Emerging Career: Tattoo Artist

Tattoo Artists design and create skin art.

We said: What is tattooing all about?

He said: For me, it’s all about visual identity. Each tattoo is a statement about someone’s life. Whether you have one tattoo or multiple, you decided to use your skin to advertise who you are. It’s the same as wearing a designer shirt with a label. Basically, there are two kinds of tattoos: flash designs and custom designs. We have 100s of flash designs to choose from in this shop. On Saturday evenings I create custom designs. The most popular design this year is a sword and snake. The most popular colors are black and green.

We said: What are the best and hardest parts of being a Tattoo Artist?

He said: The hardest part of my job is working with people who are very nervous or scared. I always start with the bad stuff like health issues and pain. Then I try to help customers relax and have fun choosing a cool design. Since the tattoo will always be there, it is important to choose one that is all about you.

We said: How did you get started as a Tattoo Artist?

He said: This job isn’t as easy as you think! There’s technical stuff that you have to know like health codes, skin types and how the tools work. Plus you have to know about inks and design features. I got here from graphic arts and photography. I started working during busy nights and weekends just helping-out and learning along the way. The tattoo on this arm was my first paycheck. 

Secrets of the trade…

N      Expect to work nights and weekends

N      A steady hand and an eye for color are important

N      Customer relations can be stressful

N      Check your spelling

N      A tattoo is a statement about someone’s life