Tattoo apprenticeship?

Killer_banana

Hey my friend asked me to post here asking if anyone knows of any tattoo artists looking for apprentices at the moment. She would prefer Galway as she's not really in a position to move now but any information anyone has is helpful. I know thanks to Miami Ink and such that there are a lot of people these days who say they want to be tattoo artists when really know very little about the amount of work, effort and skill that is needed but she isn't one of these people. She's wanted this for a long time now and is very serious about it. She's a very good artist and has a portfolio (which has already had some good feedback from a tattoo artist but he just wasn't in the situation to take her on at the time) ready for anyone wishing to see it. She also has some experience with tattooing pig skin although at a basic enough level. She's tried quite a lot of places in Galway already but sadly no-one seems to be interested in taking on an apprentice at this time so she's just wondering if anyone knows if anyone is looking for one or if they even just have some helpful tips and information.

Thanks for your help in advance.

PeakOutput

i just heard that all star ink in limerick is hiring

SqueakyBeast

I'm a tattoo apprentice, and the best advice I can give you is this - be willing to work for very little, or even for free. A lot of places will charge for apprenticeships too, so be prepared for that possibility. Save as much as you can in the interim, because if you're working for nothing you will NEED money - nobody else is going to fund you, and since you're not looking for full time work you can't claim the dole. Be prepared to forget everything you've already learned from tattooing pigskin. You could have been doing things completely a*** ways and not realise it, so don't think mentioning that will help you get a foot in the door. What the artist wants to see is not just talent, but ambition and passion. You need to either pester them (but in a nice way!) or just let your work speak for itself. (BTW, don't mention LA Ink or whatever. Look at the artists, not the show - you're looking to see what people like Bob Tyrrell, Hannah Aitchison, Corey Miller, Alex de Pase and so on are doing.) And if you really want the apprenticeship... well, you might have to prove it by being willing to move. It's not a rock and roll lifestyle like certain TV shows would have you believe. There's a lot of hard work behind it, and you could spend four years without pay while you work to be worth something to the studio. You're an investment, not a sure thing. Hope that helps, and good luck!