General advice for a girl who wants to become a tattoo artist???

My art is pretty good for my age I guess, I'm sixteen, a junior, and in the highest Art class my school has. I'm thinking that becoming a tattoo artist is one of the few careers that will let me use my art and talent in a way that I find enjoyable.... Anyone know anything from past experience??? Thanks.x.General advice for a girl who wants to become a tattoo artist???
I'm kind of the anti-artist (stick figures, onward!), but I've seen this question answered by artists. The general answer appears to be:





Concentrate first on being an artist, and then later as a tattoo artist. Minimally keep up with the art classes and refine you talents. It would behoove you to take college level courses to really challenge you, going for a degree in art (2 or 4 year, even an MFA if you can manage). Tattooing is kind of like the graduate work you'd do after getting a bachelor's degree, similar to getting an MD after doing pre-med.





Build up a nice beefy portfolio of work to present to a potential tattoo studio. You'll want to show all sorts of different styles and examples of what you can do. You'll still need to find someone willing to apprentice you, but the monster pack of drawings and paintings will be needed.





You might be able to get the apprenticeship whilst taking classes; it kind of depends.





Know that you'll probably do the odd jobs around the shop way before you start tattooing. Sweeping, mopping, carrying supplies back %26amp; forth, helping do re-orders, dealing with customers, watching the front counter - all sorts of non-art related work.





This seems to be most legit - if difficult - way of proceeding, but it also seems to garner the most respect from the professionals within the field and has the highest chance of success.





Best of luck to you.General advice for a girl who wants to become a tattoo artist???
you'll need to be able to draw quickly and sure of yourself, but if you're confident, that's a good start. from what i know - and i'm interested in it myself - you'll need to begin looking at apprenticing in shops around your area. choose one with a good reputation not just for art, but for health [sterilization, etc.]. talk to the artist(s), show them your work, and ask if you can apprentice. some places require a monetary commitment as well as time.





from there, the people i know apprenticing spend most of their free time in the shop, and they aren't getting paid for it. nor are they tattooing. you have to be dedicated to learning everything, and resigned to the fact that for a while you're basically going to be doing runaround work. there won't be money in it for a pretty good amount of time.





additionally, i'm not positive they'll let you apprentice until you're eighteen, but talking to them now, and building up a portfolio of work, will definitely help you if nothing else.





but if it's what you want to do - go for it. i doubt it would be boring, and your artwork would definitely be put to good use.
Make sure you have a lot of money, tattooing is a costly profession.
Cool!





I would think the most important things are:


1) Keep practicing your art. Imitate all different styles (even if you don't like them) as practice.


2) Think hard whether you're a person who can ignore b.s. You'll be getting a lot of crap from people in that business. Are you able to ignore it and not get upset, distracted, etc?





Best of luck!
im 15 and planning on becoming a tattoo artist myself well hopefully





you should open a shop and let me work for you hahah jk