Tattoo Apprenticeship in the UK

A great and affordable start to your career as a tattoo artist is with a reputable Tattoo apprenticeship. Long gone are those days where you had to slave away training 1000’s of hours under a tattooist, making tea, and clearing rubbish in order for you to qualify. At UKOTA we give you a fast track solution on how to become a tattoo artist. We make it affordable and efficient and we also have apprenticeship schemes available.

Below is our own guide on how you can get a tattoo apprenticeship. Make sure you contact us as we run apprenticeships schemes throughout the year!

1. Show your appreciation for the industry by having tattoos.

This one is simple. There is no better way of showing your academy/ tattoo studio, that you are passionate about tattooing than having tattoos on your own body. Even if they are simple and your own designs, its always a good idea to have a few. A good tattoo artist is not just one that can put ink on the skin, but one that also understand the pain you go through for this art!

2. Research Research Research!

It is important for you to do your homework when wanting to become a tattoo artist. Do you know what you are getting yourself into? Did you know you need to have knowledge in hygiene, blood borne diseases, health and safety etc? At the UK Official Tattoo Academy, all of our apprentices with be provided with a Tattoo Safe certificate, displaying that you know your stuff!

3. Learn how to draw and build a portfolio.

Learning how to draw is very important. We can teach you how to tattoo, but only you can come up with individual creative designs for your clients! Build a portfolio of your drawings and understand what your strengths and weaknesses are. At this point you should also try and deduce what your niches is. It is also a good idea to equip yourself with a sketch pad, and try to keep it with you most of the time, as you never know when you may be inspired by something you have seen!

It is also a good idea to open up a social media account such as tumblr and pingit to display your artwork to the world and grow a following.

4. Be dedicated, and be persistant.

Tattoo Apprenticeships are hard to come by, especially if you are new in the industry. The tattoo industry is a closed off industry because of the art and passion within it. Therefore, it may become daunting when trying to find a studio/ academy that will consider you to join. So be persistent and dedicated!

Lucky for you!, we are always actively taking on budding tattooists, so give us a call for availability, and have a look at course dates available by clicking here.

You can also access more informationt on funding options for a Tattoo Apprenticeship by clicking here.