Any tattoo artists here?

How did you get into it?
What courses are worthwhile?

I have been an artist since leaving university (mostly portrait) but have an urge to try tattooing for a few years now. How different is inking skin to canvas/paper?

*tazzy to the forum*
*tazzy to the forum*

Asked on Facebook too.. I have 2 willing victims… Just need some know how he he

can you do this?

Do you have a lot of ink work yourself? To get into tattooing you’ll need find a good local studio..make friends with them..get a lot of work done (no kne trusts an un inked tattooist) and then hopefully get an apprentice postion for 2-3 years…as its such a sought after job, expect to be an unpaid dogs body or absolute minimum wage slave for at least 12-18 months as you will be doing no fee earning work so will basically be an overheadfor a tattoo business.

The other thing to bear in mind is that a good artist doea not alsways translate into a good tattoo artist as you need to learn how to work in 3d and look at the body below and the image will work or not work as the person moves…the best tats flow with the body, rather than a lot of stuff you see which is just plonked on

good luck

edit..do not even think about trying home tattoing without years of experience as you fk somones skin for life

tazzymtb – Member

Do you have a lot of ink work yourself? To get into tattooing you’ll need find a good local studio..make friends with them..get a lot of work done (no kne trusts an un inked tattooist) and then hopefully get an apprentice postion for 2-3 years…as its such a sought after job, expect to be an unpaid dogs body or absolute minimum wage slave for at least 12-18 months as you will be doing no fee earning work so will basically be an overheadfor a tattoo business.

The other thing to bear in mind is that a good artist doea not alsways translate into a good tattoo artist as you need to learn how to work in 3d and look at the body below and the image will work or not work as the person moves…the best tats flow with the body, rather than a lot of stuff you see which is just plonked on

good luck

edit..do not even think about trying home tattoing without years of experience as you fk somones skin for life

THIS^^^^^^ is probably this most sense posted on STW this week.

Might be worth emailing this fella. He has taken on apprentices previously. He’s only 22 himself.

Rob Richardson

Probably best you don’t practice in the kitchen

wow, that guys work is superb. very impressive

Thanks for the replies.

A friend of a friend on Facebook has passed some of my drawing/ink work onto a studio who are happy for me to go in and have a chat (provided I bring cake) and maybe practice with a gun/see how it works first hand (not on a person obv) on the strength of my work. Really excited.

Thanks Tazzy makes sense 🙂

practice with a gun/see how it works first hand (not on a person obv)

Intriguing. What do you practice on? pig skin?

Melons then purpose made fake skin patches.

EDIT: I’m quite possibly in the middle of banter and this could be a painter and decorator telling his apprentice to buy tartan paint type affair 🙂

Asked on Facebook too.. I have 2 willing victims… Just need some know how he he

I hope they know what there getting into 🙂

A work friend of my wives husband was re training as a tattoo artist. His portraits and other sketches were amazing but he needed more time working on skin. So i let him do a few hours on my leg. When i had my last bit done on my arm at the studio I normally use I asked about fixing the mess on my leg. 3-4 hours he reckoned 🙁

And I found out when i got home my wife had given him £80

practice with a gun machine