Liz Cook Blog

September 11, 2026

I used to think the problem was my clients

I used to think the problem was my clients. That I just needed people to reach out already ready to get a cool tattoo, without me having to educate every client on cost and what actually makes a piece good. But the real problem was I was bu

September 9, 2026

I still find myself over doing it every now and then

I still find myself over doing it every now and then. I want to say yes to the instant gratification and all of the money. I want to ignore the fact that I need to sleep and recover. I sometimes want to be Liz before my daughter instead of

September 6, 2026

You spend years chasing perfect lines and shading, and at some point you get there

You spend years chasing perfect lines and shading, and at some point you get there. But then you look at your portfolio and none of it feels like you. It just feels like proof you can execute someone else's idea well. That's a direction pro

September 5, 2026

But it is what my ideal market told me to charge

But it is what my ideal market told me to charge. Pricing isn't a feelings decision. It's a strategy decision. Your rates should come from a mix of your current and ideal markets and the projects you want to attract. Not from how confident

September 4, 2026

We might think we need to get better, get faster, get more detailed to move forward

We might think we need to get better, get faster, get more detailed to move forward. But really, we need to get better at running the system we build. Most tattooers think the next level is a technique problem. Faster lines, tighter detail,

September 1, 2026

I think it's safe to say that most people know we "don't yuck on someone's yum" and this goes for tattoo…

I think it's safe to say that most people know we "don't yuck on someone's yum" and this goes for tattoo ideas also but did you know it goes for tattoo careers too? For some artists the dream is doing full tattoo sleeves. One client, one vi

August 31, 2026

Most of the tattooers I work with aren't dealing with just one little problem

Most of the tattooers I work with aren't dealing with just one little problem. They're dealing with a massive slow leak with pricing that hasn't kept up with the work, a spotty calendar that doesn't align anymore, and effort that starts out

August 30, 2026

Family members who are against tattoos rarely change their mind from being told

Family members who are against tattoos rarely change their mind from being told. It happens when they see the work. Sometimes that's one finished piece. Sometimes it's watching a piece build over several sessions, a little more each time, u

August 29, 2026

Frankenstein or Photograph, that's the real trick behind every reference I build

Frankenstein or Photograph, that's the real trick behind every reference I build. After 23 years, this part still gets me excited before I even sit down and pick up a machine, and it's exactly the kind of craft work I help artists reconnect

August 28, 2026

Everybody says just tattoo more, but nobody tells you where to put the reps when you're not working on a…

Everybody says just tattoo more, but nobody tells you where to put the reps when you're not working on a client. So here's how I'd rate the tools that make you better without touching skin...slowest, to fastest. Not by how good they are. Bu

August 26, 2026

That relief can feel like something to be guilty about, like you're supposed to want every piece you book

That relief can feel like something to be guilty about, like you're supposed to want every piece you book. But some pieces stop feeling aligned the second you sit down to design them. A cancellation isn't always a loss. Sometimes it's just

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