As a beginner, I have learned a lot. Some are lucky and are able to gain a local apprenticeship, go to tattoo schools, or the hard way a lot of research, studying and commitment to learning the self learner. In places they require the apprenticeship, which sometimes is impossible to gain. Some of the things I have learned from researching and experience are listed below.
Locations regulations and requirements differ from each other. But often thought of being exactly the same. Opinions on how to achieve the goal to be an artist are quite closed minded, shutting down some possibly great artist. That do not have the resources that are considered a must. Such as apprenticeship is a great example of this.
You have to be carefully with tattoo schools and make sure they are really not scams. They also can not guarantee you a position in a tattoo studio or parlor. And you may still have to do an apprenticeship, but you may have a better put together portfolio afterwards.
Not all tattoo apprenticeships are created equally, some just make you do the grunt work and do not teach you anything. If that is the case you may want to find another one instead. Yes you will have to do grunt work during your apprenticeships, but you should be also learning something. Possibly non paying, there are also some that require you as the apprentice to pay them to provide the training.
Practice, of course the only way to get good on anything is practice. And you can practice in many ways, even just drawing will help. Or as my daughter challenges me doing fakes on her, she normally wants freehand as she is always in a hurry when it comes to that. Tattooing fruits, squash, and veggies. The main reason I say that is fake skin is not as nice to work with as food, pig skins and real human skin. Nor are they readily available unless you keep up on your inventory. Bonus part about using food, you can still eat it after. Pictured with this blog post, is one I did that is on a grapefruit which my daughter later ate. Pig skins can be found at your local butchers normally.
Commitment to learning you will have to be willing to learn and do allot of work hard. Researching, and studying goes hand in hand with learning. Yes on your own you can work at your own pace, but it is always good to give yourself challenges, deadlines and goals. Luckily for me my husband and my daughter help in this when I don't have one already.
"Don't be cocky" ever been told that? Well in this case it is in your best interest not to act like you know every thing, because you are never done learning. Even the most experienced artist can learn more.
Patients, you will not be ready to tattoo real skin right out the door. Every thing takes time and that certainly goes for tattooing. It will pay off during the work of each piece and at the end when your reputation is respectable and not known for tearing someone up really bad.
Don't dismay if the tattoo you did on yourself is not perfect. You can always rework it later after it heals. Humans have a natural self harm reluctances. While this is a good thing, during a tattoo piece it can be quite frustrating. To repeat a piece and fix portions repeatedly is still good practice. Also try to take it easy, we also have more of a tendency to "rip the band aide off quickly". By rushing through it you risk not going deep enough and loosing the design. However, by going back over it multiple times in one setting can cause over working the area, chewing it up and going too deep.
Your first ink on live skin will probably be your own, family, or close friends. But take your time to get there. Know your needle settings, voltage, safety, cleanliness and machines before you attempt this.
Some inks will have different effects on different people. Some people can take all shades or can not take certain ink brands. Or even in colors they can cause irritation and infections due to allergic reactions. When it heals a tattoo artist can go back over in a different brand or color.
While learning you may hear allot of ill words that will knock your confidence down. Thing is to block just the outright rude and useless comments and focus on the ones that give actual advice and tips. And even though I will suggest finding a learning to tattoo or tattoo beginners groups. Which you can find on Facebook will help. You will have to keep that in mind because there are many that are just cocky and rude.
One last additional tip as I have never done or gotten a "stick poke" tattoo, I have seen them. And you can tell the difference from machine and stick poke tattoos. The tip is DON'T DO IT! Don't apply one, don't get one and don't be apart of it. There are far more risk with a stick poke then with a machine tattoo. And no tattoo ink is nothing like pen or writing ink, some writing purpose ink is toxic. The application is also more at risk of damaging the skin and passing diseases as many who do stick poke tattoos are just kids using mom's sewing needles in some hidden area from the parents. There is no real needle depth control in the stick poke procedure, which causes blow outs it could also cause other damaged such as nerve damage and scaring. Nothing new for kids wishing to be "cool" or wanting to rebel against their social norm to have a tattoo. And since most tattoo studios and parlors will refuse to tattoo any one under the age of eighteen without a parental permission, sixteen being with permission and parent present. Kids will go for the stick poke ending up with a infected piece, or and have really bad work. As a mom I will suggest to the kids, ask mom and dad if they say no respect it and live with the answer. When you get older you can go in and get one, plus by waiting you will have less chances of regretting it.
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