May 29th, 2020

How To Become An Apprentice To Be A Professional Tattoo Artist At Ocean Blue Tattoo



We receive a lot of inquiries from people who want to become a tattoo artist. Our studio is always open to talk to apprentice candidates, and at the very least, we offer them guidance about the process. First and foremost, in order to become a professional tattoo artist you will need to be under the supervision of an experienced tattoo artist, and as we all know,  finding a sponsorship is not easy.  A tattoo apprenticeship does not consist of merely sweeping the floors and running the autoclave. You will need
to understand the art of tattooing. That requires learning things such as history, operation of the  tattoo equipment, knowledge of ink, and safety protocols for the entire process. Most importantly, you will need to sharpen your drawing skills as they are instrumental in designing your tattoos.


The ideal candidates will have the following qualities:


1. A person with artistic skill.  A person with a high level of artistic skill can translate their imagination to the canvas. Our shop is a custom studio, so you must be comfortable drawing freely. We will evaluate your abilities in order to determine your potential as a candidate,

2,  A person with an art centered education.  A candidate who has already invested their time and money into becoming a serious artist will have a more dedicated mindset. These people will enjoy the daily work of creating art.

3, A person who has an understanding of the critical work of tattooing, which deals with open skin and maintaining the safety of the client and the artist.

4. A person who has not done at-home tattooing.  It is very difficult to fix a persons habits that they have become accustomed to. In a professional studio you must follow stringent health and safety guidelines for the entire tattooing process, from beginning to end. Once a person is in a habit of using certain techniques and methods  to do tattooing, it is really hard to correct those behaviors. A prime example of this is the tendency of at-home artists to touch the ink bottle and skin at the same time. In a professional tattoo studio this is not allowed,  but that habit is not easy to correct. 

5. A person must not use drugs or engage in any form of substance abuse.   We are dealing with a workplace that requires an intense focus on the detailed work as well as the safety of the client. It is important to have a clear mind at all times.  We do random drug testing for that reason.

What's Next. 

If you think you qualify and would like to meet us in person, you can contact us for an appointment through the email form on our website. You should  attach some examples of your artwork so we can see what level of skill we can expect to see from you, and we will look over your submission and schedule a meeting. Again, there are a lot of inquiries to become a tattoo artist, but even if we don't accept your application now, we will contact you when the next opportunity opens. Absent that, we can give you advice or direction to assist you in becoming a tattoo artist.


​Article written by Daniel Natural