Stop Saying You Want To Be An Apprentice

There’s a lot of history of gatekeeping in the body modification industry. In some ways this has been good and in others bad. We’ve spent the last century creating an industry that has gone from the taboo to the trendy. When I started 20 years ago there was plenty wrong - women were scarce, the culture was toxic af, and the materials we had were basic. But it required true skill to be able to master a coil machine and it still does. This is partially one of those rants about “kids these days have it too easy”. 

The industry has become easy and more accessible. Nowadays pen machines and teflon coated needles mean that there isn’t so much skill to learn to reach a level that before would have taken months to years. But I’m supposed to be explaining why you don’t want to be in this industry not why it’s so easy. 

The industry right now is so oversaturated. People who decided they were artistic and this was a cool “hobby”, those who picked it up during covid, and just the people who don’t want to pay for quality work scratching on their friends. Tattooing is losing its value because of these kind of people, and what’s worse is these people are starting to teach others. What once was considered a sacred industry is soon going to be a “my first tattoo kit” if the amount of apprentices isn’t curbed. 

Hours

Just like going to college a good apprenticeship will take months and years of your time, mostly unpaid and there’s no student loans to apply for to pay your bills in the meanwhile. Sadly that never stops even once you graduate. My time isn’t just tattooing. It’s hours spent writing blogs, scheduling posts, editing photos, drawing flash, cleaning, ordering supplies, answering messages and doing consults. None of that is paid. The time you spend in studio is maybe 2/3 of your job and most studios expect more than 40 hours a week of chair time. Once you’ve been doing this a bit you might be able to afford to slack off but - if you’re not tattooing you’re not making money which is why this tends to be a second job for most young tattooists. 

Money

There’s a wonderful myth that since tattoos cost so much you’ll be making loads of money. As an apprentice you’ll likely spend many hours in studio unpaid until you can be trusted to touch a human. That or you’ll be paying for an apprenticeship. Getting around this by being tipped to run reception etc isn’t enough to pay your bills most of the time. 

Unfortunately with the current economic climate this same problem is affecting people who have been tattooing 20 years or who a year or two ago were booked a year in advance. The economy isn’t what it was and there are less clients and more artists to compete with. You’ll have to spend a long time building up regular clients to keep that from fluctuating too much. 

The other thing to note is that the expense a client spends on a tattoo is not what you make. Most studios charge 50% commission or more. So that $100 instantly becomes $50. On top of that you have to take out taxes, equipment costs (depending on what you buy this can be $20+ a tattoo and good equipment isn’t cheap) so while your client thinks you’re making bank you’re probably barely covering costs these days. 

Physical Toll

Have you ever watched your artist while we tattoo? We contort ourselves and ball ourselves up trying to get the perfect angle to pull lines consistently. And it takes its toll. Back problems, hip problems, wrist problems. Some of these are career ending eventually. One wrist injury and the vibration of the machine becomes so painful you can no longer hold it. Years of tattooing will become carpal tunnel in both hands. 

And the lifestyle means it’s rare to find people who have the energy to devote to being healthy. We sit for hours in our chair and most of us don’t want to lose focus by taking breaks to stretch. Not to mention most of us have caffeine as our main food group to keep up with everything. 

At this point I have a massage therapist, a chiropractor, yoga, and pain meds just to keep me walking every day. My hips occasionally go out and there’s days it becomes difficult to even walk. My neck is permanently bent down from leaning over my work. Watch an older artist walk through the studio and observe their body. You’ll be able to visibly see the physical effect.

This isn’t to mention that we also tend to eat on the go - food in one hand, phone or pencil in the other. The few minutes we take to shove food in is split with those client messages or a quick note to a loved one saying we’re still alive. Take-out is a way of life because by the time you’re off work it’s too late to cook. 

Oh and speaking of physical there’s no insurance. So you’d better have a partner with a steady job and good insurance. There’s also no 401k or unemployment. You don’t retire from this job, you simply expect to do it til you die. 

Social Life

Do you enjoy your weekends? Vacations? Kiss those goodbye. Our busy hours are when everyone else is off work. You’ll rarely get a Saturday off and if you do you’re giving up the money for that day. The same thing goes to vacations. There’s no holiday or sick pay so you simply have to work more to make up for that time off. Family events? Same thing. You’ll be compromising your holidays with being able to work. 

The holiday season is coming up and this is especially true. It’s quieter for us which means less money, but we have presents to buy just like everyone else so spending more time in the shop to make up for less money is part of the season. While everyone else is partying you’re scrounging for walk-ins.

So Why Do It?

The body modification industry is a calling. 5 years from now a lot of these baby artists working from home or who started during covid are going to drop out. It’s hard. And doing it “on the side” at home is both dangerous and illegal. The state of Virginia STARTS with a $10,000 fine and a class one misdemeanor if they catch you. Not to mention the city for unlicensed business etc. It will cost you. The state actively patrols social media and physically. 

Tattooing and piercing is something you just have to. You can’t imagine yourself doing anything else. I’ve tried different more stable careers several times and yet every single time I’ve come right back to tattooing. It’s what feels right for me. The struggle is definitely real but I have seen the ups and downs of this industry over the last 2 decades. 

I always said I wouldn’t have apprentices and I stick by that. I could make money by charging for apprenticeships since I have the license to have them. I don’t. I think this industry needs less people who think this job is “cool” and more people who can’t imagine themselves doing anything else. I’m glad you’re good at art, but being an artist doesn’t mean you’re a tattoo artist; being able to stick a needle in an earlobe doesn’t mean you know anything about metal or anatomy to pierce safely. 

There’s so much work in this career that to really be passionate about it you have to dedicate your life to it, and that’s a forever thing both for the good and the bad. So don’t ask your tattoo artist or piercer for an apprenticeship. We’re already struggling and you’re one of so many asking that the only way we’re going to say yes is for you to really stand out with your dedication. It’s nothing personal, but we’re tired of people thinking this job is easy.