r/TattooApprentice May 09 '25

Subreddit Update If you are a scratcher or encourage scratching you will be banned.

118 Upvotes

It is the most basic rule of the tattoo apprentice subreddit and is not up for debate. This subreddit is very specifically for traditional tattoo apprenticeships. If you have given advice to scratchers or answered their post when there are clearly no credentials in the title you will be given warnings. There are other subreddits for other types of tattoo learning. This is not one of them. Please respect the rules. If you are a scratcher nothing is stopping you from lurking if you really wanna learn and figure stuff out on your own.

All machine art, or tattoo machine/supply questions MUST have credentials in the title following the posting format. This is not up for debate.


r/TattooApprentice May 02 '25

Subreddit Update Apprenticeship FAQ updated

106 Upvotes

Apprenticeship FAQ

Hey everyone, we know there are a lot of questions about tattoo apprenticeships. To prevent spam and recurring questions we made this pinned post for FAQ.

Portfolio

We see the same advice time and time again rehashed from hopeful artists in the subreddit who aren’t in the industry, offer each other same piece of advice. “make your portfolio tattooable, it’s needs to be tattooable!”

We’ll tell you right here and right now that most potential mentors do not give a care if your portfolio is tattooable. You learn tattooable design during your apprenticeship!

We want to see that you can tackle different mediums and make refined pieces of artwork. Obviously if including hand painted flash designs is encouraged. Learning things like spit shading is helpful! However, no reputable mentor is expecting a 100% tattooable portfolio when you haven’t even started tattooing and don’t even know the rules.

Most apprentices learn tattoo design during their apprenticeship and build up their flash portfolio up over time under the guideance of their mentor. Essentially a mix of potential flash designs and other types of artwork is fine and encouraged by most potential mentors. These designs don’t have to be perfectly tattooable. Really mentors just wanna see your skill and want to know if you are worth the time, energy, effort, and investment of teaching.

So how should a portfolio look?

  • Your portfolio generally should have 20 to 40 finished pieces of artwork.

  • A mix of 70% traditional and 30% digital is fine.

  • Traditional artworks can consist of ink acrylic painting, oil painting, gouache, watercolor, color pencils, watercolor, pastels, markers etc.

  • A good portfolio will have color and black and grey pieces

  • A good portfolio should show that you have strong fundamentals, that you understand the basic rules of 2d design.

  • A good portfolio should include a few pieces of realism, when including realism also include the reference photo you worked from. Also include many pieces that show your unique artistic vision it’s okay to show a variety of styles.

  • A good portfolio needs to be refined, no half finished sketches, no sketchbooks, no messy drawings. If you’re including charcoal or graphite drawings make sure the final artwork is clean. Avoid messy or sketchy unless it’s done on an extremely intentional way as an artistic choice that makes sense.

  • A good portfolio generally starts with a strong piece, and leads the viewer through the book. You want whoever is viewing your portfolio to keep turning the page. Include your best works at the beginning and ending of your portfolio, create a visual flow that’s fun to look through.

  • A good portfolio will have a blurb about yourself, what makes your artistic voice unique? Literally everyone has been drawing since they could hold a pencil. that’s not gripping. EVERYONE wants to become a tattoo artist. Tell us WHY you are passionate about tattoos and the industry. Sell yourself to your potential mentors. Wanting to do this because it’s a fun cool job won’t get you any points from potential mentors.

What we suggest

We suggest putting together a physical portfolio consisting of photos showcasing your best traditional and digital artworks keeping in mind the 70% trad 30% digital rule. If you can fit the original pieces themselves into the portfolio great! If not, take good photos of your artwork in good lighting and adjust the contrast in a program like photoshop to see the art how you would see it with your eyes in person don’t over edit. Invest in getting good prints on good photo paper.

Putting together a portfolio online as well is important. Create a website, Instagram or both. Something where mentors can find and follow your work if they’re interested in you.

Never leave your portfolio at a shop, bring your portfolio to show it off, and then give potential mentors your information so they can find your portfolio online.

(Honestly the coolest thing an apprentice ever did was leave a business card and a print of their artwork for us.)

Final thoughts

THIS SUBREDDITS WORD IS NOT FINAL Everyone is different. Some artists may want to see only tattooable designs in a portfolio.

However in our experience in the industry and in talking to other tattooers. Doing the whole tracing and painting sailor Jerry flash and making that your entire portfolio works best for hardcore trad street shops.

For a majority of tattooers in the industry, we have seen the same 50 pieces of traced and painted trad flash, and it’s not impressive or eye catching unless it’s done extremely well. It’s worth it to study trad, but it doesn’t need to be the only thing you study.

You absolutely should study tattoo design and include some flash in your portfolio. But don’t shoot yourself in the foot by excluding great pieces of artwork from your portfolio because they aren’t tattooable.

Most potential mentors care more about your actual artistic ability and willingness to learn.

Do research on the people you wish to apprentice under or the shops you like and curate your portfolio accordingly. Being a varied artist and knowing how to use multiple mediums will INCREASE your chances of finding a mentor.

Make yourself stand out, don’t do what everyone else is doing. Use your unique voice and ignore all the apprentices giving each-other the same rehashed advice.

Approaching a studio

Introduction

The most important thing about approaching a studio is to show up to the studio. Introduce yourself and tell them why you’re at their studio. Be professional but not pushy. Explain that you would love for them to take a look at your portfolio and that you are looking for an apprenticeship. If they say yes, that’s great! However just because they look at your portfolio doesn’t mean you are going to land the apprenticeship. Show off your portfolio a d leave your contact information with the shop or artist you talked to. It’s also normal for studios to say no and not look at all. Don’t be pushy and respect boundaries.

A few things to note

  • Tattoo artists don’t owe you their time.

  • Rejection is normal. If they don’t want to look at your portfolio or give you their time, respect their decision.

  • If the studio is busy and no one can greet you, come back another time.

The three general answers I received :

  • They agree to look at your work and are looking for an apprentice.

  • They agree to look at your work but are not looking for an apprentice.

  • They would ask you to send over your work over email or social media.

What do I do after I approach the studio?

You wait for an answer. Apprenticeships are not given overnight. They are a decision made by a team. Practice more art while you wait.

RED FLAGS IN APPRENTICESHIPS

Unfortunately, it's more than common that apprenticeships are using you for free labor or even worse free money. A few things redflags to look out for are:

  • Previous apprenticeships that have gone sour. Do your research and see if they have had a previous or current apprentice. Ask them for their insight on the studio and its dynamics.
  • High payment upfront. Some apprenticeships will ask you to pay monthly for your apprenticeship but it is not common. You are essentially paying for your apprenticeship via your labor. Be weary of studios that do this.
  • Unfair power dynamics in the studio. Obviously, they might not be upfront about their unhealthy work environment, but keep an eye out for things like verbal abuse, gaslighting, or harsh communication to clients or employees.

  • Unclean shop

  • Shops that promote hate based on gender, race, sexuality, or religion.

  • Shops with artists that use AI art

  • Shops that seem to be “apprentice farms” if it’s too good to be true it likely is.

  • Shops that make you sign crazy contracts

  • Shops that make you feel uneasy or unsafe listen to your gut!

  • Tattoo schools outside of states or areas where it’s legally required. Most tattoo schools are scams.

  • Shops that sexually harass you or clients. It’s worth it to read through 2 to 3 star Google reviews or to look up a shop or artist on Reddit to see what people are saying about it.

General questions

Do I need a IG account or website?

Studios will without a doubt ask if you have an art account on Instagram or a website. It’s not needed, but we highly recommend having either one of these. An instagram account to show that you’ve established a following and also to show off your work or a website that shows your portfolio. You can easily set up a website for your portfolio through various free, and paid website providers (such as Wix or Squarespace).

Do I need to have tattoos?

Tattoo studios generally don’t care if you have tattoos or not. So you do not need tattoos to be an apprentice. However it is important to eventually start getting tattooed if you want to be taken seriously by clients. Having tattoos show that you are interested in tattoo culture and have experience and empathy with what it feels like.

Do I need to know the tattoo artists personally?

No, although it helps. The reason why it doesn’t matter is because if you show them that you’re hard working and willing to learn then that should be enough. Why does it help? Because then they’re not taking a chance on a stranger who they don’t know if they’re motivated enough to be an apprentice. However don’t befriend tattoo artists just to land an apprenticeship. We are extremely weary about people trying to use us as a stepping stool to get into the industry and are tired of being used and pushed around by others to get what they want.

Do I have to pay for my apprenticeship?

It's a case by case thing, but most of the time you do have to pay the studio back somehow. Sometimes you pay with your labor in the shop, or you pay a monthly fee, although paying a monthly fee or paying any money at all is usually a scam. Watch out for studios that are asking for a very high amount of money directly upfront. Most reputable studios do not ask for money.

How long does an Apprenticeship take?

Apprenticeships take from (the fastest we’ve heard) 7 months to 1/1.5 years (sometimes 2 years). You have to account for steady progress in this period. If you don't see any progress in the first 3-4 months as a tattoo artist and you see that they're just using you for free labor. Leave (this is very case by case, but know your worth not as an artist but as a person).

Do I have potential?

Yes, almost everybody has potential. Apply yourself and make artwork that blows away potential shops and mentors. Study art and genuinely practice

We hope this is helpful and if there’s any more questions/comments or feedback you’re welcome to leave a comment!

Good luck! Tattoo Apprentice Subreddit Team


r/TattooApprentice 3h ago

Flash sheet Wizard & Tiger

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36 Upvotes

It’s been almost 3 months since I’ve posted here! I’m stoked to share that I landed an apprenticeship in early May. Juggling a full time job, and the apprenticeship on my days off has left me little time for painting..

I had a lot of fun painting this one! Still hoping to fill the bottom corners and I’m open to suggestions! Insta is chasedrawz if you’d like to see more and follow my journey! Thanks for looking!


r/TattooApprentice 19h ago

Tattoo some recent tattoos i'm pretty proud of 🐸🥀 [@INKEDPIERRES] [moody moth studio] [vancouver, BC] [canada]

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24 Upvotes

included just the lines from the vampire lady piece since the angle of the photo makes it her head look a bit big -- we've got to finish the rest of the color on her still too!!

been having a lot of fun taking on some larger projects now that my mentor has been letting me charge apprentice rates for things :) yayyyy


r/TattooApprentice 1d ago

Portfolio Looking for a tattoo apprenticeship in the Seattle or Bellevue area in WA and looking for feedback on portfolio! <3

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48 Upvotes

hii, i'm an aspiring tattoo artist with a completed tattoo apprenticeship portfolio that is looking for an apprenticeship in the Seattle or Bellevue area in Washington. I have asked a couple of shops already and they are not currently taking in any apprentices. I would love to know if there are any shops in the area that are open to taking in any apprentices, and if anyone knows any shops please let me know!! Meanwhile, I'm just working on drawing more and creating more tattoo designs so I would love some feedback on my current work (I can only post 20 photos so this is not my full folio)!! All of the work is designed by me except the realism (some flash are drawn digitally), looking forward to hearing some feedback :)

(there is no tattoo machine related art!! Just traditional art)


r/TattooApprentice 20h ago

Seeking CC Starting to build my portfolio. Can I get some CC on some of my pages/work?

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8 Upvotes

r/TattooApprentice 18h ago

Flash sheet Ink

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7 Upvotes

I'm working with ink for the first time. Thoughts? Feedback? Thanks!


r/TattooApprentice 1d ago

Portfolio my portfolio

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37 Upvotes

i think i’ve finally finished my portfolio! will be taking it around shops sometime soon but thought i’d post here for feedback :-)


r/TattooApprentice 1d ago

Flash Al Schiefley cowgirl redraw

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7 Upvotes

r/TattooApprentice 1d ago

Seeking Advice Advice on finding models

6 Upvotes

Hi! I’m an apprentice of two years working in London and I’ve recently started tattooing actual customers. I’m working on a reduced rate right now and want to get the word out so I can build my portfolio. Does anyone have any tips on where to advertise/find people who are interested in reduced rate work? Instagram isn’t cutting it right now and I’d love to know how other apprentices do it!


r/TattooApprentice 1d ago

Seeking CC First attempt at a sick panther (and cheetah) any criticism is welcome

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4 Upvotes

I spent quite a while on this piece (and it still needs the frame part finished). I know the shading isn't quite there yet but overall I'm fairly happy with the visual effect.

Materials used: Alcohol based ink markers, black gouache paint for shading, Bristol smooth paper.


r/TattooApprentice 1d ago

Portfolio my cover page

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2 Upvotes

used the extra things to cover my infooo


r/TattooApprentice 1d ago

Flash First peonie, trying various coloured pencils

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31 Upvotes

r/TattooApprentice 1d ago

Seeking Advice Mentor Advice

6 Upvotes

Hey y’all

Trying to keep my animosity here so not revealing too much. Basically I got an apprenticeship at a private studio months ago and I’ve noticed my mentor is insanely inconsistent. He reserves one day of the week for “apprentice” day at the studio, although I think we’ve only met a handful of times. He has other work besides being a tattoo artist and I don’t think he always wants to meet because he’s over stretched. There is also another apprentice, and often “hangout” in a non apprentice - mentor relationship.

I know what I should do but just wanted to hear someone else tell me. 😫 please offer some advice 😫😫😫


r/TattooApprentice 1d ago

Seeking Advice Beginner supplies, books etc. Advice needed please.

1 Upvotes

I am currently putting together a portfolio to hopefully start looking for a tattoo apprenticeship in the new year. I have been drawing on and off for a while but I am looking to improve my drawing skills to get them up to the level they need to be, so are there any books you can recommend for references/tips, or YouTube channels that go through things step by step, or tutorials?

Also, I am trying to get a range of mediums in the portfolio but I currently only have biro, fineliner and pencil. Are there any types of mediums that should definitely be included, or are those three enough?

Thanks in advance.


r/TattooApprentice 1d ago

Seeking Advice Balancing Two Career Paths

4 Upvotes

Hello,

This is going to be a long post so bare with me.

I have been interested in tattooing since I was 16. Since I was a young child, I have been very passionate about art and creating it. It was been a lifelong dream to pursue making a living off my art while being a tattoo artist. Last year, I finally finished my portfolio, but I am having such a hard time finding the right and safe apprenticeship where I will be taught well and it won’t be waste of my time. I asked almost every tattoo shop in my surrounding area, but almost all of them said they weren’t able to take on apprentices currently.

I got an offer at one tattoo shop, but there were a lot of red flags. For instance this person keep asking me if I was in a relationship, because this individual mentioned they had relationship problems with previous apprentices. That was just one of the many things that seemed odd to me. I had another offer but they wanted an insane amount of money for it. I wouldn’t mind paying for an apprenticeship as someone I know has done it and their apprenticeship turned out just fine. But they paid through a small payment plan, not all of the money right away.

I reached out to a third shop. They said that they were not taking on any apprenticeships, but that I could come by the shop and do some art and hang out. So I did that for about six months. Then, other people reached out for apprenticeships, and they got an apprenticeship right away. I was a little hurt by that, but it’s no hard feelings either way. I’m not sure if I want to come up to that shop anymore though.

Anyways because of all of this, I am fallen on a backup to do dog grooming. I love animals/dogs and it’s another passion of mine. I honestly care about animals just as much as I do art. However, I still want to pursue this dream of mine while going with dog grooming. I just can’t afford to set everything aside and pursue tattooing without getting paid or having to pay lots of money. Is there a way I can pursue my dog grooming while trying to get an apprenticeship that’s willing to work with me and my schedule. What’s everyone’s advice on this? Please be respectful as I am simply just asking for help.


r/TattooApprentice 2d ago

Portfolio Portfolio so far, thoughts??

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20 Upvotes

Hi, I've been working on my portfolio for a while now and this is what l've got so far!

What's missing? What should I change?

Would love some honest, constructive feedback.


r/TattooApprentice 2d ago

Seeking Advice Building a portfolio specific to tattooing

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12 Upvotes

Hi there! I’m an aspiring apprentice that doesn’t know where to start. I recently graduated a college course in video game art and animation, but I am really passionate about getting into the world of tattooing. My portfolio is solid, but it isn't specific to tattooing yet. Lots of digital artwork, and not a single flash. How do you go about making your work do a 180 to fit into an appealing traditional tattoo style?? I feel really lost on how to apply my current work into something more palatable without losing my individuality. Also wondering if I should worry about buying a machine and practice on fake skin right away? Any advice or CC is welcome! <3


r/TattooApprentice 1d ago

Seeking Advice i’m looking at tattooing as a side gig. is it worth it?

0 Upvotes

like think of how some girls do nails. that’s how i would like to do tattoos.

i’ve wanted to be a tattoo artist for years, but i’m currently in pursuit of a more “professional“/academic career. would it be frowned upon to look for an apprenticeship while still pursuing my studies in an alternate field? could i find an apprenticeship that is flexible in hours? or is this dream just gonna have to go.


r/TattooApprentice 2d ago

Portfolio Question

0 Upvotes

So many people say to not cut out your pictures and put jn it the portfolios but I want opinions do yall do it or not? Can I see some examples??


r/TattooApprentice 2d ago

Portfolio doom generation painting

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5 Upvotes

r/TattooApprentice 2d ago

Seeking Advice recommendations?

1 Upvotes

best affordable markers for outlining sketches on paper? i’m using a sketch book paper and need a good marker that isn’t too thick, won’t bleed, and dries quick. TYIA!!! ♥️


r/TattooApprentice 2d ago

Seeking Advice Regretting not going down the tattooing route...

0 Upvotes

I (F19) went to an early college highschool which very quickly made me realize college wasnt for me. I have always been extremely passionate about art, unfortunately due to the nature of my school we had no electives so i was solely self taught.Around my junior/senior year i was thinking about what career i wanted and i wanted to be a tattoo artist.. it really felt like the only creative job that i had a chance at (in the past i had thought about going into animation/story boarding that side of the industry but decided not to due to how many people dont make it) by the end of my senior years i was comparing my art to everyone’s on here. I convinced myself that the only world i could be a tattoo artist was if i had gone to a regular highschool and taken AP art all 4 years. So i started looking for second option and decided on beauty school since it felt like a similar career structure but you didnt have to rely on an apprenticeship to learn you just had to enroll in school… That was definitely wrong beauty school sucks and hardly prepares you for anything except you state boards. Luckily I took my classes through a local college I didnt spend a terrible amount like some people do. Recently I got into henna and I guess it got me reminiscing on when I wanted to be a tattoo artist in some way and then like magic instagram started showing me all these reels of people going through there apprenticeship and talking about how torturous it is because you have to draw the same things over and over (they had like 100 sheets of fake skin that was just squares and lines and circles) and i was like hmm thats weird because I used to love doing art studies like that drawing the same things over and over and watching it get better. Idk all this just got me thinking about if hairdressing doesnt work out maybe i can go back to school for art (associates) try to get an apprenticeship and if that doesnt work out just become an art teacher ig (i used to really want to be a teacher but damn that pay sucks.) Idk Ive been thinking about it so much i guess I just wanted to ask here if theres anything Im missing, if I shouldn't bother or if it'd be worth a try...


r/TattooApprentice 4d ago

Portfolio trad flash practice (sailor jerry)💓

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58 Upvotes

Hi ! thought I’d share some of my progress with my traditional practice ^-^ it was my first time using black windsor and newton ink and while it was defo better in terms of blending I didn’t quite anticipate how messy it would be (had to tippex some various parts of the paper as unfortunately blotches got on there :( sad times)
not sure if this will go in the portfolio or just stay in my sketchbook as practice work seeing as it went a bit wrong towards the end, but thought I’d share my progress all the same !! :D

If anyone has any recommendations for good flash books pls let me know , I’d love to collect more study material !


r/TattooApprentice 3d ago

Tattoo A few days of healing! There’s a lot to improve on but overall I’m very happy with my first tattoo! [inkedbyjavii] [Done N Cane Tattoo Studio] [El Paso] [Tx]

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7 Upvotes