Becoming a tattoo artist may not be as easy as it looks. I am afraid, just being good at drawing or being passionate about doing a tattoo is not enough to make you a good tattoo artist. Various factors work collectively to make someone a professional and famous tattoo artist. I may not pick up all the points, but I will try to present all the possible things that matter.
Image: Trailertrashtattoo.net
All you need to do is just keep yourself open to all the possibilities that may come up on the way. Hard work and persistence are something you need at every point in time in this profession.
Equipment
Knowledge of tattoo machine kits is the first thing that you should look for. Although it is a vast topic to cover, I will be giving a brief idea of what equipments to look for in the first place.
Tattoo Machines
Tattoo machines are basically of two types coil and rotary. You can prefer them as liner and shader. Coil tattoo machines are used mainly by established tattoo artists because this kind of machine is heavy and a little hard to control. They make noise and use more needles than the other one. Even in the coil tattoo machines, there is various kind.
Most modern-day tattoo artists prefer using rotary machines, as it is comparatively light and easy to use. For liner work, these machines are great.
Both have their perks and disadvantages when it comes to picking up the best one for you. If you are a beginner, you can train under other artists and practice to know which one you are more comfortable using.
Tattoo Needles
The different needle has their diverse work, and it is necessary to know about them before starting to do any tattoo on a human. Sometimes you may need to use multiple needles for a tattoo, which may need skin damage if you don’t have the fundamental awareness in the first place. Needles can be of different sizes as well, which helps to give even more detailed tattoo work.
Tattoo Ink
Never compromise with the ink quality if you are serious about your work and don’t want to harm your client. You can start practicing with cheap inks on different things but when using them on a human, never settle with a cheap one. The durability of a tattoo depends on the ink, including other factors. Not only that, a lousy ink can damage or harm the skin as well, like allergic reactions and swelling.
Tattoo Aftercare
You need to gather as much knowledge as you can gather about tattoo aftercare for your good. To be very honest, you have to keep learning about the process of aftercare if you want to keep your clients happy. Describing them the aftercare method to avoid any sort of unwanted infection or delayed healing is essential. Because if something happens because of a lack of knowledge about aftercare, it is your responsibility.
Some Tips
Always look for which equipments require what amount of power supply not to get stuck in any undesired situation, especially if you like to travel with your essentials.
Tattoo cables are also one thing that you should know about always. Razor, disinfectant, tissue papers are somethings that you should have plenty of no matter where you are.
Conclusion
You need years of practice under an already established tattoo artist before going for the actual work. The practice is the key, and you may not need to go to a school necessarily to be a good artist, but it would be great if you can because people tend to give more preference to a certified artist, and you will gain a lot of knowledge there. But keep in mind that your real journey will only begin when you start inking on other people.