About Apprenticeships

We get asked practically weekly (sometimes daily) about apprenticeships. While we want to encourage every person to follow their dreams, we have a few considerations for those looking to learn tattooing or piercing. This is not to steer you away, just to have realistic expectations of the industry!

Apprenticeships take time

Most good apprenticeships will take multiple years to finish. Much like going to college or other types of apprenticeships, it takes time to learn a new craft. While you may be able to do services while learning, expect to get coaching for anywhere between 1-4 years or beyond. This also why it is hard for those already in the industry to take on an apprentice. We have to know that you are going to be committed to the process as we are giving all our knowledge, supplies, and clients for your learning.

You should be a people-person

This may be news to some, but people are the center of our business! We interact with multiple people on the daily, and most of the time we are inflicting (consensual) pain on them. This means we should be empathetic, caring, and some what of a “cheerleader” when it comes to working with our clients. You have to be able to collaborate and take some criticism from others so we can make their body art dreams happen!

Reliability is a core value in this industry

Or at least it should be! At the end of the day, as cool as tattooing and piercing are, it is still a job and we have to show up for our clients even when we may not want to. Not showing up means a lot of rescheduling and that’s hard to do for yourself and your clients. This doesn’t mean you should work when ill, just that some days it can be hard to show up, and you need to do so regardless.

The studio has to have room for you

As much as we would love to have a giant studio that ever expands, sometimes we don’t have the room for another tattoo artist or piercer in our physical space or in the daily schedule. It doesn’t mean there never will be room, but there are times where we are at full capacity.

You should get work done by the person you are asking for an apprenticeship from

We often get asked for apprenticeships by complete strangers, which feels a bit strange to be honest. If you don’t know the person, how do you know you want them to teach you? They may have great work, but they may have terrible bedside manner! Or they may not share the same values as you, or they may be stuck in some very old ways! You don’t know because you have never had a service by them. It is very important to research who you want to learn from, to meet them and to work with them on a project of your desire, even if it’s something small and simple. Also the more you see them, the more they get to know you, and the more they will be willing to teach you (or not if it isn’t a good fit). A mentee/mentor relationship is not something to take lightly and you may be working for many years with this person; it’s important to know them.

If you want to be a tattoo artist, some recommendations/resources:

Draw everyday! Especially when you don’t feel like it!

Take some art classes or go to art school. This will get you used to hearing constructive criticism and help you find your voice and get you the basics.

Learn about Consent within the tattoo industry here.

If you want to be a piercer, some recommendations/resources:

Read Jef Saunders’s Blog Post on considering a career in body piercing here.

Check out the Association of Professional Piercers website here and their Apprenticeship Guide here.

Learn about good quality body jewelry and why it’s so important.