How to Land a Tattoo Apprenticeship

So I recently got ask by a fellow artist on Facebook how I landed my apprenticeship. I try to be a good person and if they're at least halfway decent, I'll try to help them out by telling them what I know from experience. So I took a couple minutes and wrote a very involved letter on how I landed my tattoo apprenticeship with Jason Fancher, my boss. And a few other tips and pointers on what to do to be a good candidate.
It dawned on me that this information would probably be pretty good for anyone seeking an apprenticeship as it is pretty hard to find one now a days what with all the tattoo TV shows making it so popular. Here, my good friends, is what I said to this eager young man...



Be patient! I had to wait 7 years for my tattooer, Jason, to finally ask me to be his apprentice.
I started out by painting some things, and going to his shop and showing them to him, asking for his critique, and going back and repainting, or doing new stuff with the new knowledge.

Spending alot of time building a relationship with the artist you want to apprentice under is key too. I kept getting tattooed by him and starting new tattoo projects, and coming back regularly. They want to trust you, they want to know that you're loyal. My whole left sleeve was done by Jason. The biggest commitment you can show them is getting a large, visable piece from them.

Do alot of research before you choose who you want to apprentice under. Also, getting it from someone who owns the shop, you wanna learn those skills of running a buisness and doing what needs to be done. Try to pick someone that you can learn from. There are a lot of terrible artists/shops out there, they will just want to use you.

Some shops are weird about apprentices, and it's really hard to nail one out there. I had to put my time in and earn the respect from Jason before he'd consider it. I'm not saying you have to wait as long as I did, but I think that's the better route. You have more of a connection with the master. Other tattooers will consider if you have cash in hand... I've heard around 5 to 10 grand is the norm.

I know it's tough out there, especially in this industry. I wanna help out another artist as much as I can so if you have any questions at all, I'll try my darndest to answer them as best as possible.

Good Luck!!

--Angie

Do the Creep!

This client of ours is really really into skulls and skeletons. Jason has nearly completed a whole sleeve of skulls and skeletons and nearly dead things on Paul. He"s been a way on a job for a while, but when he visits, he always has an itch for some new tattoo.
This is my first one, a piece of Herbert Hoffman flash. Well, I redrew it a little bit.


After I tattooed it, I realized that it was verrry reminiscent of something....
Do the Creep by The Lonely Island

Rawr!

Today I did this totally rad wolf head on one of our clients, Chris. This guy is crazy. He comes into the shop without a clue of what he wants. After the regular, "Well, what are you thinking? What do you like? What? Where? Huh?" I usually give up and point to something that I painted, or that I've been really wanting to tattoo or something rather. And the usual response is "Hell Yes, lets do it."

The design is from a "Classic Tattoos by Joe Lieber"
It'a only part of a design, it had some flowers a girl head and possibly a banner in it, but i only wanted this glorious wolf head.

Shark Attack!

aaaand little pipe! Did a few more little tattoos today. I did this Shark Attack tattoo for a friend of mine, BJ. He originally wanted just a shark and I picked out a Sailor Jerry one, and while I was getting set up, he was very excited and said, "Shark attack!" and convinced him it's a good idea to add that in banners around the shark! And thus this was born,



He had a hard time figuring it out where he wanted it but he decided the foot was the best. And then found out how painful it was. But actually he sat very well.


Later on that night, Jason's friend Justin and his friend (of which I can't recall his name) was in town and he's all tatted up and itching for a new one, even if it was just a little one. I then pointed to a very stylish little pipe, which he then desperately fell in love with.



And I did one on his friend also, both on the inside of their left knees. Apparently my suggestion was spot on, as they both love pipe smoking and they do so together as friends. I just wanted to tattoo a little pipe!

Unicorn Eating Lightning

Today I did a little tattoo on the other girl that works at my shop, Jes. She really enjoyed this little piece of flash she saw in "Classic Flash in 5 Bold Colors"



It was really fun! We were giggling through the whole thing. I was still very nervous but I think I'm getting more confident in just sitting down and doing tattoos.

Starting to tattooooooo

So this next month, my boss Jason, is going on a little trip to Cali to see his family and work a bit. Not a huge deal but it will leave our shop without a tattooer... Jason had me do some little tattoos before his departure, just small stuff for friends of ours. Here are a few of the first ones I did for my friend Mika.





And, there are more on my flickr as always.


Jason thought my first few tattoos were good enough that he felt confident enough to leave me in the shop to do my own tattoos for that whole month!
Bring it...

Girls and Birds!

I painted some more flash a bit ago, just some little paintings. A couple of girls and some birds, I really enjoyed painting them. I need to do a few more of them. They're quick and make me happy. I've also started a new huge banger sheet. I'll post in when I'm through.







Things Have been very good with the apprenticeship, I've been working my ass off and it's been a good time. Learning a lot, and loving every minute of it.

hey look

more flash! yay!






Larger images over on my Flickr

New things I've been working on!

soo yeah it's been a little bit longer than I'd like. I have been working very hard, any many numerous projects, and here they are:

Battle Royal! (sorry for the not great photo)






And this one is probably my favorite, my little flapper.



Also I got tattooed by Mr. Brad Mariachi who was a guest artist at 323 Tattoos. Here is his fantastic little piece on me

Tattooooooo

So for my birthday last month, Jason gave me a new tattoo! Should have posted this a while ago.



I'll keep you posted on the progress of it. Check back soon!