Course curriculum

Runtime:3 hours and 5 minutes BJ Betts has been leading the way and setting the industry standard for lettering for over a decade. His five lettering guides are a must have at every tattoo studio and he continues to excel with his dedication to the craft. This course will cover everything, from the basic layout, spacing and design for the beginner to aspects of advanced font design, structure, flourishes and the ideas he uses to make it all happen. It's an essential primer that will teach tattooists how to elevate a skill that's the backbone of tattooing today and a regular source of revenue at studios globally.

Instructor(s)

Instructor Bio:

From hip-hop to heavy artillery, and tattoos to typography, every element of BJ Betts’ eclectic career is visible in his work. Active within the same Philly rap scene that spawned icons such as Cash Money, Jazzy Jeff, Steady B and a certain Fresh Prince, after taking on a military career that included service world-wide, BJ threw himself into illustration full-time, developing a hugely distinctive art style informed by his life experiences. With tattooing as his medium, his style utilizes elements from gothic imagery and Japanese folklore with an emphasis on perfecting fonts and unique lettering, even writing four guides on the subject that became instant tattoo industry standards Steadily generating a buzz away from the needle, BJ’s portfolio continues to expand from flesh to paper, leather and fabric. Working as part of the acclaimed House 33 crew, he’s redesigned the logo for Hikaru Iwanaga’s cutting edge, Tokyo-based Bounty Hunter brand. Additionally, design work for the street wear company Wellbred beckoned, as well as work on the Adidas Muhammad Ali campaign. The opening of his own studio, Trademark Tattoo, in early 2008 in itself was a full-time gig, but the projects kept coming – two artists series takes for Adidas as part of a capsule collection that incorporated custom designed clothing too. Bringing his passions full circle, the opportunity to merge shoes, typography and hip-hop with commissioned work on the Adidas Def Jam collection arose, providing a unique look for Ghostface, Young Jeezy, Method Man and Redman. With further sneaker and clothing collaborations set to drop, even if the project isn’t based beneath the skin, BJ. applies the same intensity and dedication in order to create a permanent mark, whatever the medium.

BJ Betts