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Becoming a tattoo artist can be a little different depending on where you want to make a living as a tattoo artist. However, even if there is no federal law regulating the practice of tattooing, various state and local laws deal with tattoo studios and tattoo artists around the United States. To learn about statutes and other laws regulating the tattoo industry in your state, please refer to the Tattoo Laws Across the United States white paper released by our tattoo school last year.
Tattoo Laws Florida 2022
For this article, let’s focus on tattoo regulations in Florida and basic knowledge about tattoos. Firstly, you need to know everything about tattoo styles, tattoo techniques, disinfecting tattoo tools, and the workplace, as well as how to use disposable equipment like, for example, rubber gloves and disposable needles. For this reason, a tattoo artist benefits from having specific other skills, such as high social skills needed to deal with clients, creativity, and manual dexterity to operate the tools of your trade to make a piece of art on the client’s skin.
Are you ready to start your adventure of becoming a tattoo artist? If so, here you go:
How to become a Tattoo Artist in Florida – A Step-by-Step Guide:
- First, you need to learn how to draw a tattoo design – you need to find out what makes a good tattoo design work as a tattoo that can last a lifetime. This is not to say that learning how to draw generally helps, yet you will need to understand how negative space, shading, and line work will help you at the beginning of your career. One day you will be navigating the differences between neo-traditional and neo-realism tattoos, with possible watercolor tattoos in your portfolio. Before you get there, though, you need to start somewhere. Firstly, start with more superficial tattoos and focus on perfecting those early in your career. American traditional and black work are good places to start. Secondly, learn to draw these designs with impeccable line work, color shading, and negative space. Thirdly, mastering that will start you on your way to becoming an excellent tattoo artist. Several graphic programs are available, with PhotoShop and ProCreate being the most well-known brands that may help you on your journey. Lastly, don’t forget that a good tattoo artist should be able to design a tattoo using physical and digital tools. Aside from enrolling for classes specific to creating tattoo designs, like Ink Different’s Florida tattoo school, you can also sign up for courses such as Digital Art at your community college.
- Secondly, if you know how to create tattoo designs, you can collect them and make a professional portfolio. You can print out your designs for your physical portfolio, but you also have to create online versions of the portfolio. As you progress in your career, you must have a tattoo portfolio that should include pictures of finished tattoos. It is vital to put your best foot forward and only include outstanding photos in the portfolio. For the sake of quality, you should buy a good quality camera, learn how to make great pictures using your phone, hire a professional photographer, or all of the above to help you with the photos for your portfolio.
- Lastly, go to a Tattoo school to avoid the hassles of an apprenticeship, and complete your training in a studio. Only tattoo schools that oversee your career development with your early clients can help you succeed.
What will you need to learn to become a tattoo artist?
- Bloodborne Pathogen and Communicable Diseases Prevention
- First Aid and CPR
- Drawing for Tattoos
- Graphic Programs (Such as PhotoShop and ProCreate)
- Control and Maintenance of Tattoo Equipment
- Basic business and management skills
- Aftercare
- Tattoo laws and regulations
- And, of course, mastery over the Lining and shading techniques necessary to create impeccable tattoos on your clients.
How to choose a tattoo apprenticeship or a tattoo school in Florida?
To become a successful tattoo artist, you must get your training from qualified, experienced instructors or established tattoo artists willing to apprentice you. A good tattoo school offers the most comprehensive knowledge. Visit our website and sign up for the newest Tattoo School in Tampa, Florida, at https://tattooschool.com/florida-tattoo-school/
4. Master Your Tools – This will come naturally as part of your tattoo apprenticeship or tattoo school training. Yet, one way or another, you must become highly effective with your tattoo machines, foot switch, and power supply.
Other supplies you’ll need:
- Needles, tubes, tips, and grips
- Selections of ink colors
- Products for disinfection
- Multiple needle configurations
- Ink caps and Vaseline
- Spray bottles
- Aftercare products
- Stencil paper
- Disposable rubber gloves
5. Knowing your rights and responsibilities and the tattoo laws, legislation, and regulations valid in your area is imperative.
The following Florida Statutes govern tattooing and body piercings in Florida:
Fla. Stat. §381.075 regulates operations of body-piercing salons.
Fla. Stat. §381.0775 et seq. All Tattoo Establishments require licensing. Therefore, a person may not operate a Tattoo Establishment in this state without a license.
Effective January 1, 2013, any person operating an unlicensed tattoo establishment will be subject to administrative penalties.
Is tattooing from home illegal in Florida?
Yes, it is prohibited to do body modifications at home. Therefore, conventional tattooing and cosmetic tattooing, including permanent makeup and microblading, may only be practiced at a licensed tattoo establishment.
Are minors allowed to get a tattoo in the state of Florida?
Minors the age 16 through 17 may get a tattoo in the state of Florida as long as:
Their parent or legal guardian accompanies the minor child
Or the parent or legal guardian submits their written notarized consent in the format prescribed by the Florida Health Department. You can fill out this form at the FHD website:
http://www.floridahealth.gov/environmental-health/tattooing/_documents/Notarized_Minor_Consent.pdf
6. Get a tattoo license.
How to get a tattoo business license in Florida?
While there is no federal law regulating the practice of tattooing in the United States, there are various state and local laws that you need to be aware of. For example, to obtain a tattoo license in Florida, you need the following:
- Complete an Application for a Tattoo Artist License, including the name of the Tattoo Establishment where you will work or intend to work.
- Complete a Department approved Bloodborne Pathogen and Communicable Diseases training course with a passing score of at least 70% on the examination.
- Submit completed Application for Tattoo Artist License. A state license fee is 60 dollars, a copy of a certificate of completion from a Department approved bloodborne pathogens and infectious diseases course and a copy of a government-issued photo ID to the local Department of Health office in the county having jurisdiction of the tattooing program in the county in which you reside. You should also contact the local Department of Health office to learn if there are any additional local fees to pay for the license.
You may need to be certified in performing first aid and CPR. Therefore, you can obtain certification in performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation through the American Heart Association.
7. Start working in a tattoo studio.
Working as a Tattoo Artist – What does a Tattoo Artist do?
Tattooing as an occupation can appear unpredictable. However, tattoo artists have their everyday routines like everyone else.
The duties of a tattoo artist may include – but do not necessarily need to be limited to:
- Cleaning, sterilizing, and protecting tattoo equipment & work areas
- Designing new tattoo projects according to the client’s ideas and chosen techniques
- Daily sketching and drawing practice
- Practicing designs digitally using iPads and other innovations
- Staying current with the latest tattoo industry developments, styles, and trends
- Booking appointments and communicating with clients
- Tattooing clients
- Educating clients on aftercare routines, safety, and possible complications
- Continued education relating to current health and safety practices, for example: reading the latest CDC announcements.
Essential Skills of a Tattoo Artist: What skills are needed to be a tattoo artist?
Everyone has the predisposition to do something or to become someone. So, do you think you were born to be a tattoo artist? Also, do you have what it takes to become a tattoo artist?
The essential skills and responsibilities of a good tattoo artist:
- Creativity is probably even more important than inherent skills, as it is necessary to make your clients’ dreams come!
- Manual dexterity – this is your ability to use your hands and operate tools and an ability to execute controlled movements using hand-eye coordination under specific conditions
- High-level social skills – a tattoo artist has to deal with clients face-to-face, listen to them, and know their fears and their bodies’ weak points while getting a tattoo.
- Cleanliness – a tattoo artist has to pay attention to potential germs, spreading and prevention of diseases, clean work areas, use proper hand washing, use disposable gloves, and change them as necessary
- Patience – making a tattoo is a long process performed on a living body. Therefore, sessions can last even up to 10 hours!