In the last decade, I’ve had an incredible amount of people ask me how I got in this business. From those people there have been many who ask how they could become a tattooer as well. How to become a tattoo artist really depends on how badly you want to become one. Some people look at me while I tattoo and think, “Hey, I can do that!”. It is not as easy as I or any other tattooers make it look.
Some of you have already been out to various shops to see what kind of answers you can get. You might have gotten a few helpful hints here and there. You might have also been told to ‘fuck off’. Although that kind of answer isn’t very constructive, there is a reason for it!
Reasons there can be hostility when interacting with shops for knowledge:
The number one reason for negative responses to your asking how to tattoo would be territorial. The shop owner assumes that you live in the area of the shop and does not want you tattooing in his/her area. Even if you apprentice at his/her shop, you can very easily become competition when you decide that the shop no longer serves your purposes. This person does not know you from a hole in the wall and has probably had the experience of training someone only to have them screw them over by tattooing in their area.
Another reason could be over-saturation. The tattoo industry has an overwhelming number of people who want to become tattoo artists. Everyone and his mother are out there trying to break into tattooing!!! So, if you walk into a shop with just questions and nothing to back up your skills or knowledge, you are just wasting both your time and the time of the person you are talking to! How can you make a good impression unless you have tattoos, an art portfolio, and some knowledge of tattoo history and who’s who?
So.. How are you supposed to make an impression???
First off, you would have to be a fan of tattoos. A few of you that have come in and talked to me about ‘becoming a tattooer’ have little or no tattoos at all. How would I know if you are really into tattooing if you got fuck all for tattoos? It would be hard for me to take you seriously if you don’t take a passion for tattoos very seriously. There is a term for people who get a substantial amount of tattoos. They are called tattoo collectors. You usually see them in tattoo magazines showing off the work on their bodies that they are so proud of. Collectors find artists that they can admire and put their art on their skin. and you know what? It’s not just collecting the piece from that artist that matters. It’s also the experience of seeking that artist out, getting work, and the time spent with that person that matters, too. Even though I am a tattooer, I also am a collector. I am a fan of tattooing who looks to seek out artists that I admire. I’ve been tattooing over a decade and still seek out certain tattoo artists to get work from. Why? They fascinate me, I look up to them, and most importantly, I am a fan.
Secondly, you have to ask yourself. Am I an artist? Most tattooers start of using other art forms to express themselves. Pencil, Pen and Ink, Watercolour, Oils, and Acrylics are common examples of media used by tattoo artists today. Some tattooers started off as sign painters, or were into air-brushing and even sculpture. The type of artist that would make a more successful tattooer is one that could render identifiable objects very well. At one point in time, if you could trace, you could tattoo. Those days are long gone now. A tattooer that can only trace will only go as far as the pictures on the wall will allow. They would never be able to fit the growing demand for customized pieces that people ask for today. The “pick and stick” tattooer is a dying breed. Most shops that you walk into today will want to know if you have an art portfolio.
Do I have an art portfolio? What kind of art portfolio are potential teachers looking for?
Now you know that you have to be both a fan and an artist in order for other tattooers to take you seriously. Your portfolio should be able to reflect a passion that you have for tattooing. The subject matter should at least be somewhat tattoo related. You should be able to talk about different tattoo styles with your knowledge of tattoos. To obtain that kind of knowledge you should be obtaining various literature, to know where tattoos have been, and tattoo magazines so that you can see what is possible today. The internet is a vast resource for tattoos today. Almost every serious tattooer has his/her own website for you to explore nowadays. Someone who will teach you how to tattoo will want to see that you are capable of being versatile and able to do different styles of tattoos. Make sure you have different styles in your portfolio.
What I’m getting at is this. to become a tattoo artist, there are little steps you have take along the way. You start by being a collector and in the meanwhile, you develop a portfolio geared towards the art of tattooing. As you do those, you collect any references that are related to tattoos from books to magazines. From there you seek out someone who is reputable to teach you the proper methods of tattooing. That person will set the terms of which you will learn how to tattoo, not you. The biggest mistake people do is buy up a “tattoo machine kit” and rip apart the skin of their friends who now have to wonder if they now have caught something due to that person’s lack of knowledge when it comes to blood-borne pathogens or cross-contamination. That, along with the fact that their tattoo looks like shit, now has to be covered up by a professional. You’d be amazed at how a person who is self-taught truly believes that they are doing things in a sterile manner and are not (yet are masters of convincing their victims that they are!). I’ve heard of these people who actually believe that boiling, alcohol, or burning are approved methods of sterilizing!!! The only method approved today is the use of a regularly spore-tested autoclave. There are no short-cuts in becoming a tattoo artist. Learn from a pro. there is no other way. Even those so called “tattoo schools” are not considered a viable method of education. Those who teach in those “tattoo schools” are not recognized by the industry as a whole as being professionals.
Isn’t tattooing a way to make some sweet cash? Aren’t you guy’s rich?
All I got to say is. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! Now that’s funny! Take a look at my portfolio.. I’m not the greatest out there but I have somewhat of a local reputation. At my level of tattooing, I own a piece of shit car and still pay rent in an apartment building. I do have the perk of owning my own motorcycle and manage to afford to work a few conventions in a year. I am by no means rich in a monetary sort of sense. If you’re interested in tattooing for money, get real.
I can draw so wouldn’t I be able to get famous doing tattoos?
This is laughable as well. The guys and gals who are at the spotlight of tattooing didn’t get there because they had a desire to become famous! They are there because of their dedication and love for the art of tattoos. Fame was just accidental. Not everyone that can draw can tattoo by the way!
To those who became frustrated because no one was giving them a break in the tattoo world. Be patient and be humble. Look within yourself for the answers as to why you are not up to par today. Ask yourself if you have all the attributes needed to become a tattoo artist. Ask yourself.. Am I a collector? Am I an artist? Do I have a knowledge of tattoo history and know how the times have changed and what is happening today? If you falter in any of these, maybe you should consider where you are at in your journey in becoming a tattoo artist. Jump with two feet in, or your out.
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