Tattoo Artist

The first thing you need to understand before pursuing a tattoo artist career is what the regulations are in your state. The only states that currently do not have regulations covering this field or their equipment are New Mexico, North Dakota, and Washington D.C. These regulations vary from state to state. For example, in my state Nevada, the state requires the city or county to develop the regulations for the tattoo artist.

Now some other important things to consider on becoming a tattoo artist are

* Talent - You will need to have a talent at drawing. If you do not have this talent you need to develop it by going to a drawing school. If you do have the talent, you will need to continue to practice your art, all the time. Nothing can ruin your career quicker than by being a sloppy drawer. Remember, your drawing is going on someones body and cannot be removed easily.
* Teacher - You will need to apprentice with a master tattoo artist so you can learn. True there are tattoo artist schools, but be wary of these schools. Especially if there are more than two students per instructor and instruction lasts less than 10 months. There are books you can read but, nothing beats getting one on one instruction from a certified master. Going this way you will more than likely have to sign a contract and pay for the opportunity to learn from a master.
* Health Training - Being in this field will require you to get health training in blood borne pathogens, cross contamination controls, CPR/first aide, dermatology and other issues dealing with health concerns
* Good Personality - You will need to be able to communicate effectively with many different personalities. From the big ruff and tumble biker to the sweet little old lady.