So you want to be a Tattoo Artist? You need a tattoo apprenticeship! Here is a good little bit of information to help you achieve that goal.
Before we go any further you need ask yourself a few questions.
- Can you draw? (This is an easy question with a hard answer. Your friends and parents are going to tell you that you are the most amazing artist ever. Be honest with yourself and be humble. If you can not draw you need to learn before seeking a tattoo apprenticeship.)
- Are you willing to put in hours upon hours for free at a tattoo shop while doing your tattoo apprenticeship?
(If your answer to this is no then the industry isn’t for you.) - How is your hygiene? If you cant keep a clean appearance, make sure your clothes are clean and be presentable, not just while looking for an apprenticeship but everyday after?
- Do you have an art portfolio? This is a big one. Your portfolio show potential mentors that you are capable. It shows your work, your ability, your understanding of basic artistic fundamentals. Without this you have nothing to prove to someone that you are worth taking a chance on.
So you are at the point in your life where you want to get a tattoo apprenticeship to become a tattoo artist. First things first. I don’t care how amazing you are or think you are as an artist. DO NOT buy equipment and start tattooing yourself or your friends. I can not stress enough how bad of an idea this is. Aside from ruining skin and possibly spreading disease you are going to make it damn near impossible to find a tattoo apprenticeship. When an artist or shop knows you are a scratcher (someone who is tattooing out of their house) they will lose respect for you. On top of the lack of respect if you convince them to take you on, they now have to break all of your self taught bad habits and that makes the tattoo apprenticeship harder on us and you. Its also against the law and if you get caught you will NEVER be able to get a tattoo license in the state of Florida.
So what do I do? I really want a tattoo apprenticeship!
Do you have a sketch book, a portfolio or both? No you can get them at your local art store or online. You need one. This is going to be your golden ticket. A sketch book is nice because you can take it with you everywhere you go. You never know when you will be inspired by something and want to draw. It will also be a good reference to show potential shops your ability to draw and problem solve your sketches if your perspectives are off.
Your portfolio is a little different. This will be a book that will hold 10-30 of your best pieces of completed art. Doesn’t matter your medium. Pencil, color pencil, pens, markers, pastels or charcoal you want your most impressive pieces in this book. Do you paint? That is awesome! Don’t bring them in just take a high quality photo and make a small print and stick that in your portfolio also.
While on this topic buy quality supplies. It will make a big difference in your portfolio. An artist is only as good as his brush.
Last thing on the portfolio is to have a variety of work in it. Show off your strengths. In the back show some of your weaknesses. When the artist or shop is looking at the book while you are trying to get your tattoo apprenticeship point out the weakness to them. If they are an artist they will appreciate you being humble and will likely give you pointers right then and there to correct it. I can not stress humility enough. Even if you are amazing, remember you have room to grow. We all do.
So you got everything together and you are ready to go talk to someone. DO NOT MESSAGE, FACEBOOK, TWEET, EMAIL, OR CALL a shop and ask for a tattoo apprenticeship.
I am going to assume that you have tattoos and have frequented shops which will be a good place to start. If someone knows you they are less likely to tell you no right from the start.
Take a shower and brush your teeth. Dress like you want the job. I am not saying you have to wear a suit, but do not come into the shop asking for a tattoo apprenticeship wearing flip flops and a wife beater or a shirt with stains all over it, cut up or covered in holes. You are going to be talking to someone less than 3 feet away from you. If your breath smells or you are unclean that will immediately turn off an artist and in their mind they are thinking a client wouldn’t want to sit there and smell this. Failing to do this would be strike 1 at being turned down for your tattoo apprenticeship.
So you are dressed proper and hygiene is in check. You have your portfolio and you are on your way to the shop to talk to your artist or the shop owner about getting a tattoo apprenticeship. When you walk in have your portfolio and sketchbook in hand. Ask for your artist and the manager/owner of the shop. You want both there. Sometimes an owner or a manager unfortunately aren’t artists. This can be a problem in itself but that is a topic for another time. Here are some donts:
Do not say things like I want to learn to tat, sling ink, do tats or any form of slang. Terms like that annoy most tattoo artists. Also do not use street slang when you talk to the people in the shop use proper language. The way you talk to them is how they are going to imagine you talking to a client.
Do not just flat out say I want an apprenticeship.
Do not assume you are the greatest artist ever. You are there because you want to learn and no one likes a rock star.
Do not give someone a weak handshake most men hate this. (had to throw that in)
Do not try to show them art work from your phone.
So here is my suggestion after getting both the artist and manager/owner in front of you, open your portfolio and hand it to them. Let them know you are an artist and that you want them to take a look at your work. Explain to them that you are interested in an apprenticeship and that you respect their shop and that you would like to learn from them.
They are going to ask you all kinds of questions. Keep your cool and answer them the best you can. This can be harder than a job interview. Some shops do not offer tattoo apprenticeships and those that do may charge you for it. The price can depend on the shop and your artistic ability. You should understand that you are basically paying for your schooling and schooling costs money and takes time. The time will depend on how often you are at the shop. I have seen people pick up a machine in 6 months and others not in 2 years. It depends on your ability to learn, your art and your time in the studio.
Not all studios charge for apprenticeships. Some (like ourselves) do them for free based off art ability, availability and personal judgement of your character. You will be putting in time in our studio. I like to call it “Sweat Equity”. More on that later.
So at this point you were either given a Yes, a price, or a no to a tattoo apprenticeship. Lets assume they said no. It may happen. Ask them why. Be polite about it. It could be that they have someone or someone waiting to get in. Don’t be shy to ask them if it is your art work. Tell them to be honest and swallow your pride. DO NOT GET BUTT HURT. You are being told what to correct and what you need to do to get better. This is free information, be grateful for it. Then improve and go back. If it is not your art go to other shops and repeat the process.
If you were given a price get the money together but make sure you get a contract of what they expect of you and what you expect of them. There are shady shops that will take your money and then screw you over. Also do not assume that you can not be fired from a tattoo apprenticeship regardless of monetary transactions. You can fail school regardless of tuition costs. Same can happen here. If you are not giving it 100% you wont make it.
Now lets say you paid and/or were given a tattoo apprenticeship, what should you expect?
Time for that Sweat Equity. Expect to work your ass off while learning. You are going to be made to draw all day. Clean the shop daily, scrub toilets, answer phones, do paper work, give aftercare, set up, break down, get lunch, get supplies and anything else your mentor tells you to do. These things should be in a way that teaches and benefits the studio. Do not argue and do not half ass your work. Everything in a shop is about gaining a respect for your craft and to make the things you do automatic. You should be able to set up and break down without thinking about what you are doing before you start tattooing. You want it to be a habit.
Hazing. Lets be honest this happens in every studio to some extent. You are going to be working with people 6 days a week 8-10 hours a day and there is a lot of playing around in studios. That doesn’t mean you should be made to pick up your mentor from the bar from 2am. You shouldn’t be made to sing “I’m a little tea pot”, while standing on a desk when someone walks in. You shouldn’t be told to go outside and sweep sunlight off the sidewalk or dry a car in the rain…. unfortunately these are all things I have heard of people being put through during their apprenticeship. I have heard of people saying no and losing their spot. Your apprenticeship should be a learning experience. Don’t let someone abuse you so that you can get a foot in the door.
You may or may not be given home work. If you have time off from the shop and you are not working a second job you should be drawing, painting, doing research or something that is going to improve learning. The ultimate goal for you and your shop is to get you taking clients. Do not squander your time.
I really hope this helps someone get their foot in the door. The industry is forever growing and new talent is everywhere. We believe the future of this industry 100% relies on future talent that isn’t here yet. Are you one of those people?