Learning the Art of Tattoo Design 

Tattoos are a part of America’s pop culture and youth movement. Young people are natural artists so learning the art of tattoo design is a great hobby that can turn into a lucrative career. The are ample ways to learn the art that will give you the skills and ability to become a professional tattoo and piercing artist, all you need is the will and a bit of dedication. A simple search on learning tattoo design will bring up class options as well as learn at home options. Avoid any self taught schemes as they only benefit the person selling the course, and don’t give you the required training needed to be a professional tattoo design artist. 

The first step to learning tattoo design is to find a good working tattooist that will offer you an apprenticeship. Some tattoo studios may require a fee others may not; it depends on the popularity of the studio and the amount of people seeking apprenticeship.  A good apprenticeship, either paid or unpaid, should last long enough for you to grasp the basics of tattoo design, the importance of hygiene, the balance and symmetry alignment when working on skin, as well as many other work related tools.  

A good tattoo design mentor will have you start with the basics, things such as drawing simple images and designs, on paper of course. This part of the learning process could take anywhere from six months to a year. The next step to your tattoo design apprenticeship would be learning to take care of your tools and station. This includes proper cleaning, sterilization, customer service, state specific health laws and basic business management information. You will also be taught how to prepare your inks, needles, stencils and other items required for tattoo design. 

When seeking a tattoo design mentor, seek one out who has at least 5 years hands on experience in the business. Make sure that you spend time talking to them to find out if your personalities match before seeking an internship. Bring your tattoo design portfolio with you if you have one. Even if your work doesn’t include tattoos, make sure you have several representations of your best drawings, paintings and sketches. If you have completed any type of formal art training, bring those documents with you as well. If you don’t have formal training, that’s ok too, raw talent is usually the main skill needed for a good tattoo design artist.