So You Want To Be A Tattoo Artist?

In 2011 I became a Tattoo Artist at Dead Girlz Tattoo and Piercing down in Ringgold, GA. I have recently had some friends ask what they need to do in order to become a Professional Tattoo Artis. Any Google Search for "Tattoo Apprenticeship" or "How to become a Tattoo Artist" or anything similar will get you THOUSANDS of results. Most of them seem to be written by people who know what they are talking about, but they also leave out some things that I found to be true while working through my apprenticeship. Therefore, here is my own list of "Tips for the Aspiring Tattoo Artist."
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Tips for the Aspiring Tattoo Artist

- Put together a portfolio of your BEST artwork. Try to keep is to about 20 drawings.
--> Just because you are amazing at drawing, Tattooing will not necessarily come easy, it is an ENTIRELY new medium with new tools that work quite differently from ANYTHING you have ever worked with before.

- Always keep your portfolio handy; you never know when you're going to run into someone worth showing it off too (this is also true for once you ARE a tattoo artist, and have a Tattoo portfolio--Smart phones are great for this IF you can create a folder dedicated to just your portfolio so you aren't having to dig through your personal pics...)

- IF you have been "scratching" (a term used to describe ANYONE tattooing without professional training--sometime also used to refer to anyone without a license), 1) STOP now. 2) DO NOT Volunteer that information to a potential Mentor. If they ask you directly, DO NOT lie about it... but do not volunteer that information. Many Artists will not take on an Apprentice who has been scratching--> too many bad habits to try and break. Once you ARE an Apprentice, DEFINITELY Do NOT tattoo ANYONE without your Mentor's approval. This is a surefire way to get asked to leave, and never come back, and good luck getting anyone else to pick you up as an Apprentice...

- Don't be afraid to shop around. Find an artist who you like. Not just their artwork, but also their personality. If you can't tolerate them now, you sure as hell won't be able to stand them when they are telling you what to do... Look at their portfolio, make sure they have a good grasp of linework (do they have a steady hand? can they "draw" a straight/consistent/even line?) Also inspect their color and their black and white/shading work. They may not be perfect, but if it doesn't look good, chances are they won't be able to teach you how to do it well either...
--> When looking at Artists, also look at their shop. Did they get a 100 on their health inspection. It really isn't that hard to do, and most of the items that will cause a shop to not score perfectly are easily managed that there is no good reason to not please the inspector. A shop that gets less than an A (90-100) are probably not going to teach you how to keep your shop/space up to par.
--> Does the shop you are going to learn at use disposable tubes? Or do they reuse their tubes? IF they use reusable tubes, do they have enough sterilized to be able to take care of their clients with a new/sterile tube each time before they get a chance to Clean AND Sterilize their tubes? Remember Clean does not mean Sterile, and Sterile does not necessarily mean Clean (I have seen many STERILE tubes taht still had ink caked inside them, they were definitely sterile, but they certainly were not clean.)
-- Does the shop you are going to learn at dispose of their needles after each use. Most Health Departments REQUIRE shops to use single use, disposable needles. Not doing this (even with an autoclave) is an almost GUARANTEED way of transmitting diseases. If the shop does not use disposable needles (and actively disposes of them after their first use) RUN (don't walk) away!

- Go ahead and get your CPR/First Aid certification, as well as your Blood Borne Pathogen's certification. http://www.probloodborne.com/ Has BOTH certifications you need, and they are legitimate venues for getting your certifications. (This is where I got my certifications)

- Start studying your Health Department's rules and regulations concerning Body Artists. They may list other certifications that Tattoo artists must have. (For example, South Carolina has a separate Tattoo Pathogens test/certification that must be acquired before you can get your license.) Study these rules and regulations until you can recite them in your sleep. THIS is what your licensing test will cover. The Health Department isn't concerned whether you know how to tattoo or not, but can you do it within their guidelines, can you follow the rules to prevent the spread of disease? The test is pretty easy if you have read and studied the Rules and regulations, if you didn't... Also, pay attention to the numbers and codes listed in the Rules and Regulations, things that you think are pointless... Those are probably going to take up the majority of your test...

- Go ahead and start drawing straight lines, circles, and stars. Your Artist Mentor may not set this homework assignment for you, but trust me it will help you be a better tattoo artist.
--> "Drawing" these three seemingly simple objects will be a million times harder once you have a vibrating machine in your hand.
--> Continue drawing circles, stars, and straight lines until you can do them PERFECTLY, with your eyes closed, like you were a computer that has no Human Error. You will probably never achieve this greatness, but if you do, please tell me how, cause my circles still look like eggs, my straight lines could be mistaken for the symbol for a curvy road, and my stars... well... let's just say I am still practicing.

- MOST (not all) Tattoo Artists will charge you for your Apprenticeship. An Apprenticeship can cost you anywhere from 0-$15,000. Honestly, I think the upper range of that is ridiculous (I have personally never come across an artist that charges that much... but... they are apparently out there.) I know paying for an Apprenticeship sounds ridiculous at first, but it is honestly no different than paying a college tuition (and you will spend as much time here, as you would there, and possibly get more useful/pertinent information.)
--> Find out what your Apprenticeship fee will include, some artists will include your machines, needles, tubes, chair, space, EVERYTHING with their fee. These are the ones that are worth paying a little more, because you aren't having to get these things in addition to your Apprenticeship. If, however, you are going to have to buy your own equipment, ink, etc, then negotiate a lower price for your apprenticeship.
==>Be prepared, if you have to buy your own equipment, you will be out almost a thousand dollars in your first set-up. You will continue to spend $50 or more every month or so to keep yourself stocked with needles, tubes, and inks...
==> Whatever your fee is, GET IN WRITING what it will cover.

- Be prepared, most Apprenticeships will last 1-2 years. Get in writing how long your Artist Mentor intends your Apprenticeship to last. Also understand that this time frame is subject to change, based on your skills, and how quickly (or slowly) you learn

- Once you have your apprenticeship, you WILL be the shop B***H for quite a while. At first you will only sweep, clean, MAYBE set up your artist's station. Most of this is done, NOT because your artist is lazy, but because he/she is actually wanting to get you familiar with the shop, and what it takes to keep the shop clean (according to health codes, not just what you were taught to do at home). Once your artist has you setting up (and tearing down) their station, they are training you to know how to set up your own station. They will have you doing their "grunt work" until you can do it without blinking. They want this to be muscle memory for you. If you can do this every time without hesitation, then when it comes time for you to do it for your own station, your artist can be confident that you won't make any mistakes or forget something vital.

- It will be a while before you ever pick up a machine. Your artist may even tell you not to buy any equipment until they are ready for you to hold a machine. This could be a month or ten months after you start your apprenticeship. That's up to your Artist Mentor.

- Before you get to touch a machine, your Artist Mentor will probably have you spend countless hours tracing tattoos onto stencils. This is not to demean your skills as an artist, but is to teach you to look at a design, and know what lines are VITAL for a stencil, and what lines will simply get lost in translation.

- When your tattoo artist is with a client, if you are not assigned to do something else, be their shadow. Listen to everything that gets said; watch EVERYTHING that gets done. Make sure either you or your Artist Mentor gets permission from the client before you "sit in" on the tattooing. (Some clients don't want to be used as demonstrations, it's not what they are paying for)
--> If you DO get to sit in while your Mentor is working, DO NOT BE AFRAID TO ASK QUESTIONS. You are paying for this experience, you are paying for their Knowledge. ASK every question that comes into your head, as soon as it comes into your head. If you are unable to ask it right then, write it down before you forget, because, trust me, you will forget what you were going to ask, until you see it again...
--> If your artist is unable to answer your question, do not hesitate to check out you tube, or Google. Your Artist Mentor is not  a God, they may not have ever asked that question themselves, they may not have ever been taught the How or Why of a particular technique; don't loose faith in your Mentor just because they can't answer your question. Also, make sure to try and find your answer

- Do not pester your artist about when you will get to start "Slinging Ink". Many will wait longer if you do. (By the same token, don't let them forget that you are paying them to teach you, not keep you as free shop labor.)
==>Which brings up another point: When you are an apprentice, you will NOT be earning ANYTHING. According to most state laws, even once you start practicing tattooing, until you have your license, you CANNOT receive money.

- When you do get to begin "Slinging Ink" your first canvases will probably be grapefruits and pig skins. I know it sounds silly, but they have SOME of the same characteristics of human skin, so you will get a feel for how your live canvas will respond. (This is not a perfect "test subject", but it's the best practice surface available)

- When your artist feels you are ready, you will begin tattooing real folks (no more grapefruits for you... well... okay, unless your artist wants you to continue practicing in between clients)

I'm sure that there are plenty more tips to give, and when I think of them, I will add them here...

Until Next Time!