Tattoo Shop Tango: Master Mentor Jordi Pla Quit Aerospace Engineering for Tattooing and Won 150 Awards
Jordi Pla was about a year from finishing his aerospace engineering degree when he switched his major to art. He didn’t even like tattoos as a kid. Today, he’s a 150-time award winner, an Ink Master alum, and the owner of Black Flamingo Collective in Bethesda, Maryland. He’s also one of Ink Different’s Master Mentors.
This week on Tattoo Shop Tango, Jordi sat down with us and co-host Chico Cortez, the shop owner who gave him his start. Chico calls him proof that hard work beats talent any day of the week. Jordi shared how he got here, the new style he’s developing, and how he trains Tattoo Artists at his own tattoo shop.
Key Takeaways
The pivot: Jordi left an aerospace engineering scholarship at UCF to study art and pursue tattooing.
The accelerator: Conventions drove his growth. He did 25 to 40 a year for a decade and won his first award at his very first show.
His new style: Neochromatic tattooing blends bold graphic outlines, heavy texture, and complementary colors, like reds fading into teals.
His training system: Monthly seminars, apprentices who build an Instagram following before they tattoo, and a plan to keep developing new Tattoo Artists.
His top advice for shop owners: Invest in new Tattoo Artists, because the top 1% won’t just walk in to work for you.
Who Is Jordi Pla and Why Did He Leave Aerospace Engineering?
Jordi Pla is a color realism Tattoo Artist, shop owner, and Master Mentor. He was born in Venezuela and came to the U.S. at four months old. He’s lived here his whole life.
Art was always his thing as a kid. But in high school, he was still in the middle of getting his residency when he got in trouble for graffiti. After that, he pushed art away completely. He decided to study engineering and get his degree instead.
He earned his associate’s degree and went to UCF in Orlando to study aerospace engineering on a scholarship. He wanted to be a pilot. He liked math and science, but art kept pulling at him.
While living with his cousins in Orlando, one cousin was dating a Tattoo Artist named Fergo. Fergo gave him a nudge and sold him a tattoo machine. Jordi started tattooing himself as a hobby, maybe once every two months.
Then he moved back to Miami and switched his major to art. Art had fallen back into his lap, and he felt he had to grab it.
Why Would Anyone Trade a Stable Career for a Tattoo Machine?
For Jordi, it wasn’t about money. He says if he’d gotten into tattooing for money, he would have stayed in engineering. He did it because he loves art and has a drive to keep getting better.
When he switched majors in his junior year, he told himself he couldn’t half-do it. He was already a year from graduating. If he was going to make the change, he had to commit fully.
He also set clear goals. He told a fraternity brother, who happened to work at Chico’s tattoo shop in Miami, that he wanted to work in a tattoo shop within two years and do his first convention within five.
A week later, Chico sent him a DM asking if he’d ever worked in a tattoo shop. Jordi said no, but he was very interested. Chico invited him in to interview and meet the whole crew.
About two weeks after he started, Chico told him his brother from New York was coming in, and Jordi was going to tattoo him. Chico admits it wasn’t the nicest person to do a first tattoo on. Jordi had to set up and get it done on the spot. It was one of the first tattoos he did in the tattoo shop.
How Did Jordi Pla Win 150 Awards?
Jordi won 150 awards through relentless learning, and through conventions.
He started winning right away
Three months after joining Chico’s tattoo shop, Jordi went to his first convention. It was a stop on the Ink Life tour, where Ghostface Killah was, and the crew wore their Marked for Life shirts. Chico told him he’d win Tattoo of the Day. The first tattoo Chico had him do there won Jordi his first award.
Chico says Jordi devoured everything: books, videos, DVDs, and every seminar he could find. He pushed everyone in the tattoo shop to get better. He even got Chico into affirmations. Chico admits he gave Jordi extra opportunities, which made some people jealous. But he knew Jordi would always go the extra mile.
He learned by watching
Jordi says conventions were the biggest factor in his career. He’s competitive. If he was going to be around great Tattoo Artists, he wanted to reach their level. The only way, he says, was to watch them work in person and put in the effort.
One of the first Tattoo Artists he watched up close was Mike Deise. Online, the work looked impossible. In person, Jordi studied his hand movements, how he ran his machine, and which needles he used, without asking a single question. He also noticed how prepared top Tattoo Artists were: arriving early with designs ready and doing the prep work before the client showed up.
Chico also introduced him to big names like Brandon Bond. Seeing them in person showed Jordi he could get there, too.
He did a lot of shows
Jordi’s first year, he did about 10 conventions. The next two years, he did about 25 each. For the next decade, he did between 25 and 40 a year. He got used to working with people watching him.
Chico’s crew had about 15 Tattoo Artists. They rode to shows in a big Sprinter van and shared rooms, up to four in a hotel room and 15 or 16 in an Airbnb. Jordi says many of those Tattoo Artists are his friends for life. They ate together, drove together, and built real connections.
Chico also remembered a crew member named Low, who passed away from kidney failure. He says losses like that hit everyone hard, and they keep doing it in his honor.
Conventions built his sponsorships
Jordi says his sponsorships came from relationships, not just social media. His first sponsor was FYT. Before he was very good, he’d spend money at their convention booth. Every time he did a tattoo, he’d show them his progress. They watched him improve, and eventually they started offering him opportunities.
What Can Jordi's Story Teach You About Your Own Path?
Jordi’s story shows that hard work can outpace talent. He says talent can be learned if you put in the effort. He’s known Tattoo Artists with more natural talent who never went as far, because he kept working and kept improving.
Ink Master came by accident
Around his third year of tattooing, Jordi saw another Tattoo Artist in the tattoo shop apply to Ink Master online. He applied as a joke. The application had two steps: tattoo photos and a photo of himself, then a long list of questions. He skipped the questions and forgot about it.
Two weeks later, Ink Master contacted him for a Zoom interview. He didn’t make that season. He reapplied, made it past the Zoom call, and came very close to season 12. He got a contract and was sent to pick out wardrobe. But right after the season 11 finale, he was told he wouldn’t be on season 12, though he’d likely make season 13. He reapplied, and he did.
He was in his fourth year of tattooing, heading into his fifth. He felt prepared, but not as much as he should have been. He was great at what he did, but Ink Master tests everything about tattooing. The experience got him thinking about tattooing in new ways. After the show, he says, his career skyrocketed.
Color opened new doors
At first, Jordi did everything and won many awards for black and gray. But he felt black and gray had limits. It’s all about lighting, values, and balancing black, gray, and open skin.
His graffiti background made color a natural next step. With color, he learned how light falls off, how it reflects, and how it moves through the color spectrum. It’s harder, he says, but the results are more dynamic.
As his color realism evolved, he started blending in graphic design. He simplifies some parts so he can focus heavy texture on others, which makes the piece stand out more.
He created his own style
Last year, Jordi developed what he calls Neochromatic tattooing. It combines a very bold, graphic outline with heavily textured areas. He limits the palette to complementary colors, since that creates the highest contrast. He started with reds, then began blending reds into teals.
His designs often pair textured skulls with smoother faces. The whole idea revolves around contrast: different textures, colors, and ideas blended together.
How Do You Make a Bold Career Pivot Into Tattooing?
Jordi’s path offers a clear roadmap.
Step 1: Commit fully
When Jordi switched from engineering, he told himself he couldn’t half-do it. If you’re making the change, commit.
Step 2: Set specific goals
Jordi told a friend he wanted to work in a tattoo shop within two years and do a convention within five. A week later, the opportunity found him.
Step 3: Learn the fundamentals by hand
Jordi has his apprentices draw on paper and make stencils before relying on an iPad. If the iPad breaks, they can still do the tattoo. He also remembers cleaning 25 to 50 metal tubes a day when he started. Many apprentices today have never cleaned a tube.
For gear, see the tools every beginner Tattoo Artist should know.
Step 4: Find a Mentor who pushes you
Chico pushed Jordi, and Jordi listened. That relationship shaped his career.
Step 5: Build your brand early
Jordi tells his apprentices to start an Instagram during their tattoo apprenticeship to document their progress. That way, they already have a following when they start tattooing.
Step 6: Put in the hours
Jordi says it takes about 10,000 hours to master tattooing. Many people put in 100 and think they’ve got it. He also notes that many newer Tattoo Artists expect Instagram-level success after one to three years, then talk about quitting when it doesn’t happen. He’s never thought that way. When it gets tough, he looks for a solution.
What Does the Traditional Tattoo Apprenticeship Involve?
Ink Different’s Traditional Tattoo Apprenticeship is an 18 to 24 month, four-phase tattoo apprenticeship that takes beginners to job-ready Tattoo Artists. It's available at 60+ tattoo studios nationwide.
Ink Different has trained Tattoo Artists for 15 years, and it’s a genuine college alternative. Here’s what you can expect:
Hands-on training: You learn in person from experienced Mentors inside a working tattoo studio.
Beginner-friendly: No art degree or prior experience required.
Licensing support: Guidance through your state’s requirements.
A guaranteed job offer: You’ll receive a guaranteed job offer at one of Ink Different’s own tattoo studios.
This is a career that comes with confidence. You’ll finish with job-ready skills, licensing support, and a guaranteed job offer at one of Ink Different’s own tattoo studios.
Safety is part of every phase, including the OSHA bloodborne pathogens standard.
Good to know: Seats are limited, with only two apprentices per tattoo studio per Mentor.
How Does Ink Different Make Tattoo Training Accessible?
Ink Different offers Spanish-speaking locations in Denver, Orange County, NYC, Miami, San Antonio, and San Diego, along with a supportive “Good Humans” culture.
Jordi believes everyone should have the opportunity to learn how to tattoo. He takes on many apprentices for that reason. He’s seen it with himself and with other Tattoo Artists Chico trained. If you put in the effort, you’ll improve, no matter where you start.
Ready to Become a Tattoo Artist?
Jordi Pla’s journey from aerospace engineering to shop ownership holds lessons for both aspiring Tattoo Artists and shop owners.
How Jordi became a shop owner
After moving to Maryland, Jordi worked at a tattoo shop in Damascus, then in a private tattoo studio. A Tattoo Artist from a tattoo studio two blocks away told him their owner wasn’t paying the bills and they were about to be evicted. He asked Jordi to take over.
Jordi teamed up with Miguel Denari, a fraternity brother he went to college with. Miguel has a successful career in the military and doesn’t need the business, but he loves the tattoo industry. He handles Instagram, advertising, and paperwork. Jordi leads the art and brings in the Tattoo Artists. They’re now in year three.
That partnership has saved them more than once. This year, ICE came to the tattoo shop to check W-9s. They weren’t looking for anyone specific. Miguel filled out the paperwork, and the tattoo shop received a letter clearing them. Jordi says he wouldn’t have known how to handle it alone, and issues like that could have sunk the business.
Maryland also has no statewide tattoo license, which made running a tattoo shop there different from Florida.
The name
Jordi grew up seeing flamingo imagery in Miami, and Venezuela has many flamingos too. He even has flamingo tattoos on his leg, done by Tattoo Artists at Chico’s tattoo shop. The black flamingo is the rarest of all. Only one photo of it has ever been shown. The name is a tribute to Miami and to being rare and different.
What he’s learned about running a tattoo shop
Teach Tattoo Artists to hustle. His biggest surprise as an owner was how many Tattoo Artists expect the tattoo shop to do everything for them. Miami taught him you have to go out and get clients. When he sees someone with a tattoo, he compliments it and hands them a card or shows them his Instagram. Many Tattoo Artists insult the existing tattoo to win the client, but he says people don’t like that. Back in Miami, he even stapled business cards to dollar bills and handed them to dancers at strip clubs. He calls it the funniest thing he ever did to find clients.
Know your market. Clients are harder to find in Maryland. The area around his tattoo shop has many government workers, and fewer people get tattooed. His DMV-area conventions helped. He moved there partly because he already had clients from the Baltimore, DC, Virginia Beach, and Hampton Roads shows.
Develop your own Tattoo Artists. Jordi says shop owners won’t attract the top 1% right away, since they usually go independent. You’ll get Tattoo Artists with a couple of years of experience, or apprentices. So you need a system to train new Tattoo Artists. Some of his apprentices now earn the most in the tattoo shop and pay booth rent, after less than a year of tattooing.
Let bad hires go. At first, Jordi was eager to fill chairs. A couple of Tattoo Artists spread negativity, and he had to let them go. Chico agrees: hiring someone who caused problems at their last tattoo shop isn’t better than investing in an apprentice.
Find your right size. Black Flamingo Collective has 19 stations and eight Tattoo Artists. Jordi is downsizing, since too many personalities made it hard to support everyone.
Bring your crew to conventions. After burning out from 30 to 35 shows last year, Jordi has done only four or five this year and none since March. Next, he wants to focus on local shows, like Baltimore, DC, Philadelphia, and Virginia Beach, and bring his Tattoo Artists with him, just as Chico did for him.
Take the Next Step
For aspiring Tattoo Artists: Apply now to Ink Different’s Traditional Tattoo Apprenticeship and start building an AI-proof career with licensing support and a guaranteed job offer at one of Ink Different’s own tattoo studios. Prefer a softer first step? Fill out our quick questionnaire.
For Tattoo Artists and shop owners who want to mentor: Learn how to become an Ink Different Mentor and develop the next generation of Tattoo Artists at inkdifferenttattoos.com/affiliate.
For aspiring shop owners: Explore Ink Different’s shop owner training to build the systems, team, and culture your tattoo shop needs.
Follow Jordi on Instagram at @jordi_bfc and his tattoo shop at @blackflamingocollective. He’s also launching a YouTube channel soon about tattooing and life outside the craft. Follow Chico at @m4l_chico.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Jordi Pla leave aerospace engineering?
Art was always his passion. After tattooing himself as a hobby, he switched his major to art about a year before graduating and committed fully to tattooing.
How did Jordi Pla get on Ink Master?
He applied as a joke around his third year of tattooing. After coming close to season 12, he was cast on season 13.
What is Neochromatic tattooing?
It’s Jordi’s style: bold graphic outlines, heavy texture, and complementary colors, like reds blending into teals, built around contrast.
How does Jordi train his Tattoo Artists?
He holds seminars every month or two, has apprentices build an Instagram following during training, and teaches them to draw and make stencils by hand.
How long does the Traditional Tattoo Apprenticeship take?
Ink Different’s Traditional Tattoo Apprenticeship takes 18 to 24 months across four phases, with licensing support and a guaranteed job offer at one of Ink Different’s own tattoo studios.
Where is Black Flamingo Collective?
Black Flamingo Collective is in Bethesda, Maryland.
