Starting a Career in Tattoos

Video Transcript

"This is Oak at Painted Temple Tattoo in Provo, Utah. How to start a career as a tattooer. Be prepared to eat a lot of Top Ramen, maybe some hot dogs because it's hard in the beginning. You've got to build your clientele. You've got to build your skills. You've got to learn your way around this industry. It's not an easy way to start, but once you do you can find something you love. You can tattoo with passion, you know, if it is your passion. If you are starting a career in the tattoo business your art needs to be there. This isn't a job for people with, you know, a stencil jockey or someone who has no art skills. This is another field of art. This is another canvas of art. You need to start there. You need to learn how to draw before you are willing to attempt to put art on bodies. It's something you need to learn. Tattooing could be a successful career if you apply it correctly. There's money to be made and there's also no money to be made. Certain times of the year you're going to be twiddling your thumbs wondering if you're going to do another tattoo again, and then there's time when you can't push them away enough. If it's something you do want to pursue, if it's something you do want to be involved in just be prepared to not make much money and at times to make money."