How to Tattoo
I often get asked “How can I learn to tattoo?” and while an apprenticeship is by far the ideal way, I also know they're often not accessible to everyone. These resources I'm sharing with you aren't meant to substitute an apprenticeship by any means, they are also for people currently in apprenticeships or who are new tattooers who want to take their studying even further.
I like to say I'm not self taught, I'm community taught. I definitely did not learn all by myself, but 90% of my studying was done at home, with the help of the internet. If you really put in the time and dedication it takes to study, you'll be able to learn in time.
I also got help from my local community and was able to ask questions in person and shadow a couple of artists (who I now work with/ for!) and got guidance throughout my learning journey.
If you've reached out to artists or shops and haven't been able to find an apprenticeship, I highly recommend asking them to let you shadow them instead. Most artists don't want the commitment of taking on an apprentice, but don't mind having someone watching them work for a day. Also booking a tattoo with someone is the best way to ask them questions about their work/ process and see it first hand.
All that being said, here are some courses, books, videos, resources, etc. that helped me out on my journey.
It takes time (I studied for over a year before actually tattooing someone) but it's super rewarding.
VIDEOS
The first video lesson I ever took that started me on my journey:
Botanical Tattoo With Pointillism
A very good course that teaches you the very basics of how to set up correctly and execute a tattoo.
I did my very first practice tattoo after completing this course!
Botanical Tattoo Design with Procreate
This course is by one of my all time favorite tattoo artists and covers the design process and how to be more fluid and organic in your drawings. Very important for any kind of nature element you incorporate into your designs!
Introduction to Etching Tattoos
I bought this course quite literally the second it came out. I had already been tattooing for over a year, but Marco is one of my favorite artists and I couldn't wait to see his process. This is a more advanced course (in my opinion, due to the techniques he uses), and he has a very distinct way of working, which is unlike any other artist I've seen. Definitely worth checking out if you are into outline-focused pieces.
Freehand Cursive Lettering Tattoos
I personally don't do a ton of lettering, but it's important to study ALL aspects of tattooing. In this course, she gives a ton of great information, practice exercises, and further resources for you to keep studying.
These are just a few of the classes available on Domestika (I have purchased 13 of them so far!). This platform has TONS of videos about tattooing and art in general and what drew me to it is how they're super affordable. Most online tattooing courses are quite expensive, so these are super accessible in comparison.
They often go on sale for less than $10 each, so keep a lookout for the sales. They're also really well produced and have a forum for each course, where you can submit questions and get feedback directly. Definitely worth the investment. You can check out all of their tattoo courses by clicking here.
Phil Garcia's Pink Rose Tutorial - $50
This is a MUST WATCH for anyone wanting to dive into realism or color work in general. It's extremely thorough and has 2 cameras, one pointed at the tattoo and one pointed at his setup, so you can see exactly how he mixes his colors throughout the tattoo. It's $50, but you have lifetime access to it. I watched it once when I was first starting out, and then again once I was a year or so into tattooing. Every time you watch it you'll pick up something new as your skills progress.
YOUTUBE CHANNELS
Art Something - He gives amazing tutorials on a variety of subjects and shows everything on actual skin (on his own leg actually)
Jono Smith - Very in depth tutorials of basic concepts and techniques. Great analogies, like why we stretch the skin while tattooing.
You can find many in depth tutorials on YouTube, like this fine line video by Alex Lloyd, but there will also be uninformed people on there. Always use critical thinking, and search for reputable artists on the platform.
BOOKS
One thing I honestly hate about tattoo culture (especially in the United Stated) is how the American Traditional style is considered the end-all be-all. Old timers act like tattooing was invented by Sailor Jerry, and it's the only thing worth studying. I always encourage people to study the ACTUAL origins of tattooing, and to realize that what we're doing is a very ancient and very meaningful art practice.
Tattoo Traditions of Native North America: Ancient and Contemporary Expressions of Identity
Tattoo 1730s-1970s: Henk Schiffmacher's Private Collection of the Art and Its Makers
This is a very expensive, VERY BIG book, but an amazing collection with beautiful illustrations.
RESOURCES
Informed Consent and Trauma Aware Tattooing by Tamara Santibañez
Printable PDF available for free download here.
Tattooing goes far beyond just the creation of art and application on skin. We're dealing directly with people, and “bedside manners” are often overlooked, but are absolutely essential to our job.
This resource was developed in response to the needs of clients who are trauma-impacted or survivors of violence. The guide describes ways to integrate informed consent into the tattooing process, practical ways to be mindful of boundaries and communication, and tips for active listening.
Could This Be Magic? Tattooing as Liberation Work by Tamara Santibañez
Free digital PDF edition access here
Part manifesto, part love letter, part workbook, Could This Be Magic? features toolkit prompts and exercises, practical guidelines around good consent and boundary practices, and ideas for shaping a more ethical industry into the future.
EQUIPMENT/ MATERIALS
I also get asked a lot about what machine/ needles/ etc. I started using to learn.
Literally the cheapest stuff I could find.
What matters most at the start is nailing down your technique, and you can do that with ANY machine. Focus on learning before you focus on upgrading your equipment.
I started with:
$60 machine off Amazon (They used to sell just the machine, it looks like they only sell kits now)
This power supply (which I actually still use to this day)
These needles (which are super cheap and fine for practicing, but I don't recommend for actual tattooing since I had a few cartridges have debris in them)
(Bonus: Now I use these cartridges when I need a fast delivery since they're affordable and good quality.)
This arm rest, which isn't the best, but it does the job for $30. I recommend putting your fruit or fake skin on an arm rest to get used to it, instead of just working off a table or flat surface.
Polilla's video I linked above
and an orange!
I studied and practiced for about a year on fruit, fake skin, and pig skin, then I upgraded to a Cheyenne Hawk Pen before starting to tattoo people. Now I use a Cheyenne Sol Nova 4.0, and occasionally a Corun Little Fox rotary machine.
ADDITIONAL TIPS
I say this to EVERYONE, regardless of the artistic medium they choose: If you don't learn color theory, you will never be a well rounded artist. Plain and simple.
Color theory dictates EVERY. SINGLE. THING. in a piece.
Sure, you might be thinking “I don't even want to do color pieces, I just want to do black and gray.” but there are variations even in that: choosing to use warm, cool, or neutral grays are something that can completely change the look of a piece. Also, why would you limit yourself and your abilities?
There are plenty of free resources like youtube videos that can teach you the basics in no time.
However, I'm in the process of developing an online color theory course geared specifically towards tattoo artists focusing on practical applications in our field.
If you'd like to be updated about when this course is coming out, please sign up bellow:
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- Fernanda Machado
