David Shavitz is back — and a lot has changed since his first appearance on the show. What started as a quiet hint about a tattoo apprenticeship has turned into one of the most unconventional learning journeys in the tattoo world. Instead of sweeping floors at a shop, David is traveling the country spending weeks with world-class tattooers like Jacob Sheffield — hand-picked by his mentor Colt of Empire Inks — all while continuing to teach painting workshops and develop his own clientele.

In this episode, we dig into:

• What it's actually like to transition from fine art painter to tattoo artist
• The biggest technical challenges of tattooing coming from a painting background
• David's abstract composition-first approach to painting (and how it applies to tattoo design)
• His upcoming workshop at the Paradise Artist Retreat
• What makes his apprenticeship completely unlike any other

David is also one of our featured presenters at the Paradise Artist Retreat this October at Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort in Massachusetts. Early bird tickets are available now — grab them before the price goes up!