r/TattooApprentice May 09 '25

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

121 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

115 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 1h ago

Flash Critique my first portfolio piece

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Upvotes

Looking for feedback on this page. First time I’ve ever thought “this could be my first piece for a portfolio” after finishing a painting. Any and all critique is welcome, I know i have a lot of work left to do


r/TattooApprentice 4h ago

Flash sheet Repaint added to the portfolio. @skylerleeflash

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13 Upvotes

Feedback always appreciated. First iteration in last photo.


r/TattooApprentice 4h ago

Seeking Advice Advice on my portfolio so far?

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12 Upvotes

Wondering what I should add as I want to remove some of the digital stuff in the back. Also lmk if you think any of them are worth keeping :). Please help me flesh this bad boy out more!


r/TattooApprentice 7h ago

Seeking Advice What techniques, tools and media do tattoo artists want to see in a portfolio?

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12 Upvotes

Hey peeps,

I've been drawing for years but mostly with graphite for realism, liners for crosshatching and more recently coloured pencils and alcohol markers to start playing with colour, which is something I hadn't really done before.

I'm lost when it comes to what techniques, tools and media I should use for my portfolio. I'm finding it a bit of a rabbithole, between different inks and papers. I want to build a portfolio that showcases different styles and what I am capable of doing but also I wanna include parts of trad, neotrad and all that good tattoo stuff. So I guess I have to get into spitshading, but when I've started looking into it - holy jesus, I'm seeing so many options. And for someone that has never done it and knows zero about it, it's a bit overwhelming.

So, if you were to check someone's portfolio, what techniques would you like them to showcase? And what tools would you be using if you were to start your own portfolio right now?

Images of a few pieces I've done recently.

Thank you people :)


r/TattooApprentice 11h ago

Artwork clean enough design?

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12 Upvotes

i really liked how this design came out, copic markers. i’m trying to showcase my ability of concept creation but is the artistry there? is this level of black and grey work good enough to put in my portfolio? or should i do another pass?


r/TattooApprentice 1h ago

Seeking CC any & all criticism wanted!

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Upvotes

looking to become a tattoo artist but know i need to improve my art skills majorly first, so all critique no matter how harsh is welcome! tell me what i should work on, especially to get into tattooing! <3


r/TattooApprentice 8h ago

Seeking Advice Books

2 Upvotes

Does anyone have recommendations for books on the subject of tattooing? I’m looking to buy a few different ones covering the fundamentals of different styles and technique for designs.


r/TattooApprentice 16h ago

Portfolio Tattoo portfolio help

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10 Upvotes

I’m fairly new to the community, just started my portfolio today and wondering if I could get some tips on how I should proceed forward! Anything helps :)


r/TattooApprentice 11h ago

Seeking CC give me the most brutal constructive criticism you can!

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3 Upvotes

i’m an aspiring tattoo artist wanting to work on a portfolio to hopefully get an apprenticeship! but first i know i need to improve on my art skills, all criticism and advice wanted! <3


r/TattooApprentice 1d ago

Seeking CC Having trouble coloring/shading!

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22 Upvotes

Currently coloring some silly fish pieces and I think I like them so far but also idk something feels a bit off. It might be that some of the harder black shading is a little too harsh for this style, or maybe it’s the opposite idk?? I was trying to push my colors but I feel like my inexperience in color work is showing. Im also contemplating switching to a more cohesive traditional color palette, but again I’m not sure the style/concept lends itself to that.

Any coloring/shading critique to make these guys (specifically the tripping trout) come together better would be appreciated! I’m gonna do them traditionally for a portfolio piece once I digitize them :o)


r/TattooApprentice 16h ago

Seeking Advice Are all teachers equal

3 Upvotes

Hi all.

tattoo artist aspirant here seeking some advice. I live in a pretty small town and there are a couple of tattoo shops I could consider taking my portfolio too either for feedback or to seek out an apprenticeship. The only thing is I personally feel like most of them (I won’t name drop here because taste is subjective) aren’t amazing tattoo artists.

Is it worth getting an apprenticeship from someone whose art you don’t feel is very strong. Or does that not really matter as an apprenticeship is about learning techniques and fundamentals that in theory should be fairly universal.


r/TattooApprentice 11h ago

Portfolio Portfolio Pieces

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0 Upvotes

I used markers, colored pencils, and pencil for these pieces. Any recommendations or advice appreciated!


r/TattooApprentice 1d ago

Seeking Advice Advice on becoming a tattoo apprentice!

2 Upvotes

Hi there and thanks for clicking on my post!

I’m sure this gets asked here all the time, but I’m considering a career change and tattooing is something I’ve been interested in for a while.

I’ve always been creative and have been drawing for years : commissions, art study for computer games, personal projects and generally just for fun both digital & traditional.
I also have quite a few tattoos myself and have always loved the art and creativity behind tattooing.

I currently work in a school and, although I enjoy my job, I’ve reached a point where I can’t really progress any further without a degree. I’ve been thinking more seriously about whether I could turn my love of art into a career instead.

I’d love some advice from artists or apprentices about where to actually start. How did you begin working towards an apprenticeship? Is there anything you’d recommend doing (or avoiding!) when starting out?

I’m UK based too, so UK-specific advice would be really appreciated! :)


r/TattooApprentice 1d ago

Seeking Advice What actually makes an apprenticeship toxic vs just hard? Trying to decide if I should switch shops.

11 Upvotes

I don’t know if this is the right place to post about this so let me know…

I’m about 7 months into my first tattoo apprenticeship and I’m trying to get some outside perspective before I make any big decisions.

Some context. I’m already tattooing real clients, doing linework and black and grey, starting into colour. So I know I’m further along than a lot of apprentices and I don’t take that for granted.

But there’s a bunch of stuff that’s been sitting wrong with me, and I honestly can’t tell if it’s just normal apprenticeship grind or actual red flags. A few things:

Nobody ever watches me tattoo. My mentor’s in the building but he never stands over my shoulder or gives me feedback after. I’ve seen other mentors do this constantly and it feels like the biggest thing I’m missing.

Everyone else has left. The other apprentices and artists all cycled out, so now it’s just me and my mentor.

I get left alone to hold the shop, sometimes at night in a rough area, and it doesn’t feel safe.

There’s no real plan for how or when this apprenticeship actually ends.

I keep telling myself “where else am I gonna get this opportunity,” but lately I’m wondering if that’s just me talking myself into staying.

So my questions for anyone who’s been through it:

What actually made your apprenticeship toxic vs just hard? Like where’s the line?

And if you switched shops partway through, was it worth it? Did it set you back, or was it the best thing you did?

Would love to hear people’s experiences, good or bad. Thanks.


r/TattooApprentice 1d ago

Portfolio What do you think?

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5 Upvotes

Hi! im just getting back into drawing, i took a break for a while due to MH, so im quite rusty, was thinking on people thoughts about these? i know the line work isnt polished lol, im bad for sketching rather than one line, which i am trying to learn how to do 😊

thank u :D


r/TattooApprentice 1d ago

Portfolio Portfolio Advice? Looking for an apprenticeship in Denver, CO!

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1 Upvotes

Here's the link to my portfolio on drive. Any and all feedback would be super appreciated !


r/TattooApprentice 1d ago

Seeking Advice I have a “DIY” apprenticeship and I need guidance…

1 Upvotes

Hello all! I started my apprenticeship in the middle of June. I work 10 hours a day, 6 days a week, unpaid. When I started I was told I’d probably start tattooing 6-9 months into my apprenticeship. I’m starting to get the hang of it and find my groove (with scheduling, cleaning, etc), however, no one teaches me or tells me anything about art. I’ve been an artist my whole life, but I really need guidance on my work and what I should be drawing. Instead, my mentor just tells me to make flash sheets. That’s fine and all, but my style is very anime/cartoony, so I just keep making flashes of what I want to draw which is usually in that style. I’ve done a couple neo/trad ones, but I can’t help but feel like there’s other stuff/styles that I should be practicing. I want to make sure I’m on the right track to start tattooing, but I’m just so lost on what I should be practicing ☹️. Please! I need direction! If anyone has some sort of prompts, checklist, assignments, ideas, or advice, I’d love to hear it! I’m pretty desperate here and anything will help. Also, if you need any more details I’m happy to share more! Thanks!!


r/TattooApprentice 2d ago

Portfolio Newest portfolio pages!

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66 Upvotes

Working on some more neo trad designs for the portfolio, and finished a couple pages!! Microns + pencil crayons


r/TattooApprentice 1d ago

Seeking Advice Am I being used in my shop in todays age of apprenticeships

7 Upvotes

Alright so I’ve been an apprentice for about five months! My mentor is extremely nice and respectful of most things. I clean the shop everyday, answer the phone, desk work, draw, stencil, breakdown and setup stations, and all the fun stuff ya do. I’ve noticed many apprentices start really early on fake skin but I have not!

He always says my work is awesome, solid, and so forth but anytime I ask about fake skin he brushes it off. Sometimes it’s him ignoring it in person by saying “keep stenciling” or through text I’m left on read. I feel like I’m lacking direction in my apprenticeship. There’s no milestones or steps directly for me to take. He’s told me to get my BBP which i did, learn sanitation, which I did as well.

I know he’s a busy man and I respect that but it feels like he doesn’t want to teach sometimes.


r/TattooApprentice 1d ago

Seeking Advice Working on a portfolio, need advice

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0 Upvotes

What can I improve?I want to go into a shop in a couple of days and im thinking if I should be printing these out and idk if I should color them or not.(last 3 are horror movie inspired, Leviticus, The backrooms and Obsession)


r/TattooApprentice 1d ago

Seeking Advice Any tattoo app's you are using to make things easier?

0 Upvotes

I'm open for any advice of the mobile apps that boosts tattoo workflow.


r/TattooApprentice 2d ago

Seeking Advice Looking for advice to polish my future works in the tattoo community. Any advice?

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4 Upvotes

Hello, I'm looking to see if any artists out there can guide me in the right direction to cleaning up my art and leading me in the right direction to prepare my portfolio for a potential apprenticeship. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! All of this is original (besides the inspired band logos) and drawn with pencil, then traced and worked with a ballpoint/felt tip pen.


r/TattooApprentice 3d ago

Flash sheet First time painting flash, using watercolor, and using calligraphy pen. All Sailor Jerry flash.

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17 Upvotes