How to become a tattoo artist without an apprenticeship (and why it’s a better option for artists in 2022)

With the advancement of technology, the tattoo community has seen a surge in self-taught tattoo artists.

Online resources have opened up new avenues to becoming a professional tattoo artist, with many new artists skipping the tattoo apprenticeship period and starting work in a tattoo shop sooner.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at how to become a successful tattoo artist without an apprenticeship and why online learning is the best approach for the next generation of tattoo artists.

Today’s technology allows you to learn tattooing online instead of at a tattoo shop. Online courses provide structured tattoo artist training without the time constraints imposed on apprentices and mentors. Companies and educational institutions use online programs as the primary learning resource for employees and students (including in the medical field). The tattoo apprenticeship process can achieve a similar change with the right e-learning resources. Learning tattooing online allows aspiring tattoo artists to develop independently and at their own pace, leading to quality learning as opposed to time-based commitments.

If you want to learn without an apprenticeship, your best option is to learn from tattoo artists online. YouTube, blogs, forums, and other resources can provide you with the knowledge you need to become a certified tattoo artist, if you know where to look.

To start tattooing with this alternative method, you will need to learn all the same things you would learn during an apprenticeship.

The best way to find the answers you need is to make sure you’re using trending search terms in each of these areas.

Learning how to draw is the first step in an in-person tattoo apprenticeship. Instead of painting landscapes or still lifes like in art class, focus on drawing tattoo designs.

Tattoo design is very different from regular artwork as it needs to take into account the shape and flow of the human body.

Below are the most popular tattoo drawing search terms that people have effectively used in 2021 to improve their drawing skills.

How to draw a tattoo with Procreate How to draw a tattoo step by step How to draw a realistic tattoo How to draw a rose tattoo How to draw a traditional tattoo

Self-taught tattoo artists often don’t place enough importance on hygiene, which has earned them a bad reputation in the industry. It’s not the sexiest topic in the tattoo industry, but making one hygiene mistake could get your tattoo license revoked.

The biggest risk when getting a tattoo is coming into contact with blood, for both you and your client. To ensure it’s safe, you should get Bloodborne Pathogens (BBP) certified before you tattoo anyone, including yourself.

Here are some top online BBP certification sites that offer the latest training (2021/2022):

Before learning to tattoo, it is important to know how the equipment works and where you can get reliable tattoo equipment.

Naturally, the tattoo machine is the most important part of your setup and will require the most research. Here are the top search terms for “tattoo machine” in 2021:

Incorrectly learning outdated techniques like lining, shading, packing, etc. can ruin your career as a self-taught tattoo artist. With this high risk in mind, we have created a free training program that anyone can access and learn the fundamentals of these skills.

Obviously, we’re a little biased towards online learning. But it’s not without reason. While no studies have been done specifically for the tattoo industry, recent research in similar fields has shown that online learning may be a better option than in-person training for future tattoo artists.

A survey conducted in 2019 found that over 77% of companies offered online learning opportunities to new team members (and this was before the COVID-19 pandemic hit). Additionally, employees said they learn five times more when they can study independently online.

This is because online learning allows for individual pacing. Every job, like tattooing, has numerous protocols, safety measures, and processes that must be completed each day. When you have control over when and where you learn, you are much more likely to retain the information as opposed to “time-based” learning.

“Time-based” learning requires a set number of hours to complete but doesn’t provide a systematic way to learn the material (much like an in-store apprenticeship, which often takes 50+ hours per week).

The shift to online learning is not limited to training in the business world.

Academic and medical institutions are leveraging online education more than ever before. In 2018, Forbes contributors identified that more than 300 nursing degrees (both bachelor’s and master’s) could be earned online.

This is an especially important note because nursing, like tattooing, is often centered around client care and uses many of the same materials, hygiene processes, etc.

Of course, some healthcare professions require some face-to-face learning, working with real people, and this is usually the main argument made against e-learning by those in favour of apprenticeship-only learning.

It’s true that nursing students will need to see real sick or injured patients and observe changes in their physical condition. Unlike the medical field, tattoo artists can practice their skills on artificial skin, themselves, or friends in private studios, allowing them to get the hands-on learning they need while still using online learning resources.

There is a lot of research being done confirming the effectiveness of online learning in both education and business, and it’s time for the tattoo industry to join in.

Of course, the easiest way to learn using online resources is to take a structured course (which is why we created our Artist Accelerator program).

The freedom to learn at your own pace and in your own space, while tackling the same lessons that apprentices do, is the ideal combination of an independent learning style and expert guidance.

Many “old school” artists tend to argue that the rise of exclusively online, self-taught artists is detrimental to an art form that is deeply rooted in tradition.

But moving tattoo learning online not only allows the industry to keep up with modern technology, but also meet demand.

Millennial customers have flooded the tattoo market over the past few years, with 41% of millennials surveyed in 2021 saying they have at least one tattoo. Additionally, 23% of Gen Zers have tattoos (only half of whom are over 18).

Compare that to 32% of Gen Xers and 13% of Baby Boomers, and it’s clear that the tattoo industry is growing fast, which means more artists are needed.

Most tattoo artists only take on one apprentice at a time (if they take on anyone at all), making it difficult to increase the number of artists quickly enough to meet customer demand.

Not only does online learning free up future instructors’ schedules to take on more clients, it also allows more tattoo artists to learn without the constant supervision of a professional.

As mentioned above, online learning allows you to choose when and where you study, allowing you to make better use of your study materials.

Generally, this idea appeals most to aspiring artists past their mid-20s, as the industry favors younger artists.

Tattoo shops are notorious for turning away older artists because apprenticeships don’t fit into the lifestyles of people with children or significant financial responsibilities, ruling out most people past their late teens or early twenties.

Artists beyond this age group can take advantage of online learning and learn at their own pace, whether they choose to study in short bursts or spread their studies out over several years, without sacrificing time with family or a full-time job.

But it would be disingenuous to ignore the benefits that online learning can bring to young aspiring artists.

Those born in the 2000s are known as “digital natives” because they have never known a time without Google. As a large proportion of this generation prefers the online environment, online learning may be the preferred option for aspiring artists, even if they are “too young” to work as an apprentice.

Tattooing will likely continue as an in-person service, but in a world where hybrid workplaces and “work from home” options have become the new preferred corporate culture, with the right structure and platform, the tattoo industry can easily adapt to an e-learning format for training new artists.

If you want to become a tattoo artist without an apprenticeship, you can learn using online resources if you know where to look.

If you’d prefer to learn independently with up-to-date resources, but with the structured learning you’d experience in a tattoo apprenticeship, Tattooing 101 has a range of online resources, video tutorials and a complete tattoo course to help you become a certified tattoo artist.