Advice on apprenticeships

Ok I have been looking into getting my apprenticeship, but I cannot find a shop charging less than $10,000. Not to be blunt, but I am broke, so prices like that just make me want to shy away from the industry in general. This has been my dream since i was old enough to know what a tattoo was, so I would rather not do that. Does anyone know of any other way to learn the art, or even any other ways to get the apprenticeship?

Keep looking. I'm an apprentice at one of the best shops in my area. I'm 32 and I had been looking for the right place for 12 years. I kept drawing. I read lots of books. I studied every tattoo I've seen. I made friends with local artists. I got lots of tattoos. If the artist you want to learn under is charging a bunch of money start saving. Just make sure you go through with an apprenticeship. It will give you a jump start on anyone teaching themselves. Waiting sucks but it gives you even more time to get prepared. It sounds silly to some people that want to tattoo when I say to draw flash but it's important. Not everyone you tattoo is going to want what you think is a cool tattoo. Draw roses and make them the best, coolest roses you can. Draw hearts, make them the greatest hearts you've ever seen. Stars, skulls, crosses, fairies, script. This will be your bread and butter. The flash that I drew gained me my apprenticeship. I had all sorts of cool unique drawings in my portfolio too, Make sure you have fully finished artwork. They'll want to see line work and colored versions of everything. Be prepared to put everything on the back-burner. This is not a job. Your whole life will be about tattooing and refining your art. Your girlfriend will hate the hours. You will not get paid while you are an apprentice. You will clean, draw, and watch for months until your mentor tells you that you are ready to progress. You won't make much when you first get turned loose. Lastly, just because somebody offers you an apprenticeship does not qualify them as a good teacher. Search out the best. If you have to move, do so. Good luck. If it's right for you, it will happen. You just have to make it happen.

Ol' dude above me just gave you a killer answer. but on top of that, if the right artist who cares about what they do and this industry, sees your work and genially wants to see you become an amazing tattoo artist, they will apprentice you. and if they value our line of work, they'll see you for your worth in talent, not dollar signs. if they're more worried about lining their pockets than what you have to offer, they probably wont be the best teacher anyway.

I hear what you are saying about finding an apprenticeship and it sounds like a great way to learn from scratch. I am an excellent artist. I can reproduce any artwork placed before me,design intricate flash, and do portraits. I bought all the necessary equipment and have tattooed many times. I have had no luck in finding anyone willing to do an apprenticeship in my area. I have looked into tattoo schools and the only one that I am considering is the 'World's Only Tattoo School' in Shreveport. It appears to be the only school that I have found so far that is worth the time and money. Not only do I receive a license but I also leave with 5000 worth of equipment for my own business. This places the cost of the tutoring at 600. I have read the forums on here where all of the tattoo school bashing goes on and I am currently taking that all into account. Even if I were to find someone to take me on as an apprentice there is no way I could keep the roof over our heads and feed us if I work for free. Basicly licensing is the only thing keeping me from working in a tattoo shop. I have the customer base already and the tattoo knowledge. (and yes I can identify all parts of my equpment, break it all down to clean, and reassemble it) My question on this topic is your advice on this subject and what would be the best thing for me to do in this situation??????

To the above post - I don't know what your situation is so just take this as information. Everyone has bills. everyone needs money. I am a home owner and have costs of living too. I was lucky to find an apprenticeship that doesn't cost me anything but time. I don't get paid for it. I'm honored just to have the opportunity to learn. I have a full time job and work 45 hours a week and I am at the shop about 30-35 hours a week. Thats how I pay the bills. I don't have any free time and I don't get much sleep but I make it work. The reward will outweigh the sacrifices. There are no shortcuts. You're finding this out already. Had you done an apprenticeship you would have someone there to guide you through the whole experience. You would also have the support of the rest of the tattoo community. I would say to you that you should find an apprenticeship. I'm not here to condemn you or to judge you because I'm nobody. I just know how long it took me to gain my apprenticeship and how hard I work at it. To be honest, it kind of burns me that people go out and buy gear and start tattooing just because they want to. Think of it like this - This guy wants to be a dentist so he buys a complete dental set up. He reads some books and watches some videos. He might know how to fill a cavity... sort of. He might know how to clean teeth. He's looking for a job. This other guy wants to be a dentist so he studies real hard. He goes to college. He graduates and applies and is accepted to dental school. He works very hard and learns under dentists with years and years of experience. He knows every aspect of the dental field. He finally graduates from there and is looking for a job. Who do you hire?

Nice analogy but tattoos aren't teeth. Tattooing doesn't require years of college, you may as well have compared it to brain surgery. However, I see your point, experience is very important and there's no better way to get it than a good apprenticeship. Unfortunately, however, there are far too many tattoo shops that only use their apprentices as slave labor for two years then turn them out to the public at large as a licensed artist. If you're there for six months and still haven't picked up a machine run don't walk out. My apprentices pick up a machine their first day and practice on various mediums. I've been in the business far longer than I like to admit being alive and only obtained my license a few years ago when it became illegal in my state to practice without one. In the many years before I was licensed I repaired and covered "artwork" that came from licensed artists in other states (I travel a lot) that looked like they were done by some kid with a homemade machine and model car paint. I suffered no apprenticeship having been grandfathered in but I paid my dues for years beforehand.