How To Become a Tattoo Artist | Everything You Need To know

Everything You Need To know

If you are wondering how to become a Tattoo Artist, you probably already know that it’s not easy. There are many different types of skills that you need to learn and finding the right information is difficult as Tattooists don’t want to share their skills. So, how to become a Tattoo Artist?

How to become a Tattoo Artist. There are many ways to become a tattoo artist including apprenticeships, tattoo schools, online courses, and the self-taught route. Apprenticeship is the traditional route but not possible for everyone. Perseverance will get you to your goal.

In this post, I’m going to cover everything you need to know to learn how to tattoo professionally. You’ll find everything you need to know about tattooing, including mistakes to avoid on your path to becoming a professional tattoo artist. You can do it.

How to Become a Tattoo Artist

Tattooing is one of the best jobs in the world. You can be your own boss, you can make great money and it brings other opportunities too. To sell your art, to travel, to let loose your creativity. It’s a great career to get into.

However, getting into tattooing can be tough. Traditionally, the skills were kept secret and not easily learnt.

Getting a good apprenticeship can be incredibly difficult and teaching yourself has been traditionally frowned upon.

It can really feel like you are fighting a losing battle. But if you are here wondering how to become a tattoo artist I want to guide you through the minefield of starting to tattoo professionally.

Some Things You Should Know Before Becoming A Tattoo Artist

However, before you start down the road of trying to learn to tattoo there are some things you should know.

Money

The main one is that there is no guarantee that you will make loads of money in this career. Top tattooists can demand a high hourly rate. Look at Bang Bang who can tattoo tiny hearts on Hollywood stars for $2000 a pop.

However, this is not the norm and requires talent but also being in the right place at the right time to become in demand.

Don’t go into tattooing solely for the money or the glamorous rockstar lifestyle.

Speaking of a glamorous lifestyle, this is pretty much a lie…

Lifestyle

Tattooing is surprisingly hard physical work. Glamorous it ain’t.

On top of that, it involves dealing with members of the public. Your artistic canvas is a living breathing person that changes all the time. This brings its own set of difficulties.

People can be mad, aggressive, smelly and rude. You will have at least one incident where you end up tattooing a stinky, sweaty crotch, backside or worse, especially when you are just learning. You have to learn ways to zone out, deal with it and crack on.

Also, sometimes you will feel more like a therapist than a tattooist. Having said that, most clients are generally lovely and you will have a beautiful and intense relationship with them as you create their art.

Am I too old to learn to Tattoo?

There is no age barrier when it comes to learning to tattoo. If you feel ready for a midlife career change this is perfectly possible to do.

Is becoming a tattoo artist right for me?

Before you start down the route of becoming a Tattoo Artist, it’s worth just considering if it’s the right move for you. You don’t want to spend all the time and money to learn, only to find you don’t enjoy the job.

Consider the following points for a minute to see how you feel.

Do you like people?

I think this is the number one consideration when thinking about getting into the industry. If you really hate dealing with the public it’s not the job for you.

You are dealing with people at a point when they may be scared, upset, overexcited, worried and joyous and generally over-emotional. You get to see humans at their most vulnerable. They can sometimes be hard to handle so if you aren’t into dealing with people you may want to think again.

Having said that, you will have some amazing and emotional moments with your clients which will touch your heart and will make you incredibly grateful for your job. You will meet amazing and interesting people and become close to them as they tell you the details of their lives.

You become like a therapist for many clients and they will tell you things they haven’t told anyone else. It’s a real privilege to be in his position.

You need to be able to interact with clients to make their experience of getting a tattoo with you a good one. If they enjoy their experience they will come back and you will have plenty of ongoing work.

A bad tattoo experience, where they feel uncomfortable [even If the actual tattoo is technically good], won’t result in a repeat booking so you need to be able to get on with people to give them that nice experience.

Can you work under pressure?

Tattooing, especially in a walk-in studio is high pressure. You can be doing up to 5 or 6 tattoos a day. If one appointment is late that has a knock-on effect on later clients.

People come in wanting to talk to you about work. You are juggling and balancing. It can be stressful and you need to be able to keep your cool under pressure.

Likewise, when tattooing, you need to be able to keep calm whilst you execute the tattoo. You are constantly making judgements about what you are doing next technique-wise, all while keeping up a constant conversation with the client at the same time.

They may also be watching your every move as you do the tattoo or asking what you are doing.

You need to be able to develop a zen-like focus and operate well under this pressure. This can be developed as you progress as a tattooist.

Are You physically fit?

Tattooing is surprisingly physical work. You will be contorted into uncomfortable positions sometimes when trying to tattoo certain parts of the body.

It’s an industry that is notoriously hard on the back. There are certain positions, for example, tattooing the chest, which involves leaning over the client and twisting at the same time. If you have any back problems they can show up here.

However, many things can be overcome. If you have a physical issue that you are worried may get in the way it would be a good idea to try and talk to a Tattooist to see if they think it would be a problem.

Are you mentally in a good place?

Tattooing can be tough on the mind. You are dealing with pressures, stress, people and your own expectations of yourself.

If you suffer from anxiety or depression, the pressure of tattooing can have an impact on you.

You will need to be able to develop a thick skin and not take things too much to heart.

However, if you have good support whilst learning, this will carry you through and make things much easier to handle.

Do you have a good work ethic?

Professional Tattooing requires a good work ethic. People have taken time off work and rearranged their lives to get to their appointment. You can’t just fail to turn up because you have a hangover, or cancel because you don’t feel like it.

You have to have a great work ethic or you will damage your reputation.

If you start to do well, you can be booked up months or even years in advance. This brings its own particular pressures as you can’t just take a day off or go on holiday on a whim.

Your life is plotted into the future.

You need to know that you have or can develop a great work ethic before you start.

What education is needed to become a tattoo artist?

You don’t need any specific education to become a tattoo artist. There is no requirement for qualifications. However, you do need to be able to demonstrate that you can draw and have a portfolio of work to show. Qualifications in art and design do help but are not necessary as long as you can draw.

You don’t need any formal education or traditional education to become a tattooist. You don’t need to go to university or college. However, an art education does help.

How Long Does it Take to Become a Tattoo Artist?

It takes around one to three years to become a tattoo artist. You will need to find a way to learn and then progress from simple to more complex tattoos. It’s generally around three years before you have the skills and confidence to tattoo any design you want and to start earning better money.

Initial training

If you are an apprentice in a shop you may not get to actually tattoo for six months to a year depending on the owner. During this time you may need to support yourself with other work whilst you learn.

When you do start to tattoo you will be charging low apprentice rates. This allows you to build up your skills with small simple tattoos. It may not be the kind of work you want to do in the end but it’s good practice on your way to being a skilled tattooist.

Trust me, it will all be worth it in the end.

After Three Years

In general, it takes about three years to be in a position to be able to charge more and do the designs you want. You can then start to build up the kind of clientele and work you want.

After Five Years

After about five years you should be confident, solidly established in your niche and earning good money.

What are the routes into Tattooing?

So, you have weighed it all up and know in your heart of hearts you want to be a tattooist. I hear you. It’s a burning desire. But now for the tricky bit. How to break into the industry. What are the tattoo training options?

I don’t use the term “break-in” lightly. Getting into the Tattoo Industry can feel like literally trying to break into a guarded fortress. There are gatekeepers on every door jealously guarding the secrets of tattooing seemingly to stop newcomers from stealing their clients.

It has to be one of the hardest industries to enter. There are not really any approved schools, courses or degrees and the information given out is often confusing.

But trust me. You CAN DO IT. I’ve been there. It is possible as long as you have guts and stamina.

So what are the main routes into tattooing? Let’s look at them each in turn and weigh up the pros and cons.

Tattoo Apprenticeships

An apprenticeship has long been the traditional and only way to enter tattooing. It can be a hugely valuable learning experience, where a seasoned tattooist takes you under their wing and shows you how to do things right.

A good apprenticeship should nurture and support you.

You have to be willing to put in a lot of time doing the grunt work around the studio for free in return for knowledge. This will involve tasks such as cleaning, reception and phone work. However, you will come out with a great understanding of how a tattoo studio works.

Sadly, however, many apprenticeships don’t work out well with the apprentice ending up having worked a long time for free with no learning experience in return.

If you go down this route you need to have a clear understanding of what you will be taught and how long it will take to avoid being ripped off.

Apprenticeship opportunities can be hard to find and the opportunity may not be available near you.

If you find a good apprenticeship you may have found a lifelong mentor to guide you through your tattooing career.

Tattoo Apprenticeship Pros

An apprenticeship eliminates trial and error

Getting an apprenticeship saves you years of trial and error and trying to figure it out yourself. Learning skills directly from a mentor is the best way as they will be able to show you exactly how to do things.

An apprenticeship gives you support and camaraderie. 

When you first start to tattoo people it can be stressful. Having people around you who understand and can offer support and constructive criticism is really important to help you keep going through the rough patches that you will inevitably have.

An apprenticeship sets you up for working in a tattoo shop

Working in a shop allows you to see on a day to day basis how things are run. You’ll learn the ins and outs of admin and everything else to do with running a business. 

This is invaluable if you set up your own shop one day. The business aspect of tattooing is incredibly important. You can be an amazing tattooist but if you are terrible at the business side you won’t make good money

You will also have a ready-made job to work in the shop once you have completed your apprenticeship.

Tattoo Apprenticeship cons

Apprenticeships can be open to abuse

Sadly, the informal apprenticeship system is open to abuse. Unscrupulous shop owners know how desperate people are to learn the trade. Some owners take on apprentices merely to mop the floors and skivvy for free without actually teaching them anything.

When they start to complain and ask to learn they fire them and get a new apprentice. You may just end up sweeping floors and not be taught anything.

It’s a sad fact that if you are a woman you may also find that you are in a vulnerable position when apprenticing. Some mentors may expect extras in return for their teaching.

Listen to your gut instinct when finding the right apprenticeship for you.

Apprenticeships can be expensive if you need to pay

Some tattooists, wary of training someone for free and them leaving have now started to charge for apprenticeships.

This is actually not a bad thing as you can then demand a decent level of training in return for your cash.

However, the high price may put this route out of the reach of many people.

It can be hard to find a good apprenticeship

In an ideal world, everyone would have a great apprenticeship with a talented mentor showing them the ropes. However, the harsh reality is that a good apprenticeship is incredibly hard to find.

Finding a good tattooist who is willing to give you a break can be close to impossible. You may need to relocate cities or even countries to find one.

If you have kids or family commitments this can be impossible. It takes perseverance and a decent amount of luck to find an apprenticeship that works out.

Tattooists who went down the apprenticeship route

Chris Nuñez started an apprenticeship in his early twenties. He worked his way up from cleaning and fixing machines to learning to tattoo. He is now one of the most well-known tattooists in the world.

Tattoo School

Tattoos Schools have cropped up all over the world as an alternative way to enter the industry. They offer a formalised apprenticeship program. They all have their own schedules and methodology depending on local licensing requirements.

Whilst they may seem like an easy answer to the problem of learning, tattoo schools can bring their own problems.

The main one is that the tattoo community as a whole doesn’t recognise them and in fact has a negative attitude towards them, to the extent of blacklisting anyone who admitted attending.

Tattoo school diplomas are not taken seriously by tattooists or anyone other than the licensing boards.

This makes Tattoo Schools a double-edged sword. You may learn but you may need to keep quiet about where your learnt which makes life difficult.

Some tattoo schools have a network of shops where you may be able to work after graduating. However, it may be difficult to find work with other tattooists after working in these shops.

However, there are some good schools that will give you thorough hands-on training in basic skills and safety issues, as well as support and mentoring. This does come at a price though and they can be very expensive.

Some states, such as Oregon, demand evidence of an apprenticeship program and a certain number of hours tattooing under supervision before you can be licensed.

Tattoo Schools may be your only option for proving this requirement on the licensing forms.

If you have the grit and perseverance to carry on learning after graduating, Tattoo Schools can be a good starting point.

Tattoo School pros

Tattoo Schools are easy to access if you have the money.

Pretty much anyone can enrol in a Tattoo School as long as you have the money to pay. They may have finance available too making it more accessible.

There are Tattoo Schools in most countries that have a tattoo culture so you should hopefully be able to find one reasonably close to where you live.

Tattoo Schools are usually big on hygiene techniques and safety

Tattoo Schools tend to focus on the safety aspects of tattooing in great detail. This is an incredibly important area.

Tattoo schools are more likely to have classes on the technical detail of areas such as bloodborne pathogens, giving you a good grounding in the reasons WHY things are done a certain way.

They often include separate certifications in Blood Borne Pathogen safety.

This knowledge of cross-contamination principles is one of the most important aspects of tattooing and helps you to keep both yourself and your clients safe. Tattoo Schools really shine in this area.

Tattoo Schools usually teach the business aspects of tattooing.

Tattoo schools generally have classes on the business side of the industry. Knowing how to run a tattoo shop and deal with things such as taxes and insurance is important. Tattoo schools generally cover this business aspect.

Tattoo Schools may be a good starter option to cover the basic skills

Tattoo Schools can set you up with the basic skills and knowledge to start tattooing. If you haven’t been able to enter the industry any other way it could be just what you need to start you off.

Tattoo Schools may be necessary to get licensed.

If you live in a state where a licensing board demands training, Tattoo Schools will fulfil the tattoo licensing requirement.

Tattoo School cons

Tattoo Schools are frowned upon and unrecognised by the Tattoo Industry

This is the biggest issue with Tattoo Schools. Many Tattooists are vehemently set against them.

This means that you won’t be able to walk into a Tattoo shop with your newly minted certificate of qualification and expect to land a job. You are more likely to get shown the door.

This can make your next step after graduation tricky.

Tattoo Schools are expensive

For a route that often doesn’t have official industry recognition, Tattoo schools are pricey. Prices range from around $4000 to $11500 depending on the duration of the course and location.

Tattoo School won’t be enough for you to just walk into a tattoo job

Tattoo Schools often make it look like they cover all the bases and will allow you to land a tattoo job easily. However that isn’t the case. You just generally can’t learn enough over the space of a few weeks or months to be “tattoo ready”.

You will still need a lot of experience and the confidence to keep going.

Confidence is a big part and it’s hard to keep going on our own after you finish the program.

You may still need to find some kind of apprenticeship situation after you graduate.

Tattooists who went down the Tattoo School route

I haven’t been able to find any famous tattooists who learned through this route. However, I suspect it’s not because none of them went, but rather that they wouldn’t admit to attending.

Tattoo schools do carry a stigma. However, there are probably graduates from tattoo schools doing well and making top dollar. Just incognito.

You can find a lot more detail about the pros and cons of Tattoo School in this post. Should you go to Tattoo School?

The Self Taught Tattooist Route

This is the route that may be the most accessible way to get into tattooing. It is low cost and you can do it on your own terms.

However, it comes with its dangers and pitfalls and you need to be responsible and tenacious to go down this route and have a good sense of personal integrity.

The tattoo industry on the whole discourages people to teach themselves to tattoo. However, as we have already outlined, not everyone can get an apprenticeship and not every apprenticeship works out. For this reason, many people have no alternative but to teach themselves.

Tattooists who went down the self-taught route

Some great and famous tattoo artists have taught themselves to tattoo. They include…

• Jeff Gogue
• Jo Harrison
• Bez at TripleSix
• Ivana Belakova

and many more.

Sometimes you have no alternative but to take things into your own hands and get on with it.

Pros of teaching yourself to tattoo

Teaching yourself to tattoo is the most easily accessible route.

Teaching yourself to tattoo doesn’t require much money and you can fit it around your everyday life and current life. Anyone can start to learn to tattoo.

Teaching yourself to tattoo is requires the least money

If you don’t have the big money for tattoo school or a paid apprenticeship, as long as you can afford a basic tattoo starter kit you can begin your journey.

Teaching yourself to tattoo fits in with your current commitments.

Getting an apprenticeship can mean quitting your job or even relocating. This may not be possible for you if you have kids and family financial commitments.

Going down the self-taught route allows you to keep working and fit around your family.

Cons of teaching yourself to tattoo

You will need grit and perseverance to teach yourself to tattoo.

It’s not easy to learn to tattoo on your own and you need to persevere and keep going through failures and disappointments.

You won’t have any professional support either which you would have with an apprenticeship. This makes it tough and you need to keep going when things are rough.

You may be doing things wrong when you teach yourself

Without a mentor checking your work, you may be making serious mistakes without knowing it. This is why I highly recommend you find a good online tattoo training course to make sure you are getting the basics right and you don’t develop bad habits.

It can take a long time to learn on your own.

You need many many hours of practice to start being good at tattooing. If you are fitting your learning around a full-time job it can take a long time to get to a decent skill level.

It can be difficult to build up your confidence on your own.

Confidence is probably one of the hardest parts of teaching yourself to tattoo. Tattooing is all about confidence and it can be hard to build that up on your own. If you can find a mentor this can help.

Teaching yourself to tattoo can be done but you need to have support and high-quality instruction.

Whilst there is a lot of information on Youtube, a lot of it is misleading and downright wrong.

If you do go down the self-taught route it’s important to get good information and proper tattoo artist training. You don’t want to just learn by trial and error.

For this reason, it would be a good idea to enrol on an online tattoo course or training program to ensure that you are doing things right and not starting with bad habits.

There are several online tattoo courses that are reasonably priced and offer good quality tattoo artist training

Buying Your first tattoo machine

This is a controversial one. If you go down the tattoo apprenticeship route it’s often really frowned upon if you have got tattoo equipment and started to tattoo on your own, even on practice skin.

However, as we’ve discussed above, not everyone can go down that route and sometimes you just have to get your hands dirty and start learning.

The really important thing I want to emphasise here is WORK ON PRACTICE SKIN. Not human skin

If you get a tattoo machine PLEASE don’t jump into tattooing real human skin, other peoples or even your own skin.

You need to put in A LOT of practice to get to that stage.

Having said that, getting your own tattoo kit is a great start to understanding the feel of the machine and starting to develop techniques. You just have to be very responsible and stick to practice skin or you will tarnish your reputation and damage your tattoo career before you even start.

I reviewed a great starter tattoo kit here for under $100 which comes with a rotary tattoo machine, power supply, pedal and supplies to get you started.

Best Starter Tattoo Kit – Dragonhawk Tattoo Starter Kit Review

You can buy practice skin here.

You can also practice on fruit. Bananas and squashes are great. Oranges also work.

Pigskin is generally free from a butcher and the nearest thing to human skin.

Practice on these non-human alternatives every chance you get.

The steps to becoming a tattoo artist

No matter which route you take into tattooing, there are some things that you need to start doing right now to set you down the path to greatness.

1 – Understand Bloodborne Pathogens and Hygiene

Serious diseases can be spread through blood. Hepatitis and HIV are just two extremely serious types of communicable diseases that you can catch and spread through tattooing if you don’t know what you are doing.

Before you even think about stepping foot in a studio you need to understand how diseases are transmitted and how to protect yourself and your clients.

If you skip this crucial step it will be very easy to infect yourself with something like Hepatitis the first time you go near a client.

Good hygiene practices are crucial and you need to learn how they work. Bad hygiene could literally cost you your life as well as the health of your client and your reputation.

You can find short online courses which cover all the basics and will give you certification which can be useful to show future employers. These courses are generally not expensive, costing around $30 or so.

Invest time in protecting you and your client’s health before you go any further.

{Serious note – you won’t kill hepatitis by boiling or bleaching your equipment – seriously – do a course please}

Here’s a free Blood borne Pathogens course

You may also want to talk to your doctor about getting a vaccination against Hepatitis.

2 – Up your drawing game

Drawing, art, creativity and graphic design are the basis of tattooing. You really do need to be good at drawing to be a good tattooist who can do custom work and has plenty of clients.

Don’t worry if you aren’t confident in your artistic talent and drawing skills yet and don’t feel that you have raw talent. Drawing is a learnt skill and you can improve it. Actual talent in drawing comes from practice.

The key to improving your drawing is practice. Keep a sketchbook on you at all times and draw everything around you wherever you are. On public transport or in a cafe? Draw the people around you. In class? Draw what’s on your desk. Just keep drawing all the time and you will improve.

Work on designs and all kinds of art. Not just tattoo designs. Draw portraits of your favourite musicians, draw your dog. Draw everything.

Look at different illustration styles and try them out.

Try painting. Use different types of media. Do digital artwork too. All this creativity will give you a wide range of things to put in a portfolio of work to show any potential mentors, especially if you want an apprenticeship.

If you can find art classes near you it will be worth attending. Life drawing from model ups your drawing game.

The skills you develop now will stand you in good stead when you finally become a tattooist. They may also open up another source of income for you.

3 – Follow tattoo artists on social media

You need to fully absorb yourself in the tattoo world. Follow some artists on Instagram, Tik Tok and other socials. Analyse their work and what makes it great. Find artistic inspiration.

Look at the different types of tattoo styles done by artists you like and figure out what you would like to specialise in yourself eventually.

4 – Immerse yourself in the history of tattooing.

Tattooing has a long and fascinating history. From tattoos on mummified bodies, through tattooed royalty to Sailor Jerry, there is a long lineage to the art of tattooing that you should know about.

Check out some tattoo history documentaries on youtube. This potted history is a good start.

5 – Develop the skills you will need as a tattooist

When you become a tattooist it’s part of your job to give your clients a good tattoo experience as well as a high-quality tattoo.

Always remember, a client who enjoys their experience is much more likely to come back for more work, keeping you busy.

You need to know how to talk to your clients when you go professional. How to chat about a wide variety of topics. Next time you are at a hairstylist, listen to how they do it. The key is to ask open questions so that the client feels at ease chatting about their life.

You also need to cultivate a zen-like ability to focus only on the piece right in front of you and nothing else.

Seriously, learning how to meditate will help you with this. It will improve your focus and teach you how to zone out distractions around you.

6 – Develop your personal brand

It’s never too early to start developing your own personal brand. You need to think about how you want to appear.

Do you want to tattoo under your own name or a nickname? Do you want to be known for a certain style of artwork?

[Tip – when you start learning to tattoo you need to tattoo all different kinds of stuff to learn – but you can specialise with your artwork right now]

Set up social media accounts with your name and start putting your art out there to build your brand.

You can also start an online portfolio to show potential employers or mentors.

7 – Find out about getting licenced where you live

Different places and states have different rules about how you become a licensed tattoo artist.

For example, the state of Oregon in the USA has extremely tough licensing rules which ask for 360 hours of training and sitting an exam before you are given a tattoo artist license.

The UK doesn’t ask for any proof you can actually tattoo and just requires you to register with the local Health Authority.

You need to research what the tattoo license rules are where you live.

This can affect the path you need to take into tattooing.

You want to be fully licensed and legal as soon as possible.

8 – Start creating a portfolio of artwork

You need to have a good selection of amazing artwork to show if you want an apprenticeship or to get into tattoo school. Start working on it now. Create online and physical versions.

DO NOT include photos of tattoos you may have done. This will get you shown the door in any shop and labelled as a “scratcher”. Include artwork only.

Top 10 Tips For How To Become A Tattoo Artist

1. Save money before you start because you might have to work for free for a long period of time.
2. Start building your personal brand NOW – on Instagram and Tik Tok at least.
3. Draw draw draw. All the time.
4. Keep a sketchbook and pens with you at all times and draw in them every day.
5. Start work on your art portfolio of drawings and designs. Make an online portfolio and a physical one.
6. Do a bloodborne pathogens course online.
7. Attend Tattoo conventions and watch how people are tattooing.
8. Decide which route to take into tattooing and set a goal as to when you will achieve it.
9. Work on practice skin every day.
10. Believe in yourself and KEEP GOING. It’s a tough industry to break into but DON’T QUIT. You will get there if you just keep going.

FAQ 

Do tattoo artists make good money

Tattoo artists can make excellent money. A highly popular tattoo artist can charge hundreds of dollars an hour. You can also make more money by opening shops and employing others to work in them. However, you are not guaranteed to make good money and must earn a good reputation to do so.

Is becoming a tattoo artist hard?

Becoming a tattoo artist is hard. It’s tough to break into the industry and apprenticeships are hard to find. Even if you can draw, the learning curve of putting ink to skin is steep. You will work a long time for no money to perfect your skills. However, it is worth it and is an amazing job. 

How to become a tattoo artist without an apprenticeship

You can become a tattoo artist without an apprenticeship. There are some great online courses that will guide you as you learn and some amazing self-taught artists. However, some countries or states require proof of hours in an apprenticeship or tattoo school so this may influence what you can do.

In Conclusion – How To Become A Tattoo Artist

Becoming a tattoo artist can be a tricky industry to break into. However, anything worthwhile is often tough and you just have to set your eyes on the prize and set your goal.

It’s well worth spending the time and money to get there as once you become a successful Tattoo Artist it’s an incredible job.

It allows you to make great money whilst doing something enjoyable. It allows you to be your own boss, set your own hours and make money from your artwork. It even gives you the opportunity to travel and meet amazing people.

The people who fail at becoming tattoo artists are those who give up. You will have knockbacks and rejections but you just need to keep going and keep confidence in your ability to become a professional tattoo artist.

I believe in you. You can do this. 

More information about how to become a tattoo artist