Tattoo Artists are some of the world’s most unique and skilled professionals. Becoming a Tattoo Artist is equally creative and rewarding. While there are probably a hundred reasons to become a Tattoo Artist in Philadelphia, we share our top 10 reasons you should launch your career in the greater Philadelphia area in Pennsylvania.
If you’re wondering how to become a Tattoo Artist, find a tattoo school or tattoo apprenticeship near me, or get a tattoo license, you’ve come to the right place. Body Art & Soul is your one-stop shop for all things Tattoo Artist training. Read on to get the answers to all your questions and find out why getting started as a Tattoo Artist at our Philadelphia location is a great idea f you want to make a living in the tattoo industry.
Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions are the birthplace of America, and it is subsequently the birthplace of modern tattoos. While the United States was born in Philadelphia with the signing of the Declaration of Independence, modern tattoo culture was born nearby on the streets of New York. However, it is in Philadelphia that tattoo culture tattooed itself onto the fabric of American culture. Touring circuses boasted tattooed men and women. The crossover between immigrant cultures of Europe and the indigenous peoples of the Asiatic and Pacific islands made Philly the giant melting pot of culture and knowledge it always wanted to be.
Today, the historic melting pot culture is still alive, with original shops still standing in historic districts as the “City of Brotherly Love” continues to open its arms to new people and ideas. The influence of tattoos and Tattoo Artists in recent history makes Philadelphia the place to be for tattoo culture today.
Throughout American history, at least one thing has been confirmed—Philadelphia is a tough city with tough people. It must be tough to get a tattoo. That needle is no joke. And in a changing industry, Philadelphia has remained tough. More than tough, to be exact. Philly sits at the top of the tattoo world. Tattoo conventions, city tattoo projects, and the rise of social media have brought a boom to the city and Tattoo Artists. Tattoo licensing and enrollment have grown yearly, and the city’s demand hasn’t been disappointed. The culture has been so iconic it has been a driving force in creating change. Now, you can go all over the city and find white-collar workers rocking tattoos in the office and about town. If it weren’t for the liberty bell, tattoo culture might have been the most famous thing in Philadelphia.
It’s no secret that tattoos are permanent. Often, that’s the most significant appeal. As a Tattoo Artist, you get to be a part of something that will live on forever with each one of your clients. Individuals want tattoos for a variety of reasons. Some people get tattoos to honor someone they love or have lost. Others might mark milestones and essential moments in their lives that they want to capture forever. As a Tattoo Artist, you get to make dreams and visions of what someone can look like come true. All the while you execute their vision and dream, you get to make your mark, earn a great living, and have your clients carry a little bit of you with them forever. Talk about a legacy.
You can make a living as a Tattoo Artist in the City of Brotherly Love. According to Zippia, the average income for a Tattoo Artist in Philadelphia is $69,521. That median salary is so impressive, in fact, that it makes Pennsylvania one of the most rewarding cities to be a Tattoo Artist. The highest earners in the tattoo industry make an average of $151,000. It truly can’t get any better. Just imagine earning that much without ever having to slave away for some boss you just can’t stand or suffer through forty years of debt paying off your four-year college degree. Speaking of which…
Tattoo Artists come to the profession through avenues that are far from cookie-cutter. Despite the industry’s mass appeal and profitability, there is no traditional degree program for Tattoo Artists at major art schools or universities. Some Tattoo Artists may start in art school pursuing other art avenues and see being a Tattoo Artist as a way for them to make a living by making art. But even with years of art history and art technique training, you’ll still need to learn how to navigate and handle a tattoo machine.
There are generally two routes for becoming a Tattoo Artist: teaching yourself by making mistakes on yourself and your friends or finding a tattoo apprenticeship near you that can steer you away from all those mistakes and towards a successful career. As you can tell, our strong advice is…
Thinking you can learn to tattoo on Youtube is just kidding yourself. On top of how ineffective it is, you’ll likely never effectively learn how to prevent the spread of infectious diseases and keep your clients and yourself safe.
We’re talking about blood and body fluids, just like in a hospital, when you’re talking about tattooing. You need to learn the correct way, not just the quick way.
A structured tattoo school or structured tattoo apprenticeship allows you to study under a professional, experienced, working Tattoo Artist. They become your resource and knowledge base while helping you build your skills and portfolio without worrying or stressing about paving your way on your own or giving your friends hepatitis.
Looking for a tattoo apprenticeship in Pennsylvania right now? Call/Text 1-917-227-2842
If you are accepted into the program, when becoming a tattoo apprentice at Ink Different Tattoo School, you’ll start your training one-on-one with your Tattoo Artist in a live virtual classroom. This allows you to get started right away. After the global pandemic we all experienced, we were able to identify what we can start teaching you right away from the comfort of your own home, which saves you time and money.
After you pass your virtual classroom requirements, you’ll complete your apprenticeship in one of our studios. The program usually takes one year to complete. After you’ve completed your training with us, you’ll have a guaranteed job offer.
What will you learn in your Tattoo Apprenticeship? Here are some highlights:
We think that people who get tattoos are awesome. So that can only mean that people who give them are even cooler, right? People who live in and align with tattoo culture hold dear and value self-expression, art, creativity, and individuality. They strive to make a mark in their own unique way. When you pursue a career as a Tattoo Artist at Ink Different Tattoo School, you will become fully immersed in a great community of individuals who share those same values.
At Ink Different Tattoo School School, you’ll have an instant supportive community of fellow Tattoo Artists at the ready. Our mission is to ensure equal opportunity for all who embody excellence in the tattoo industry, inclusive of all ages, races, ethnicities, genders, orientations, identities, and backgrounds. No matter who you are, you’ll find your place in our community.
People will frequently ask, “Is being a Tattoo Artist hard?” Becoming a Tattoo Artist and building a career is not easy. But your hard work will pay off. Each time you finish a phase of your apprenticeship or make it through a long tattoo session, everything will get a little easier. After your apprenticeship and the hundreds of hours of gaining valuable experience that will go into it, you’ll find that your skill, endurance, and expertise will increase dramatically during this time. All the hours, days, and nights you put toward your training and development will make you more than ready to start making a living as a Tattoo Artist.
We’re so confident of this at Ink Different Tattoo School, that once you complete your tattoo apprenticeship program with us, you will receive a Guaranteed Job Offer as a Tattoo Artist at Ink Different Tattoo School that you make the most of at any of our locations across the country.
This means that once you finish your tattoo apprenticeship in Philadelphia, you can travel to New York City, or even Los Angeles, whenever you’d like to tattoo clients on our own version of “tattoo vacation.” Aside from that, if you decide down the road that you would like to move to one of the cities where we have a studio, then great, you already have work waiting for you.
In case you didn’t know this part yet, we open new locations with people who complete our apprenticeship, which means that if you want to have the adventure of opening your own tattoo studio in another city, you’re in the right place! You need to finish your apprenticeship and work as a Tattoo Artist first, though…. so you better get busy. ; )
Looking for a tattoo apprenticeship right now? Call/Text 1-917-227-2842
As a Tattoo Artist, especially at Ink Different Tattoo School, you get to have agency in your career. You can choose your appointment hours, which city you want to live in, and how much you want to work. In general, tattoo studios are busiest Thursday through Sunday, which can make for a short work week and long weekend if you choose to focus your time that way.
At Ink Different Tattoo School, we don’t care if you want to tattoo at 2 am. That’s up to you. You’ll have keys and a code to get in, and you can tattoo until the sun comes up if you like.
And like we said above, you could even open up your own studio with us one day.
Even tattoos that look the same are generally not exactly the same. There might be similarities in design, color, or style, but the nature of the craft makes all tattoos one-of-a-kind. In a society where mass production is standard and expected, being a Tattoo Artist is one of the world’s most unique and special occupations.
Many factors influence a Tattoo Artist’s work and the final tattoo. Many designs are shared nationwide because of tradition, popularity, and look. Yet, regardless of how many realism portraits, quotes, or watercolor designs are etched onto individuals, they can never be exactly alike because no two bodies are the same. Body shapes and color combined with specific techniques and experience of an artist deliver exceptional and unique tattoos deserving of the special people who get them and execute them.
As time goes on, your experience level will grow. You will be able to both broaden and specialize your abilities as a Tattoo Artist. You’ll naturally be drawn to find ways to improve your skills, build up new techniques, and maybe even do some innovating of your own.
When you launch your career as a Tattoo Artist, you will be able to live and work creatively in your everyday routine. The desk job where you’re crunching numbers, sitting in a cubicle, and sending endless emails will be replaced by working with and for your clients to give them the ink of their dreams.
Becoming a Tattoo Artist is one of the most rewarding career paths you can pursue. Every day’s novelty and the work’s significance make it truly special. If you’re ready to take the leap, learn more about Ink Different Tattoo School School Apprenticeships.
As we said before, if you are accepted into the Tattoo Apprenticeship Program at Ink Different Tattoo School Philadelphia, you’ll receive a Guaranteed Job Offer on the day you finish your apprenticeship.
When you change your career and become a Tattoo Artist, or start this new career as your first love, you’ll be part of the few people in this world that get to do what they love for a living. On top of that, you’ll be part of the even fewer people who get to make a living from their art!
Start today. You’re worth it.