Tattoos are increasing in popularity around the globe and studies suggest that about 48% of the population has either a tattoo, a piercing or both. Getting a tattoo license to become a tattoo artist is a great career move if you are artistic and already know how to give someone a tattoo. (Otherwise you should apprentice to a real tattoo artist).
Getting a Tattoo Apprenticeship
This is as about as close to formal training that most tattoo artists receive. To get a tattoo apprenticeship, you should go into tattoo shops and check out their work. If you like them, and their tattoos, come back with a portfolio (50-60 finished drawings), and ask if they have a position for you as an apprentice. An apprenticeship will give you formal training, teach you the basics of using tattoo machines and equipment, and is a great way to learn the business. Knowing how to do things properly can help you to pass your eventual tattoo licensing test.
Health Certifications
The first and most important certification that you will require in order to tattoo anyone, anywhere, is a blood pathogen certification. What this means is that you have been trained in how diseases spread through the blood, and are taking active steps to prevent it from happening. According to the Health and Safety at Work etc., Act 1974 you will also be expected to pass health certification for your equipment and facilities are sanitary and up to health codes. If you don’t have any equipment yet, you should probably consider purchasing it before looking for certification.
Tattoo Certification
Tattoo certification is not necessary in all parts of the UK. Depending upon your location, you may have to either pass a test to earn a certification, or simply register yourself as someone who offers skin piercing services (those include tattooing). You should check with your local board of health or city council. On a city website, you can usually find tattooing under licensing/list of applications. Most tattoo licensing or registration areas have a set of rules and regulations that you must follow in order to keep your license. Usually, these pertain to cleanliness, age of the person being tattooed and discussing health risks with clients.
Most of the time it isn’t very hard to attain your tattoo license, if you have the skills, the money and the facilities, you should be able to easily get your license and set up shop as a tattoo artist.
If you need tattoo supplies, machines or etc., www.killerinktattoo.co.uk is Europe’s largest tattoo supplier.