Liz Cook Blog

July 10, 2026

Taking a vacation IS good burnout advice. Sometimes it's the whole fix, but sometimes it's a week off from a problem tha

Taking a vacation IS good burnout advice. Sometimes it's the whole fix, but sometimes it's a week off from a problem that's still there when you come back. Here's when it's the right call. You love your work and your clients.Your book's mos

July 9, 2026

❌️Take a vacation 🏖

❌️Take a vacation 🏖 ❌️Post more 💻 ❌️Raise your rates 💲 ❌️Make art you love 🎨 ❌️Work with a coach 😉 Which one actually fixes burnout? Trick question. All of them, and none of them. The same advice that helps one artist does nothing for

July 8, 2026

Watching my daughter learn, I never once thought she was behind. Took me way too long to give myself that same read.

Watching my daughter learn, I never once thought she was behind. Took me way too long to give myself that same read. If you're a tattooer who's ready to stop being the one holding yourself back, DM or comment COACH to join my Candid Color P

July 4, 2026

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!!!!🎇🎆❤️😄

July 3, 2026

If your tattoos heal choppy and your blends come out inconsistent, this is for you.

If your tattoos heal choppy and your blends come out inconsistent, this is for you. So the advice you keep getting is to just tattoo more, which is a given, nobody's arguing that. But you can make it a whole lot easier on yourself by not ju

July 1, 2026

If you're stuck in this burnout and ready to overcome the perfectionism and the imposter syndrome that comes along with

If you're stuck in this burnout and ready to overcome the perfectionism and the imposter syndrome that comes along with it, this is what we work on in my mentorship program. Honestly, our first call looks a lot like this take. You show up u

June 30, 2026

The pics come after the tattoo's done, right? But by the time it's wiped down for those final ones, the best power shots

The pics come after the tattoo's done, right? But by the time it's wiped down for those final ones, the best power shots are already gone. #tattoostencil You're so stoked on this new tattoo you've finished but totally maxed out after the se

June 29, 2026

👉 Swipe for 5 ways to fix your color packing, saturation, and blends on any style tattoo this week and still have a lif

👉 Swipe for 5 ways to fix your color packing, saturation, and blends on any style tattoo this week and still have a life outside of tattooing. #colortattoo #colorpacking #tattooeducation #tattootips #tattoosaturation

June 25, 2026

Booked an hour with my most demanding client today. 🐕🐶 He had a lot of notes and zero respect for my schedule. 🤪

Booked an hour with my most demanding client today. 🐕🐶 He had a lot of notes and zero respect for my schedule. 🤪 We think the way out of burnout is to grind until the calendar finally clears. So, we skip the day off and tell ourselves th

June 24, 2026

Not tattooing fast like speed but quickly get good at it...

Not tattooing fast like speed but quickly get good at it... 🤪 And fast like speed also. #sethrogan I actually started tattooing through permanent cosmetics at a beauty salon! #robzombietattoo I've always been an art nerd. It's how I proces

June 22, 2026

You're not gonna like this but hustle is not a strategy.

You're not gonna like this but hustle is not a strategy. #tattooartist #tattooerburnout #hustleculture #tattoocareer #tattoolife You added the hours and took every piece that came in so the money wouldn't dry up, and you figured once you fe

June 21, 2026

If you want someone to just hype you up, I'm not your girl. I mean, I will. I'm a cheerleader through and through and I

If you want someone to just hype you up, I'm not your girl. I mean, I will. I'm a cheerleader through and through and I will be in your corner louder than anyone. But I'm also going to tell you when the work isn't there yet or when the thin

June 20, 2026

Ten years in and still feeling like you're playing catch up.

Ten years in and still feeling like you're playing catch up. Here's what's happening. Your craft and skill grew. Your healed work got better. But the system around your career, the pricing, the portfolio curation, the way you even present y

June 19, 2026

Say you want a calendar full of sleeves. The future version of you isn't filling her days with bangers, so you can't kee

Say you want a calendar full of sleeves. The future version of you isn't filling her days with bangers, so you can't keep doing it either and expect to get there. Here's how you actually make the shift. You're booked solid for three months?

June 18, 2026

Worst answers only. What have you learned as a tattooer?

Worst answers only. What have you learned as a tattooer? #itsnotthatserious #seriousartist #tattoolife #tattoocommunity #texastattooartist

June 17, 2026

I've been told I'm brutal. And sometimes I'm intimidating as fuck. And my favorite, you're such a know it all... like

I've been told I'm brutal. And sometimes I'm intimidating as fuck. And my favorite, you're such a know it all... like who the fuck do you think you are?" 😈 They weren't wrong. Being brutal is just refusing to quit, when someone's trying to

June 17, 2026

Honest question, seriously.

Honest question, seriously. #candidcolorcoach #tattoolife #tattoocommunity #tattooersofinstagram #tattoomentor

June 15, 2026

So I'm still in Atlanta, my flight ended up being canceled last night.

So I'm still in Atlanta, my flight ended up being canceled last night. But what's important is that I'm choosing to focus on the high from this past week at a retreat full of women entrepreneurs... coaches, tattoo artists, business owners,

June 15, 2026

So that prayer is working already. My flight is delayed. I'm in Atlanta, Georgia hanging out eating some seafood and pec

So that prayer is working already. My flight is delayed. I'm in Atlanta, Georgia hanging out eating some seafood and pecan pie at the airport. All of a sudden I'm thinking of a beautiful memory that made me call my little sister. Low and be

June 14, 2026

I'm not the same Liz from a week ago and I'm so grateful for all the beautiful ladies at this retreat that held so much

I'm not the same Liz from a week ago and I'm so grateful for all the beautiful ladies at this retreat that held so much loving space for me. New doors have opened and more adventures await! Thank you @theartofreese for being the villain so

June 13, 2026

Is it disappointing that the tattoo community has gotten big enough to have coaches?

Is it disappointing that the tattoo community has gotten big enough to have coaches? Honest question. Who should be teaching/ coaching? Because as much as I love the fringe pirate side of tattoo community, continued education and sustainabi

June 13, 2026

1. Duh. I've been formally coaching with my own "course" for almost 2 years (and coaching artists without a course for t

1. Duh. I've been formally coaching with my own "course" for almost 2 years (and coaching artists without a course for the previous 8). 2. I coach advanced academic art and business applied to tattooing based on my 23 years as a tattooer. I

June 12, 2026

23 years. Several countries. And the pricing conversation never gets old.

23 years. Several countries. And the pricing conversation never gets old. Follow for tattoo business, color realism, and the advanced side of building a tattoo career. #tattoopricing #tattoobusiness #colorrealismtattoo #tattooeducation #tat

June 9, 2026

Grateful is beautiful.

Grateful is beautiful. But somewhere along the way the tattoo industry turned gratitude into a reason to undercharge, overwork and never ask for more. And most of us never even questioned it because it was handed to us so early it just felt

June 8, 2026

A year ago I would have said no.

A year ago I would have said no. Too tired. Too much to organize. Too much money to spend when I could just save it. But I'm in Costa Rica this week on a business retreat and something shifted. Being a present mom doesn't mean putting yours

June 7, 2026

My dad used to say this to me.

My dad used to say this to me. It's actually a Lou Holtz quote and my dad meant it the way Lou Holtz meant it. As a wake-up call. A push toward personal accountability. Stop looking for sympathy and start solving your own problems. I unders

June 6, 2026

"Just tattoo more."

"Just tattoo more." Cool. Thanks. If you're tattooing and raising kids, you already know why that advice sucks. My time isn't just money anymore. It's bath time, bedtime, snuggles and being there for the moments we can't get back. So no, th

June 5, 2026

@rebelmusetattoo @rebelmusetattoodallas and @rebelmusekcmo are growing!!!

@rebelmusetattoo @rebelmusetattoodallas and @rebelmusekcmo are growing!!! And we're looking for our next artists! 14 years in, 3 locations and the most intentional direction we've ever had. 💪 If you're ready to grow and not just grind dm m

June 4, 2026

You don't need a coach.

You don't need a coach. There, I said it. You've got the whole internet in your pocket and nothing stopping you from learning every bit of it on your own. So why would anyone pay for coaching? Swipe. DM or comment COACH and let's chat. And

June 3, 2026

If this is hitting close to home, comment or dm the word WALL and I'll show you exactly how a help artists break through

If this is hitting close to home, comment or dm the word WALL and I'll show you exactly how a help artists break through it. #tattooeducation #candidcolorcoach #tattoomentor #tattooartist #tattoosofinstagram

June 2, 2026

When a client tells me they've been trying to book me for years, it feels incredible that they've waited.

When a client tells me they've been trying to book me for years, it feels incredible that they've waited. Want help becoming that artist...the destination artist instead of the local convenient option? Comment COACH for the link to book a d

June 1, 2026

After 23 years tattooing, sustainability is the mission...not just a better year but a whole life you don't feel like bu

After 23 years tattooing, sustainability is the mission...not just a better year but a whole life you don't feel like burning down to survive. If your journey and mine aren't so different, comment or DM COACH and let's talk about next steps

May 31, 2026

That's the question isn't it? I wish I had asked it sooner. I wish I would have known to ask it. That's when the work ca

That's the question isn't it? I wish I had asked it sooner. I wish I would have known to ask it. That's when the work can start. Where we start depends on where you're stuck right now. Skill, pricing, the clients, not knowing what you want

May 30, 2026

Once you start asking if a piece pays you twice, you start seeing that every tattoo is doing one of three jobs.

Once you start asking if a piece pays you twice, you start seeing that every tattoo is doing one of three jobs. A dream portfolio piece is the work you'd proudly show anywhere. It moves your style forward and pulls in the clients you actual

May 29, 2026

This is the Candid Color Coaching mission.

This is the Candid Color Coaching mission. Tattooer sustainability. If you wanna be here for a lifetime (because artists don't just stop making art), then let's talk about how we do that. Comment COACH or send a DM and we'll set up a call.

May 28, 2026

The delusion is that the fear means stop, when it actually means you've reached the edge of who you've been and the next

The delusion is that the fear means stop, when it actually means you've reached the edge of who you've been and the next version is right there. Comment or DM COACH and let's talk about what's on the other side of yours. #tattooartist #tatt

May 27, 2026

How do you know which colors go together????

How do you know which colors go together???? I get asked this all the time. Honestly… almost every color can work together. You just have to give the eye enough information to connect them visually. At first glance, @eternalink Mocha and Dr

May 26, 2026

Browns can totally be a wild card and heal unexpectedly muted or weak.

Browns can totally be a wild card and heal unexpectedly muted or weak. These are my favorite mods that I use in portraits and well...everything lol. If I was only mixing from a super limited palette, I'd mix a combo of Yellow Jacket, Light

May 25, 2026

Happy Memorial Day!

Happy Memorial Day! Immense gratitude today for the men and women who gave everything to protect the freedoms we enjoy! 🙏 One freedom I'm most grateful for is getting out on the lake for the summer! One of my most unexpected burnout recov

May 24, 2026

‼️‼️‼️REBEL MUSE IS HIRING ‼️‼️‼️

‼️‼️‼️REBEL MUSE IS HIRING ‼️‼️‼️ We've been open since 2012 and we're still here, still growing, still in love with what we do. 🥰 That last part matters because we're not just filling a chair. We're looking for artists who want to build a

May 23, 2026

"Do something" usually turns into "do more," so we pile on more hours and more clients and call it hustle.

"Do something" usually turns into "do more," so we pile on more hours and more clients and call it hustle. The move is get visible to the people who actually buy from us, cut the things that drain us for no return, and make sure the work we

May 21, 2026

It's going town tonight!

It's going town tonight! Comment or dm FIRESIDE, and I'll send you the link to sign up!!! MARCH 21 7PM CENTRAL

May 20, 2026

1 more day!

1 more day! May 21 at 7 pm central Comment or dm FIRESIDE and I'll send you the link 💪

May 19, 2026

Practice makes us better tattooers but it doesn't fill our calendars by itself.

Practice makes us better tattooers but it doesn't fill our calendars by itself. These are four of the shifts that closed that gap for me, and what I work on with my coaching artists. I'll be teaching them this Thursday with @firesidetattoo.