If you have been seeking a career as a tattooist, you may have spent plenty of time studying body art, both the techniques of applying it and the latest trends and fashions.
Ultimately, however, nothing beats actually getting to work in the role. The National Careers Service advises those who want a tattooist career to work as an assistant in a tattoo parlour, create a portfolio of their own ideas and show both an obvious interest and artistic skill.
Alternatively, or in concert with this approach, you can undertake a college course to gain formal qualifications. Either way, you will need to prove your skills with real clients.
However you go about it, you must get the all-important foot in the door and if you have now reached this stage, you may be getting quickly established, with many satisfied customers who are delighted with the results of your work.
However, having got this far you may start having ideas of setting up on your own. Being your own boss appeals to many people in all sorts of jobs, but as a tattooist, it can be the obvious thing for many people to do.
You may start by ‘renting a chair’ in someone else’s studio, but in time, with sufficient money reserves built up, a business loan or an investment from a business partner with sufficient funds, you could set up in your own premises.
Like other self-employed people, you can choose your own working hours, employ others to work for you, as well as shaping the business to suit a particular niche; for instance, you might specialise in a particular area of tattoo art that appeals to a certain group of people.
However, you do need to start with the basics. While you might have all sorts of grand plans, you need to make sure you are fully equipped with your tattoo supplies.
Whether that is ink, needles, piercing tools or other equipment, you need not only to ensure you have everything in place before you open but are organised enough to ensure you keep on top of your inventory; you need to know what you have plenty of and what is starting to run short, to avoid the embarrassment of running out of something you need.
This organisation will only be part of the equation, of course, but it is crucial, given it is one of the things that will have been done for you when starting out in someone else’s parlour, but is now your own responsibility.
Other key steps will include getting a licence so you can operate legally and choosing the right location for your premises (ideally, this should be somewhere that lacks a tattoo parlour, as you will have less local competition and you can fill a gap in the local market).
You will also need to learn how to deal with your taxes and insurance, as well as matters like payroll and national insurance matters if you take on employees.
Being self-employed as a tattooist involves a lot of work, planning and vision, a lot of which will be practical, rather than glamorous. However, the rewards can be great and you can pursue your dreams in your own way.