I Love Tattooing Episode 4: Getting an Apprenticeship

Explicit content warning

06/29/23 • 84 min

Some people view tattooing as a craft, some as a trade, some as an art. They are all correct. It is all of these things and more. It’s challenging, it's frustrating, it’s rewarding, it is a way of life. Getting a tattoo is a lifelong commitment, Becoming a tattooer is as well. It will take you the rest of your life to master it and as soon as you think you have it figured out there is another aspect that you have to learn. The beginning is the biggest learning curve and an apprenticeship is the traditional and most widely accepted process for learning. But how does this work?

If you commit to learning to tattoo, you commit to a relationship with a mentor that could last years. This is not a process that happens overnight. Expect a two to three year time commitment to get to the point where you can make a decent living doing tattoos (of course its possible for this to happen faster) and a possible additional commitment to remain at the studio you learned at for another couple of years as well.

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I Love Tattooing Episode 3: Employee V Contractor

Globally the tattoo business is over a billion dollar a year industry and is projected to grow to 3.5 billion by 2029. The IRS has not ignored the tattoo industry.

The trend of offering the W2 option probably began in a state like California where tax and labor laws are very strict.

The days of flying under the radar in the fringes of society for tattoo artists are long gone. As the entire world moves more towards a cashless society and governments experiment with Central Bank Digital Currencies, the chances of tattooing to remain off grid are diminishing rapidly.

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i Love Tattooing Episode 5: What are the Qualifications Needed to Have an Apprentice?

What are the Qualifications Needed to Have an Apprentice?

“Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise. Seek what they sought.” -Matsuo Basho

What qualifies someone to have an apprentice? There is no one answer to this question. The combination of skills and experience necessary to successfully teach someone how to tattoo are numerous. Tattooing is a form of art, it is also a technical skill, in addition to being a personal service. Some say it takes a lifetime to master tattooing. If that’s true, when is someone qualified to instruct another on the methods of tattooing?

Teaching tattooing requires many things. Patience is mandatory, as are good communication skills. Extensive knowledge and experience in the technical aspects of tattooing is obviously necessary. Understanding and practicing the ethics and etiquette of tattooing are equally as important, but often overlooked.

Tattooing has been primarily an oral tradition passed down for generations. Now with the advent of technology the pace of tattooing’s growth is faster than it has ever been. The need to preserve the traditions and culture of tattooing is greater than ever. For someone to be qualified to train another in all aspects of tattooing it takes a wide range of skills and experience.

Being an accomplished tattooer is not qualification enough. One must have a desire to pass along the knowledge, wisdom, and experience they have in addition to the skillset necessary to teach it. Discipline, dedication, and determination must be coupled with a sincere love of the craft and the yearning to give back more than you received.

The ultimate reward for a good mentor is the students surpassing them in the field. We always want the next generation to be better than we were. This requires humility, perhaps the most important characteristic a mentor can possess.

Share your thoughts on what it takes to be successful at teaching someone to be a great tattooer, we would love to hear your perspective.