# How do people get started as tattoo artists **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 15, 2008, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-people-get-started-as-tattoo-artists/449452 "2008-05-15T16:39:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![unspun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b9bd4f/32.png) [@unspun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/unspun)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2008, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-people-get-started-as-tattoo-artists/449452/1 "2008-05-15T16:39:01Z")
I’ve always wondered this… do they practise on themselves first? Do they tell the first few customers that they’re newbies? what happens when they make mistakes? ---
**Author:** ![unspun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b9bd4f/32.png) [@unspun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/unspun)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2008, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-people-get-started-as-tattoo-artists/449452/2 "2008-05-15T16:40:21Z")
To be more clear, I mean they might feel confident as artists on paper or canvas or whatever, but surely skin is a rather different medium? ---
**Author:** ![MeanJoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanjoe/32/5693_2.png) [@MeanJoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanJoe)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2008, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-people-get-started-as-tattoo-artists/449452/3 "2008-05-15T16:41:46Z")
Typically they enter into an apprenticeship with an established artist. The few that I know did some of the first work on themselves. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2008, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-people-get-started-as-tattoo-artists/449452/4 "2008-05-15T16:45:09Z")
They apprentice under an established tattoo artist that they’ve shown their portfolio to and paid for the trouble. After learning the basics and watching enough tattoos being done, they start doing some simple work. Frequently they practice on themselves first, and do their first few on friends willing to be their test subject and get a free tattoo in return. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2008, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-people-get-started-as-tattoo-artists/449452/5 "2008-05-15T17:44:55Z")
As they’ve all mentioned, and the practice that they do on themselves tends to be on the their thighs. If you ever have the occaison to see a tattoo artist in short shorts you’ll see plenty of bad tats on the upper legs because that’s the area easiest to tattoo on oneself. ---
**Author:** ![Stana\_Claus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stana_claus/32/13874_2.png) [@Stana\_Claus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stana_Claus)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2008, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-people-get-started-as-tattoo-artists/449452/6 "2008-05-15T17:49:40Z")
I came in to say you start with a piece of leather and then progress up from there. I was close, you start with FRUIT! :eek: From [http://www.tattoobodypiercinginstitute.com/HOW-COURSES-WORK.html](http://www.tattoobodypiercinginstitute.com/HOW-COURSES-WORK.html) > [@](#): > > Depending on your level of skill, you will begin on FRUIT and then move on to the practice body art skins. When approved, you will move on to a live person, usually yourself first. Then family & friends and than other willing volunteers. (check with local laws) ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2008, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-people-get-started-as-tattoo-artists/449452/7 "2008-05-15T18:13:45Z")
[Dorothy Parker’s Elbow](http://www.amazon.com/Dorothy-Parkers-Elbow-Tattoos-Writers/dp/0446679046). A collection of essays and stories about tatooing that will tell you all about it. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2008, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-people-get-started-as-tattoo-artists/449452/8 "2008-05-15T18:40:04Z")
What kind of fruit adequately simulates skin? ---
**Author:** ![puppygod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@puppygod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puppygod)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2008, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-people-get-started-as-tattoo-artists/449452/9 "2008-05-15T18:50:34Z")
I heard (from actual tattoo artist) that they practice on the pig skin. Dunno if that’s true or if he was pulling my leg. ---
**Author:** ![Mojo\_Pin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Mojo\_Pin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mojo_Pin)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2008, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-people-get-started-as-tattoo-artists/449452/10 "2008-05-15T18:54:39Z")
I was gonna guess that the beginning tattoo parlors and butchers of the world have a symbiotic unspoken agreement. I guess mango peels seem like they’d be kinda skin like. Edit: > [@](#): > > I heard (from actual tattoo artist) that they practice on the pig skin. Dunno if that’s true or if he was pulling my leg. Hah I may still be right ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2008, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-people-get-started-as-tattoo-artists/449452/11 "2008-05-15T18:58:40Z")
I had heard that aspiring dentists practice novocaine shots on oranges (something about the peel simulating gum tissue, I suppose). I asked my dentist about this, and she said no, they just practiced on one another back in dental school. She said the first time she had to inject a colleague with novocaine right there in front of the class, the other students all chanted “Shot! Shot! Shot!” ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2008, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-people-get-started-as-tattoo-artists/449452/12 "2008-05-15T20:23:19Z")
I’ve heard some tattoo artists start apprentices out on fruit, pig skin, commercial rubber “practice skins,” etc., but I don’t think any of the artists that I know do. One of my best friends from college is a tattoo artist, and he’s of the opinion that there’s really no other medium like skin, so tattooing a piece of fruit or leather or whatever wouldn’t really prepare you anyway. If you were to apprentice under him, your first tattoo would be on yourself or a very trusting friend. ---
**Author:** ![jk1245](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/49beb7/32.png) [@jk1245](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jk1245)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2008, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-people-get-started-as-tattoo-artists/449452/13 "2008-05-15T20:43:29Z")
FWIW, on the TV show _Miami Ink_, the apprentice (Yoshi) spent most of the 1st season watching, then he did some practice work on oranges, then himself, then he’d do some simple work (lines, filling in, real basic stuff) while the mentor watched. Lastly, he did full tats (though small and simple) on friends. Also, during the whole process, he was encouraged to draw and sketch as often as he could. He was even scolded for not Granted, it was a TV show, so of it may have been for show (tattooing oranges makes for a good spectacle), but it seemed a natural progression. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2008, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-people-get-started-as-tattoo-artists/449452/14 "2008-05-15T20:47:15Z")
I saw a commercial for _Miami Ink_ where the apprentice was tattooing a real, live pig while they were throwing creamed corn on his back to simulate clients losing their lunch. Good TV, but not standard practice. 😃