If you love creating art on human skin instead of a canvas, tattooing is your calling. Although many people mistake good drawing skills as an eligibility criterion for becoming a tattoo artist, that’s not all it takes. Let’s have an in-depth look at how to become a tattoo artist. Here you go!
How To Become A Tattoo Artist
Tips on How to Become a Tattoo Artist
1. Many tattoo artists come from an art background
Not surprising. If you are an art lover, you know it quite early in your life. People with excellent artistic skills usually go for courses in fine arts, painting, sculpting, etc. Likewise, if you are fascinated with tattoos and wish to learn the art, enrolling in an art course, specifically a tattoo art course that polishes your basics is not a bad idea.
2. Having good drawing skills doesn’t mean you’ll excel at tattooing
It is a common assumption that someone who can draw or paint well can also attempt tattooing successfully. Unfortunately, that’s not true. Just like there is a difference between drawing a portrait of someone on canvas and sculpting that face on clay, there is a distinct difference between drawing and tattooing. What you can easily draw using colors and smooth paper might not be fit for tattooing on human skin. So, review your skill set and make informed decisions.
3. Getting a degree in tattooing is not mandatory
If you have a natural gift, you need not get a degree to validate it. No doubt that education has its value and endows you with various insights, but it’s is not the only path toward a successful tattooing career. You must undergo training though, in sterilization, sanitation, and needle handling before becoming a tattoo artist.
4. Plan your finances in advance
You don’t become a popular tattoo artist overnight. It takes time and a ton of hard work for your work to reach people. Thus, it is a given that your business will see sluggish growth initially. There might be days of a complete slump, but you need to keep going. In such a scenario, it is of paramount importance that you have enough funds to sustain on. Even if you have customers pouring in from the first day onward, you need to give them heavy discounts or even free tattoos because the customer rush is fickle. This tip on how to become a tattoo artist will help you sail through challenging times smoothly.
5. Invest in equipment
Spending your money in the right direction goes a long way in ensuring a flourishing business. The tattoo business is not an exception. You must invest in good equipment at the very outset. This does not mean that you make your shop a state-of-the-art tattooing hub and exhaust all your funds. Simply invest in essentials in the beginning. For example: get two tattoo machines, an ink set, tubes, disposables, gloves, rubber bands, and whatever makes you look professional and trustworthy.
More Tips On How To Become A Tattoo Artist
6. Don’t expect a consistent income
If you want to become a tattoo artist to earn money, drop the thought. While you may become a successful tattoo artist, there might not be enough disposable income left in your hands. You have to spend the money you earn on upgrading your shop and stocking it with supplies. So, it takes unshakable consistency and hard work, plus many years, to reach high-income levels.
7. Plan every design well
You have to sit down with your client for a consultation on design, and other project details before tattooing them. At this stage, you must be well prepared with your ideas. Practice and plan your final design for flawless execution. It helps you build credibility for your skill and gets you more customers.
8. Say no to bad ideas
Often, clients come with references or ideas of their own for their tattoos. While tattooing is a collaborative process between you and your client, you are the skilled one, with more information. Hence, if you find that your client’s idea is not workable, or won’t look good as a tattoo, tell them. For making your name in the tattoo industry, setting boundaries and following an ethical code is important for the integrity of your art.
9. Be resilient
One of the key pointers that answer how to become a tattoo artist is, to be resilient. Tattooing is all about learning from your failures and bettering your skill each day. When you are new to the industry, making a mess is bound to happen. Sometimes it’s petty spelling errors, wrong angles, or an injurious accident. In every scenario, you have to keep up your spirit and continue working.
10. It is all about hard work
For becoming a tattoo artist, you have to motivate yourself every day. Even the things we love doing can soon become monotonous. Tattooing is the same. You have to work long hours for each tattoo. Thus, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. It is crucial that you keep going at it and don’t slacken in updating your skillset. Draw as much as you can. Refer to new designs in the market, get creative, and experiment. Apart from personal development, look after your professional standards too. Put time and effort into making your client’s experience satisfactory and safe. All this requires tons of hard work.
How To Become A Tattoo Artist – The Bottom Line
Becoming a tattoo artist is not easy. Only if you are willing to put the time and effort into it, you can expect some success. By following simple tips on how to become a tattoo artist, you can make a lot of difference to your art, and its reach.
If tattoos excite you, then make sure to delve into our latest segment on Tattoos! We have curated an assortment of the most fashionable tattoo design ideas for both women and men, spanning various categories such as flowers, geometric patterns, wrist tattoos, peacock feathers and much more. So, seize the opportunity and immerse yourself in this captivating section to avoid any future regrets!