How to become a tattoo artist: where do I start?

I don’t know if anyone will read this, but here is how i feel. I am 20 years old and was really into drawing ever since I was a kid. I stopped drawing for like a year and recently I keep thinking of getting back into it. I attended an art uni for a year, but I dropped out because i felt like I wasn’t good enough and can’t put the vision in my mind on paper and got REALLY discouraged… felt hopeless. Im a very sensitive person and very self-aware so I always feel like im not good. Today i saw an ad of a local tattoo shop that they are looking for an aprentice, but I won’t apply. I want to get good, I want to be the best, but im not there yet. I feel like my whole life I am the one that always sabotages myself. Im curently uneployed at 21 and looking for work, but I feel very down and lost on what direction my life is going. To anyone who feels the same, we will get through this..

Took me about almost a year to gain the confidence to tattoo myself. Just did it yesterday finally after practicing drawing and fake skin practice. Can’t wait for what’s ahead!! Awesome vid

Gosh. Sitting here binging videos. I’ve been wanting a creative career all my adult life, just had mental health struggles and felt stuck. I’ve hit a point now and I’m determined to do something I love. Tattooing honestly is the only career I can pursue that ticks all my boxes. This video had really good points. I really need to just act and start up pursuing this, gonna get a tattoo I’ve been pondering the design on for ages so I’ll go get that and quiz out the artist for local advice lmao

I've been thinking about POSSIBLY trying to become a tattoo artist for a year now, but I'm not sure I'd be comfortable with touching random people every day, sometimes in awkward places. I've been drawing my whole life (but don't really have an up-to-date portfolio), I've been studying the different styles, tattoo placement, some history... But still can't decide if I just want to design the tattoos I want on my own body, or if making it into a career makes sense for me.

Im 16 and im so nervous about my future, i wanna get into tattooing but i dont know where to start, im good at drawing but i just have no experience. Thank you for uploading thisss

Thankyou for this video, ive just turned 40 and thinking of getting my first tattoo like i have for years, booking it soon! Then i suddenly had this inspiration that i could actually do tattooing professionally myself and could see myself doing it, the time is now for ceasing inspirations!

This video is amazing, I'm starting an apprenticeship tomorrow! As I can't currently afford a tablet, I have been digitally drawing on my phone! Some of the options aren't as great as pro-create but it's not too bad as a start off 🖤 thank you for this video x

I have always idolized my dad's tattoo artists amd ive always wanted to be like them and i started to draw tons and tons of stuff for almost 10 years now but this year i'm trying to actually get into it seriously but i have a lot of confidence issues with the way i do art, because mine doesnt look like most tattoos 😭

I loved art in high school, and I stopped when I graduated. Everyone was shoveling college down my throat for a “real career”. I’m now three years into a degree that I no longer wish to pursue. But I find myself wanting to do what I’ve always wanted to do create. I have a great paying job at ups, it’s definitely not my forever career. But I’m gonna work here at least until I find my next thing. I’m gonna do it I’m actually going to buy a tattoo kit start practicing on fake skin. But not sure what to do from there I know classes or an apprenticeship? Any advice on what to do anyone?

i’m 18 and super interested in being a professional piercer and tattoo artist, i seem to have a natural talent when it comes to piercing but i’ve always been into makeup and not a paper pen drawerer but i do like tracing and shading but i’ve been worried since i have not practiced freehanding designs and drawings and that i could never make it as a tattoo artist. i wanna start flash tracing and practice that and move onto stencils and fake skin but sometimes i feel it’s hopeless since im not someone who can do outstanding drawings in a notebook with a pen, does anyone else feel this way or have tips ?

I've been tattooing since I was 16 years old, I've always been a bit shy, so I never really did a lot of tattoo's. In the summer of 2022 my shop quit and I had to get a different job. I've been way to insecure to go to a different shop, always way to afraid to get rejected. Today I've finally finished my portfolio and I'm going crazy to send it to a lot of different shops. Hope I can finally fufill my dream about becoming a profesional tattoo artist :) (sorry if my English isn't the best haha not my first language ;)

I would be interested to hear your thoughts and ideas on equipment for improving drawing and resources to help improve. I'm drawing daily and identifying what technical areas I need to develop but, as I want to improve specifically for tattooing, is there anything you'd reccomend I specifically do? Outside of practicing the various main styles.

Should I go for an apprenticeship before I actually do my first tattoo? I love art and I would love to be a tattoo artist but there’s very minimal shops around where I live and I’m not sure if they would consider me with no work to show?

As a beginner should I use grid method for sketching or free hand before getting into a tattoo artist course.. ??

i think im in love with them

I’ve been drawing since I was young but have recently stopped due to other potential career interests. However I always come back to drawing on my free time. The issue relies on using needles and ink, I’ve never done anything of that sort so it scares me.. specially because there can be mistakes made in a tattoo. And I get anxious just thinking about how I could possibly mess up as I’m not very confident in my own ability. I can draw really good, it’s just the confidence gets lost when I think about doing art on skin.. I’ve had this idea that I could potentially just draw tattoo designs and ideas and sell them on the internet for cheap.. but nothing comes to mind on how to get started. Any tips or suggestions on what I could do to be able to move forward with these ideas and passion that I have for art & tattoos? Help lol..

I like to draw but my drawing is not good so I can't be a tattoo artist 😅I have to practice so much and I want to start drawing on a ipad what app should I use?

Pretty confident that they’re not gonna respond but here we go My names saydi and I’m 12 years old and I really like drawing skulls (not realistic ones) and scary stuff only in black in white sometimes. Using colors just make me cringe for some reason. I don’t draw on iPad mostly because I don’t have one and mostly because I don’t have a pen. I really do like drawing on paper and myself because why not lol. My family members have lots of tattoos and one of my uncles like doing them but won’t show me the basics, I came here to see if you would help with that and this video already made me confident about this. Thanks!

if you practice proper hygiene AND actually care about others & how you set things up, then there’s no problem with starting on your own… especially if you’re good at drawing! Start with some fake skin & work your way up. Just keep you station and equipment clean 25/8.

such a nice video