You get paid well just to draw…
BEWARE of what you read on the internet: tattooing is not ‘an easy job where you earn a lot of money’
It is a passion-driven profession that requires a great deal of personal investment: art is always “a part of us.”
But there are also a lot of invisible work, research, and ongoing training to improve… Not to mention all the commercial and business management work involved…
Tattooing is an art passed down from artist to apprentice.
In addition to being motivated and ready to commit seriously, you therefore need to seek out a sensei.
For this, here are a few tips:
- To have a quality drawing portfolio. It should showcase your talent, your style, your essence ultimately: it should be the reflection of your personality and what you are capable of doing.Showvaried but coherent things.Also show your other passions; there is more to life than drawing.
Bonus : And if you have already practiced on fake skin, it is good to show that as well! - Having an already established and active Instagram account. When a tattoo artist trains an apprentice, the goal is often to keep them on as a future colleague. Having a network of potential clients is therefore a plus.In addition, social media is the backbone of modern communication, being already active. is a good foundation.
- Having time and patience. You will need to dedicate time to come observe and take part in life at the shop, and train. (on paper/tablet, on fake skin, on consenting and willing people), observe tattoo sessions, train basically… And it can take several months before starting out solo.
- Having money. Training takes time away from the tattoo artist (in addition to their regular work), so it is therefore a financial investment to provide.You also need to some savings set aside to equip yourself (a good machine is not cheap!). and to cover your living expenses alongside it (it is not always easy to combine training and a side job).
- Meet as many professionals as possible who inspire you: Most of us are willing to spend some time to talk with you and give you advice. (if we cannot take you on as an apprentice). This allows you to learn more about the profession and the market.
- Stay positive: A refusal does not mean you are not good, you should take the useful advice and keep moving forward. Finding an apprenticeship can take time: we do not always have the time or workspace needed to train someone in addition to our own workload, some periods are less suitable, and sometimes you happen to arrive at the right moment… you need to persist if this is truly what you want.
THE FALSE GOOD IDEA of “tattoo schools”:
- It's very expensive (€3000 for 3 weeks of training?)
- It is not very instructive because you are in a school setting and not in the field with its real constraints… It is an accelerated training that gives you only the “broad outlines of the tattoo artist profession.” It is quite far from the reality of life in a tattoo shop.
- It is also generally frowned upon by tattoo artists. (I can understand why; it is a money-making machine that trains large numbers of people who are then thrown into the tattoo market without understanding its reality).
If you want to join the crew, we can talk about it! 😉
