How to Become a Tattoo Artist: Career Guide

Last updated on May 7th, 2020

As the tattoo art popularises among the people. As a survey, every third person would have a tattoo once in life in USA. So with the popularity of tattooing, the tattoo business also become profitable. That’s why so many people want to become a tattoo artist because not only it earns a good amount of money but also it some time inner calling.

Many people are just buying a tattoo kit and start tattooing their friend’s skin, which is very dangerous. However, they never become a successful tattoo artist in their lifetime. So if you want to become a successful tattoo artist, then you should follow below given things.

Let start with the basic fundamental of tattooing.

Learn basic fundamental of tattooing

The first and foremost things, a person has to do is, he has to introduce from basic fundamental of tattooing. Like all kind of equipment, what are the items and equipment used in tattooing, what is a rotary machine and what is coil machine. What is the difference between these types of the machine? There are hell lots of things which you have to cover up to understand the basic of tattooing.

What are the medical precaution a person has to take care, how to prevent tattoo scars, how to handle if tattooing is too much painful for clients, what happen if a tattoo infection occurs during tattooing?

Its not just about injecting tattoo ink under human skin. Their lots of thinks and precaution you have to take care of before and after tattooing. So learn the basic is the first step to become a professional tattoo artist.

You can take help of the internet and read books and collect information from various sources.

Complete an Apprenticeship.

Having professional training under the experienced tattoo artist is the most necessary thing to become a tattoo artist. So work under the supervision of professional tattoo artist for several months to refine your art.

There you will learn lots of things, however at beginning you not get much work to do, as we said tattooing is not just injecting ink to make design, you have to take care many things like mixing ink properly, have to know how to sterilize all tattoo equipment properly and many other things.

Unfortunately, Apprenticeship is unpaid but think as it as your professional education as you get in school and college. You will not only learn how to how to operate a tattoo machine and other equipment but also learn how to operate things is a safe and professional manner.

Practice a lot and develop skillful hand in tattooing

As tattooing is high stake activity, your hand will be refined more and more as you practice it, so there are lots of complex designs and tattoo which need more experience and high skill to make them properly. So you have to practice a lot. There is practice skin came in the market where you can practice tattooing to develop a skilful hand.

As slowly, you got the skill and ability to make good tattoos without doing mistake. Start practice with real human skin with simple tattoo design as you gain expertise and more experience you can start making a complex design on your client’s skin.

Get a License

As to become a professional and certified tattoo artist, you need a license to work as a tattoo artist or to open a tattoo shop. But as it depends on the state to state or country to country.

However, there are various process for every country to acquire a tattoo license. However, most of the state requires formal education and 500-hour training in under professional tattoo artist and you also have to go through an exam to get a tattoo license as an artist.

Continue education for advancement

Tattooing is complicated hard and difficult to learn? So keep learning and gain more and more skill and experience to become a successful and famous artist. It is never ending art, so keep learning even after getting the above thing done. Because there is more to learn. However, there are various type of tattooing art. If you discover a kind of tattooing art, you can explore other types of tattooing art like a color tattoo, simple tattoo and bigger complex tattoo. So keep attending seminars, training diplomas for more advancement.

Conclusion

Tattooing is complex art and it is not one month job you have to work hard for months to develop a skilful hand in tattooing and so learn basic of the art. Complete an Apprenticeship and practice a lot and get a license. Buy tattoo machine and equipment.

Slowly with time, you will be a great tattoo artist and have a passion for your art.