How do you become a tatoo artist?

Answer 1

It took me ages to get an apprenticeship but the main thing to do is walk into the studio with confidence. I visited every studio in the area and handed out CVs, but that's not what they look for.

1. Decide if it's really what you want to do in the future. There's no point doing it for a month and giving up.

2. Choose which studios you'd like to work in. Find out how many people work there and if they are all male, all female or both. If a studio has two guys working there, they are likely to take on a female apprentice to give clients a choice of artists. A female client would prefer a female tattooist to tattoo them.

3. Create a portfolio. Design ALL your own designs. Do not copy them from the internet or steal them from other people. Tattoo artists can easily recognise if you have drawn something yourself or copied it.

4. Go to the studio and ask for an APPRENTICESHIP. Don't ask for a job. Becoming a tattoo artist is NOT a job and you will NOT get paid by the studio as they teach you. You will start earning money when you start tattooing clients.

Tell the studio you are:

- Looking for experience, not pay

- Creative and artistic

- Willing and eager to learn

- & that you learn fast and would provide more business to the studio

5. If you manage to get an apprenticeship, pay attention to what the tattooists do. Watch how they set up and how they tattoo. Don't get in their way or offer to help because they know exactly what they're doing and will not want any distractions. Do this for a few months. Learn how to use carbon paper, clean the studio and empty the bins.

6. A few months into your apprenticeship, purchase your own tattoo equipment. Tattoo artists don't often trust people with their own equipment, but ask to hold their machines to get a feel for what will be best for you to buy. Tattoo equipment is expensive but it is worth it if you stick to the career.

You will need:

- 5 & 7 Round Tips

- A grip of your choice

- Back stems

- Various lining and shading needles

- A tattoo machine

- Clipcord

- Foot pedal

- Power Supply

- & practice skins

Although you can usually buy 'Beginners' sets. The artists at the studio should let you use ink caps and ink.

7. Use practice skins. Although they are nothing like real human skin, they allow you to get a feel for tattooing and for your own personal equipment.

8. Practice. Becoming a successful tattoo artist doesn't happen overnight. Some people take to it quicker than others, but some people take years to get spot-on line work as well as successful shading techniques.

9. Treat the other tattooists with respect. These are the people who are going to teach you all you know, so don't be rude or impatient.