7 Traits for a Successful Tattoo Artist — Certified Tattoo Studios (2024)

FAQs

What makes a good tattoo studio? ›

The most crucial aspect of a tattoo studio is its artists. Review the portfolio of each artist to get a sense of their style, versatility, and skill level. A diverse portfolio showcasing various designs and techniques is altogether, a sign of an experienced artist.

Hone Your Artistic Skills

Practice drawing and perfect your technique. Creativity and design prowess are key to standing out as a tattoo artist. Consider taking art classes, attending workshops, or seeking mentorship to continually enhance your skills.

Opening a tattoo and body piercing shop has a nationwide average of around $27,000. This can vary depending on state and local licensing, regulatory fees, facility rental and other factors. Once a tattoo artist has an established clientele and builds a good reputation, they can earn upwards of $50,000 per year.

Vibrancy and Longevity

High-quality inks maintain their vibrancy and clarity over time. Ask your artist for photos of healed tattoos they've done, especially ones that are several years old. This can give you an idea of how their inks age.

Tattooing has the potential to make you rich. Still, it greatly depends on various factors, such as the artist's skill level, reputation, business acumen, and strategies for marketing and growing their tattooing business.

Good tattoo artists love to answer questions and provide comfort to their clients, from what kind of machines they use to what kind of ink they use to how long they've been at it and what they have a preference for doing. The look and presentation of the shop itself speaks volumes about the artists in the shop.

Some parts of the body can be harder to tattoo because of the extra skin. The front of the shoulder next to the armpit can be a really hard area to tattoo because of the extra skin there. Stretching the area out and keeping the shape of the armpit in mind makes this an even tougher placement to tattoo.

Though you may be tempted to include a work in progress, try to only showcase polished, completed tattoo art that you feel is your best to date. A well-rounded tattoo portfolio will include a minimum of 50 color and/or black ink designs to demonstrate your skill set.

I usually book two or three appointments per day. I try to reserve an ample amount of time to put the bells and whistles on each drawing and to make any changes that need to be made when the client comes in. Some days are totally swamped and I do not get a chance to eat.

Our minimum tattoo charge is S$150. An A4 size tattoo would costs at least S$600 onwards.

What is the highest paid tattoo artist? ›

Scott Campbell

Scott is one of the highest-paid Tattoo Artists in the world, with a net worth of around $10 million. He has tattooed many famous celebrities, including Robert Downey Jr., Sting, and Penelope Cruz. Campbell's tattoo style is known for its intricate designs and attention to detail.