where can I get help learning to tattoo without doing an apprenticeship?

Question

I bought a tatto kit on ebay, and have done many tattoos, on practice skin, and sometimes on my friends, but mostly on my husband. Some come out great, others fade, and others don't stay at all. Are there any good books, courses, or instructional videos out there that aren't too expensive? I would love to do an apprenticeship, but I've heard they're expensive, and I don't have the money or the time, because I work full time, and raise two kids. I want to learn in my spare time. I have done some beautiful tattoos, but I want to know why some don't come out right. Especially color and greywash. and sometimes black, but only the shading. Outlines stay well. I live in the Houston, TX area. Does anyone have suggestions I may not have already tried? Inexpensive options I can learn with at my own pace?

Dani A - I don't have a medical degree, but I work in a health clinic, and I have been bloodborne pathogen certified, and I have been practicing proper sterility in my work. I have also been instructed on how to specifically guard against HIV, Hep C, and B, and I know how to properly use an ultrasonic cleaner and and autoclave. I use new equipment (including needles), for every tattoo, much less every person, and I only tattoo in a sterile environment. My machine is cleaned every time, regardless of the fact that it has a disposable physical barrier from the tattooing process, and all sharps and waste from every tattoo I do is disposed of as a biohazard. The lack of professionalism in my tattooing is not from lack of education, it is from lack of experience. My question was aimed more toward learning material available on technique, rather than the actual how-to / do's and don'ts / et. al.

Answer 1

I ordered a set of DVDs on tattooing they ran about $220.00 for the complete set of 11 DVDs. or about $25.00 a peice

They are great, the web site is www.academyoftattoo.com if you want to check it out.

I dont know how much you have to spend, but If you contact me by e-mail we can talk about it.

Good luck with your tattooing, I love doing them

Answer 2

Well you are on your way to tattooing. Apprenticeship can run roughly $3,000- $4,000 depending on location, but after that, you can get your license and run your own legal shop. All tattooists had to start somewhere. As for why color doesn't stay...well some people can not hold certain colors good. I don't hold yellow and white very good, and in about a year it's faded and gone. Many people can't hold certain colors whether it be blue, red or what have you. I'm sort of surprised that your black and graywash don't hold, cause everyone can hold the black. Graywash is basically watered down black to begin with, so maybe it's the product that your using, I would go with a different brand.

Answer 3

Please keep the tattooing to the professionals. There are a lot of diseases you can spread, including (but not limited to) Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV. Without the proper education of blood-borne pathogens no amount of autoclaved products will remove the risk of infection to YOU or your victims.

Not to mention that your tattoos that don't heal right are permanently applied to your "clients". They may be your practice, but they are these people's SKIN. Some tattoos, if improperly applied, cannot be fixed due to scar tissue, blow out, etc.

I'm speaking for your safety, as well as the safety of the people you tattoo.

Answer 4

thnx