility, and boundaries. Most of us only watch one. Here's how to tell which one's slipping. Skill is slipping if you keep looking at other artists' work and feeling

August 21, 2026

I can't make this up lol

I can't make this up lol. Being a mom is so frustrating some moments and then she says stuff like this and business Liz disappears and my heart grows bigger than I thought was possible. I know I'm not the only one... what's something your k

August 20, 2026

Burnout, pricing portfolio

Burnout, pricing portfolio. It's all connected, and it's all fixable. Comment or dm COACH to start. #tattooeducation #candidcolorcoach #tattoolife #tattooartistjourney #tattoobusiness

August 19, 2026

Tattoo career moves, yes or no?

Tattoo career moves, yes or no? How many are you doing right? Comment or dm COACH if you're ready to fix the ones you're not. #tattooartist #tattoobusiness #candidcolorcoach #tattoocareer #tattooindustry

August 17, 2026

I tattooed the wings last on this dragonfly

I tattooed the wings last on this dragonfly. Here's why. The background color affects how light or dark the wings read once they're in. I need the background done first so I can gauge how light to tattoo the wings, to get them looking like

August 16, 2026

The best lap kitty, Smudgy will be missed

The best lap kitty, Smudgy will be missed. Early this morning around 1:30 she passed. I felt her last breath and heartbeat on the way to the er. She only ever wanted to sit on my lap and purr.

August 15, 2026

Here are the 3 tattoo artist habits you need to throw in the garbage right now

Here are the 3 tattoo artist habits you need to throw in the garbage right now. First is the fear of losing a sale. This is what keeps artists charging $80 an hour while their posted rate says $150. You think holding your price will scare a

August 14, 2026

Ranked 10 pieces of common advice for tattooers

Ranked 10 pieces of common advice for tattooers. Some of it's solid, some is okay, and some is a total waste of time. Note: numbers 8 and 5 don't apply if you're under 5 years in. Build your name first, then get selective. Comment or DM COA

August 13, 2026

Is this even that unhinged?

Is this even that unhinged? I feel like we all did this as kids on my street! What's your unhinged thing that made you a better tattooer? #tattooeducation #tattooartist #femaletattooartist #candidcolorcoach #colortattoo

August 12, 2026

Psychologists have studied this cycle for decades

Psychologists have studied this cycle for decades. Locke and Latham's research on goal-setting, Zimmerman's work on self-regulated learning, Bandura's research on self-efficacy. People grow fastest through a repeating loop of a clear target

August 10, 2026

Here's the list of things I would do if I had to start over…

Here's the list of things I would do if I had to start over again: 1. Study and practice illustrative and realism art 2. Focus on anatomy and form, and draw from life through still lifes, figure drawing, and portraiture 3. Practice heavily

August 9, 2026

Maybe have them come back to tighten it up and get better…

Maybe have them come back to tighten it up and get better photos later. Still answering messages. Start cleaning and break down the station. You'll have to mop in the morning, gotta go. You sit in the car for a second of silence. No time to

August 8, 2026

23 years in and I don't run on these habits anymore

23 years in and I don't run on these habits anymore. I used to think pain and hustle meant I cared about the work. All it did was wear me down and make the work worse. I'm not sharing this to make you feel bad about your own habits. I'm sha

August 6, 2026

Hanging out of with my clients is one of the coolest things…

Hanging out of with my clients is one of the coolest things about being a tattooer and I'm so grateful for all the days that don't even feel like work! This is the magic of tattoos that I love most, and I've made it really easy to get on my

August 4, 2026

Cheap, fast, easy to see the immediate difference

Cheap, fast, easy to see the immediate difference. If your color heals patchy and your blends never come out how you pictured them, here's a massive assist you can do from your couch. #tattooskills #tattoomentorship #candidcolorcoaching #ta

August 3, 2026

If I had to start over and get good at tattooing fast, this…

If I had to start over and get good at tattooing fast, this is the list. I've done this for 23 years, and there's almost nothing on here that's different from what I actually did. Most of it is work only you can put in. The reps, the drills

August 2, 2026

Follow along in the captions for the full story 👉

Follow along in the captions for the full story 👉 #momlife #artistmindset #raisingkids #trolls #tattoolife Earlier that night, I was downstairs struggling with a new content format, stuck in my own head about getting it right, when I heard

August 1, 2026

Art and tattoos validate the soul. With every piece, the frequency of both creator and receiver is raised. Your body of

Art and tattoos validate the soul. With every piece, the frequency of both creator and receiver is raised. Your body of work becomes a beacon and enduring shift that elevates what is added to the world. This isn't just something I believe a

July 30, 2026

Comment of DM the word FILTER and I'll send you my free guide!

Comment of DM the word FILTER and I'll send you my free guide! #tattoolife #tattoomentorship #TattooBusiness #colortattoo #blackandgraytattoos

July 30, 2026

Turn your page into a tattoo booking engine that brings clients to you. DM or comment COACH to fix your system.

Turn your page into a tattoo booking engine that brings clients to you. DM or comment COACH to fix your system. #TattooArtist #TattooBusiness #TattooMarketing #BookedOutArtist #TattooCoach

July 28, 2026

1. Post your finished and process shots and reels of designs you wanna tattoo since you don't have actual…

1. Post your finished and process shots and reels of designs you wanna tattoo since you don't have actual ongoing or finished tattoos to post yet. Social media is the fastest way to your ideal client right now, unless you're really great at

July 27, 2026

Empty books don't mean you're bad at this.They usually mean nobody knows you're here yet

Empty books don't mean you're bad at this.They usually mean nobody knows you're here yet. I've watched artists panic when they move to a new state, switch up their style or start out fresh. The works there. The clients aren't. Yet. So here