How Hard Is It Really to Find a Tattoo Apprenticeship? The Do’s and Don’ts

If you’ve ever Googled “how to get a tattoo apprenticeship”, you’ve probably been shown a plethora of Facebook posts, Reddit threads or unverifiable websites full of advice that tell you to “do this” and “don’t do that”.  The problem?  Much of this information is confusing, conflicting, and could send an aspiring artist down the wrong path.  So let’s set the record straight!

First thing’s first: I’ll admit, I got lucky when I landed my apprenticeship, and I’m forever grateful for that.  So while this post isn’t about my personal journey, over the years I’ve learned a lot about the process both from my own experiences in tattoo management and from what I’ve learned from others.  So while everybody’s tattoo journey looks different, let’s talk about what I’ve learned so far to hopefully help you navigate landing a tattoo apprenticeship a little easier.

One of the first tattoos I’ve ever done on skin! (Fun fact: It’s on myself)

A Fork in the Road: Formal Apprenticeships vs. Tattoo School

When it comes to going pro, there’s typically two main routes: a formal tattoo apprenticeship or enrolling in a tattoo school.  Now tattoo schools are littered with bad reputations that have incredibly disregarded them as a preferred learning opportunity for this career.  They prioritize profit over skill, charge incredulous amounts for tuition, and are notorious for a lack of attention, real world experience and qualified mentorship to their students.  Their tight timelines to push students out the door leave their students as unprepared and unsocialized tattooers.  Legitimate tattoo schools are few and far between, so I (and most other artists) would not recommend this path.

Seeking a genuine apprenticeship can be complicated and overwhelming, but following a few rules of thumb will help prospects follow down the right path.  Firstly, always be sure to research your potential shop.  How many artists are working there?  What are their portfolios like?  How are their reviews?  What is their online presence and social media look like?  If their reputation seems like one you can get behind, check it out!  The same goes for your potential mentor.  Does their style interest you?  How long have they been in the industry?  What has their personal client feedback looked like in reviews?  Is their work solid?  What you see is what they can teach you, so pay close attention to these things!  If they resonate, it’s a good sign that they could serve as a solid mentor

So what SHOULDN’T you do when asking for a tattoo apprenticeship?

The Dont’s

1. Don’t Brag About Your “Experience”

If you’ve ever picked up a tattoo machine in your basement and boast on your Snapchat story that you’re offering cheap tattoos, it’s time to take a step back.  This type of tattooer is known as a “scratcher” in the industry - which we will cover in a later post as to their controversy in the tattoo world.  While there’s no shame in trying to learn on your own, bragging about working on skin without any training can be a major red flag.  Most importantly, seeking an apprenticeship from a qualified artists means showing respect to the significant amount of work and grit it takes to earn a place in the industry, so stay humble and focus on what you know for sure will work.

2. Don’t Cold Call or Message Shops Without Research

Secondly, if you’re looking for a tattoo apprenticeship but don’t know where to begin, it’s never a good idea to preemptively reach out to a shop just asking if they’re offering an apprenticeship without any blatant announcements that the shop is actively looking.  Chances are if they are actively seeking an apprentice, they’ll announce so on their social media.  Casually asking around, especially over online messaging or calling, can easily be brushed off.  Your first impression is everything!  So if you want to know what to do to actually land a spot in the tattoo world, keep reading for more.

Now that that is out of the way, let’s talk about what will nail you an apprenticeship!

The Do’s

1. Build a Strong Artistic Portfolio

There’s a saying in the industry that goes, “There’s a difference between a tattooer, and a tattoo artist.” The artists are the ones who often progress into success.  When seeking an apprenticeship, you should be able to impress off the bat with a solid artistic physical portfolio that showcases your strengths.  While including some digitally created art is acceptable to demonstrate certain concepts like design coherence and originality, including hand drawn work will allow potential mentors to determine your baseline for clean linework, smooth shading, and concepts of blending and lighting.  Study a variety of subjects and don’t focus too much on one thing at a time.  Include a mix of range such as traditional work, script, illustrative, realism (if you’re good at it!), et cetera to show your future employer that you have already studied the basics of tattoo styles.  From here, you and your mentor can build.  Remember: quality over quantity!

2. Book a Tattoo Appointment with Your Potential Mentor

This one might come as a surprise, but booking a tattoo session with the artist you’re interested in can go a long way.  Yes it cost money, yes it takes time, but getting a foot in the door is your first step in establishing a relationship with the artist you’re interested in, showing support in their career and that you’re serious about your potential with them.  Oftentimes it’s unlikely for a tattoo artist to take on an apprentice without establishing any kind of relationship with a prospect beforehand.  For a tattoo artist, it’s a massive dedication from their own time to teach someone else the craft, so showing them in advance that you’re passionate, trustworthy and dedicated can give you a bonus when popping the question.  Take the time to learn about them and the shop that they work at.  Remember: you want to know who you’re working for, too!

3. Be Prepared for Rejection (and Persistence!)

Here’s the hard truth: Not every artist is willing to take on an apprentice, even if they’ve been in the industry for decades.  Don’t let your first “no” be the last!  Some artists will say no and take you on later after proven consistency and persistence, and others have absolutely no interest whether you’ve asked one time or a million.  This is a difficult career to get into, so it’s important not to give up if you truly believe in yourself.  It may not happen right away, but keep putting in the work and you’ll land right where you need to be.

Breaking into the tattoo world as a rising star is never easy, and most certainly not instant.  But with the right approach, you’ll be setting yourself up for true success.  And trust me, once you do, every part of the journey will be worth it.  That is, until the real journey begins!