As tattoos become more popular these days, more and more people are getting tattoos or talking about getting one. This is great for the industry and even better for those who would like to get involved in the tattoo industry. But don't think that becoming a professional tattoo artist is easy. There really isn't any such thing as easy money by becoming a tattoo artist.
Many tattoo artist aspirants believe that purchasing a D.I.Y. tattoo kit from the advertisements of tattoo magazines is the starting point towards becoming a successful tattoo artist. Be aware that this equipment is of inferior quality and lacks precision. What next? Find a person to practice. And the result is dozens and dozens of people with awful tattoos and terrible scars and who will put you in their hate list forever. Furthermore, a true artist will be reluctant to take you under his wings because he is going to have a headache trying to guide you back on the right path.
The alternative is to pay a fee to a tattoo artist or shop to teach you the trade. So what is the type of fee to pay? As far as I know there are no reputable artists teaching you all he know for a fee. A true artist is not a true blooded businessman. If an artist is willing to teach you for a small fee, then consider this. Is he willing to part with all he knows for what you are paying? In one Asian country, the majority of tattoo shop websites advertise tattoo courses for a very small fee. But the problem is that after completing the course, you will have to come back for one refresher course then another and another. And I understand that after completion several such courses, you will not be able to tattoo properly. So the chances are you will be paying good money to some businessman who is just trying to make a fast buck.
So then, how to become a successful tattoo artist? For starters, you'll need talent. You will never make it in the tattoo industry by tracing or stenciling, you will need to be able to draw great designs. To even get considered as a tattoo artist, a portfolio is needed. This will require you to draw lots of great designs to build up a portfolio. Your portfolio is proof that you have the skills that are needed to succeed in the industry. Without a portfolio, don't even bother. I remember one South American guy asking me to train him to become a tattoo artist. And he said money is no problem. I told him that money is not an issue, just draw me a colored dragon and then a reaper. He came back after one week, and said he couldn't draw a proper dragon or reaper. So end of story.
Once you have a portfolio to showcase your talents, you will need a mentor, someone who is willing to teach you the trade and share their secrets with you. Now this is the tricky thing, tattoo artists don't like giving away their secrets. Simple reason is because many of them have been let down by their apprentices. Just take the case of my mentor. He has taken more than 20 people under his wings (all without any fee), but today only 3 of his graduates still "recognise" him as mentor. What happened to the rest? They have their own shops, but tell their customers that they can do the same quality of work as their mentor (also my mentor), but their prices are cheaper. So you know how much it hurts to be treated like my mentor? If you do find someone good, a real professional who is willing to tell you anything at all about the industry, then be grateful.
To train as a tattoo artist, you will need proper, high-quality equipment such as a precision tattoo machine, power supplies, shading equipment, needles, medical equipment and sanitation supplies. You will also need to know about cleanliness and what can and can't be reused, as well as how to clean and sterilize your equipment. The popular professional tattoo artists are successful for a number of reasons, but mainly because they are clean and very talented.
You can succeed in the tattoo industry, but you will need to be talented, self-driven and dedicated. If you want to make lots of money as a tattoo artist, you are wasting your time. Become a tattoo artist because you love the art and love to create breath-taking pieces of body art. Be prepared to work for free and, most of all, if you get someone to stop and share a secret or two with you, take their advice. You will definitely need it.
What you do is you apprentice and work for a tattoo artist for very little pay. You do this so that he/she can take you under his/her wing and show you how to take your artistic skill and transfer it to the art that is called tattooing. If the master you're apprenticing for is good, then along the way you'll also learn about how to run a shop, what it takes to succeed, and what NOT to do...
How long does it take? Well...that depends on how fast you pick it up and how good your master is. It's not uncommon for tattoo artists to apprentice for more than one artist in their careers...and each apprenticeship can last for several years.
This is not to discourage you...but the guys on Miami Ink didn't just "decide" to become rock star tattoo artists one day. They scraped just to get by for many years before they became successful...and, chances are, you'll have to, too.
Let's assume that you've contemplated all the effects of having a tattoo. It's been contemplated that it'll be a lifelong commitment and is an enduring mark on the body, leaving out having it surgically removed. You know what kind of detail you'd want created. You know just where on the body you'd want it. These days, you've got to find a fabulous studio for it to be done.
The first thing thing to do is some detective work. Ask friends and family members who currently carry tattoos where they got theirs done. Find out about their experience and if it was enjoyable. Ask if it was a clean background, if it was comfy and if the designs turned out to their satisfaction. Many times, tattoo parlors will be able to refer names of clients who can speak highly of their services.
While word of mouth is typically the best advertisement, you can also only try the phone book. Trace local tattoo parlors and give them a call. They must be willing to answer any questions you might have in hand. At best they will ask you to come and visit the facility make you at ease with the surroundings prior to committing to becoming tattooed.
During a tattoo studio visit, initially establish the cleanliness of the facility. Ensure tools are sterilized between every client and disposable and single use needles are indeed disposed of after every job. General cleanliness is just as significant; if care isn't taken with building upkeep, then it can be believed that care won't be taken elsewhere in the operation.
Make conversation with the tattoo artists and other staff members. If you don't feel easy asking any questions or expressing concerns with them, chances are you won't feel comfortable having them put an enduring mark on your body. You must feel utterly at ease as it's possible that a big amount of time may be spent with them.
Check up on the designs in your choice of tattoo parlors. One very helpful tip is to compare art with an actual tattoo to see how closely the tattoo resembles the design itself. It's prudent to inspect what range the tattoo artist is capable of. One might encompass a hundred varying photos of skulls and crosses but it can be very different from having a butterfly, rose or a name tattooed on. Be sure the artist is flexible.
The Internet can be a very useful too when it comes to searching for the right parlour. Just type "tattoos" and your location into any search engine and you will get a list of choices for places to inspect. The Internet can also prove helpful to get opinions on certain tattoo parlors around blogs, forums and also chat rooms. Knowledge obtained from the Internet ought to always be double checked for confirmation as opinions will widely chop and change.
Whilst finding a tattoo artist in your area, it's important to be at ease with your decision. You must understand that the tattoo will be a changeless mark on the body and great thought must be put into the set up and the location on the body in which it will be placed. It is also important to be sure you are completely relaxed with the tattoo artist. In any event, you'll want to be sure that this lifelong design will be done accurately and correctly.
Both Kelvin1407 & Mark Hargreaves are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Kelvin1407 has sinced written about articles on various topics from Tattoo. Author is a tattoo artist at Tattoo City Art Studiohttp://www.tattoocity.com.my. Kelvin1407's top article generates over 8100 views. to your Favourites.
Mark Hargreaves has sinced written about articles on various topics from Tattoo, Cardio Training and Disease & illness. Tattoo designs from around the world along with articles on the history and techniques of tattooing.