Many rising artists seek out a tattoo apprenticeship before venturing fully into a career as a tattoo artist. There are many benefits in serving a traditional apprenticeship, including the mentoring of an expert who will school you in the fundamentals of the craft.
Why Is a Tattoo Apprenticeship Necessary?
Nobody can expect to know the basics of tattooing from watching instructional videos or reading educational books. Unless you attend a school, such as the Master Tattoo Institute, you will only learn basic technique. Without a formal education, there is a great risk of spreading blood borne disease, sacrificing the integrity of your art and making a permanent error on human skin. A tattoo apprenticeship means you are taking the career of a professional tattoo artist seriously. You would love to start making money right away, but there is something to be said for patience and for being willing to develop a valuable skill before you start charging people for your body art.
A reputable tattoo shop that offers a standard tattoo apprenticeship is the best place to begin your career as a serious artist. If you are looking for a tattoo studio in your area, you might find some will not offer a mentoring program. A tattoo apprentice is not paid for their work; rather they dedicate hours of their time in the studio, learning procedures and helping with day-to-day operations in return for the training they earn on-site. Some might receive a meager pay for performing other small duties as assigned.
Once the tattoo shop owner or manager feels you have served enough time as a tattoo apprentice, they will allow you to start charging for services at the tattoo shop. This means you will usually need to have all of the necessary equipment and supplies, unless the shop provides the various inks and machines to do a professional job.
How Long Does a Tattoo Apprenticeship Take?
Serving a tattoo apprenticeship might take months or years, depending on the level to which you develop your art, as well as the standards of the shop in which you studying. The benefit of earning this education is your potential customers will see your commitment to the art, and your peers will respect your path of study.
Everything that is valuable in life takes time. Consider your choice to become a tattoo artist just as permanent as the art you draw and invest the same patience and careful planning by attending a reputable school like the Master Tattoo Institute and pursuing a tattoo apprenticehip.
