How To Be A Tattoo Artist

It seems that 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 a foot in the door in the tattoo industry. But don’t think for a moment that becoming a professional tattoo artist is easy. There really isn’t any such thing as easy money by becoming a tattoo artist.

To begin with, you will 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 until your hands ache and then a little more. Your portfolio is your proof that you have the skills that are needed to succeed in the industry. Without a portfolio, don’t even bother.

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. If you do find someone good, a real professional who is willing to tell you anything at all about the industry, listen up!

In some states you will be required by law to get an apprenticeship and train for a number of years to become a tattoo artist. Unlike a traditional apprenticeship, you will be required to pay the tattoo artist that you are working under a fee and you wont get paid for your work while you are being trained. There is no real time limit on how long you will train. The mentor you choose will tell you when he thinks you are ready to branch off and become a professional.

To train as a tattoo artist, you will need proper, high-quality equipment such as a 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 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 millions in the first month 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.

Tim owns and operates a tattoo site to help people in all aspects of the tattoo world. For more information on How To Be A Tattoo Artist go to: http://www.dotattoos.com/tattooartist.htm

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