What Does A Quality Physical Tattoo Portfolio Look Like
In short, a physical portfolio is a collection of your best artwork. Always use a black folder. Black is professional, which is a quality your potential mentor will be looking for. Keep it about the size of an A4 notebook. As an apprentice, youll be doing smaller work, so you dont need a portfolio of large scale work yet.
Hints For Creating A Tatoo Website Portfolio
There are many secrets to creating a successful site, yet we have decided to generalize them and give you the most precious tips. These points are the key ones in creating any type of website to work well for a photographer and a tattoo master. So, what should you consider?
Moving Past The Portfolio
Having a great portfolio is only the first step on your journey to becoming a tattoo artist. And even a killer portfolio doesnt guarantee success in the industry. You still need the right mentor, and many apprenticeships mean working for two years full time with no income. Not to mention the hazing many go through to earn their stripes and the trial-and-error process of learning to market yourself to actually get clients.
Making it in tattooing requires so much more than being a good artist. A big mistake most people make is believing their art will sell itself and bring in enough clients to make a living. In addition, many people call it quits when they realise most apprenticeships dont even let them pick up a machine for the first year. This leads to many amazing artists quitting because the traditional apprenticeship process does not set them up for success.
Thats why we created Tattooing 101, the worlds first online tattooing education platform. Whether youre a complete beginner or youve been working as an artist for years, our Artist Accelerator Program breaks down everything you need to know to find success in 9 easy-to-follow modules.
Avoid getting stuck with bad mentors that keep you from progressing and keep your day job while learning to tattoo online at your own pace. Over 2500 Tattooing 101 students have done it already, and so can you.
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Include A Wide Variety Of Tattoo Styles
To show your versatility and skill as a tattoo artist, provide examples of some of the most popular tattoo styles, such as intricate lettering, realistic portraiture, and tribal patterns. Clients often request these kinds of tattoos, so make sure your portfolio demonstrates your skill to perform them reasonably well. Include your best work in a specific style, such as portraiture or typography, if you think you are better at it. This shows your ability to work with a variety of genres and add your own spin to them.
Make An Outstanding Cover
The most important part of your portfolio is your cover.
- It will be a full-page laid out similar to a comic book. . . except of course the artwork will be drawn in a style clearly identified as tattoo art. Ideally, you will make your cover last, since it should summarize your style as an artist and be the most intricate and carefully planned piece in your portfolio.
- The outlining should be done with a liquid-roller-type pen, and you should use colored pencils to color it in.
- Within your cover design, you should fit in your name and contact information since your portfolio is just as important as a resume.
- Make your cover artwork say something about you, as well. It should portray your personalityand a bit of bad-ass shadowing and highlighting wouldn’t hurt.
- Here is the tricky part: You are going to want to combine a tattoo style and a background where both stand out equally, but don’t get lost in each other.
If you want to, as a first page, add a table of contents after you are happy with your portfolio contents.
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Apply At A Tattoo Shop
Once youre licensed, youre ready to apply for any job you want as a tattoo artist. If youre not under contract with the tattoo studio you apprenticed with, look for openings at local shops you want to work at. Or, drop off your resume and portfolio for consideration often, tattoo shops will hire new artists when they like someones work, even if they dont have a formal employment ad posted.
Showcase Your Drawing Skills
While a great creative idea may help you attract the attention of a tattoo shop, excellent sketching abilities may assist you to obtain an apprenticeship. Choose work that demonstrates your skill to draw a variety of figures, shapes, and perspectives. Your portfolio should show your ability to accept and implement a client requirement, integrating your creativity with technical drawing skills.
As an aspiring tattoo artist trying to become an apprentice, you do not need to be a master sketcher. Your portfolio, on the other hand, should show that you have a basic understanding of the technique and can execute it successfully. This will show a potential mentor that you have more to learn, but you already have basic sketching skills in your work.
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Being A Tattoo Artist Is Fun But Like Anything It Requires A Ton Of Hard Work
Be really motivated. Draw a lot. Understand the consequences of tattooing someone. These statements are pretty much Martinezs mantra. There are also health consequences to consider, according to Martinez:
Sure, its a beautiful profession, but it is important to understand that becoming a tattoo artist is not only funwe are putting ink in someones skin for the rest of their lives. This is something extremely serious, and there is an important medical aspect to it. Its a risky practice, and you need to be extremely careful. Heavy bleeding, cross-contamination, infections, skin reactions, health issuesso many things can happen during a tattoo session and it is necessary to be well prepared for this.
How To Make A Good Domain Name For Website Portfolio
Domain name selection:
As we have mentioned before, a domain name is a part of the URL of your site. So, it is the part of the link that leads to your site. So, how to make a good domain name?
- Keep it short. The maximum domain name is 63 signs, yet no one can remember that much. We advise you to take no more than 10-15 symbols maximum.
- Simplify it. Dont put any numbers or other signs into your domain name. Just letters that make sense.
- Make it comprehensible. Try to make a lexical unit out of these symbols that will make sense. Therefore people are more likely to remember the link.
- Choose your brands name. The best way to build an online portfolio that will be popular is to choose the brands name as a domain one. If its too long, try to shorten it but in a way, people would still understand its your brand.
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Create An Engaging Portfolio
Be sure to create a portfolio potential mentors want to look at by:
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Writing a cover letter and including your resume
Your resume highlights relevant education and experience, and a cover letter addresses your potential mentor by name. Including these give your portfolio an instant feel of professionalism.
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Including only completed work
If you have a lot of sketches but few finished pieces of art, wait to create your portfolio until you have more to put in it. Use finished work only for your portfolio, but feel free to include some copies of what the piece looked like at various stages during the drawing phase.
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Memorize a few talking points about each piece
Youll likely be asked a few questions about your art. Get comfortable talking about a few main points for each piece included in your portfolio, so youre prepared no matter which piece your prospective mentor wants to discuss.
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Leaving your business card
Unless you have an appointment at the tattoo shop, the artist may not be able to review your portfolio right away. Leave a business card with your name, contact information, and a link to an online portfolio where your artwork can be viewed at their convenience.
Learn The Basic Elements Of Graphic Design
Whether you obtain an education in art or develop your drawing skills through experience, its critical to master the basics of graphic design. Youll need to learn the theories of line, shape, texture, color, value, and size. Youll also need to learn how to apply those theories on paper to create the image you want, how to stencil, and eventually, how to execute your designs on human skin.
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How To Become A Tattoo Artist
If you love art and design and have a passion for tattoos, becoming a tattoo artist can be a rewarding career. Like many creative trades, pursuing a career in tattooing isnt easy. The cost and time commitment to get a job as a tattoo artist is significant, but the payoff has the potential to be so much more.
Theres more than one path to become a tattoo artist the one you choose depends greatly on what type of artist you want to be, your finances, talent, and the opportunities available in your area. However, there are some common steps all aspiring artists must follow to improve your skill level, acquire knowledge of the trade, and master the art of tattooing. Heres how to get started.
Going To School Is Not A Must
You do not need any specific education to be a tattoo artist, which is part of what I love about the tattoo world: We all come from very different backgrounds, explains Martinez. You definitely do need to be trained, though, in sanitation, sterilization, blood-borne pathogens, and how to avoid damaging the skin while you work.
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Many Tattoo Artists Were Formerly Art Students
Its common to get your start in other mediums before moving to a human canvas. I always knew that I would be an artist. I didnt know that I would be tattooing, specifically, but Ive always wanted to make my living by making art, Love says. Its def a hustle though. She received a bachelors degree in painting and needed a way to make a steady living through art, so she took a leap and moved to San Diego, California, with her painting portfolio. I went I went door to door until I found a Polynesian tribal tattoo shop that gave me an apprenticeship, says Love. And the rest was history.
The Basic Equipment Every Tattoo Artist Needs
Youll need at least two tattoo guns that you like using, an ultrasonic, tubes and grips, sterile needles for lines and shading, green cleaning soap, spray bottles, small plastic cups for ink, gloves, and other supplies needed to keep your area clean. Expect this equipment to cost a few thousand dollars or more depending on what you get.
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Buy Your Own Tattoo Equipment
Each tattoo artist tends to have equipment preferences. Perhaps you like a particular style of a tattoo gun, or you need to use nitrile gloves instead of latex due to an allergy. Usually, tattoo shops require an artist to furnish their own supplies, so youll want to invest a few basics to start out with, growing your collection as you gain more experience.
How To Build A Tattoo Portfolio
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Be Specific With What Youre Actually Asking For
If you put tons of effort into your portfolio, you obviously want a tattoo artist to look at it. Approaching an artist – particularly one you admire – can be intimidating. But getting them to take a look is easy when you go about it the right way.
Youll need to be specific with what youre asking. Do not ask Are you hiring apprentices? This will usually lead to their immediate reflex to say No.
Instead, say something like: Hey, hows it going? Oh cool. Hey listen, Ive put together a portfolio of tattoo designs that Ive drawn. I was hoping you had a minute or two to take a look and tell me what you think of them.
How To Make Money Selling Tattoo Designs Online
Do you have artistic skills? Do you have a passion for tattoo designing? Then below is an in-depth guide on how to make money selling tattoo designs online, right from home. Okay, let me guess. You are thinking of starting a new Online business that generates a part-time income for you. You are a good tattoo artist but cant find the right place to market your designs. I know.
Seriously, you can actually make a lot of money selling and designing tattoos. I have a friend in Australia, who currently makes a full-time income designing custom tattoos and selling his flash on Createmytattoo.com. If he could achieve that within the space of 2 years, you can too. All you need is planning, determination, and hard work.
Dont be deceived it takes hard work to design tattoos. Theres no money hanging somewhere online. Creating a sustainable online business requires hard work. Tell me, do you have a talent for drawing and design? Then you may want to look into making money designing custom tattoos and selling your flash online. People desire attractive tattoo styles. And they are willing to pay top grand to get it.
Now, lets dive into the main subject of today. But before I move on with that, permit me to quickly chase a stupid bird that has been disturbing me since morning. Yah Im back .
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Prepare For A Huge Up
Nead recommends getting at least two tattoo machines, a starter ink set, and tubes plus some disposable supplies, including needles, gloves, rubber bands, Thermofax paper, and skin pens. All in, it can cost upward of $4,000 in equipment to get started. In states where tattoo schools are regulatedlike Oregon, where Nead livesapprenticeships cost somewhere around $10,000 on top of state licensure fees.
Take Art Classes At Your Local Community College
Taking art classes at your local community college is the most affordable way to get an education in art, however, its not as robust as formal education at a tattoo school or university. Here, you can learn many basic design concepts and sharpen your skills by practicing creating art for a wide variety of applications.
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Ask For Help With Your Tattoo Flash Portfolio
Not sure you have the answers for any of the above? We can help! Our tattoo apprenticeship starts by helping you to hone these skills. Well mentor you so you learn the skills to have a successful and lucrative career as a tattoo artist. Want to know more? Start a chat with one of our team members and attend a tattoo apprenticeship workshop to see if this is the right career for you! Even if you are not located near one of our studios, we can help you put your best foot forward with an exceptional tattoo flash portfolio.
Showcase Your Drawing Technique
A great creative idea might help you catch the attention of a tattoo shop, but having excellent drawing technique could help you land an apprenticeship. Make sure you choose work that demonstrates you can draw a variety of different figures, forms, and perspectives correctly. Your portfolio should illustrate you are able to take on a client request and execute it with the proper technique, combining your creativity with your technical drawing skills.
As an emerging tattoo artist trying to become an apprentice, you do not need to have a perfect drawing technique by any means. But your portfolio should show that you have a basic understanding of technique and can do it fairly well. This will let a potential mentor know that you have more to learn, but there are foundational drawing skills present already in your work.
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