If you’re a tattoo fanatic and can’t wait to get your next tattoo (or tattoos, we know it’s hard to stop at just one), then you may have thought about becoming a tattoo artist. It’s not an uncommon thought for those who absolutely love the tattoo world, including the artistic side, tattoo culture, and working with amazing clients. No matter how briefly the thought has crossed your mind, it never hurts to learn more about how to become a tattoo artist so you can feel prepared to make your decision.

There are several different ways you can become a tattoo artist, and the tattoo industry is a world where the path to becoming a successful artist isn’t always a straight and narrow one. Here are some of the ways and helpful methods you can use to become a tattoo artist and pursue your dreams of being immersed in the tattoo world for your career!

Apprenticeships

One of the most common ways to become a tattoo artist and break into the industry is through apprenticeships. This is one of the old-school ways of getting into tattooing and continues to be an incredibly popular way to become a tattoo artist today. Nevertheless, there’s often a bit of mystery when it comes to the apprenticeship process. The application process, overall steps to take, and competitiveness of apprenticeships can make this pathway to becoming a tattoo artist a difficult one. 

If you’ve reached out to tattoo shops or artists in person or online, you may have received some pushback when inquiring about apprenticeships. This pushback often comes about because tattoo studios aren’t necessarily looking for more artists. While this can sometimes be understandable, there’s always room for more unique tattoo artists learning the craft. Because apprenticeships come from working directly with an artist or artists to learn the skill of tattooing, some already established artists can view apprentices as competition. This can mean some studios unfortunately won’t share all of the best information needed to become a tattoo artist. Some apprenticeship programs will charge money, too, which is something to take into consideration. 

Once you’ve narrowed down the tattoo shop and tattoo artist you’re going to apprentice for, do your research! Make sure that the artist you’ll be working with is producing good quality tattoos and has a good reputation in the industry. One way to both learn more about an artist’s style and build rapport with the artist you’ll be working with is to get tattooed by that artist. If you admire and appreciate an artist’s work and want to learn from that artist, this is a great way to start the process and lay the foundation for an amazing apprenticeship.

Portfolios

When you’re looking to get an apprenticeship, portfolios aren’t really the answer. While having a great collection of work that you can show to a potential artist you’d like to apprentice with goes a long way, it doesn’t always make a difference. Not every tattoo studio or artist is going to take the portfolio into consideration (though there are always exceptions to the rule!) 

Whatever you do when approaching a tattoo artist, be sure to highlight the value you can bring. Whether you’re going to prove your value with a portfolio, your work ethic, or simply your willingness to learn and admiration for the trade, most tattoo artists won’t take you on as an apprentice if you aren’t able to prove you can provide value.

Tattoo artists are agreeing to give you their trade secrets when they agree to take you on as an apprentice, so be sure you will make that worthwhile for both you as the apprentice and for the artist teaching you all their tricks.

Tattoo School

Tattoo schools are a newer way to learn the trade and can often provide some value, but aren’t always there to help you learn the art of tattooing. Different tattoo schools have different teachers and methods of teaching, and that means there isn’t necessarily a good gauge to determine if a particular school is worthwhile or not. Unfortunately, tattoo schools can sometimes be out for the money and leave students without the skills they need to actually successfully work at a tattoo shop.

Generally, an apprenticeship will get you more hands-on experience with artists who excel at producing great quality tattoos than a tattoo school can, and it will cost a lot less (most apprenticeships won’t cost you anything, though you won’t be earning any money from the experience either.)

There are some new tattoo schools that are starting to change the game for those looking to become tattoo artists and learn from some experts in the industry. While historically tattoo schools haven’t been the preferred choice if you’re wanting to become a tattoo artist, some of these newer schools, like Aliens Tattoo Art School, are something worth looking into if you’re determined to go the tattoo school route when learning to tattoo.

Learning on YouTube

These days there’s so much you can learn online, especially on YouTube (you can even learn about the tattoo world with our very own founder, Nando Mondragon’s, YouTube channel, Tattoo Insider.) Since you can learn everything from how to build a car to how to build a house on YouTube, it’s no wonder that you can learn a lot about becoming a tattoo artist on the site!

You can’t learn to tattoo strictly from watching YouTube videos, though. You need to have the hands-on experience and teaching necessary to succeed as an artist from the artist themself. YouTube can be a big help, however, in learning more about the generalities of tattooing and understanding the language and tools needed to become a tattoo artist.

As you’re learning about and starting to actually do tattoos, an excellent tip is to practice tattooing on fake skin. Because tattoos are permanent, it’s a great idea to focus your time and attention on fake skin first so that you don’t mess anything up on someone’s actual skin.

Becoming a tattoo artist involves a bit more than an artistic eye and a tattoo machine. While there are several paths you can take to become a tattoo artist, the tried and true way is to become an apprentice with an experienced tattoo artist working at a well-known tattoo shop. At Certified Tattoo Studios, we offer the Certified Apprenticeship Academy where you can apply to learn with the best tattoo artist in the Denver Metro Area. Learn more about our rigorous and competitive apprenticeship program (and even apply if you’re ready to take the plunge) on our website.