How does someone become a tattoo artist?
To become a tattoo artist, you have to do what’s called an “apprenticeship”. What you have to do is, get some of your drawings or paintings or other artwork together and make a portfolio, really highlight your strengths, and take it in to some high quality tattoo shops. Show it around a little bit, and if someone likes your work, they’ll take you on and train you. Tattooing is a very competitive industry, and a lot of tattoo artists think there are already too many aritsts out there and won’t want to train another. If you want it bad enough, you’ll eventually be able to get into it. Personally, i like to see that people are dedicated to the craft and it’s REALLY something they want. Not just to be “cool” (ha! like tattoo artists are “cool”). Everyone that comes through my door and asks for an apprenticeship, I’ll take their information (like a resume) and tell them “no”. I’ll wait a few months, and if they’re not tattooing out of their house, I’ll have them come back for an interview.
WhooWhee! What a doosy of a question. I will have to provide a short answer or a book of words. It is my humble opinion that the best tattoo artists are people inclined to prolific drawing. And I said drawing, not painting or sculpting. The discipline of linework in tattooing derives nicely from a skill like drawing. I would say apprenticing is unrealistic for many of the people who feel they want to become tattoo artists. There are no formal schools available. The artists who offer apprenticeships charge anywhere from $5000-$20000. This seems reasonable to me considering the time and personal attention necessary. Other artists expect 100% devotion and you work off your apprenticeship by doing all the dirty work in the shop. Most artists I know have a tough time being someone else’s underling. A teacher of this kind of art must be on top of everything you do and that includes improving drawing skills and people relations. learning under the guidance of an experienced tattoo artist or t
