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Qualifications needed for becoming a tattoo artist?

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  • 29-12-2013 12:46am
    #1
    lana madalena
    Registered Users Posts: 9 ✭lana madalena


    Before I start, just letting you all know I'm new on this so I haven't really got the hang of it yet.:)
    Basically I was hoping someone who is in the tattoo business or knows someone who is could tell me what qualifications are required to become a tattoo artist? Or if you can make up a portfolio and just be taken on an apprenticeship? I'm 16 and for personal reasons haven't been in school in around a year, I don't have a junior cert or any official qualifications, but art is a big passion of mine and I've always been good at drawing, only in the past 3 or 4 years I've realised this would be my dream job.:)
    I have heard people say your best bet is to do an art course & stuff like that, but that isn't a realistic option for me, just putting that out there for whoevers reading this before you reply
    Thanks in advance for any help:)


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    #2
    Just Like Heaven
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,132 ✭✭✭Just Like Heaven


    Technically you don't need any qualifications or even an apprenticeship to open your own shop and start tattooing. There is no regulation whatsoever in Ireland.

    Not being able to go to art school in today's industry is the deal breaker here. Unless you're unbelievably talented there aren't many people taking on apprentices who haven't gone through some sort of course and put serious work into their portfolio, and to be honest that type of apprenticeship isn't worth doing.

    16 is still really, really young so even if your portfolio is incredible you'll probably be told to come back in a couple of years.

    I dunno what to say really, you sort of know that it is best to go and study art, but say it's not an option for you, I can't think of anyway around it other than practice your drawing for like 50 hours a week for the next few years and do up a portfolio. Even if you managed to be that incredibly dedicated you might not even get much better without serious tuition.


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    #3
    bodice ripper
    Registered Users Posts: 4,681 ✭✭✭bodice ripper


    Go back to school. If you can't make it through the Junior Cert, I can't see how it's a good idea to start an apprenticeship right now. And actually, if an art course isn't a realistic option right now, how could an apprenticeship be?


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    #4
    lana madalena
    Registered Users Posts: 9 ✭lana madalena


    I can't go back to school at this time, as I said for personal reasons.
    I didn't mean to start an apprenticeship right now, I was just asking how I would go about getting an apprenticeship say when I'm around 18, I just wanted to check if it would still be an option even if my circumstances don't change by that time.
    I also can't afford any type of course (I've checked and the typical price is around 3 grand)


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    #5
    raze_them_all_
    Registered Users Posts: 6,744 ✭✭✭raze_them_all_


    lana madalena wrote: »
    I can't go back to school at this time, as I said for personal reasons.
    I didn't mean to start an apprenticeship right now, I was just asking how I would go about getting an apprenticeship say when I'm around 18, I just wanted to check if it would still be an option even if my circumstances don't change by that time.
    I also can't afford any type of course (I've checked and the typical price is around 3 grand)
    Then you may aswell give up now


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    #6
    Penny Tration
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,687 ✭✭✭✭Penny Tration


    As bodice ripper said, you need education to get it.

    No studio is going to take in somebody with no fornal education, no studies in Art, nothing.

    First step is to get a junior and leaving cert. Contact fas about this. They do courses for early school leavers to finish their exams.

    After that, save up, apply for a grant and study art.


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    #7
    BillyBoy13
    Closed Accounts Posts: 296 ✭✭BillyBoy13


    It can be done, but its going to take some work on your part. And I say this as a person who has a younger cousin in the same boat as you.

    She left school at 17 and that christmas somebody bought her a tattoo machine. She spent probably almost a year just tattooing melons (and drunk friends) and she got pretty good at it. All the while, she kept uploading photos of her work onto her bebo (this was before facebook took over)

    She went to a local artist who's crap. The kinda artist you wonder how they ever manage to stay in business. She showed him the bebo and convinced him to let her work with him. She stayed there for a year or so to build up some experience and then moved onto another artist that still wouldn't be great but is decent enough.

    She planned on staying there for a year or two and then moving up again to better artist, but within a month or so she got an offer for an apprenticeship artist in Oz. It worked out nicely for her in the end. But she had to put a lot work in to make it happen.


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    #8
    Penny Tration
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,687 ✭✭✭✭Penny Tration


    Tattooing drunk people with her own machine? I hope she has more morals and ehtics than that now! :eek:


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    #9
    Star Lord
    Registered Users Posts: 30,123 ✭✭✭✭Star Lord


    BillyBoy13 wrote: »
    She spent probably almost a year just tattooing melons (and drunk friends) and she got pretty good at it. All the while, she kept uploading photos of her work onto her bebo (this was before facebook took over)

    OP, for your own sake, do not do this. If you do, the chances of somewhere reputable taking you on is pretty much non-existent.


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    #10
    BillyBoy13
    Closed Accounts Posts: 296 ✭✭BillyBoy13


    green_screen wrote: »
    Tattooing drunk people with her own machine? I hope she has more morals and ehtics than that now! :eek:

    Whats that supposed to mean? I know mates of mine who take a couple of whiskeys before going to some big name artists because they dont like the idea of needles.

    Or perhaps its OK if you are well known/recognised artist, but God forbid a no-name artist letting people get some dutch courage before going under the needle!


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    #11
    Penny Tration
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,687 ✭✭✭✭Penny Tration


    BillyBoy13 wrote: »
    Whats that supposed to mean? I know mates of mine who take a couple of whiskeys before going to some big name artists because they dont like the idea of needles.

    Or perhaps its OK if you are well known/recognised artist, but God forbid a no-name artist letting people get some dutch courage before going under the needle!

    It's nothing to do with being a well known or little known artist. You're not supposed to be tattooed while drunk because it thins the blood, causing more bleeding.

    Aside from that, nobody who genuinely wants to become a fantastic tattoo artist will tattoo drunk people at home because aside from the blood thinning, it's not a sterile environment, the gear presumably has not been autoclaved and it's a breeding ground for infection. That's why no GOOD studios will take people on who tattoo drunk people at home.

    Your friend needs to read up in blood borne pathogens and cross contamination.


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    #12
    BillyBoy13
    Closed Accounts Posts: 296 ✭✭BillyBoy13


    green_screen wrote: »
    It's nothing to do with being a well known or little known artist. You're not supposed to be tattooed while drunk because it thins the blood, causing more bleeding.

    Aside from that, nobody who genuinely wants to become a fantastic tattoo artist will tattoo drunk people at home because aside from the blood thinning, it's not a sterile environment, the gear presumably has not been autoclaved and it's a breeding ground for infection. That's why no GOOD studios will take people on who tattoo drunk people at home.

    Your friend needs to read up in blood borne pathogens and cross contamination.

    I dont know the ins and outs of how she did everything and how she dealt with everything been clean enough etc... Im just telling you what I do know.

    And I do know a lot of people that got drunk before going to big name studios and secondly I'm just telling you what she did and how it worked out for her. As I said shes in Oz now, maybe that's why she never got offered an apprenticeship here in Ireland because they knew what she did. Whereas over there they wouldn't have known her.

    And all Im saying to OP is, my cousin was in a similar boat (teenager fresh out of school with no qualifications) and she just went and did her thing and now shes living it up in sunny Oz getting an apprenticeship in a skill that there's always going to be a market in just about any country you can think of. Shes set for life now.


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    #13
    bodice ripper
    Registered Users Posts: 4,681 ✭✭✭bodice ripper


    Finish school. You will be up against loads of other people your age, and not even having the junior cert will not help.


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    #14
    Angron
    Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Music Moderators, Regional Midlands Moderators Posts: 24,124 Mod ✭✭✭✭Angron


    I struggle to believe that a "big name" studio would happily tattoo someone while they are drunk.


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    #15
    Penny Tration
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,687 ✭✭✭✭Penny Tration


    Angron wrote: »
    I struggle to believe that a "big name" studio would happily tattoo someone while they are drunk.

    A big name studio tattooed me while I was tipsy (stupid me) and I'd imagine it was for the same reason the op's friends got it done - they didn't act drunk or inform the artist that they had been drinking. Not the artist's fault if that's the case.


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    #16
    Angron
    Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Music Moderators, Regional Midlands Moderators Posts: 24,124 Mod ✭✭✭✭Angron


    Yeah, I suppose that's true.


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    #17
    P_1
    Registered Users Posts: 14,681 ✭✭✭✭P_1


    Angron wrote: »
    I struggle to believe that a "big name" studio would happily tattoo someone while they are drunk.

    There was some stupid RTE reality program that showed some people visiting a "big name" studio in Dublin after an evening on the piss getting tattooed. It does happen but it isn't exactly something you should be shouting from the rooftops when applying for work I'd imagine.


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    #18
    Hellrazer
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 10,579 Mod ✭✭✭✭Hellrazer


    Big Name studios arent all their made out to be to regarding their "morals" or "ethics".


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    #19
    TURFTATTOOS
    Registered Users Posts: 1 ✭TURFTATTOOS


    I want to be an tattoo artist i have been told that i have to go to art collage im going to do LC but i want to know do i have to go to art collage to become a tattoo artist!! or what


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    #20
    raze_them_all_
    Registered Users Posts: 6,744 ✭✭✭raze_them_all_


    TURFTATTOOS wrote: »
    I want to be an tattoo artist i have been told that i have to go to art collage im going to do LC but i want to know do i have to go to art collage to become a tattoo artist!! or what

    It certainly doesn't help since you will need a portfolio, also correct spelling and punctuation will help


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    #21
    Brycen Miniature Comic
    Posts: 0 ✭ Brycen Miniature Comic


    Art college isn’t a guaranteed spot. You need a portfolio of your art to show to any potential artist who will train you that you have some talent and willingness to learn. That’s the important thing!


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