Becoming a tattoo artist

It's been my dream to become a tattoo artist for a long time and I was wondering if any tattoo artists can tell me ways that they started and what they did to become a tattoo artist.

well i will say this, im an apprentice right now and i put in a lot of hard work to get to the point of where im at now. just earning an apprenticeship. an an apprenticeship is even harder work. extremely long hours. a ton of responsibilty. no life really just tattooing so if it is your dream to tattoo then go for it man its worth it. if youre not willing to put in the time, effort, energy and hard work then you might want to think about another line of work. but yeah like i said its worth it

we have yapped about this a bit before. check out this link on becoming a tattoo artist. You can also search for apprentice in our messageboard search box to see whats been talked about before. Most of all, keep drawing and creating art. Always push yer art. Learn every day.

you want to become a tattoo artist?Im in my second year and all i can say is this- get a good apprenticeship - not just any shop that will take you in - the habits you initially learn may not be correct and can be very difficult to break-be prepared to work long ,sometimes boring hours ,know your limitations and do not,do not ,do not take on a tattoo if you do not feel you are 100 percent ready to .Realize that in this business its not about concerning yourself with other artists work anymore - its your turn to shine now ,dont quit your day job just yet-and oh yeah - empty the garbage

I know ts a bad thing to look upon this from a money stand point but i cant help but ask, because i have been sketching out my own flash and submitting it to magizens and really want a apprentice ship but im pretty much flat broke. So im just woundering about how much it costs, no matter the price ill still find i way to pay. I grew up with art.

I know ts a bad thing to look upon this from a money stand point but i cant help but ask, because i have been sketching out my own flash and submitting it to magizens and really want a apprentice ship but im pretty much flat broke. So im just woundering about how much it costs, no matter the price ill still find i way to pay. I grew up with art.

Hey I'm kinda in the same boat, but i've done a bit more footwork maybe. And it's possible , not likely , but possible you can acquire an apprenticeship without paying. There may be things such as a nocompete agreement between you and the shop owner. Or a signed agreement to work in their shop for a said amount of time once you're licensed. I've had quotes for apprenticeships starting at 500.00 and go clear up too 7,500.00. I like to look at it as if it were college you were paying for follow me? College is gonna cost you twice as much as that measely 75 hundred, but you wouldn't be doing something your passionate about. Do what you love you'll never work a day in your life. Some random thought that holds alot of weight. The thing with apprenticing is there's not a law or code that says that anyone has to teach anyone to tattoo, so it's not like school. In respects if you wanted to be a doctor , eventually with enough money and schooling you could be , no one can stop you. This art's not like that and that's probably a very good thing. My advice is find a guy or girl who you completely admire get to know em , understand their work ethic and their attitude towards the industry, and even though you're not a pro as of yet don't hesitate to judge them by their body of work or their own personal portfolio. You wouldn't want someone that does horrible tattoos to teach you the business, but that's more like a personal prefference of mine I guess. And at the same time you want them to be stoked about your artwork as well. If they feel you've got a good mind and style to bring to the table you're bound to have a better relationship with them. And all in all that's what your'e looking for , not a license to tattoo , a relationship with a skilled professional that you can respect and admire till the day one of you passes on. You're not likely to forget the man or woman that gave you your first brake into the art, so be choosy take your time. The price can vary but it's gonna be worth it in the long haul if you're serious. And dont' forget that by someone taking their own time to mentor you that's less time they have to spend with clients making money. It can't be a real nice two way street if everyone respects one another , if ya can't humble yourself it can turn into a real traffic jam real quick. Then what you're out your apprenticeship, still unlicensed and one less friend in the industry. adios

thanks a lot for the imfo, it answered many questions. If you were to go into a shop and try to get a apprenticeship how would you go anout doing it. I have a portfolio with all the sterotypical tattoos in it (Panthers, skulls, flowers, hearts, ect.).

i have ben doing tattoos for a long time. i am 25 started when i was put in lockup at 14 because there where no beds in any homes around the are. id say fight the good fight. its art your an artist start cheap build a portfolio i started working in construction made 20$ an houer dubble time over 8 or 40 blistering my hands smashing them w/ sh*t even nailed 3 of my fingers together. happy building but the destruction to my hands was bad so i started doing tats for 20 an houer. went to local skate comps art shows clubs raves partys so on made a card gave it out get a pay as you go phone just for tattoo calls 20$ ive got lines going out my door and i havent raised my price yet im getting 20$ min just to build a portfolio and i have 7 people willing to pay that and just sit in the chair do whatever i want they just want art. one of my friends wont let me tuch him with anything but a gun straight freehand and hes got some nice work have a large network of friends now. local tattoo shops hate me. confrunted me a few times and said what they have to say. you know how it goes. just let them know you are astablished its what you do what your going to do and nobody is going to stop you. make sure they know you have a lot less to loose than they do and are willing to do what it takes. ( there is tattoo shops that u rent booths out) line up your clients and find one. if there is not one in your city move. do what you want. DEMI I am, and what is, is right.

Dear DEMI- please never, EVER, freehand anything that involves being spelled correctly.

Hey. I've been drawing sense i was really little. I'm 16 years old. I did some reasearch over the internet over the last 2 years, but information varies. I was wondering if i am capable at my age to work in a shop as a over see apprentice. I know i wont be able to work on tattooing but i was wondering if anyshops would be looking for someone to start young. I am an amazing artists for my age and i am def. getting better. Art is my passion. Im very determined, and i love what i do. I have a tattoo that i drew already on someone. It was a rememberance tattoo of her dead brother. I just love to be able to express myself and other people in artwork. Exp. beautiful artwork they are going to wear and be proud of their whole life. Anyways email me with answers. [email removed]