Becoming a tattoo artist...?

[MistressSpankME]

I'm just wondering what it takes to become a tattoo artist. I think I know a little about the process, I'm sure you have to find someone that will look at your art and decide if they want to be your mentor or not, but is that about it? Are there any courses you can take, or is it more of a job shadow type learning process.

And how good of an artist do you realy have to be? I mean, as far as I know I'm pretty good but it's alot of pressure to be perfect when you're embeding something permanent in a persons body. And how often do people get the tattoo artist to design them a tattoo? I guess I have that ability, I mean I AM an artist adn I've designed my tattoo and future tattoos, but I dont know how easy it would be to just whip something up on command when its not me or someone I know very well that I'm designing sopmething personal for.

Anyways, I've just been kind of intruiged with the idea of becoming a tattoo artist for a while. And now that I'm out of school etc. I have time to really start looking into it, so any help, info or contacts would be appreaciated :)

[Clayton.]

You've gotta be a pretty good artist to be able do tattoo someone you must be able to draw on skin as well and easy as you would on paper. There's no courses you can take that i know of you've gotta know someone who is alrady an artist who will be willing to teach you.
Trust me it's hard.

[MistressSpankME]

Yeah thats what I thought, I knew it's not easy but I'd still like to look into it. And I doubt you HAVE to know someone that will teach you, I'm sure there are artist that take on aprentices that aren't their friends from before.

[yoko*]

^that's a really perky butt.

you should talk to a tattoo artists yourself, I'm sure that would provide you with better information, and I'm sure that they wouldn't mind.. How bout that place on granville, Next was it?

I'd imagine that precision, patience, and creativity REALLY matters. I'd imagine that you'd have to be able to be creative enough to put some one else's ideas into action. I'd imagine that you'd also have to be very open minded about art, and be willing to try many different things. People will come to you, and tell YOU what they want, and i assume that for the most part you won't always have that much flexibility to do your own thing, unless they ask you to.

I dunno, this is all just me assuming though.

[Skavenger]

No!!....i believe there is courses you can take....basically art and then more form of art and then even harder form of art...like there are TONS of styles you have to learn, different shades, color matching and so on. I've wanted to be a tattoo artist myself but it is definitely out since i can't even draw well on paper. Hey, mybe i can become a body piercer instead...HaHa....

speaking of tattoos...i just got a 2 hr session with my tattooist a few minutes ago!!...Damn...i love the smell of those disposable gloves, reminds me of tattoos and piercings...haha....

hope your dream come true mistress spank me, i wouldn't mind being your "experiment guy" as long as i'm getting more tattoos(free?)...hahaha

[MistressSpankME]

hahah I was thinking the same thing while looking at that butt. That and how mine is so not even close to being perky anymore and that I need to go to the gym.

ANYWAYS, enough about the bum. I completely agree with you Yoko*, as usual :p I'm also asuming all of those characteristics would be needed. I figured I'd might as well ask people on here just in case anyone knew anything, but I also plan on talking to the artist that does my next tattoo (which is hopefully in the near near future, I need my body modification pain fix *drools*)

[Skavenger]

Maybe this will answer some of your questions.....

http://www.notoriousedstattoo.com/getajob/getajob.swf

[yoko*]

^^ you should SO design your own ;) It's so damn tempting. I would love to design my own tattoo..

Once, and if I ever get my own design down.. I'd definately consider getting one. However, in order for me to come up with something that I could live with for the rest of my life, I'd have to think about it for ages. It would, however, be located in one of those areas where only some one intimate with me would see it. hoo hoo hoo :toasted:

What are you thinking of getting Jenna?

[beach*bum]

i think the idea of becoming a tattoo artist is awesome.

def. talk to MANY other tatt. artist's and find out how they started...if they are or know anyone looking for an apprentice...etc....


the whole "do i have to be artistic and know how to draw" [totally para-phrased] thing...YES. obviously. if you want to be mediocre at it...fine...then learn a few different styles and whatnot. but if you really want to be recognized and sought after...you will have to be able to take something that someone tells you that they envision....and put that down onto a stencil [or at least a rough sketch...myra thx]...and have them actually feel like you got them.
the only reason i go back to my guy is because when i tell him what i want, he KNOWS what i want and puts it down for me. [not to say that i can't design my own....but he is amazing...and i will probably always go to him.]

good luck jenna!
oh...totally unrelated...were you at the white stripes concert?

[miss.myra]

The way to become a tattoo artist is to apprentice an established artist (the same way one would become a piercer). When I was working at next the cost to do either was roughly $1000 and the length of the apprenticeship varied. It's not so much learning, but most of it is shadowing in on various things and asking questions. Unfortunately, being an apprentice also means you get to do a lot of the grunt work (scrubbing needles, cleaning up shop, etc.)

If you get out there and act like you're actually serious about doing this, then I don't think there are too many artists who would turn you down.

...not all artists use stencils either, my friend Dennis does his best work freehand, but he's been doing it for a long long time.

Also, you have to understand that as a tattoo artist, you also have to accept that a lot of the time, you may not be able to clearly express your artistic integrity. Sure, you get to do great custom jobs for people, but think of how many people you see with Kanji, maple leaf, nike swoosh or marvin the martian tattoos out there... :P

[MistressSpankME]

Ok here we go.. this is going to be complicated..

Skavenger: thanks for the link!

Yoko*: Yeah, I'm really stuck on designing my own but I love the drawing sooo much. Maybe I'll do my own variation, but then I'll be accused of being a plagerist unless I add a disclaimor saying the pose wasn't my idea, or tell that to each and every person that sees my tattoo :soak: I actuallyt have a few tattoos in mind, I come up with a new one every once in a while but I never get them unless I sti on the idea for a long time. My first tattoo was a tiny bit compuslive considering my parents refused permission for me to get my tongue peirced, so I asked if I could get a tattoo only to spite them and they said yes.. The design I chose was something I had been doodling for years though, and I felt that it represented my personality and sign (gemini), perfectly.

The next tattoo I'm planning on getting is a wide v shape composed of stars (almost care bear style with a little curve in each point), some outline, some filled in etc. I wanted the same shape but tribal years ago, but I realized it didn't really mean much to me.. I just found it pleasing to look at, everyone else was starting to get it, and I bleived that it should be done thepropper way, through branding, which I am not willing to do. At least with a design so large.

I'm also planning on getting my astral sign symbol on the top of my foot near my ankle, I'm trying to think of a fancier way to do it than just the roman numeral type thing. And the one I'm comtemplating designing on my own instead of using directly will be on the outside of my thigh and deffinately a pin up of some sort and quite large. I was thinking of a drawing of Betty Paige by Olivia De Berardinis which I don't have on this comp right now but I can link to.
I've always loved mermaids though, so I might end up getting a vargas style mermaid there. however an aquaintance of mine, and a fellow, AND local, pin up model is in the process of getting something like that done so considering we are competitors/peers in the business (?) almost, getting a similar tattoo might be a little tacky, and might miff her off a little. Which I would completely understand.

Chandell: i obviously know you have to be artistic *giggles*, which I am. I guess I'm more worried about what you went on to talk about, I might only be able to whip something up with a little discription to a point. Which is something I plan on improving anyways, and I have the creative mind to do it I just think being put on the spot like that for something that could very well be large and intricate,, is more than a little intimidating.
And about the concert, I wish I was.. but I wasn't *sniff*. Why, did you think you saw me there??

Myra: Ouch, thats alot of money haha. I don't think that I'm THAT serious about it all.. as I said I'm not looking at this as a long term career thing.. Maybe something I can do during school to make some money, and something I can do on the side when I begin my career as a fashion designer. Maybe I'm not serious enough about it all, but I won't give up just yet :) I'll have to do a little more searching, and talk to alot of people to figure out if its really worth bothering. If anything I can always sell my designs on tattoo flash sheets. At least I'll be involved in the artistic side of body modification to some point! You also make a good point about my artistic integrity, I'm not the kind of person that would take being forced to do butterfly after butterfly very pleasantly. I'd probably end up harassing the client untill they left or changed the design of their tattoo to shut me up haha. Maybe I'll just stick to designing my own tattoos as well as friends and possibly the stores and clients themselves. I've been asked a few times to design friends, and have been offered to be commisioned for a couple others which might satisfy my desire enough without making a commitment that is worthy of a long term career goal.


EDIT: Holy crap I didn't mean that to be such a huge post, Just read the section dedicated to you if that makes things easier!

[MistressSpankME]

Here we go... This is the picture I am talking about. If I do get something like that I planned on covering her up on top and putting a Fire behind/surrounding her. It's just such a gorgeous drawing of her, but I want every one of my tattoos to be ORIGINAL and this isn't.

[*Caitlin*]

i was seriously thinking of becoming a piercer. it's something i would totally love to do. i know for piercing there are a couple schools that focus on the procedures and whatnot, but they are mostly located in the US. Then, when you get back up here, you usually take on an apprentice role. i assume there would be a similar course for tattoo artists-tobe. im still very interested in becoming a piercer.

[MistressSpankME]

Eep, I wouldn't have the heart to be a peircer. For some odd reason I love getting them done, but I would never be able to build up the guts to do it to myself or anyone else.

I'm already hoping on going to school for possibly 3 or 4 different things so "tattoo school" and/or an expensive apprenticeship wouldn't be in my leagure. Especially considering that the love I have for other subjects/careers far outweighs my curiousity or intrest in becoming a tattoo artist.

But if you're interested in it, you should totally look into it Caitlin. I should ask my hairdresser/peircer how she went about learning. She doesn't actually work in a shop though, she does it out of the Champers she works at in langley which is pretty cool.

[desiRAWR]

Just like the tattooists, you can go to a piercing place and pay to become an apprentice. For instance, the West Coast Piercing guy in Surrey (the guy you see at all the concerts and clubs around vancouver) teaches you for $1000. There's more info on his website...www.westcoastpiercing.com.

I have never gotten pierced by him, but he was taught by the guy who pierces at East Side Ink in Abby, and that guy is good. Westcoast piercing guy is the only piercing shop who is certified by the bc health board too.

-desiree