Every tattooist is an artist and just like every art industry, getting started in the world of professional tattooing is not easy. Any prospective tattoo artist is realistically faced with two options: doing an apprenticeship or going solo.
On the one hand you could find an apprenticeship where you learn from the best and have a board to spring from when you’re ready while the solo route allows you to find your own way in the world without compromising your artistic style.
An apprenticeship sounds ideal on paper. Many trades have them as a rite of passage and the idea of working your way up from the bottom is a straight forward one. In an ideal world, an apprenticeship would offer the opportunity for artists to learn from the best and be able to offer you a space to work from afterwards. There definitely are many cases in which this does happen, but is an apprenticeship always the best route for someone looking to get in to tattooing? Ethernaal spoke to three artists about their experiences of apprenticeships.
“I did an apprenticeship and it was rubbish.” Said @Massimo.tattoos, a Brighton based artists who did a two month apprenticeship in Eastbourne two years ago. “I found myself at a shop that mainly took walk ins and was run by a guy who didn’t tattoo, which is obviously a red flag. He told me that in six months I would be a professional tattoo artist but my whole time there was spent basically just cleaning the stations, walking the dog and going to the shop to get beers for everyone.”
Despite not having taught him anything, the owner still allowed Massimo to tattoo in the shop provided he gave him 50% of his fee. This isn’t an isolated practice, @gringo.ink, a London based artist “I came back to London when I was 16 and it took me two years to find an apprenticeship. Whilst there he just basically had me setting up and packing down and didn’t really teach me anything. I had been teaching myself since I was 14 and had already done some tattoos. The owner of the studio told me to bring all my clients there and then demanded a 50% fee.”
A 50% fee for apprentices in any other trade might work as a standard practice in other industries but tattoos are different. For obvious reasons, a tattoo is a commitment. Someone getting a tattoo wants to have faith in their artist’s experience and skill so they’re happy to pay extra for this security. Getting a discounted tattoo from an apprentice requires a different level of trust that not everyone is up for and consequently apprentices get far fewer bookings. Only being able to charge a reduced rate to the few clients you do get means that a 50% kickback hurts.
“I was having to work another job just to pay for getting across London and food whilst the owner basically just used me for some free labour.” Gringo said.
The high demand for apprenticeships makes it a seller’s market. There are always more people looking for apprenticeships than there are shops willing to take them on meaning that apprentices take positions wherever I can.
“Everyone I spoke to said you need an apprenticeship so I just got one where I could in my hometown. The shop didn’t match my style. I was making my own flash boss just told me to do more of whatever was popular. If people wanted massive black roses, then draw a load of massive black roses. It was just all about the money and not about the art.” Said Massimo.
The fact that Gringo had been teaching himself proved to be a hindrance when it came to looking for his apprenticeship. “I had to lie and say that I had never tattooed before to get one. Nowhere would take me because I was self-taught which meant that I might have some bad habits but tattooing is a craft and everyone knows what works for them, there’s only so much you can tell someone but your technique is unique.”
@Five.Kilo.Cat — a London based artist also found it hard to get an apprenticeship in the UK. “I tried to look for one in London but I just found people rude, they wouldn’t even look at my book.” She said.
Before trying in the UK, Five Kilo Cat had done a one month apprenticeship in Guadalajara, Mexico. “As soon as I started I felt welcome. The owner there was super talented and so were the other artists. I was allowed to observe all the other artists working and they helped me as well by showing me how to set up my station and about how a studio works. My style is hard to define but this wasn’t a problem there even though most clients wanted traditional designs. I did four or five tattoos but most of what I learned was about the other things to do with tattooing.”
These are only three examples and it is absurd to think that these experiences represent every apprenticeship. They do however do a good job of showing some of the good and bad possibilities. But was it all bad?
“Was it a complete waste of time? Not entirely, I was given my first proper tattoo machine during my apprenticeship and I learned what it’s like to work in a tattoo shop in terms of hygiene and equipment. All I would say to someone looking to do it is research where you’re applying to and make sure it’s a fit for you.” Said Massimo.
“It’s good to surround yourself with people that are doing what you want to do.” Said Gringo. “An apprenticeship has its benefits because it can make it a lot easier when you can learn from above, but tattooing is a craft and when it comes down to it you’ve got to figure it out for yourself.”
“My apprenticeship was great and taught me a lot but the studio experience also showed me how I want to work.” Said Five Kilo Cat. “Now I tattoo from home and do guest spots. Now, I tattoo people in my style and do things that are really particular and I love that. Now I tattoo from home and sometimes guest in studios and so many of my clients say they feel more comfortable in that environment over a commercial studio so that works for me.”
Ultimately, an apprenticeship will always be about working out what you want to do. There are different types of people in tattooing and some artists want different things from their work. Think of tattoo artists as chefs. Some chefs are culinary artists with ambitions to grow based on their own creative dishes and cooking skill, whilst other chefs just want a steady job doing something they love with likeminded people and giving people what they want. There is nothing wrong with either of these but each one will have to find a path which suits them and tattoo artists are no different.
