Hey friends! What do you think about tattoo schools?

In the state of Oregon it’s actually required to attend schooling before you can even apply for an apprenticeship. No shop can legally let you tattoo ever in their shop without going to school and getting licensed. The schooling is expensive as well, over 10k. The road to tattooing is hard before you even begin...

Self taught artist I observed closely every time I got tatted and a firm arm no shakiness most importantly have to love what you’re doing ✍🏽

As a tattoo artists... I hate the fact its so hard to get help or to get started. Im happy they started schools for it but its still not enough. Theirs no place to sign up to be an apprentice. Ive been looking for a master for 6 years. And every artist i came across didnt want to take me in and kind of was jerks about it. If shops was more open to taking in ppl who are ginuwine about the craft i would be a master my self. But with or without a master im going to learn... Im about to go to a school here in jersey. Not for the art. But really for the technical side of it. Like whats the best machines, how to correctly tune a machine, how to properly sterilize a machine... What needles is best for what job. You tube is really no help. You need hands on experience.

I'm a self taught tattooer I would never pay for a tattoo school. There are no easy shortcuts in this... I've been an artist my whole life and been tattooing almost a year and I haven't even scratched the surface... I respect the craft but where I live there is no one willing to help me so I do what I have to do.... now I know a lot of great artist started this way...

Dude, the 'soul in the tattoo' commentary hit home so hard. Ive tried to articulate this often. I'd rather look at a real life woman with flaws and all, over a perfect plastic photoshopped covergirl any day. Perfection is impressive, but it doesnt often invoke emotion.

I don’t see why people hate scratchers if you do it correctly you can do the same great work as an apprentice at a shop if not better. I started about a year ago, I had $40 left in my pocket so I bought myself a tattoo kit to learn all the basics of a tattoo machine the different parts what everything was used for, then little by little I started upgrading everything didn’t do a tattoo after 5 months, then I did some small tattoos on my friends some hearts and some small crosses came out like shit but an apprentice would have done the same, yet none of my friends have asked to get the tattoo removed or covered cause the lines are pretty straight and it looks great. Over a year later I kept studying drawing every single day I’ve seen almost every single tattoo video on KZfaq I upgraded everything built my own coil machines tuned them myself. Still not charging people for tattoos because I want to build a portfolio once I have I will take the license test and work at a tattoo shop. Once again not everybody has the ability to work at a shop for free and give their time like that, not everybody is ok with being mistreated over something they can learn on their own. I don’t know about you guys but I did pretty good and my work shows it and I’m better than many of the artists that I’ve gotten tattoos from.

I say go to school time under the tools then go for apprenticeship school is just for time with the tools that's it in any trade but you will get far more time with the tools in a school then you will hoping around working for free witch so many places ask you to do

The tattoo world is xenophobic and that's the bottom line. It's an art form that was monopolized by outlaw biker gangs that care more about holding that monopoly than pushing the art form. All you have to do is look at the average tattoo artists work and attitude. Many are more concerned with being cool and making money than they are about tattooing as an art form. Simple as that. Now with the rise of nerd culture and the shift over into who gets tattoos, tattoo culture is swiftly changing for the better. I don't knock tattoo school, you'll learn less at your average tattoo shop.

IMHO, a standardized cirriculum like one would find in a 'school' could/should be offered by or provided by the master who is aprenticinig the student. This would take all sorts of beuracracy which I imagine is not what tattooers are proficient at thus thier choice of career.

Tattoo school make Money more not better ist a Master and after the option to lehrn more und more and you lehrn never out ! Sorry for my bad English is not my fist language:-) your channel rocks:-)

I have a question- What does one do if shops are only interested in hiring artists that already know how to tattoo? I drove around to a few well regarded studios yesterday but most were busy. Luckily two had the time to view my portfolio. When I asked the first place about apprenticeship the owner told me they couldnt take anyone on but was happy to look through my work. He told me that I was way ahead of the competition and said that I could draw better than many tattoo artists, and that if I learned to tattoo I would have no trouble finding work in a shop. The second place also wasn't taking apprentices but the manager and senior shop artist looked through my work were very encouraging. As I left the senior artist gave me his card in the parking lot, and he builds and sells custom machines. I started to think that maybe these artists learned at home first and were either insinuatimg that I do the same and come back or were pulling my chain.

Look into the laws in Oregon about tattooing.

in my country exist a tattoo school that u make 10 classe, 1 per week about 6 hours a day and u pay 1000 euros and u receive a kit and the diploma

Online courses like Ben Fisher’s or 10Masters are amazing!,also i hate when people at studio’s ask id your good at drawing when applying for an apprenticeship,i always tell them that i apply as a tattoo apprentice not a drawing apprentice 😂

Apprenticeships are so important and it molds us into strong well rounded tattoo artists. They break you for a reason. You can handle terrible clients and how to have a thick as fuck skin. I had a super hard apprenticeship and I’m so grateful I stuck it out even when I wanted to quit. It was the loneliest period of my life. Worked my bum off. Not only are you learning technique but also blood borne pathogens. Teaches self motivation too

I got a couple, nearly three degrees in other fields of study. Though I am 'educated' and high marks too, It does not mean that I am at all employable in that field... hell it doesn't mean I have even a modicum of common sense. Tattoo school may not mean much now, but I do want my brain surgeon to go and to have graduated from a decent school not the "The Master Brain Surgery Institute."

There is a pretty famous KZfaqr named Elijah Daniel who has a face tattoo above his eyebrow that reads ‘PHAG’. He has a pretty strong following but has recently come under criticism by many because his tattoo looks different in certain pictures and he allegedly claims he fills it in with marker which sounds absurd and like a sad excuse. If you scroll back on his instagram you can see when he initially got it and the pictures he has taken since. A lot of people are suspicious that its fake. I think it would be really cool if you made a video addressing it since if anyone could determine the legitimacy I feel it would be you, not to mention it would no doubt get a lot of views since reaction videos tend to and he is famous on KZfaq.

Whats the school in lathia/ anyone got any alternatives to having to save up two years worth of rent?

Would you say it's almost impossible to get a job at a real shop with a tattoo school license? Or maybe going to tattoo conventions and working then using that as portfolio before applying to a real shop. Would that work better maybe?

Dont outshine the master and never fill a great mans shoes.

“Tattoo school” is such a joke. I think It’s good that it’s so hard to get into tattooing. It means only the people who are truly dedicated and truly love it will succeed. If you are dedicated enough, you can get in. Luck is preparation meets opportunity. It’s simple, draw, a lot, draw tattoo stuff, paint, learn the history. Most importantly get tattooed. Go to the shop you would be excited to apprentice at, and get tattooed! You can spend hours on the shop and artists will get to know you, then you can develop a relationship and from there an apprenticeship may occur. People who want to be tattooers but don’t wanna go get tattooed before don’t belong.

maybe they should have a "The Master Junkie Institute" to teach those junkies out there how to handle thier needles, needles and skin depth, and how not to leave tracks but to pull a straight line....hahahhaha

Hello I am at a bit of a cross road and I was wondering if you could help me out. I live in Sweden and they offer a three year tattoo school here where after they will help you get an appretancship at a shop guaranteed. I have tried to apply for some apprenticeships already but with no luck. I want to honour the tattoo culture as best I can so I was wondering what you think is best. Should I go to the school or continue applying for apprenticeships on my own. Thank you.

What is a good forum to join?

Guy with beanie is not very comfortable with his body language, very closed off