Tattoo Artist Tips & Advice

How to Tattoo for Beginners

This article will break down the basics you need to know before you start tattooing people, how to get safe tattoo equipment, and how to start tattooing for the first time. 

We’ll also give you some beginning advice you can apply right away in every aspect of tattooing - from creating designs to shading techniques to finding clients.

The Best Tattoo Machine For Beginners

There are a ton of tattoo machines on the market, and it can be hard to figure out which one will work best for you, especially if it’s your first time buying one.
 
We’ve tried some of the most popular “beginner machines” ourselves and have made a list of our favorite beginner-friendly machines that keep cost, quality, and ease of use in mind.

How Long is a Tattoo Apprenticeship? Tattoo Artist Timeline

Traditional apprenticeships take 1-4 years. Knowing why they’re so different in length can help you choose the right one for you. 

So in this article, we’ll be answering all the tattoo apprenticeship FAQs, including: how long tattoo apprenticeships should last (and what hours apprentices work),what factors affect the length of an apprenticeship, and how to have more control over the length of an apprenticeship.

I Worked at a Tattoo Shop For 10 Years - Here’s What It’s Like

Social media and TV shows tend to amp up certain parts of what it’s like to work in the tattoo business - and downplay others. That incorrect picture can make it difficult for aspiring tattoo artists to get a good sense of what it’s like before entering into the tattoo industry themselves. 

So, to help you out, I’m going to share my own experience working in several shops over the past decade and tell you what it’s actually like working at a tattoo shop for most tattoo artists - the good, the bad, and the downright disgusting.

What Does Tattoo School Teach? Can You Get Licensed?

Tattoo schools are meant to use structured lessons in a classroom setting to teach people to tattoo in just a few months, making tattooing accessible to more aspiring artists who don’t want to go through a traditional tattoo apprenticeship.

But what are tattoo schools really like? What skills can you expect to have when you leave? Can you really become a tattoo artist after going to tattoo school?

Tattoo Pain Chart

Tattoos hurt. But how much they hurt depends on tattoo placement, as well as the individual client and how they prepare for their appointment.

Even if you’re an experienced tattoo artist, you can’t make the tattoo pain-free for your client…but you can monitor your client’s pain and help them out. By the end of this article, you’ll be able to give your client a good estimate of what to expect during their session, and how to communicate with them about their pain.

What Voltage Should You Tattoo With?

A lot of new tattoo artists feel like picking their voltage is a guessing game. However, if you’re running your machine too fast or too slow, you could overwork the skin or leave a faded-looking tattoo.

To help, our tattooing instructor, Brandon, explains how to set the voltage correctly for your style of tattooing.

Tattoo Tips for Artists: Texture, Highlights, Lining, and More

The tattoo process is very detailed. However, if you’ve read any step-by-step tattooing techniques articles, you’ve probably found that there’s still a lot missing. That’s because, most of the time, new artists are looking for the broad strokes of tattooing.

But what about those little details that only professionals can fill in for you? This article will help you fill in the gaps that other online resources leave out.

Tattoo Blowout or Healing?

Tattoo aftercare is super important. But even if you’re doing it right, things can look wrong, and it can be hard to figure out if your tattoo is just healing, or if there’s a problem with your tattoo, like a blowout.

In this article, we’ll explain what to look for so you can identify whether you have a tattoo blowout, an infection, or if the skin is just healing.

Procreate Tips for Beginners

Procreate is an iPad app tattoo artists use to create tattoo designs way faster than they could on paper.

Designing digitally makes it easy to create perfect lines for stencils, present work to clients, and quickly resize designs during an appointment.

To help, we’ll be breaking down the basic settings you need to know as a tattoo artist, including how to: use layers to organize your work, add texture using brushes and create perfect shapes, and adjust photos to make better realism references.