How to Learn Ancient Tattoo Techniques

The art of ancient tattooing is becoming more popular and many professional tattoo artists are learning these techniques meet their clients' requests for them. Learning ancient tattooing techniques takes several years, but is worth the time to create the beautiful patterns that can be made with them. Here is an idea of what you need to do to learn them.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Passport
• Fake Skin (Available in Special Tattoo Supply Store)
• Ancient Tattooing Tools

How To Learn Ancient Tattooing Techniques

1. Talk to one of the tattoo professionals who use ancient tattooing techniques to obtain an apprenticeship. You can meet a professional of ancient tattooing at a festival that showcases the art of tattooing, or you can perform your own research using the Internet.

2. Obtain a license to work as an apprentice in a tattoo shop. Since ancient tattoo techniques are used in Polynesia and Hawaii exclusively, you will need to make sure that you know the local ordinances of practicing ancient tattoo techniques. The laws will be different in each area of the world, so you will need to contact the health board in the area you choose for your apprenticeship to find out about local laws and regulations.

3. Become familiar with the tools used for ancient tattooing techniques. Your training will take up to three years. You should not tattoo anyone with the tools until you have been properly trained with their use, since they are dangerous and can cause scarring if improperly used. This is also the time when you will learn about the health and safety rules and regulations of tattooing.

4. Practice the ancient tattooing techniques you have learned using "fake skin." Fake skin can be purchased from catalogs or from tattoo shops in your local area. After you have proven your ancient tattooing techniques are accurate, you will be allowed to work on a few clients or your friends.

5. Obtain the proper licenses and certificates to become a tattoo artist. You will need to have training and certification in health and safety if you want to become a tattoo artist in the US. You will also need to provide documentation for both your classical tattooing apprenticeship and your apprenticeship learning ancient tattooing techniques before you begin to practice tattooing for the public.

Tips & Warnings

• Tattooing laws and ordinances are different in each area of the world. When you are learning from someone in an overseas location, you will want to make sure that your apprenticeship will transfer to the location you plan to work in, rather than where you learn.
• Traditional tattooing techniques have improved in safety and cleanliness over the years, but you will need to make sure that the professional you are learning from abides by modern health and safety rules and regulations to avoid transmitting blood-born pathogens and viruses.
• An apprenticeship is not a paying job, unless you work for the tattoo professional while you are undergoing training. Some tattoo professionals offer their apprentice a job, but not all do.

Resources

• Tahiti Tattoo